The Person Behind the Work

Built by a neighbor,
not an agency

I am a Columbia Engineering student who walks these blocks every day. I started Hidden Gem Digitals because I kept noticing the same gap — incredible local businesses with loyal customers and no website to show for it.

I am not a large firm. I do not have a sales team or a contract full of fine print. I am one person who builds clean, professional websites for the independent businesses that make Manhattan worth living in.

Work With Me

Hidden Gem Digitals

Manhattan Local Web Studio

HG
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Education
Columbia University, School of Engineering
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Location
Morningside Heights, Manhattan
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Specialty
Local business websites, Google optimization
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Typical Timeline
Live within 14 days of first conversation
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Contact
hello@hiddengemdigitals.com

The Hidden Gem
Opportunity in Numbers

165+
Businesses identified across Manhattan Highly-rated shops without any web presence — barbershops, salons, delis, cleaners, and more
4.7
Average Google rating of identified businesses These are not struggling shops — they are excellent shops that happen to be invisible online
80%
Of customers research online before visiting Without a website, a significant share of potential customers go elsewhere before they ever walk in
14
Days from first call to live website No lengthy agency process. You talk to me directly and I build it fast.
Why I Built This

Every chain on your block has a website. Your shop deserves one too.

I study engineering and I think about systems. The system I kept seeing in my neighborhood was broken in a specific way: the best businesses were losing customers to worse ones simply because of discoverability.

A customer new to the neighborhood searches "barbershop near me" and clicks the first result with a website. Your shop — with 4.8 stars and a 10-year reputation — does not show up because there is nothing for Google to index. That is a solvable problem.

I built Hidden Gem Digitals to fix that gap one business at a time, starting with the neighborhood I actually live in. Every site I build is designed to put your real reputation front and center — your stars, your reviews, your services, your story.

I am not trying to scale this into a large company. I want to do good work for people who deserve better digital representation, and I want to do it at a price that makes sense for an independent business owner.

Front-End Development

Clean, fast HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. No bloated page builders.

Mobile-First Design

Every site looks and works perfectly on a phone screen.

Google Business Sync

Your reviews, hours, and map listing connected to your site.

Booking Integration

Calendly, Square, or custom forms so customers can book online.

Get in Touch

Let's talk about your business

Fill out the form and I will get back to you within 24 hours. If you want, mention your Google star rating — I will look you up and come to our first conversation already knowing your business.

📧
Email
hello@hiddengemdigitals.com
Response within 24 hours
📍
Location
Columbia University, Morningside Heights
Available to meet anywhere in Manhattan
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Free Demo
No cost, no commitment
I build a demo of your site before any money changes hands

Request a Free Demo

I will build a working website demo using your real business information — at no charge, with no obligation to buy.

I typically respond within one business day.
Common Questions

Things owners ask me

Do I need to provide anything to get started?

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Not much. If you have a Google Business listing — which most of you already do — I can pull your photos, reviews, address, and hours directly from there. The main thing I need from you is 30 minutes to talk about what makes your business special so I can write the copy correctly.

What if I want changes after seeing the demo?

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That is what the demo is for. Every package includes at least one full round of revisions — meaning you can change colors, layout, copy, photos, anything — before the site goes live. I would rather get it exactly right than have you settle for something close.

What does the monthly care plan actually cover?

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Hosting, SSL certificate, and up to two content updates per month — things like changing your hours, adding a new service, updating photos, or swapping out a staff member. It also includes keeping your Google Business profile synced with your site. If something breaks, I fix it the same day. No ticket system, no call center — you text me directly.

How long does the whole thing take?

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From our first conversation to a live website is typically 10 to 14 days. The demo usually takes 48 hours after our call. Revisions add a few days depending on how much you want changed. If you have a specific date in mind — a grand reopening, a seasonal push, a special event — tell me and I will prioritize accordingly.

Will the website show up on Google?

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Every site I build is optimized for local search from day one — correct meta tags, fast load times, mobile-first code, and a Google Business integration that links your site back to your Maps listing. You will not rank on page one overnight, but within 4 to 8 weeks of launch most businesses see meaningful improvement in how they appear in local searches.

What happens if you graduate and leave?

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Fair question. Every site is built on standard code that any web developer can pick up. You own the domain and the hosting account — not me. If I ever stopped doing this, you would have a fully functional website that another developer could maintain without starting from scratch. I will also give you a full handover document explaining exactly how everything works.
2026 Hidden Gem Digitals. Built by a Columbia Engineering student. Manhattan, New York