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.
Thomas Koch
I’m originally from Jacksonville, Florida, born and raised. Growing up, I’ll be honest — I wasn’t always on the right path. I was a troublemaker and made a lot of mistakes that led me down a road of incarceration. But looking back, those experiences are part of what shaped me. When I got out, I knew I couldn’t keep living the same way. Read more>>
Jamee Yocum – Pittman
I opened Bark on Park in 2009 after moving from South Florida to Jacksonville. At the time, I had four Yorkies and absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I was an art school dropout, working as an aesthetician by day and bartending by night. Read more>>
Bob Kavanagh
Being a writer of any sort has been a dream my entire life, more of a pipedream for most of it really. The obligations and realities of this world have made writing more of a long-time hobby and creative outlet than a way to make a living. Read more>>
Janice Robinson
I am a woman on a mission with passion and vision to Empower people How to live their Best lives on Purpose. It all started over 30 years ago when I was part of a great cosmetic company named Mary Kay. I learned so much about the power of positive thinking and setting goals and also encouraging others to do the same for themselves. Read more>>
Morgan Mills
My journey into social media strategy was born out of a major, unexpected pivot. I actually went to college for Biological Health Sciences and was on a pre-med track to become a pediatrician. This was definitely not a typical career path, but it was my gap year that completely changed my life and set me on the entrepreneurial path. Read more>>
Debbie Helms
I joined North Jax CrossFit December 2019. I did CrossFit for about a year and the gym opened a new program for strength training. There were options of training in Olympic lifting (clean & jerk and snatch) or Powerlifting (back squat, bench press and deadlift). After training in both I developed a passion for the powerlifting side of the strength training. Read more>>
Logan Andrews
I started out as the Director of nursing at a long-term care facility. Eventually decided to become a nurse practitioner and open up my own group practice to help with the issue of limited access to quality healthcare in our rural area. Read more>>
Vexed The Barber
From Chaos to Clarity: How Fatherhood and a Pair of Clippers Changed My Life It’s a story that’s, unfortunately, all too common. I grew up in a broken home, one of three siblings scattered between different relatives. My older brother lived with our grandparents. My younger sister lived with my aunt and her boyfriend. And me? Read more>>
Kim Okie McDonough
I began dancing at the age of 3 in South New Jersey. My mom was a Physical Education Major and a champion skier for many years in Pennsylvania. She loved keeping my sister, my brother and me active.. After doing soccer and softball, I pleaded to only dance. She saw my passion and did her very best to provide me with great training. Read more>>
Johanna Monserratte
Founded by Johanna Monserratte, Happy Kiss Pole Dance was born out of a passion for movement and a desire to create a space where everyone feels welcome. Inspired by the liberating and sensual aspects of pole dance, our studio embodies the values of haven, play, and voice. These principles guide everything we do, from our classes to our community events. Read more>>
Andrea Hernandez
I was a school teacher and administrator for over two decades. I regularly practiced yoga and even did a yoga teacher training course, just for fun. As my career in education took me in different directions over the years, I landed at a crossroads in 2017, with no strong sense of the next step to take professionally. Read more>>
Heidi Aderman
From a young age, I dreamed of being a rock star. My parents supported my passion, enrolling me in music lessons, choirs and plays, but I was often told that the music industry was too hard and that I should find a more practical path. Determined, I pursued radio and business, hoping to bring music to others. Read more>>
Maria Inoa
I started my practice in 2018 after spending years working for community agencies and group practices. I became interested in focusing on trauma work as a result of interviews I conducted with mothers of children who had been removed from their homes due to neglect or abuse. Read more>>
Robbie Trice
I started playing guitar and writing songs at 13, and by 19 I was performing professionally after co-founding one of the East Coast’s first contemporary Christian bands, Kinfolk. We toured through the ’70s, recorded three albums, and one of my songs, Alpha and Omega, was later recorded by the Gaither Vocal Band and became a contemporary gospel classic. Read more>>
Susan Raguse
My father was a Classical music aficionado. I don’t know of anyone in his family who had the same taste in music, but I grew up listening to the music of Tchaikovsky, Grieg, Beethoven, and Strauss. Every Sunday afternoon without fail, our house was full of beautiful music. He also liked to turn up the volume while he practiced his conducting ‘skills’. Read more>>
Luke Kane
Growing up, I didn’t just watch social media content, I studied it. I became obsessed with understanding the reasoning behind viral videos, why some content exploded with millions of views while others barely received 100. There was an algorithm, and I was determined to master it. Read more>>
STEPHANIE MAZZEO
I’d love to share a bit of my journey. It’s been a wild, glittery ride! It all started back in 1992, near Philadelphia in my hometown of Allentown, Pennsylvania. As a creative drawn to the world of performance, my boyfriend’s local KISS tribute band, (Miss-Behavin’) asked me to handle their stage makeup and wardrobe. Read more>>
Dr. Denese Anderson
In the darkest days of my life, when tragedy had struck, I found a wonderful counselor. It was her that helped lead me to healing and putting my life back together. What she taught me helped me to be an even stronger woman than I was before the tragedy struck. Read more>>
Amy Purciarele
I’ve spent over 30 years in Human Resources, working with businesses of all sizes and industries, but I’ve always been especially drawn to small businesses — the ones where people wear multiple hats, build relationships that feel like family, and genuinely care about their teams. Read more>>
Nathan Menke
That’s entirely too much. I’m from the west coast originally, born in Oregon raised in a small town in Southern California in the 80s/90s. Lived in Washington state where I started tattooing in 2004. Did another apprenticeship in Fort Worth Texas in 2006 for Jarrod Richardson at psycho clown tattoos. Read more>>
Damaris Feliciano
My love for flowers began in my mother’s orchid garden. Watching her taught me to listen to living things—to water before they wilt, to turn them toward the light, to wait. Those lessons of patience, discipline, and love followed me beyond the garden. Upon graduating from High School in Puerto Rico I decided to follow my passion and go to Floral Design School. Read more>>
Viviana Jackson
I started off doing makeup as a hobby. In my living room. I never expected myself to own a business in the beauty community. But God had other plans for me. I fell more in love with makeup and enjoyed it so much I wanted more than just working on just myself. I then decided it was time to promote myself as a makeup artist. I wanted new faces, I wanted to learn more about myself and what I can do. It’s not as easy as I thought it would be. I work hard everyday to try and put my name out there as much as I can. I am still learning as I go. I have bigger dreams and more things to accomplish in my career. I am working so hard to build my name for myself, for my kids! Read more>>
Kate Godfrey
I started my career in the pet industry with dog walking and pet sitting while I was in college at UNF. Upon graduation, I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do, a friend suggested I do dog walking and pet sitting full time until I figured out. I’ve always loved animals, especially dogs, so it was a natural fit. As fortune would have it I met two dog trainers who encouraged me to go through Animal Behavior College. I’ve had the good fortune of meeting, working with, and learning from all sorts of dog trainers. Training is a journey, not a destination (I cannot take credit for this quote as another trainer said to it me). I’ve evolved as a trainer and realize I’ve got lots more to learn, which is incredibly exciting. Read more>>
