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.
Carolyn Brazil
My background is a study in contrasts, with my mother’s side influencing me in the arts and music, and my father’s side exposing me to a more traditional business world. My maternal grandfather was an abstract and figurative painter, and my mom and her brothers were very musical. I always had my hands in some type of creative endeavor, be it music or art. Read more>>
Brogan Woodburn
I’ve always been drawn to both creativity and systems. When I was younger, I taught myself music, but I was also the kind of person who liked taking apart old computers just to understand how they worked. Music was my first serious path. Read more>>
Rose Naigus
I first fell in love with fitness in high school after taking a strength and conditioning class. From that point on, the gym became a huge part of my life. About four and a half years ago, I started working with a trainer who completely changed my approach to fitness. I began following a structured training program and took my nutrition seriously. Read more>>
Serena Schulz
My story begins with failure. I went to university out of high school with the hope of being a marine biologist, and I came out of that year with mostly F’s on the report card. I went with friends to Seattle to get a job, and I met my ex-husband, I got married, and I started a family. I was nineteen. Read more>>
Daniel Centeno
This business started with most of the work coming from word-of-mouth referrals for my father. He worked for a construction company for close to 25 years, and along the way he started taking on side work here and there. Read more>>
Kurt Goddard
Kurt Goddard is the co-founder and pastry chef behind Twisted Croissant, one of the country’s most recognized modern French bakeries. Raised in Grayling, Michigan, Kurt began working in restaurants at just 12 years old, developing a lifelong dedication to the craft of hospitality. Read more>>
Jennifer Lynn
3yrs ago I found myself starting my life over… Living in a completely new town I decided this was my opportunity for a fresh start, and to do something that I loved. So took a gamble, cashed out my retirement, and opened Bohemian Rhapsody Boutique. Being in a small town, I knew I needed to keep things fresh to keep my customers engaged. Read more>>
Libby Smith
Hello – We are a multi-generational family-owned and operated business that was established in approximately 1950 by Gil Roberts. My (Libby’s) family, the Upton Family, owned Roberts Supply Co. from 1993 – 2025. After running the business for approximately 10 years for my father, Stan Upton, my husband Nick and I purchased it in 2025. Read more>>
Katie Gonzales
Hiatt Farm was first started by my parents, Trish and Mark Hiatt. I grew up on this farm where we ran a u-pick blueberry field for many, many years as well as raising a small group of beef cattle and chickens for eggs. Over time Trish’s love of baking and preserving grew into a small farmstand where our current building sits. Read more>>
darrin Hollyman
My passion for architecture began at an early age and grew through years of hands-on experience in residential design. After working in the industry and seeing firsthand how thoughtful design can shape the way people live, I founded Hollyman Design with a simple goal: to create homes that are both timeless and deeply personal. Read more>>
Donald Emmerich
My husband and I have both been involved in the health and fitness industry collectively for over 50 years. We both started as personal fitness trainers at a very young age and worked our way up from Fitness Directors to General Managers of big box gyms. Read more>>
Danny Hagger Jr.
There was a point in my life when I felt like I had lost everything. I experienced the loss of loved ones, financial hardship, and found myself without a place to call home. I was sleeping on my sister’s couch, wondering how I was going to rebuild my life and whether I would ever get out of that dark place. Read more>>
Erica Swantek
My deep-rooted love and appreciation for the great outdoors began early in life. Growing up in Colorado, I was exposed to camping, hiking, and fishing from a young age. Family trips to the mountains or lakes were cherished opportunities for us to connect with nature. Read more>>
Ashley Murdock
I’ve always had a passion for dance and movement and grew-up competing in dance. Being from the Bay Area (California) I spent much of my career working at high tech companies in the people side of the house (HR). Read more>>
Brigitte Godfrey, NTP
I grew up in a family that cared a lot about what you looked like. There was no consideration of food being the literal fuel to our bodies, and definitely a lot of demonizing of fats and carbohydrates – but if the package said ‘lite’ it was good to go! Read more>>
Cristino Olguin
Cristino originally started OCL in Miami, FL during the 2008 recession as a way to bring in extra income for his family. Working full time at a local grocery store, and mowing lawns on his weekends was the beginning of OCL. In 2018 he decided to relocate to Beaverton, OR and open OCL as a full service landscaping company. Read more>>
Kim Olson
In 1996 I went to work at the Bent Needle in Astoria, OR where I learned computerized embroidery. This is where my passion for computerized embroidery started, still as a young adult I went on to explore other things in life. Read more>>
Steven Nguyen
I was fascinated with martial arts when I was a kid. Growing up, that fascination grew into a passion. That passion turned into my life’s work. I am aiming to do this for the rest of my life. Read more>>
Jennifer Reida
I never imagined that one day I’d be leading a food pantry. As a kid, my family relied on food pantries ourselves. We lived in poverty, moved around a lot, and there were times when those boxes of food meant the difference between having dinner and going without. I didn’t know then that those experiences would one day become one of my greatest strengths. Read more>>
Adam Nadow
I fell in love with Jiu Jitsu from day 1. I walked into BTT Long beach and never looked back. Bjj has saved me in several physical altercation, and I have taught others how to do the same. I won worlds masters at blue belt, and have been on the world podium a few times. I moved to Oregon to open my gym/Academy. Read more>>
Yana G
We officially opened Symphony Coffeehouse in 2022, just as things were beginning to settle down after the height of COVID. Opening a coffee shop had been something our family had talked about for a long time because we wanted to build something together that could also be a positive part of our community. Read more>>
Dezerae Jobe
