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.
Corey Taylor
My path into detailing wasn’t the traditional “I always wanted to own a detailing business” story. I’ve actually been working on cars since I was about 16 years old. In 2013, I left Arizona to begin a career with BMW, where I eventually spent over 10 years working as a BMW Master Technician and High Voltage Specialist. Read more>>
Giulia Conte
Every setback has actually been what has redirected me and propelled me forward. All I ever wanted as a high school cross country captain was to run D1 in college, I couldn’t get recruited, but I devoted my entire summer between high school and college to training. It was successful, and I had some of my fastest 5k and 5 mile times that summer. Read more>>
Ashley (Bradfield) & Charlsie (MacWilliams)
The story of Crash & C-Mac Productions began long before the company officially launched in 2024. Founders Charlsie MacWilliams and Ashley Bradfield first started producing independent live music events together at a winery venue in Southern Oregon, where they spent several years building grassroots concerts, developing relationships with artists, and learning firsthand what it takes to create meaningful live music experiences in a rural market. Read more>>
Alen Kunica
I started my journey with service and leadership. I did a short stint in the U.S. Army before injuries ultimately cut that chapter shorter than planned, but the experience still shaped a lot of who I am today teaching me discipline, accountability, and resilience. From there, I transitioned into business, building a career in sales, marketing, and business development, eventually stepping into executive leadership roles. Read more>>
Anna Blazevich
HUMMINGBIRD HEART CO. OPENED ITS RETAIL DOORS JULY 2021, AS AN APOTHECARY & BOUTIQUE, WITH A MISSION TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT BRANDS THAT HAD A FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY. My fascination with holistic, plant-based healing modalities aligned beautifully with sustainable brands that leaned towards supporting one’s mind, body and spirit, it seemed like the perfect future plan for myself and my family. Read more>>
Lauren Berry
Lauren Berry began her journey in healthcare through years of experience working in both acute and outpatient medical settings, where she saw firsthand the growing need for more compassionate, personalized mental health support. Throughout her career, she recognized that many patients were struggling to find care that truly addressed the root causes of their challenges while also making them feel heard, understood, and supported. Read more>>
Ryan Kinion
I began my career in Massage therapy back in 2018, prior to that I was working social services as homeless shelter manager and after that as a cyber security rep traveling across the US to military bases. In 2016 my life turned upside my 3-year relationship ended, one of my closest friends past away and followed by my father three months later. Read more>>
Alexandra Dion
My story starts with my mom. She was a saleswoman, and she used to take me on her calls. I would sit there, quietly watching her read people, build rapport, and close deals. I didn’t know I was studying persuasion. I just knew something fascinating was happening between her and the person across the table, and I couldn’t look away. Read more>>
Erin Hanson
I fell in love with painting when I was just a little girl. My school took me to a museum, where I saw Van Gogh’s famous painting of purple irises. When I got home, I begged my mother to plant some irises in our backyard, and I waited excitedly for the blooms to appear. Read more>>
Jordan Nelson
I started my electrical apprenticeship in 2013. I was the first person in my family to enter the trade, and honestly, that meant figuring out a lot on my own from the beginning. After over a decade of learning the craft and working for others, I decided it was time to build something of my own. Read more>>
Jessica Middleton
For most of my adult life, I’ve balanced multiple roles at once — wife, mom, full-time healthcare leader, and creative. Photography started as something deeply personal for me. I’ve always been drawn to storytelling, emotion, and preserving moments that feel real instead of overly posed or perfect. Over time, what began as a creative outlet slowly grew into JM Photography and Rooted & Bloom. Read more>>
Katie Wolfe
Five years ago, my children attended what was then called High Desert Montessori, and through that experience I became deeply connected to the school’s staff and community — many of whom are still part of the school today. Read more>>
Emily Sproul
I found the field of speech therapy (SLP, speech-language pathology) when I was in high school. I was a senior, and as is typical of high school seniors, I was being bombarded with questions about what my plans were after high school. Read more>>
