Hidden Gems: Local Businesses & Creatives You Should Know

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.

Samia Anya

Fast forward to 2022, I stumbled into the world of content creation. I was scrolling online one day and realized people were getting wigs for free just by reviewing them. I thought, “Hold up, I can do this!” I started posting about wigs, sharing tips, and showing how to finesse installs. It combined everything I loved—hair, creativity, and a little hustle—and the response was wild. That’s how I became a wig influencer and content creator. Read More>>

Abby Erickson

My couples are always my #1 priority—their experience means everything to me. With that focus, I’ve worked tirelessly to ensure they receive photos they will cherish for a lifetime. I’m incredibly grateful for the recognition I’ve received, having been featured in publications like Green Wedding Shoes, Carats and Cake, and St. Louis Bride. I’ve also been honored to be voted #1 wedding photographer in St. Louis twice by A-List St. Louis Magazine (2021 & 2022), and to be named one of the top five wedding photographers in Missouri in 2024 by Wezoree. Read More>>

Whitney Jordan

I initially attempted to start a photography business after my second son, but the timing just wasn’t right. Life took its twists and turns, and by 2019, I found myself still striving to make my photography business a reality. To gain more experience, I joined a local photo editing company and felt I’d finally found my niche. Then COVID-19 turned the world upside down, and the company shut down, leaving me at a crossroads. Read More>>

Barbara Stewart

Hello, my name is Barbara, I started in the creative space at a young age when I was a kid I was in love with fashion and self expression I started with fashion and sketching clothing design as well as other art pieces, I later walked in a few local fashion shows one in which was sponsored by Macy’s, I always had a love of art and knew I didn’t fit in normally with other students my head was always in a book, if i wasn’t doing that I was sketching my new editorial collection, my dream always aligned with pushing my new goals in the hopes of creating a business and creating what is now called a personal brand. Read More>>

Daysha Hendricks

Well, My journey started through High school, I loved being an canvas especially through art projects, Once I graduated I decided to take a leap into modeling. And started out small working with small creators in saint louis, Also Known as Maxine Roder, Desirae Fernandez And Brannon. Read More>>

Andrew Peacock

It has not necessarily been a smooth road. Lots of time goes in to making the flags, the biggest struggle is the time I have to take from my family to continue to push forward and reach my goals. Besides having to miss time with my family, I have had to overcome a huge obstacle of reaching out and getting in touch with people that I do not know. Since I struggle with PTSD, this is not easy for me. Read More>>

Cassidy Mortimer

I specialize in creating custom, large-scale banners and signs for a variety of occasions, including birthdays, baby showers, weddings, retirement parties, and more. Clients begin by filling out a Google Form to place their order, sharing key ideas for their event. I then design a mock-up using Canva for their approval. Read More>>

Mike Mazzanti

9crafted Leather Company was born from making heartfelt gifts to those I admired most, which ultimately led to my slogan: “Leatherwork, from the heart.” I officially launched the business in January 2020 and hit the ground running. Watching my craft transform over the last few years has been a remarkable journey, and I have shaped my business into something I am incredibly proud of. My primary goal is to create handmade leather goods for people who genuinely appreciate quality and art, for use in their everyday lives. Read More>>

Linsey Morgan

I tried it for a a few months but eventually thought there had to be a better way to service my neighbors. Determined I could do it better on my own, I posted in my local mom’s Facebook group and asked if anyone was interested in having their laundry done for them and immediately got a ton of responses. Over the course of a weekend, I worked with my husband to create a business plan for my idea, business cards, yard signs, and got a website set up. Now I’m going on my third year in business and it’s continuing to grow. It’s so fun helping people and knowing my business is making a big difference in their day-to-day lives. Read More>>

Brandon Wilkes

After high school we both went to college at The Ohio State University. I was able to get a partial scholarship and work several different part-time jobs over the next four year to pay for school. I graduated with honors with a degree in Environmental Science and Dorothy got a degree in pharmacy. We got married the year after I graduated and moved to Cincinnati where I started a job at Procter and Gamble as a Research Technician. I worked at P&G for 7 years and truly enjoyed working there as a scientist. It paid well and helped add stability so that Dorothy and I could start our family. We have 3 children, Brandon II, Isaiah, and Keilah. All outstanding young adults now making their mark in the world. Read More>>

Melissa Gibbs

Anyone in small business won’t say it’s smooth, or they would be lying. I believe our unique challenge is having a married couples who started the business and determined they wouldn’t be good day-to-day working partners now morph into the current married couple who are with each other 24/7. Is it perfect? Not. However, we both welcome the everyday challenges of making it work together. Read More>>

Chloé Powell

In 2020, I graduated from Grabber School of Hair Design. Since then, I’ve completed numerous continuing education courses to refine my craft. Eventually, I decided to shift away from wig installations and developed a passion for working with natural hair. Now, I specialize in luxury hair care services, focusing on healthy vibrant hair and teaching other stylist how to master the skill that helped build my clientele & scale my business. My business is located in Creve Coeur, where my client base continues to grow. Read More>>

Alexander Hernandez

I am a photographer. I like to think of my work as Still Films rather than film stills—if that makes sense. My focus is primarily on street, architecture, and travel photography. I strive to capture the moments that make a city or place feel authentically itself, as well as the essence of the city itself, so my viewers can experience its culture and character as if they were there—just through my eyes and lenses. Read More>>

Gina Omerovic

As a businesswoman, you’re truly a jack of all trades, and the road hasn’t always been smooth. There are constant challenges, from managing operations to marketing, staffing, and ensuring every student and family feels valued and supported. One of the biggest struggles has been balancing the personal and professional aspects of life while maintaining the quality and vision of our martial arts programs. Despite the hurdles, every challenge has been an opportunity to grow, both personally and professionally. It’s the love for what I do and the positive impact on our students that keeps me going, even when the road gets tough. Read More>>

Surtsey Band / Music

I’m into huge, ambiguous ideas – like love & grief – & those moods always permeate through my art. And that’s just the perspective of one individual in this group! The basic resilience of being able to plan practices & schedule times for recording & live performances, often even out of St. Louis, astounds me to this day. For our specific outlet of this art for this band, I don’t think it would be possible if we weren’t all as close as friends as we are. And that’s something we really cherish in the core of this band to its foundation. Read More>>

Peter Colombatto

My dad was very accomplished. Extremely intelligent with an engineering degree and background and very athletic. My siblings inherited his athleticism – me, not so much. Try as I might, I could not wrap my head around what I needed to in order to excel in athletics. I also struggled as a student early on – much more than my siblings. Unfortunately, the schools I attended did not have the resources in place to identify when students were falling through the gaps academically, putting me behind significantly in math and science. A struggle that would stay with me for most of my academic life – which would end up being very long! Read More>>

Innergy

As guests come to enjoy the art and entertainment they are also given access to opportunities to engage with the broader community of movers and shakers who are also making community impact through other weekly, bi weekly and monthly events that they can promote when they grace the stage. Now preparing to celebrate 10 years supporting Art in St. Louis, February 4th 2025. We are excited for what big plans are in store and more with the mission behind the vision growing and expanding into plans that will help the platform continue to grow to infinity and beyond! Read More>>

Maggie Sullivan

Amid this chaos, I bounced from school to school through 8th grade, but school was indeed my happy place. I loved everything about the structure it provided, from the schedule to the textbooks to sports (I still love textbooks!). My brain lit up when I was reading books, diagramming sentences, and learning history. I was incredibly fortunate to attend an outstanding all-girls high school that truly changed my life. The sisters of St. Joseph influenced my desire to be a strong and confident woman and “serve the dear neighbor.” They instilled in me a need to grow spiritually and their support helped me excel in high school and earn a full athletic scholarship to the University of Florida. Read More>> 

Sarah Mcgrath

I began writing as a teenager. I didn’t quite grow up in St. Louis, but I did go to Webster Groves High School, and I recall sitting in my classes, introverted and shy and scared of everything social, writing poems and doodling in all of my notebooks. As a senior, I composed my first novella, and to this day I’m quite proud of it. After high school, I went to the University of Missouri for education. I had a particular interest in teaching middle school and at that time, I wrote for the age I loved. Throughout my late teens and twenties, I wrote something like twenty middle grade and young adult novels. Read More>>

Stephanie Keyser

Starting out as a small startup came with its own set of challenges. As a newcomer to the manufacturing world, I often had to wait for production space to become available, delaying timelines but never her determination. Finding the right marketing partner also proved to be a journey of trial and error, but it was a process that taught me the importance of aligning vision with expertise. Read More>>

Shannon Roman

That said, carving out that time wasn’t easy. I had three very young children at home, a husband who traveled frequently, and many responsibilities competing for my attention. It’s often much easier to explain why you couldn’t pursue something than to push through the hurdles and rejections that come with actually doing it. Read More>>

Tiffany Mariie

I also faced a lot of backlash because of the things I would talk about when performing, which caused me to switch up the things I talk about now in my poetry. Also, my biggest task I faced and still am facing coming up in this business is, everyone is not going to like you and like what you are up there on stage talking about but some how someway you have to figure out a way to mask that confusion of why? You have to figure out how to appeal the crowd that actually belongs if that makes sense. Don’t change yourself for folks to like you, but it definitely makes you question why? Which I face today still. Read More>>

Rowan Behm

This is when my mom suggested I start drawing how I feel. Immediately, creating art became my everything. The process not only helped improve my self-esteem by pushing me to improve, but also helped me know myself at a deeper level. After high school, I decided to push off going to college for financial reasons. I was working multiple entry level jobs and creating art at every chance I could get. Read More>>

Megan Naik

Today, I’m proud to say that I’ve turned my passion into something much bigger. I own Rani Henna STL and opened my shop on Cherokee St. in June of 2024. It’s a dream come true to have my own space where I can share this beautiful art with the community. I can do most styles of henna such as Indian, Pakistani, Moroccan, Arabic, etc. I have had the opportunity to participate in Schlafly Arts Outside in 2024 and Schlafly Arts Inside this winter, 2025. I do everything from bridal mehndi and pregnancy henna to henna parties, festivals, and even free henna crowns for women who have lost their hair due to illness, like cancer. Those crowns hold a special place in my heart—they allow me to use my art to bring joy and comfort to others. Read More>>