Triple Nickel Pines started with a dream to create something peaceful, beautiful, and a little different here in Southern Oregon. My husband and I purchased our property in Merlin, Oregon, and instead of turning it into just another rental, we wanted to create an experience — a quiet, adults-only retreat where people could slow down, reconnect, and feel tucked away in the woods. Read more>>
Ben Bonham
I am from the UK and I started playing music professionally whilst managing Windsurfing Centers around Europe in the 1980’s and early 90’s. In 92 I moved back to the UK and worked as a musician for 3 years before moving to the USA. Read more>>
Brad Boucher
I have been a student of Tibetan Buddhism for more than 30 years. I moved to this area to study with the Lama who built Tashi Choling in a rural valley outside Ashland OR. I am a woodworker by trade and would help with the building of the Temple, as well as build furniture and kitchens for income. Read more>>
Bobbi Hall
I’ve been a personal trainer for over 30 years, but my real story started at 54 when I walked onto a bikini competition stage for the first time. That moment changed everything — not just for me, but for the women watching who thought their best years were behind them. Read more>>
Amy Hisaoka
I started my business as an Etsy store that sold car accessories like keychains, organizer pouches and custom cup holders. The demand grew and I upgraded my small home sewing machine to two industrial embroidery machines, a laser engraver, vinyl plotter and sublimation set up. I started doing custom orders for local community members who wanted t-shirts and hats. My local embroidery shop started growing! Read more>>
Nathaniel Jones
Our story starts years ago while visiting the University of Oregon and the surrounding city of Eugene on a cloudy day in March. We quickly fell in love with the community and the area. We made plans to relocate from Colorado to Oregon to open the Hippie Closet, a place where people can enjoy the art of creating tie-dye and immerse themselves in hippie/boho clothing. Read more>>
Sean Gregg
My story actually started in high school. I read a book about chiropractic for a class report and something just clicked. At the time my career choices were marine biologist, because what millennial did not want to be a marine biologist, or history teacher. Chiropractic ended up being the path that felt right. Read more>>
Aaron Nichols
This is our 12th season farming on this land. Before we moved here, I had farmed for others in upstate New York before returning to Oregon to farm here. When our farm started it was an abandoned nursery – the land was very compacted and nearly impossible to grow food on. Read more>>
Lyle Peterson
After my worst year in real estate sales ever — and way too many months living off credit cards — I knew I had to do something different. Read more>>
Holly Muckerman
I fell in love with craft beer and culture in college while attending the University of Oregon. My (now) husband worked at the original Bier Stein and introduced me to beers from all around the world. After a brief stint in my education-related field I started working at a prestigious bottle shop in Portland, Belmont Station. Read more>>
Neil Antonio Diamente
Alessandro and Antonio first met in 1997 working at Oliveto, an Italian restaurant in Oakland, CA. After a long day’s work they would play music together at Antonio’s place. They went on to form the band GSol and recorded several albums over two decades. In 2016 Alessandro moved to Ashland with his family. In 2023 Antonio came to Ashland as well. Read more>>
Melody Campbell
My journey into digital marketing did not follow a straight line, but every part of my path taught me something I use today. I started in people-centered work. I was a hairstylist, a waitress, and worked in sales, and each of those roles taught me how important trust, communication, and connection are. Read more>>
Aaron Kammeyer
Cascade German Parts, founded by Aaron Kammeyer, began in 2004 as Bora Parts, Incorporated. Originally a means to pay for flight school, I met my wonderful wife Lauren and she wanted me to keep my feet on the ground. The company rapidly grew to become one of the premiere online parts retailers for Volkswagen & Audi TDIs. Read more>>
Aprill Wilkinson
Before becoming a licensed massage therapist, I spent seven years working in the insurance industry. Like many people, I found myself sitting behind a desk all day, staring at a computer screen and feeling increasingly disconnected from the work I was doing. While I was grateful for the experience and skills I developed, I felt unfulfilled and uninspired. Read more>>
Andy Plymate
In late 2018, I traveled to Scotland for the International Medieval Fighting Championships. A chance to go to Scotland and watch armored knights fight! Hell yeah! Upon returning to Portland, I found a local club and fell in love with the unarmored version of Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA). Read more>>
Free Lee
I was born in Hong Kong and immigrated to the United States with my family when I was five years old. My story begins with immigration, learning to make sense of a new world, and growing up between two cultures. Read more>>
Lola Jovan
Remember the Family Circus cartoons? When the kid rambles and wanders and roams all around before getting to his destination? That’s my story. It wasn’t until I was nearly fifty that I fell into art. Before that, I spent decades in commercial lending and corporate banking, running small business and large, figuring out what I wanted to be when I grew up. Read more>>
Rob Tramonte
My story as a business owner and creative dates back to 2004 when I was a freshman in high school. I started my first-ever business painting Xboxes for my classmates in Washington State. The company was called So SiK CuSToMz (lol), and we advertised it by hanging flyers in the boys’ bathroom and posting before-and-after photos on MySpace. Read more>>
Emery Blackburn
I grew up as an artist myself, and well encouraged by my family and those around me. As a young tomboyish kid with a hippie grandmother and a religious family, I seemed to always be between worlds. From my father, I got my bite, my drive to succeed and to prove myself in impossible situations. Read more>>
Audrey Grace
I’ve loved photography for as long as I can remember, but the reason I became a photographer goes a little deeper than just enjoying taking pictures. Growing up, my parents didn’t like having their photos taken, so there are very few photos of our family together. As I got older, I realized how much those missing memories meant to me. Read more>>
Juli Ray Joy
Black Joy Oregon was founded in 2020 with a simple but powerful belief: Black people deserve to experience joy, belonging, safety, and celebration in every corner of Oregon. What began as a grassroots effort to bring visible demonstrations of Black joy and culture to rural communities quickly grew into a statewide movement. Read more>>
