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 Pasadena’s gems below.
Morgan Lee Richardson
My journey in the world of themed entertainment started shortly after I got out of high school. I had been creating art for most of my youth – selling sketches and painting skateboards for a few bucks here and there. I was moving into a point in my life where I was thinking more seriously about a creative career. It just so happened that this opportunity came up for me to perform in a Nickelodeon parade at a regional theme park. I jumped at the chance because I was told I’d be able to wear orange pants every day…for some reason, I found that too enticing to pass up. Read more>>
April Aldana
At the age of 21, I started working as a plus-size fitting model with some of the most iconic fashion brands in the world. I worked as a plus-size fitting model at Forever 21 for four years and soon became one of the first plus-size fitting models to be hired at Fashion Nova. In my journey as a plus-size fitting model, I was blessed to work closely with designers, fashion professionals, and CEO’s at some of the most respected fashion companies to date. Together, we worked on developing & perfecting the overall fit and design of their clothes before they released it into stores. Read more>>
Eduardo Rivera
I started my career as a songwriter. I played in some indie bands to varying degrees of success and went all in on that touring circuit. After a few years of that, I was given the opportunity to score a documentary (which I had to business scoring but said yes anyways). This is where I had the “a-ha” moment and knew that I wanted to focus on writing music to narration. After a few years of scoring whatever I could get my hands on, I was approached by a company, WaitWhat, who was in need of an in-house composer for their podcast show, “Masters of Scale”. I was the composer for that show for 3 seasons before switching to their new show, “Spark and Fire” which is what I currently write for. Read more>>
Sherly Lam
I grew up as an Asian American in Southern California with immigrant parents. My siblings and I had front-row seats to my parent’s tenacity and perseverance in building a successful business despite all odds as they did not know the English language nor the culture when they first arrived in the States in their early 20s. Their ambition and drive to overcome all challenges was ingrained in me at an early age and ultimately led me to land an amazing job at a top consulting firm upon graduating from college. Read more>>
Lesley Thornton
As an esthetician with over twenty years of experience in the beauty industry, my journey has been both fulfilling and challenging. My passion for making people feel beautiful led me to start my career as a makeup artist, which provided me with a certain level of expertise, but I quickly realized that I lacked knowledge of skin function, ingredients, and education. This realization led me to enroll in a licensed esthetician program in 2010, with a focus on skincare education and product development. Read more>>
Qian Wan
Ever since I was a child, I had a deep-seated passion for design and art. I loved spending hours drawing, painting, and creating things with my hands. As I grew older, I realized that I wanted to pursue a career in design and bring my creative visions to life. When I entered university, I decided to study industrial design with a focus on furniture. However, as I progressed in my studies, I also became increasingly intrigued by the rapid advancements in the digital world and technology. I was captivated by how technology was transforming our lives and creating new possibilities for design. That’s when I stumbled upon UX/Digital product design. Read more>>
Ben Esch
There’s a lot of great things about being a therapist. You get to help people. You get to write off cardigans as a business expense. And, in my case, you get a great second act for your professional life. For my first act, I was a writer. And, to be fair, I did pretty okay at it. I published a book, and I sold a lot of other books that were never published for reasons I still do not fully understand, and on rare, special occasions, I attended fancy parties with plentiful shrimp and the occasional celebrity appearance. Read more>>
Crystal J. Huang
I was born and raised in Shanghai, China. My father is a factory manager, and mother is a Doctor. I performed in local city theaters and hosted major events since childhood. I got a Bachelor of Arts degree in Shanghai, then went to the USA and continued my education as a graduate student. Then, I became a Microsoft Certified Solution Developer. In 2018, I took a major role in the acclaimed stage drama “The Joy Luck Club”, adapted from Amy Tan’s classic novel by the same title. She then came to Los Angeles and attended Speiser & Sturges Acting Studio of Performance. Read more>>
Jason Berberian
When I first started Beri Brands, I realized pretty quickly that anything is possible if you put in the hard work and believe in yourself and the vision. During my college years, I took on small businesses as clients, running their Google Ads and working on their SEO for extra income on the side while working at a restaurant full-time after classes. After graduating and applying to over 300 positions, I decided to take a leap of faith and pursue entrepreneurship full-time. I knew that I had the skills and determination to make it work. Read more>>
