Hidden Gems: Local Businesses & Creatives You Should Know

Every day we have a choice. We can support an up and coming podcaster, try a new family-run restaurant, join a boutique gym started by a local fitness champ or we could keep giving away our money to the handful of giants who already control so much of our commerce. Our daily decisions impact the kind world we live in; if we want a world where small businesses are growing and artists and creatives are thriving then we should support them with our time, money and attention. We’re proud to highlight inspiring creatives and entrepreneurs each week in Hidden Gems series.  Check out some of our latest local gem features below. 

Emily Green

I’m on a mission to help ambitious women succeed without burning themselves out in the process. For years, I worked closely with women who looked successful on the outside—capable, reliable, high-achieving—but felt depleted on the inside. They cared deeply about their work, their relationships, and their values, yet felt constantly stretched thin and disconnected, like they were running on fumes. Read more>>

Stephanie Coueignoux

Growing up, I always realized that my calling was communication but I wasn’t clear on which path I wanted to take. I ultimately fell in love with tv journalism because of its immediacy and accessibility. I am a very curious person and love that journalism affords me a front row seat to not only watch live events but ask the burning questions. Read more>>

Dr. Elizabeta Cokovska

I am going to include my story that I just wrote for a book. This is a summary of how I got to be where I am today. It was a quiet morning, the kind I love most, with a perfectly hot cup of coffee in my hands and a good conversation flowing with a friend. Read more>>

Desmond Pierre

For as long as I can remember, fast cars have been more than just machines to me they’ve been a passion, a lifestyle, and a vision for the future. That passion is what led me to start my own automotive business focused on tuning, modifying, and elevating sports cars and race cars right here in Orlando. What ultimately pushed me forward was belief. Read more>>

Jerrid Kalakay

Origin Story — Dos Alas Latin Coffee In the spring of 2020, as the world shifted and communities sought connection in new ways, Dos Alas Latin Coffee LLC was born in Sorrento, Florida. Officially founded on March 12, 2020, the company was the brainchild of two partners — Jerrid P. Read more>>

Shivani Kapoor

A gateway to a more authentic Indian dining experience, Gateway To India was founded in 2006 by Chef Paul Kapoor and his wife, Shivani Kapoor. A native of Mumbai, India, Chef Kapoor brings decades of culinary expertise and has successfully launched and operated six restaurants over the course of his career. Read more>>

Mark Fisher

As of 2025 I have been self employed for over 35 years doing various jobs. In January of 2015 I decided to embarked on a new self employed job called Water Leak Detection. Today, The Water Leak Detectors provides Professional, Honest, Ethical and with our Integrity fully intact, water leak detection service for Central Florida. Read more>>

Richard Trzaskoma

Joined the Air Force at 17, retired at 40 from the military. Started a job as a pilot at Southwest airlines the same day my military retirement began. When I started at Southwest it meant a move to be near work. So Tavares was where my wife of 24 years, Stacey, decided we would stay. Read more>>

Jamee Pickett

Everyone always asks how I became a barber or what started it. Before I learned barbering, I was working in a restaurant, miserable. I knew I needed to do something more with my life and hair was never the first thing on my mind, especially men’s hair. Read more>>

OutGrow Therapeutics

OutGrow Therapeutics was born out of a desire to create a more holistic model of care. We are Martie Goldberg, a dual-certified Speech-Language Pathologist and BCBA, and Megan Dore, a COTA with a background in Developmental Psychology. Between the two of us, we have worked in New York, Massachusetts, Texas, and Florida, spanning settings from public and private schools to private practice and home care. Read more>>

Leah Stiles

I’m a retired U.S. Navy Senior Chief, a military spouse, and the mom of an active-duty sailor, and the military has shaped nearly every chapter of my life. I spent more than 20 years serving in uniform while quietly battling an eating disorder and other mental health challenges, believing I had to stay strong, silent, and mission-ready at all costs. Read more>>

Kylie Buatsi

Restorative Speech Services began three and a half years ago from a simple desire to help families who were struggling to access healthcare for their children. In Volusia County, children were waiting six months or longer for services that are medically necessary including speech, language, and feeding services. Read more>>

Natalie Hawthorne

Sundresses in the Park was born from a mix of joy, healing, and purpose in March of 2025. I genuinely love sundresses, flowers, being outdoors, and the way nature has a way of slowing us down and bringing people together. Read more>>

Conservatorio de Música Y Artes

The Conservatory of Music and Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and fostering diverse artistic expressions in the Hispanic community of Central Florida. Since 2021, we have offered workshops, classes, interviews with local artists, and a play, all free of charge. All of this has been possible thanks to our team of volunteers, collaborators, and sponsors. Read more>>

Stephanie Barker

It started with my husband’s idea, by acquiring an established flower shop in late September of 2019. I never worked a day in my life in a flower shop or even a small business setting. The idea was built on hope and belief I would be good at it. Read more>>

Megan Dwight

NextSteps Academy started as an integrative extension of are family company First Step Therapy , this is the base of all the added services to are Preschool ,Micro School Program. We are supported by private ownership and community support offering In house OT,PT,SLP and ABA support services for families that qualify . We are partners with numerous scholarship funding . Read more>>

SANDRA LOPEZ

My story begins with the desire to do something meaningful and different. Since I was little, I’ve always had a passion for helping and creating clean, organized spaces. With effort and dedication, I turned that passion into my own business, facing challenges, learning from every experience, and growing day by day. Read more>>

Brad Pascarella

Darryl Richardson, Clint Oldenburg, and I set out to bring a truly community-focused, family-friendly craft brewery to Longwood, Florida—something that felt like it belonged here from day one. I’ve always loved the old English pub vibe: warm lighting, good conversation, and a steady sense of comfort. Read more>>

Jonathon Smith

My partner and I worked in a metal shop together for over 12 years. We would always talk about one day starting our own shop. We made all the adequate steps, formed the LLC and made a business plan etc.. Everything was going good. all we needed was some capital and a building. So we stayed idle for over a year. Read more>>

Maryland Plumey-Marin

For more than 20 years, my journey in events has been rooted in family, passion, and purpose. It all began with planning Sweet 16 celebrations for my daughters. As a mother of five girls, those parties quickly turned into planning events for their friends as well, and before I knew it, I was doing what I loved most—creating meaningful celebrations. Read more>>

Nila Thompson

I.ve always worked as a part of a sales team in corporate America. Always looking for the next sale. Very stressful but profitable work. One night, as I slept, I had a dream. In this dream, I walked into a laundromat, but people weren’t washing clothes, they were washing dogs. On one side there were large dogs being washed in shower stalls. Read more>>

Dr. Francisco José Richardson

The Dr. Francisco José Richardson Story I was born and raised in Puerto Rico, in a close-knit family where culture, respect, and service were central values. As an only child, I spent an incredible amount of time with my parents, especially on our family boat, navigating the waters of Vieques and the Virgin Islands. Read more>>

Joseph Boy

Joseph Boy is the founder and principal of Your Computer Solutions (YCS), a technology services company built to provide reliable, honest, and practical IT support for individuals and small businesses. YCS was created to address a common frustration Joseph saw repeatedly: technology providers who spoke in jargon, oversold services, or treated clients as tickets rather than people. Read more>>

Peggy Renshaw

Tuned-In Wellness came to be out of a desire to create a space where I could offer massage therapy as I had been for 15 years at that point, as well as branch out into the world of sound healing which didn’t fit very well in the spa environment I was currently in. Read more>>

Manny Vargas

Our Journey SmoothSail Shuttles was built by the Vargas family from the ground up as a family-owned and operated business, with one clear mission: to remove the stress and uncertainty from travel. What started as an idea rooted in service, reliability, and attention to detail quickly turned into a growing operation trusted by families, groups, and cruise travelers. Read more>>

Honey Soibelman

Laurel & Vine Decor started in 2022 when Honey began creating high quality styled vase sets, pairing contemporary vases with faux greenery and florals. From the start, the focus was really on quality and detail. A lot of time went into refining the designs, sourcing the right materials, and thinking through the packaging so everything felt well made and thoughtful. Read more>>

Tina Gower

Most people spend their careers in one place — I took mine around the world. My name is Tina Gower, and I’m the owner and founder of Angelmedic CPR. I’ve spent over 34 years in Emergency Medical Services, including 24 years as an Orlando paramedic. Read more>>

Sonia Planadeball

Brand – wise we are most proud of our reputation for reliability and customer satisfaction. At Fence and Plus ,every project big or small is handled with care and attention to detail and professionalism .Our goal is to make the process simple and stress -free while delivering services that our clients can trust and recommend to others. Read more>>