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.
Travis Gordon 
Not many people decide to get into the world of driver education at a younger age. Most people think of a grumpy old guy when they imagine a driver education teacher, but at the age of 24 I was gently nudged into the role of an instructor at the largest driving school in Oregon. Read more>>
Laurie Fredsall 
Professionally, I’ve spent most of my life in corporate America, primarily leading customer and technical support teams. I’ve always enjoyed the challenge of ensuring customers receive the best service possible while helping my teams grow professionally and find greater satisfaction in their work. Personally, the last few years have brought significant experiences of loss and change. Read more>>
River Medicine 
One heart. One mind. I’m an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, born and raised at the base of the Blue mountains on the Umatilla reservation, surrounded by tradition, family, and a deep connection to the land. My teenage years were a very difficult chapter of my life. Read more>>
Faliesha Dawne 
My love for photography started long before I ever thought of it as a career. I’ve always been drawn to art and creativity, and my grandmother gave me my first real spark for photography with her Polaroid. Over the years, I took photography classes, learned from other photographers, and spent a lot of time simply practicing and figuring out what I loved about creating images. Read more>>
Juliet Hollifield 
I was born and raised on a small cattle ranch in Horse Prairie, Montana, which was a very small and isolated place- about 50 miles to the nearest gas station. Read more>>
Jeni Adkisson 
Our story really began in 2000, when Wayne and I moved to Klamath Falls with our growing family. We wanted to raise our children somewhere they could have room to explore, play in nature, use their imaginations, and grow up connected to their community. We never really expected to stay this long—we originally thought it would be just a few years. Read more>>
Jack Burns 
After retiring in 2005 (at 55), I spent the next 10 years visiting islands and ports throughout much of the tropical Pacific and Atlantic oceans, solo, by sailboat. I then settled back in Oregon to be close to my kids, and growing family of grandkids. Read more>>
Charmaine Isabelo 
My journey started at a really young age. I’ve always been the artistic type. My third grade teacher displayed my work because she thought I had great penmanship. I took as many art courses as I could during middle / high school and to me it didn’t even feel like a class; I truly enjoyed going and creating projects. Read more>>
Husam Oubari 
My wife and I are Syrian. Dana runs her own private violin studio, Studio Vivaldi.org. We have two grown sons, Karam, who’s working with a nonprofit consulting firm in Manhattan, and Yazen, our youngest, who just graduated with a degree in physics. Read more>>
Alicia Bruggeman 
My journey has taken me down many different paths, and each one has shaped who I am as a Spiritual Doula and practicing Witch today. I proudly served in the United States Navy for more than 18 years, including deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. During my military career, I was honored to receive multiple awards and medals. Read more>>
Everardo.GF 
I spent over a decade working in the corporate world, taking on roles ranging from engineering in aerospace to data analysis in the sporting goods industry. Outside of work, I picked up a camera a few years ago and became more involved in Portland’s creative scene — attending entrepreneurial pitch events, fashion shows, nightlife events, and other community gatherings. Read more>>
Caroline Carr 
Maddy’s Cream Bike came out of a chapter of my life I never could have predicted. I spent most of my career in finance and accounting, including public accounting, corporate finance at Nike, and later working with technology startups. Read more>>
Beth Buchanan 
My path to nutrition therapy wasn’t exactly linear, but looking back, it makes perfect sense. I’ve always been fascinated by the human body—how it moves, adapts, heals, and communicates with us. I studied physical education, health, and art education in college and went on to earn my master’s degree in exercise physiology. Read more>>
Ashley Murphy 
Wild Craft Skincare started organically with just two items created purely for myself when we were actually planning to move out of the country. But the brand took off so fast that we stayed right here. Read more>>
Ryan Nicolas 
3RE Auto Detailing was created by a couple of Century High School students looking to complete some sort of business/marketing project, in order to meet graduation requirements for the business program. We decided to go through the entrepreneurial route by running our own business. Throughout the process, we showcased and gained hands-on experience in areas such as marketing, customer service, budgeting, and business management. Read more>>
Ian Dogole 
For a more in-depth response to this question, please visit https://www.iandogole.com/bio. I will provide a more succinct synopsis here. I spent my formative years outside of Philadelphia. I was introduced to music when I started piano lessons at the age of four, followed by guitar lessons at age seven. At age 13, I started a three-year study program with highly acclaimed guitarist/educator Chuck Anderson. Read more>>
Renee Barasch 
I started tattooing in 2016. I didn’t have a lot of direction at the time however. I worked at Hidden Rose Tattoo in NW Portland for a few years and moved to Astoria Winter of 2018. Upon moving, I was still new to my industry and needed a space to practice tattooing and connect with clients. Read more>>
Karen Weitz 
I was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. After graduating high school, I volunteered as a missionary in Haiti where I worked for almost two continuious years. After returning to the states to commence my undergraduate work, I began working with human rights organizations. Read more>>
David Davis
My earliest memory of making art is sitting at an easel that had belonged to my grandmother in Los Angeles. In the 1960s, her work brought her into Hollywood celebrity circles, where she received commissions as an artist. Years later, she sat me down at that easel and showed me how to paint a watercolor still life, a simple bowl of fruit. Read more>>
Jake Schlueter
My story has really always revolved around music. I started playing music when I was young, and over time I became increasingly interested in not just performing, but understanding how music was made. That eventually led me into music production, recording, and teaching. Read more>>
