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.
AGUENDINE KHASIDIS
If you told me years ago when I was a merchant marine, playing pro basketball, or running a motorcycle repair shop that I’d end up loving taxes, I would have laughed. On the surface, those worlds look completely different, but they required the exact same thing: the ability to diagnose a problem under pressure, figure out how it works, and fix it. Read more>>
Megan and Tom Atkins
Megan and Tom Atkins met and married while both living in the Turks and Caicos Islands during the late 1990’s. After relocating to the US with their 2 children and living in 2 states, they discovered Gearhart on the Oregon coast and fell in love with the community, natural beauty and coastal charm. Read more>>
Georgy Shishkin
My path into photography started long before it became my profession. Growing up in Siberia, I spent a lot of time outdoors, hiking and exploring nature with my grandmother. Those experiences shaped the way I see the world even today. Read more>>
Kristin Faus
I’ve been self-employed for most of my adult life. As a single mom, this suited me very well, giving me the ability to schedule around my parenting priorities. Read more>>
David Parnell
I started my classic Volkswagen business 10 years ago. I have had a passion for classic Volkswagens my whole life and it was always my dream to create a business centered around selling classic VW’s. I created an online (by appointment only) dealership. When I first started I would travel all over the Westcoast and sometimes beyond looking for good quality Volkswagens. Read more>>
Rachael Niven
I am a lucky individual that knew what she wanted to do with her life from a young age. ‘Move to the city and do hair!’. Lol I grew up in a salon for a portion of my childhood. My first stepmom owned a salon for about, or over, 20yrs. Read more>>
Amber + Eric DePangher
Our story started when we met at a wedding networking event. At the time, we both had our own photography businesses, and pretty quickly realized we were good at different parts of the same thing. Eric is more of the technical side of Sightglass. Read more>>
Danielle Day
I have always had a deep urge to create something for the world and to be able to work for myself- I’ve always felt highly claustrophobic in office jobs and corporate life. Over time I’ve been pulled again and again to helping others. Read more>>
Emily Gigoux
When I was about eight years old, my family and I were hiking at Mount Rainier, and someone handed me a camera. I took a photo of the mountain framed by wildflowers in the foreground and a bright blue sky behind it. It ended up being a really beautiful image — so much so that my grandmother actually turned it into greeting cards. Read more>>
Angi Wildt
I had an incredible opportunity to work for a gallery in Cannon Beach, Oregon in the early 2000s. My background was in sales, but the art world was new to me. The experience resonated deeply. It changed how I viewed the world through light and shadow. Conversations with artists and collectors, and spending time in that environment, awakened my own creativity. Read more>>
Christine Tracy
My path into this work wasn’t a straight line. I started as a personal trainer at 21 years old while raising my one-year-old daughter , Hazelas a single mom. At the time, movement was a way to create stability, strength, and a future for us both. Read more>>
Joey Speten
I’ve never had serious career aspirations (outside of my childhood dream of writing for Lego Bionicle comics). My main pursuit was to be a husband and father. So around 12 years ago, I wasn’t looking to get into a specific industry, I was simply searching for a job steady enough to afford dating my soon-to-be girlfriend (and to win her dad’s approval). Read more>>
Kendra Brott
Throughout school, I felt the need to help people overcome mental health stigma. My household and family tree have plenty, if not heavy, mental health diagnoses. I learned that trauma is really the basis of most mental health disorders. The knowledge that bodies keep the score of your trauma….was the momentum that kept fueling my journey. Read more>>
Patrick Denard
I was born and raised in Oregon, so Medford felt like home. I started my practice here, founded Oregon Shoulder Institute, and over time built out a research program and a fellowship training program alongside the clinical work. Read more>>
Toya Williams
As a young girl, I gained a deep appreciation for the art of freezing moments in time through photographs. I remember sitting with my grandparents as they looked through old photo albums, watching their faces light up while reminiscing over what seemed like simple prints. Those moments taught me just how powerful a photograph can be. Read more>>
