eBay Inc. today announced the recipients of its second annual Up & Running Grant program, which was created to support small businesses with incremental funding and business development resources.
This year’s list of 50 US winners includes sellers from 25 states across motors, electronics, fashion, beauty, collectibles and more. Each will receive $10,000 to re-invest in their businesses plus customized access to training resources and mentorship.
“eBay is committed to helping sellers succeed, and we designed the Up & Running Grant program to fuel their growth,” said Andrea Stairs, CMO and VP of Seller Community. “Recipients are able to use funds and resources to increase inventory, adjust their business model, or hire more employees. Cultivating small businesses is embedded in the eBay DNA, and we continue to provide the crucial tools to help entrepreneurs thrive.”
On eBay, 80% of all items sold are from a small business, and, in the past year, small businesses grew 27% on the marketplace (US). The 2021 grant recipients sell in categories like sneakers, luxury watches, handbags, trading cards, comics, electronics, sports equipment, motors and more.
The 50 grant recipients are listed below:
- Jude Lugo, 17 Entre LLC DBA J&L Making a Difference, Flower Mound, TX
- Lawrence Njuguna, 3N Group LLC, Bowie, MD
- Adam Hathaway, Advanced Manufacturing Supply, LLC, Westbrook, ME
- Jake Mallerdino, Altumitseller, Pewaukee, WI
- Anna Packer, Annaesthetic Miscellany LLC, Flowery Branch, GA
- Nila Siok, Appealing Signs, Elk Grove Village, IL
- Kristina Compton, Auto Parts Puller, Scotland Neck, NC
- Katelyn Huffine, Beauty On Point, Lawton, OK
- Robin Thomas, Books With Character, Landenberg, PA
- Brandon Bergholz, Bravo Charlies Kicks & Customs, Ashland, OH
- Jacqueline Green, Brendan Reid Imaging, Frankfort, KY
- Vince Kachatorian, Countryroadautoparts, Glendale, CA
- Dave Cole, Crazy4Pickleball, St. George, UT
- Jill Norton, Dragon Tail Resale, Saint Charles, IL
- Sandy Herrera, Elias Collectibles LLC, New York, NY
- Eric Sim, EVS Trading Company LLC, San Francisco, CA
- John Fetchko, FarFetched Cards LLC, Irwin, PA
- Maria Victoria Cerdenia, Gift Ko LLC, Washington, D.C
- Shahrad Mohebbi, Global Online Retail Inc, Katy, TX
- Jeff Lee, Halo Custom Guitars, Inc., Cupertino, CA
- Lorri Rathz, Jan's Jewelry Junction, Ventura, CA
- Patricia Snead, Jetsetglam, Henderson, NV
- Fal Upton, Kindred Commerce LLC, Tampa, FL
- Maykau Yang, KraZGifz, LLC, Brooklyn Park, MN
- Jeremy Maddox, Left/ Right Liquidations, LLC, Morgantown, WV
- Kathleen McNamara, Lola Frocks, San Francisco, CA
- Saini Kannan, Nandaimo, San Francisco, CA
- Sunghyo Lee, Newdelphe LLC, Fairfield, CT
- Rachid Saint Jean, Nismopar Inc., Orlando, FL
- Michael Payne Jr, Northwest Decalz, Yelm, WA
- David Jordan, Nostalgics Online, Belton, MO
- Nhan Phan, NP Galleria LLC, Chicago, IL
- Shannon Hoolihan, Parts At Your Door, LLC, Belleville, IL
- