The holidays are arriving after a year that has felt heavy for many small business owners. Tariffs have been on again, off again, and costs keep shifting, making it difficult for makers and creatives to plan, price, or stay ahead. Meanwhile, big corporations remain insulated, even as everyone else feels the strain.

This guide focuses on the people who keep showing up anyway. The makers, artists, and small business owners who pour their hearts into what they create and truly feel every order that comes in. This year, I’ve had the privilege of working with, buying from, or discovering creators whose work stayed with me long after the first conversation or purchase. They’re the kind of people and products you remember.