Lindsey Langendorf

My entrepreneurial journey began as a chiropractor. I know chiropractor turned graphic designer doesn’t sound like a common career transition, but my background is in art. I’ve been drawing, sketching, painting and designing since I was very young. I actually switched majors from art to science, when my grandpa became sick, because I wanted to understand the body more and how to help prevent illness as much as possible. However, I truly believe everything happens for a reason. I think I was led down that path to fuel an entrepreneurial fire that had been glowing since I was young. Read More>>

Kenzie Wolk

It’s been nothing but trial and error. The art world can sometimes be so secretive, and artists are often so focused on advancing their own careers that they don’t always have time to nurture new artists. So, I practiced. Every wall poses a new challenge I’ve never encountered before: taller, wider, old bricks, virgin stucco, sloped ground below the wall, a narrow sidewalk that doesn’t allow for a scissor lift, a wall directly over the entrance to a business with customers constantly walking underneath me… the list goes on. Just when I think I’ve got this career figured out, a new wall presents new obstacles. I’m constantly problem-solving. Thankfully, my brain loves problem-solving. Read More>>

Harrison Kayne

I moved from Florida to Missouri, started working various customer service jobs, and one day decided, under extreme duress from family and friends, that I needed to submit something. Then, in 2018, I published “White Lily” in the fantastic Anthea Sharp’s Feyland Tales anthology. Suddenly, I wasn’t only a writer but a published author. In 2021, I published “Death’s Tinkerer” in New Exterus. I couldn’t believe it. I hadn’t only gotten published once, but twice, and I did it with one of my odd little death stories. It was an incredible feeling. Read More>>

Erica Jordan Gensky

It only took a few seasons to realize that I had the wrong take. While an organized, detailed plan is essential to the wedding day, it left so much to be desired – by our couples, our vendor teams, and myself. I decided Erica Jordan Weddings was going to dive headfirst into a new mindset. Today, EJW brings a refined approach to experience and hospitality to our couples, their guests, and our amazing vendor teams. Read More>>

Abbie Rudolph

Being a full-time business owner is not for the faint of heart! Of course there have been struggles along the way. Providing enough income to cover your monthly expenses as a single-income household isn’t the easiest thing I’ve ever done. I’ve had to learn a lot about myself, how to stick to my values, and find the confidence to show up authentically online. When I first started marketing my business, there was no social media. So as it grew to be the tool it is today, it was very intimidating to have to show my photographs to everyone online over and over! It was scary to open my art up to public feedback, for sure. Read More>>

Jamie Merideth

I started Astrofix in 2016, after playing some solo acoustic shows. I missed being in a band. So, I ran an ad in Craigslist, talked to some friends/ family, and got a band together. We played acoustic shows as we built up the band, then moved to electric shows. After a couple lineup changes, we were ready to record our 1st album. After a couple more albums, playing regionally, and playing bigger venues, we went through a couple more lineup changes, and landed on the 4-piece we are today. Read More>>

Kaylee Roberts

I was so wrong. At the start of 2020 I took my dad’s advice and applied to my local union hall (local 396) in St. Louis. From the beginning, the few women that are in my local guided me through working in a male dominated field, and I am also thankful for the guys that stepped up too and my amazing teachers in my apprenticeship program. I graduated my apprenticeship after 4 years and I am now a journeyman ironworker and a certified welder. I have worked on some amazing projects in the St. louis area I am so grateful to have been a part of them. Like the new BJC hospital and the WASHU research center. Read More>>

Luis Arellano

I was brought to the U.S. at the age of 3 in 1988. I lived in California till 1996, when my parents decided to move to St. Louis MO. because there was more work here at the time. We were one of the few Hispanic families in STL, I was even the only Mexican student at school. We moved a lot, so I attended different schools, up until 8th grade when I was enrolled in the Ritenour school district. My family were all illegal and I really didn’t truly feel it until all my friends were getting driver permits in High School. Read More>>

Kyle Glaser

I can’t say pursuing original music long term is necessarily easy. We’ve had to change band members, raise money for studio time and videos. Some opportunities pan out and some don’t. We all work full time, some of us are fathers. But at the end of the day, we make music we love and people seem to really enjoy it. We’ve had nothing but great feedback, we’ve done some really cool things in lots of cool places and don’t plan on stopping. We believe in our music and that won’t stop for any hardship. Read More>>

Brittany Chapin

Just like most small businesses we have overcome several hardships. The pandemic has by far been the most challenging. There were periods of uncertainty as to whether we would be able to keep the business going. But that was not what really mattered at the time. What mattered most to my family was making sure that our employees were able to provide for their family. We made sure everyone was able to pay rent and feed their families. We also partnered with the church and opened our facility to provide cold storage for food they distributed each week to those in need. What truly mattered to us was making sure we did all that we could to help and support our friends and neighbors to overcome the many challenges they faced during the pandemic. Read More>>