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.
Child King
I would waiver between taking it seriously and not while going to school, working, etc. but it never left the picture. I started teaching myself audio production, learned a bit about theory, songwriting, how to harness my voice, etc. I experimented with all kinds of different sounds and genres. I have just had this long love affair with music and it brings me so much joy. Even if no one hears my songs, I will still make them. Read more>>
Melissa Meadows
After being an “okay” runner for 15ish years, I found yoga. I thought this new discipline would save my knees and keep me in shape, but I found myself staying for the mental benefits. In late 2016, my friend dragged me into a heated power flow class at Hot Yoga Plus. I fell in LOVE..hard..and the rest is history. Nearly nine years later, over 500 hours of teacher training, and over three thousand classes taught, I have gained the best circle of friends, teachers, and yogis. The Memphis Yoga Community rocks! I feel so fortunate to be teaching the connection between mind, body, and spirit through the practice of yoga. Read more>>
Caley Petty
Luckily, I had a great friend, Josh Richter, who knew his way around a camera and was fluent in all things settings and editing. He invited me to shoot around town with him and showed me the ropes early on in my journey. After that, life got busy—I put my camera down for a bit to pursue a Master’s in Teaching. But after finishing my degree, I found myself with some extra time and started looking for another hobby (or a part-time gig) to fill it. While teaching 5th grade Reading and Writing, I picked up a side job with a local company that had me taking branding and social media photos. That opportunity reignited my love for photography and really launched my journey into turning it into a business. Read more>>
Daworld Pramyre
I’m a Alternative R&B SuperStar. I consider myself the modern day Willie Hutch, Johnnie Taylor in the TRAP. I’m a singer by heart, and a song writer by nature. I’m most proud of myself for never giving up on my dream. No matter what, it’s in me and my mentality to go harder. The thing that sets me far apart from my musical peers is my voice. It’s definitely not one people hear often without digital help or manipulation Read more>>
Brittany Gilard
My journey to founding Studio Sculpt began with a deep passion for health and fitness. Once I had my daughter I decided to attend esthetician school. After I completed school I wanted to do something that resonated with what I loved which was health and fitness along with my joy for helping others. I noticed a recurring pattern—many women were dedicating themselves to fitness routines yet struggling to see the sustainable results they desired. It became clear to me that traditional approaches often focused solely on aesthetics rather than a holistic transformation. Read more>>
Yazmeen Trinh
I loved it and that’s where my dream of one day being a salon suite owner was born. In 2022, I decided to create a diverse community of beauty industry professionals under one roof. I opened the doors to my first salon suite in East Memphis. After two years I was able to open our second location in Cordova. True Beauty Salon Suites has become home to many talented individuals who offer their services in many different beauty industries. I love the fact that we are surrounded by so many talented, passionate entrepreneurs and I have the privilege to be able to provide them a space where they can service their clients. Read more>>
Darian Mcdonald
The opportunities I passed up didn’t go to waste—I passed them to a friend who would eventually become my business partner. In August 2023, we officially launched Hermosa Landscapes, and our first year was a huge success. What started as a solo operation has now grown into a full-service maintenance and installation company, handling projects from as small as $500 to as large as $50,000. Our team now consists of four full-time employees and two part-time contractors, and we’re only getting started. Read more>>
Bryant Holliday
I started making music when I was about 12-13 years old. Started out making beats and had no one to rap on em so I started doing it myself. Taught myself how to produce, engineer and also shoot or direct music videos. I got to where I’m at today by just staying consistent and never giving up. Investing and believing in yourself can go a long way. Read more>>
Abraham Valenzuela
Abraham Valenzuela owns Rancho Grande and Chukis Deli Mexicano in Olive Branch, Southaven, and Memphis TN. He discovered his passion for running restaurants more than 25 years ago and has been a fixture in the DeSoto County food scene, and now the Memphis area. Read more>>
Robert Fairchild
After graduating, I worked at Whole Foods while maintaining a studio practice with the intention of moving to New York. In early 2021, I applied for a gallery assistant position at an art gallery in SoHo. The day after submitting my application, I received an email requesting an interview. A few days later, I flew to New York with just a suitcase and started the job the day after my interview. Read more>>
Hayes McPherson
Despite the hardships of pivoting several times because of that, those struggles set Comeback up to be where we are now. If it weren’t for those struggles, we would have never canned our coffee sodas and we would have never have expanded in the way we have now. But every day brings a new challenge which is the exciting part of the job and one of the most difficult as well. Now, we’re worried about shipping products to Australia, distribution across the nation and how we build a company that is impactful not just for ourselves but for the city of Memphis and the folks who have bought in on this journey with us. Read more>>
Kyle Holder
None more challenging the loss of our second child (Jewel Cates) at 37 weeks in March of 2023. Our world was rocked in ways that I can’t explain. To be perfectly honest, if it weren’t for our faith in Jesus I don’t know where we would be today. God held us together through the loving care of the staff at St. Francis Hospital, the support of our family and friends, and the generosity/compassion of countless people around the world that supported us through that time. Today we have the privilege of sharing our story with others who encounter the same tragedy and walk with them as they navigate the road ahead. Read more>>
