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.
Russell Simpson 
I’ve always been a Maker. As a kid I made costumes from construction paper, and learned to knit, crotchet, and braid, despite those hobbies being “not for boys” in 90s culture. I took art classes all through school and particularly thrived in sculpture in many different materials. I wove chain mail, wrote stories and D&D campaigns, and folded origami to stay awake in high school. Read more>>
Daniel Gonzalez 
In January of 2022, I was a student that wanted to attend college with the aim of getting skilled enough at something that my work mattered to people. In order to fund my education, I started doing odd jobs for people, leaf blowing roofs and scooping gutters. I quickly added window washing and pressure washing, and before I knew it, I had a real business. Read more>>
Al’Uriel Coleman 
I’m originally from Texas, I spent a lot of my childhood moving between family members, including my grandmother, my aunts, and both of my parents. Animals were always one of my biggest interests, especially birds. I was fascinated by them from a young age. I also had a snake growing up, although reptiles and amphibians weren’t originally my focus. Read more>>
Garrett and Felicia Kirsch 
Seasoned grew out of our shared love of cooking and the dream of building something of our own. We’re Garrett and Felicia Kirsch—chefs, partners, and parents—and this restaurant is an extension of our family and the work we love. Read more>>
Ashley Bonn 
I grew up in Missouri and moved to Oregon in 2016, when I was 23. I was drawn to the mountains, the ocean, and the culture of sustainability here. Looking back after a decade, that move opened the door to the relationships and experiences that shaped my life’s work. Read more>>
Whitney Carlson 
My Father-in-law has always been a big collector of toys and lunchboxes, so over the course of forty years he had amassed a huge collection of pop culture memorabilia. My husband and I were always used to being around so many different kids of toys and collectibles because of my father-in-law, but we had gotten into collecting arcade and pinball machines. Read more>>
Ehow Chen 
My food blog is a culmination of many facets of my life. I was raised in a restaurant as my mom worked long hours. My dad loved taking me to places to share his favorite dishes ever since I was a toddler. Read more>>
Vianey Tilk 
Growing up surrounded by the hair industry, my love and passion for it developed at an early age. I was fortunate to have strong, inspiring women in the industry who served as role models and shaped the way I envisioned my own career. I admired their compassion and their ability to create spaces where people felt comfortable showing up as their most authentic, vulnerable selves. Read more>>
Colleen Kendall 
I started my involvement in Special Needs Ministry over 20 years ago starting as a volunteer leader for Young Life Capernaum. At the same time, I was in the height of my career as a Speech Pathologist working with children 3-5 years old and their families. Read more>>
kevin clark 
My grandfather was a print maker, his press, (one that I still use today) was in his basement. Read more>>
Cassett Smith 
I’m a rancher and photographer in Central Oregon, but my story with photography started long before Flying AJ ever became a business. I started taking photographs as a freshman in high school with a camera small enough to fit in my back pocket. I spent four years in Mrs. Read more>>
Jaree Ratanavetin 
Hi, I’m Chef Jaree, the owner of Buranko. I was born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand—a country known for having some of the best food in the world. After finishing high school in Bangkok, I earned a patisserie diploma at Le Cordon Bleu in Portland. Read more>>
Joey Gibson 
I’ve spent my career in kitchens, and over the years, my approach to cooking has been shaped by a love of technique, a respect for ingredients, and the satisfaction of making things from scratch. I’ve always been drawn to food that’s thoughtful and creative without being overly complicated or pretentious. Read more>>
Austin Miller 
I threw my first stunt as a freshmen in high school in 2008. After, I did multiple collage programs and professional teams. During that time I started prepping athletes for college teams. I stepped away from coaching after doing 2 years as a stunting coach for a D1 program. Once I was retired, I was asked to to train a young athlete to stunt. Read more>>
Samantha Klopp 
I got my start in the DIY scene back in 2017, working with a local DIY booking agency. It really started when I went to live shows with friends and realized I wanted to be involved in the music industry somehow. So I started going to shows. And I mean A LOT of shows. Read more>>
Lilly Weichberger 
Oran Mór is a small-batch Artisan Meadery with Tasting Rooms in the Sellwood Neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. We are dedicated to hand-crafting a delicious variety of Meads inspired by Ancient traditions and drawing from the abundance of the land. Each of our Meads is a blend of local and varietal honeys, fermented, aged, and blended to perfection with local seasonal fruit, herbs, and spices. Read more>>
John Kish 
I graduated in 2011 with a horticulture degree and in 2013 with a musical theater degree in NYC, where my business concept began. Then, I launched the indoor plant shop, Somewhere That’s Green, in the fall of 2018. Read more>>
Kelsie LPJ 
My journey into real estate development has actually been fairly traditional in a lot of ways. I grew up surrounded by real estate investing and construction, but for a long time, I lacked the confidence to believe I could take everything I’d learned and build something of my own. Read more>>
Autumn Bettinger 
I loved writing as a kid and into my teenage years. When I started working and being a little social butterfly in my twenties writing sorta fell to the way side. Read more>>
Steven Davidson 
My wife and I started The Bite 10 years ago. We’ve lived in Tumalo since 2004. My wife grew up doing CA county fairs with a cinnamon role cart. She’s been obsessed ever since. :). Food trucks and beer make a great combo! We wanted to create a’backyard’ feel, and most importantly ‘vibe’. Read more>>
Julie Sha 
Our Story: Built on Family, Resilience, and Community Our journey started in 2016, when we chose Kona Ice to build a business that would put family first. At the time, we lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, and everyone in our family except Julie was facing health challenges. Matt, couldn’t drive, and we had two young children who needed transportation to daycare and school. Read more>>
Jake Tranter 
