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.
Amy Landa
I was introduced to my clairvoyance when I was 19 years old, but shied away from it. As an empty nester, around 10 years ago, I began to develop my psychic skills with confidence and maturity. A short while after I began studying under Tina Escoto in Cave Creek, my mediumship skills came online, and I have been developing and practicing them ever since. Read More>>
Heidi Ligouri
For more than two decades, I’ve dedicated my career to understanding what is at the root of human emotional suffering—and, more importantly, what helps people move beyond it. As a Licensed Professional Counselor, I’ve worked with individuals navigating trauma, anxiety, eating disorders, depression, burnout, and life transitions. Read More>>
Cecilia Guinea
I’ve always known I wanted to have my own business but I never really knew in what area. Once I hit 10 years at my corporate job I knew it was time for a change. I truly felt like something was missing and event though my job was great I was not happy. Read More>>
Nico Fricchione
In honesty, I didn’t work for a real estate company before starting OneTen REI, so when I started, there really wasn’t a playbook to follow. In a lot of ways, I learned by doing. I purchased the first property that I felt met the fundamental criteria for strong retail investments, and with that acquisition, I was able to secure my first restaurant tenant. Read More>>
Drew Goodman
After earning a Bachelor of Science in Design from Arizona State University, I moved to Chicago and began my career with ISD—an organization widely respected in the industry. I was fortunate to work under Mel Hamilton and alongside talented architects, experiences that helped shape how I think about both design and project management. Read More>>
Nicole Demas
I didn’t grow up in real estate and honestly, I don’t think anyone would have predicted this path for me. I’m originally from Connecticut and spent years in hospitality and corporate training, which taught me how to communicate, build relationships, and truly understand people. Looking back, those skills became the foundation of my business. Read More>>
Eveline Benjamin
My career in the beauty industry began over 19 years ago as a licensed medical aesthetician and certified medical laser technician. Early on, I added permanent makeup to my services and quickly discovered my passion for brows. Over time, I became increasingly drawn to manual techniques, especially Microblading and hand-method applications, because of the artistry and natural-looking results they can achieve. Read More>>
Melissa Tiscareño
My photography journey began in the mountains of Colorado where I would spend most of my time hiking and exploring new places. This allowed me to capture beautiful landscapes with my camera. What started as a love for capturing nature quickly grew into a passion for documenting the people who experience life’s most meaningful moments. Read More>>
DiAna Martinez
Oh gosh, where do I even start! My love for flowers goes way back — my grandmother, Margaret, had this incredible way with plants and flowers, and as a little girl I was right there by her in her plant garden. That never left me. Life took me into real estate, and honestly? I thrived. Read More>>
FlyGuy D
MudMade Material was built from real-life adversity, perseverance, and the belief that no matter where you come from, you can create something greater for yourself. Growing up, football was my first passion. I played my entire life and earned an opportunity to continue my career at the collegiate level. After losing an offer from New Mexico State, I found myself at a crossroads. Read More>>
Malvika Guliani
I spent years in the corporate world, building a career that looked exactly the way it was supposed to look from the outside. Structured, professional, goal-oriented. And for a long time, that was enough. But somewhere along the way, I started to feel a growing distance from the things that actually made me feel like myself. Read More>>
Nicole Fimbres
I started The Charcuterie Babe in 2021 by combining two great passions: food and creativity. Growing up I spent a lot of time with both of my grandmas in the kitchen. They taught me that food is much more than something you eat. It has power to bring family and friends together creating memories filled with laughter , love and meaningful conversations. Read More>>
Valeria Fuerte
With over 16 years of experience in the beauty industry, Valeria Fuerte has built a career rooted in artistry, education, and passion. Her journey began in retail cosmetics and was shaped by nearly a decade with MAC Cosmetics, where she became a MAC Pro Certified Artist and worked across three states, gaining experience with diverse skin tones and beauty styles. Read More>>
Ryan & Mike Osborne
My story, and the story of Sonoran Smart Markets, is really about second chances, family, and entrepreneurship. I was born at Scottsdale Memorial Hospital, raised in Scottsdale, and went to Arcadia High School. After spending more than two decades in Vermont raising my children and building a life, I felt a growing pull to return home to Arizona. Read More>>
Precious Tyler
When I moved to Arizona, I had job offers in the education space ,but when I looked at the salary alongside the cost of living, the alignment wasn’t there. So I made another leap. I stepped into the corporate world, providing account compliance services for small, mid-size, and large construction companies. Read More>>
Ellie Rios
When I first got started into photography, I was taking photos mostly for friends to build up my portfolio. Even now we still all make jokes about how blurry my photos were in the beginning. Eventually, I realized that I wanted to try event photography. Read More>>
Katherine Dusza
I’ve always felt that I’m an artist at my core. For as long as I can remember, the thrill of creating and expressing myself has been something I constantly seek out. I was born and raised in Phoenix, AZ. Growing up, I played soccer and around age 14 picked up a camera on the sidelines of my brother’s games and something just clicked. Read More>>
Jill Ryder
My design career started with a children’s clothing line I created roughly 30 years ago. As my children grew my business pivoted, hence I began designing trendy woman’s tops. If I couldn’t find what I wanted in the stores, I would whip up something unique and always gained many compliments. Read More>>
Meradith Mccortney
When I first started my journey in healthcare, I always knew I wanted a career where I could make a direct impact on people’s lives. Now, as a nurse practitioner, I’ve had the opportunity to care for patients in many different ways! Over time I discovered a passion for wellness, functional health, and aesthetics. Read More>>
ANDY BOWMAN
I had been a pastor ever since I was a young pup. Since our early twenties, my wife, Renie, and I have been in pastoral ministry, or traveling the country working in evangelism, with most of our years lived in Oklahoma or in Florida. Read More>>
Christeen Bryant
My journey to becoming a massage therapist started 18 years ago, after graduating high school, I worked several different jobs, but none of them felt like the right fit for me. I knew I wanted a career where I could truly make a difference in people’s lives. While researching schools in phoenix and I came across Arizona College of Allied Health. Read More>>
Courtney Aldrich
In 2022, I packed up my life, loaded up my dogs, and moved to Arizona for a fresh start. Unfortunately, that fresh start quickly turned into one of the hardest seasons of my life when I lost my home and two of my dogs in a house fire. Read More>>
Michael Edvardsen
My journey into the spice world started around 9 years ago making sauces for friends,family and co-workers. I officially launched my business City Of Fire hotsauce in 2025 and started selling at local farmer’s markets. Read More>>
Jennifer Yang
Cloud House was born from both my professional background and my personal journey as a mother. I am a pharmacist practicing in Arizona and earned a degree in Public Health Sciences with a minor in Educational Studies from UC Irvine. Throughout my career, I have developed a deep appreciation for child development, health, and the importance of creating environments where children can thrive. Read More>>
Tammy Carter
I am from the Navajo Nation, raised primarily by my grandparents. My grandma is the one who introduced me to many of our traditional foods such as blue corn, squash and piñon. I create recipes using as much of our traditional ingredients as possible. This is how I started my small business. Read More>>
Yanni Charalambous
Experienced years of anxiety, depression, panic attacks from child hood trauma, thus making choices from the disconnection between the conscious and subconscious mind! Got started with positive thinking at 30 introduced to the secret of how to change thoughts! Read more>>
Mike Sullivan
After serving 6 years in a Marine corp., Mike careers started driving trucks till a back injury in 2000 ended that career. Read more>>