Kenya Gray
Well, my journey into media started long before I realized it was even a skill. My very first design project was for my mother. She was leading the Women’s Ministry at our home church and was preparing for her first event. At the time, social media was just starting to become a big deal, and she needed a flyer to promote it online. She turned to me and said, “Kenya, I need a flyer for this event. Can you put something together?” I had no clue what I was doing, but I figured it out—using PowerPoint of all things! That simple task sparked something in me. Read more>>
Chris Cupp
Today 2U Fuel has two fuel delivery divisions which are retail and commercial. The retail division is the first of it’s kind, is a fully app based service that specializes in the fueling of peoples personal vehicles at their homes or work, small business fleet fueling and corporate subscriptions which is also a first of it’s kind in the Memphis market. The commercial division specializes in what is known as Wet Hosing (Equipment Fueling) on job sites, site tank bulk filling, fleet fueling on a larger scale, fuel tank rentals/sales and also fuel tank level monitoring. This services main fuel is dyed and clear diesel. We are very happy with the trajectory of both divisions and love the thought of delivering convenience, safety and technology to our customers in the Memphis market. Read more>>
Beunca Malone
Being a mom of two young boys, I know how hard it can be to juggle everything – but I believe in making time for self-care and showing up for yourself. I’m passionate about encouraging moms to rebuild their confidence, work on their health, and embrace their most high selves. Most recently, I’ve expanded my reach through my YouTube channel, where I share glimpses of my life as a mom, corporate professional, and fitness enthusiast, while offering support on biblical parenting, self-esteem building, and, of course, some girl (and mom!) chat. Read more>>
Charlie Crenshaw IV
I was born and raised in the vibrant Orange Mound community of Memphis, Tennessee. I’m proud to have graduated as Valedictorian from Melrose High School which instilled a lot of confidence in me early. Driven to serve, I enlisted in the United States Army, where my combat engineering unit deployed to Baqubah, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III. This experience honed my discipline and resilience, shaping my approach to challenges. Read more>>
JoAnna Casey
It definitely hasn’t. As a small business owner, there are times you feel that the work you’re putting in isn’t producing the results you want. There’s been times where I felt that maybe I’ve made a mistake in starting this business or that it isn’t sustainable. However, those are the times when I all of a sudden receive a message with a client order or I receive an opportunity for my business. That’s when I realize that this is something that people actually want and also want to see more of. It gives me a sense of validation that this is definitely the road forward I’m supposed to take. Read more>>
Grace Gravatt
We reached out to our friends and peers at the University of Memphis to help us make posters to spread the word about the magazine and help hand them out around town. Before we knew it, a team was gathered together and work from Memphis artists was submitted. Currently, we are working hard to organize the submissions and page formats. We are hoping to release the first issue in early May of this year, 2025. Read more>>
Ralph “RJ Groove” Johnson
During the initial stay at home mandate because of COVID 19, I had plenty of time. So I found myself doing 3 things that I enjoyed….DJing Live on Social Media(My love for music and how it could universally heal your mood.), doing virtual workouts and Cooking! I COOKED A LOT!!! My studio apartment was directly across the street from a Publix grocery store in Sandy Springs, Ga, so I had easy access to get what I needed for each recipe. Read more>>
Ashanti Blair
Start. No matter how much you feel like you’re not ready, don’t have the proper equipment or can’t get people to see your work…start. I wish I didn’t let thoughts of doubt and the need for validation of others about MY work hinder me because I could have created more sooner. Business or not, it’s an art and taking away the free expression of that is like purging one’s soul. Express yourself and show others the world from your eyes! Read more>>
Kristopher Tabor
Early on, one of my biggest struggles was figuring out how to turn my passion into a profitable, sustainable business. I knew I had the skills, but learning how to market myself, attract consistent clients, and create a strong brand identity was a different challenge. There were moments of doubt and times when I questioned if I was on the right path. I kept trying different paths but constantly felt like I was hitting a wall. Mainly because I was listening to others’ definitions of success instead of defining it for myself. Read more>>
Bailey Jordan
I was born and raised in Bowling Green, Ky., in an environment of art, music, reading, photography, dance, academics, athletics, travel, and other activities. I inherited a lot of my artistic ability from my dad and creativity from my mom. My mother tells the story of when I was a preschooler, she walked in to find me drawing a magazine cover. I apparently drew not only the designs on the cover, but “drew” the words in their various fonts. I could not read at that point but saw the entire magazine cover as art to copy. I always have been very fortunate to have a family who supports my art explorations. Read more>>
Shantrael Taylor
I have always had a passion for speaking, advocating and helping others. In 2015 my heart son suffered a traumatic brain injury and life as we knew it changed. We were thrusted into a world medicine and diagnosis. From a situation of extreme heart ache and pain I dug deep, did the healing work and elevated my knowledge of what my son needed, how to advocate for him and create a path where I can still be fulfilled. Fast forward to 2020 and the world was in utter chaos and I was entering a new phase in my life; what was supposed to be a routine birthing experience was one of the most traumatic events in my life. Birth Trauma. Brain injury. Read more>>