Chris Miller
My earliest memories are of making things. Untold numbers of drawings and paintings. “Talking” robots cobbled together from random Styrofoam scraps and walkie-talkies. Strange little inventions and lopsided contraptions that somehow took over our house growing up. Art school didn’t involve much sleep for me. I majored in graphic design, but also took on the same studio load as the illustration and fine art majors. Read more>>
Dan Mooney
I started Mooney Marketing after realizing a lot of small businesses in Central Oregon were getting overpriced websites that looked decent but performed terribly on Google. I’ve always been drawn to design, marketing, photography, and figuring out how businesses actually attract customers online, so I began building websites focused not just on appearance, but on SEO, structure, speed, and real-world results. Read more>>
Joe Paulet
I got my start in high school shooting snowboard videos. I love shooting and editing and everything that has to do with filmmaking, so I decided to go to film school, and then, after that, I was fortunate to be in Portland at the right time when Grimm and Leverage and Portlandia were happening, and Nike and Adidas were shooting commercials. Read more>>
Dr. Michael Wheeler
I always wanted to start a music school of my own. I had worked at the local community college and was music director for a church, but it wasn’t as satisfying as I’d hoped. Being contingent faculty at the college level means you can spend decades working for pennies while trying to pay off your student loans. Read more>>
Alisha Smith
My journey with Recovery Outreach Community Center (ROCC) began in 2020, during one of the lowest points of my life. I had just gotten out of a toxic relationship, my son and I had lost almost everything, our home, our belongings, even our dogs, and I found myself homeless, overwhelmed, and honestly questioning whether I had the strength to keep going. Read more>>
Alenka & Michael Kosacki
In 2015, we decided to get out of the city and buy a small 2 acre plot of land so we could farm together. Michael brings skills from volunteering, interning and working at a variety of small farms. His German-Estonian mother was an avid gardener who’s sparked his love of all things pickled. Read more>>
Joseph Logan
Our business is Spey Roofing. The name “Spey” refers to an advanced fly-fishing technique that uses a two-handed rod, usually 11 to 15 feet long. It stems from my (Joseph, co-owner) love of fly fishing and my previous career as a fly-fishing guide on the Deschutes River. Read more>>
Megan Hoff
I care deeply about building healthy and resilient watersheds for all beings. And that passion stems from a childhood filled with wonder and inspiration from the natural world. It follows, then, that my path has primarily centered on connecting people with the environment. Originally from the Midwest, I studied Environmental Studies and Sustainability at DePaul University. Read more>>
Kyle Humphrey
We are a family owned and operated RV business that started in storage and now a full service RV business and even into Campgrounds. After multiple different service related business’ we started our forever storage business and our goal was to provide a different type of storage facility where we help own your RV and/or boat through helpful pre-trip services such as training and cleaning. Read more>>
Avery and Chayse Gilmer
Putting our talents together, in retrospect, was a no brainer. Read more>>
Addy Bittner
My business started as a downtown Portland food cart in 2009. After working for others in kitchens around town, I decided I wanted to work for myself. Starting a food cart seemed like a doable thing to get off the ground on my own, doing what I love. Read more>>
Amy Benton
Amy and Matt’s path to founding Prime Performance began on opposite sides of the country but ultimately came together in Boston, MA in the early 2000s. Amy grew up in Lake Oswego, Oregon, where she spent most of her childhood training in dance and playing various sports. Matt grew up in New York and was similarly active, growing up playing a variety of sports. Read more>>
Latasha Neer
I grew up in Southern Oregon and lived there for about 27 years. I started beauty school in 2009 at 18 years old, thinking it would be the beginning of this perfect career but that wasn’t my reality. I fell into the wrong crowd and into a lifestyle of partying that eventually led to 10+ years in addiction. Read more>>
Brenda Roth
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to tell my story! When I built my home in 2007 (on farmland that has been in my family since 1923), I put in a small greenhouse and garden. Read more>>