My journey into filmmaking started at a young age, driven by a fascination with storytelling and the ability to connect with people through film. What began as a creative outlet quickly became a passion, and in 2017, I began operating under the name Spiderking Studios, eventually establishing it as an LLC in 2020. Around that same time, I was serving in the U.S. Army Infantry. Read more>>
Taylor Svetlichny 
Fresh Cup of Joy was initially a passion project born out of a desire to share my love of coffee (you know, a cup of jo). Along the way, it became a love letter to yummy food and a way to document my favorite home recipes. Read more>>
Jen Brusa 
In 2015 I was a single mom of three boys who had just left a domestic violence marriage. I was on a food-share program and received a flat of blackberries. Not wanting them to go to waste, I made a blackberry cheesecake as a thank-you gift for my son’s teachers. Read more>>
simone savaiano 
I was born in Rome, Italy, but grew up in the countryside outside the city, in a small village called Gallicano nel Lazio. I later moved to Grottaferrata, a town in the beautiful hills of the Castelli Romani, where my journey in hospitality began in 1996. I started working in the dining room, but I was always fascinated by what happened in the kitchen. Read more>>
Karen Eland 
I was raised in suburban Tulsa, OK and am thankful for a playful childhood with a large, close extended family. I always liked making art but also had so many other interests. Read more>>
Sarah Zareen 
Love, Healing, and Heritage: The Story Behind Ishq Organic Skincare Ishq (ee-shuh-quh) means love in Urdu, and that’s exactly what I want every product to carry. I’m Sarah Zareen, founder of Ishq, a first-generation, immigrant woman-owned micro business here in Oregon. Read more>>
Lale and Andrew n/a 
Our story began with a shared curiosity about where our food comes from and a desire to grow more of our own. We’ve both traveled extensively around the world and continue to travel, fascinated by different cultural cuisines, traditional foodways, and the foods that thrive in particular climates. These experiences have deepened our appreciation for the diversity of food and the environments that sustain it. Read more>>
Hillary Waddle Lowe 
Hello, I am Hillary, a Designer, Planner, and Brand Coach in the Pacific Northwest. I started my career as a designer in the corporate world for a large sportswear brand. Read more>>
Claire Hernandez 
I started Wee Baking Co. in 2025 after retiring from 30+ years in the software industry in Oregon. The business is my way of paying homage to my Scottish roots. I grew up in Glasgow, Scotland, before going to college in London and then moving to America. Read more>>
Cathie Coe Sipe 
I remember witnessing women graduate from addiction treatment programs, beautifully celebrated for their courage, hard work, and accomplishments. They were surrounded by those of us that had come to love each and every one of them, encouragement, recognition, and hope for their futures. It was a wonderful moment of celebration, but something deeply troubled me. What happened for each of them after the celebration?! Read more>>
Jade Hincks 
In winter 2012, I took a chance and registered my photography business. I had completed a Fine Art Photography degree in South Africa the Year before, and relied on the craft as the comfort and inspiration that it was! My work ethic, striving to learn and improve, and of course my amazing couples and clients have helped me build this business over the years. Read more>>
Travis Sigler 
I started Wyrd Leatherworks and Meadery in 2017, creating a unique blend of medieval fantasy and my love of handmade leatherwares and artisanal crafted mead. Read more>>
Angela Arnold 
The journey to my business was a long, and winding healing path. Born in a small Mid-West town to teenage parents, I encountered many challenges and experiences that heavily shaped the healing guide I have grown into today. Duality has been a huge part of my life, and is a great resource for me today as I navigate the world through a more enlightened lens. Read more>>
BEATRIZ DUJOVNE 
I Have Lived Many Lives My life has taken many unexpected turns. Some surprised me; others changed me. Along the way, I learned to let my heart choose which turns to embrace. LIFE IN ARGENTINA The biggest—and best—turn of my life began in Argentina. As a young woman in Buenos Aires, I never imagined migrating to another country. Read more>>
Blake Laitner 
Well, my story is like most indie filmmakers’: we make films and do whatever it takes to get the shot. Using all the tools and resources available to me. I have been fortunate to attend a film program called Film Connections, where I met another student named Hakym Reagan, who directed. Read more>>
Bailey Russell 
As a young girl I was obsessed with styling my Barbie’s and american girl dolls hair. Then it bloomed into beginning sports and becoming the “designated” braider of the team. There would be a line of girls on the bus ready to get styled, it was my favorite part of every game day. Flashing forward I was always told hair wasn’t a “real career”. Read more>>
Erin Corcoran Chinburg 
Since 2006, Massage therapy has taken me through an incredible range of settings, from working with athletes and alongside doctors to providing care at St. Charles Hospital here in Bend, OR. Each experience has shown how meaningful skilled, thoughtful touch can be in supporting people through different stages of life. Today, I bring those experiences together at my own practice, Roam Massage. Read more>>
Susan Bladholm 
I’m a native Portlander who loves, loves, loves her city and state. I raised my kids here (both graduated from Lincoln High School), and I’ve watched Portland and Oregon both thrive and struggle. My first job out of college was with the agency now called Business Oregon. Read more>>
Bianca Wolmarans 
Being born in South Africa as a child I used to love taking pictures, for fun. Everywhere I would go, I would try and capture what I saw on film. Back in the days you still had to wait to see what was caught on film, no instant edits, just patience and raw moments captured for eternity. Read more>>
Emily Iboa 
I started becoming interested in floral design over 25 years ago. I worked for a short time with a wedding planner who did florals for many of her clients as well. Read more>>
Shannon Hutson 
My journey with Azalea Bodycare has been about building something that combines two things I believe belong together: therapeutic, health-focused massage therapy and a warm, welcoming environment where people feel genuinely cared for, safe and listened to. Read more>>
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>>