Juli Accurso
My husband and I bought what would become Mount Tom House in July of 2019. At the time, the house was a residential home and we purchased it with intentions of turning it into a bed and breakfast from which to host elevated adult running retreats in Tracktown, USA. We both moved to Eugene from Ohio to pursue post-collegiate running opportunities. Read more>>
Corbet Unmack
With my partner and husband, William Faiia, we retired from the tech side of San Francisco’s financial industry in 1995 and moved to Ashland and purchase a small, 5 room bed and breakfast inn. In a short time, we became “Ashland’s premier theater-oriented bed & breakfast”, well-respected in the community and developed a large and dedicated repeat business. Read more>>
Jason Mendiola
I spent 20 years in the home building industry, 17 of those in manufactured housing. Shortly after covid began I decided it was time to make a change. I quit my job of 17 years and started my own business with just myself doing the work to get my business up and running.. Read more>>
Lance Richardson
I need a short bio for Lance for a short interview. Lance is the owner of Richardson Log Homes. He was raised in a western cowboy culture, spending his younger years working as a buckaroo, managing cattle ranch. Lances interest in buikding was sparked by watching his dad build log homes as a young man. Read more>>
Hannah Rose Duna
Faerie Beads & Treasures was started in 2006 by Phyllis Mueller, aka Dancing Hands (my mother). A longtime bead worker, craftsperson and fashion designer, she opened Faerie Beads when my father, Les Mueller, took a teaching job at Eastern Oregon University. Read more>>
Peter` D Black
My story started one ordinary day, working in the garden of a beautiful community I had drifted into during my global wanderings. The community was a kind of Human Potential Community, in a beautiful part of India, where many therapists and healers had gathered from around the world. Read more>>
Julie Johnson
We have been part of downtown Corvallis for over 45 years, proudly serving generations of women looking for something unique when it comes to clothing, jewelry, and accessories. When Regina and I (Julie) took ownership six years ago, we were honored to become the next stewards of a beloved local business and proudly maintain the deep roots in our community. Read more>>
Mike Longo
Our story officially began in 2024, but in many ways, it started 37 years ago. I grew up in a blue-collar family in New England, surrounded by the trades. At a young age, my family moved to Oregon, where my dad’s best friend from the military became a major influence in my life. He was one of the most talented craftsmen I’ve ever known. Read more>>
Brett & Holly Burnham
Obsidian Roofing’s story is really Brett’s story. Brett grew up in construction, spending time on custom home builds as a child and learning the value of hard work from an early age. Over the years, he built experience across multiple trades, working as a framer before eventually owning and operating his own stone and tile business. Read more>>
Tonya Wright
I started like most photographers do — with a camera in one hand and a delusional amount of confidence that I could turn a hobby into a business. I’ve been a lifelong photography nerd and about a decade‑long professional, but I’m also an avid gamer. Halo’s my favorite at the moment. Read more>>
Jodi Arrant
I started working at an independent pharmacy in Sutherlin almost 18 years ago. I became the front-end manager, attended gift buying trips, ordered and displayed merchandise, handled staff schedules, and was eventually trained to take on payroll, bookkeeping, and the day-to-day office operations. Read more>>
Mike Meacham
I started at a young age working as a wash boy cleaning cars for my father-in-law (origanlly Art’s Service Inc). I worked my way up over the years and gained my CDL license, eventually becoming a heavy wrecker operator and manager for the tow trucks. Read more>>
Brittany Brite
I was born and raised in Southern Oregon and graduated from Cascade Christian High School. Read more>>
Cimarron Brodie iLko Major
iLko and I originally met while doing production work in the art and music industry. Through that experience, we realized how much we loved creating immersive events and environments, and began dreaming of having a venue of our own where we could fully bring our ideas and creative vision to life. Read more>>
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>>
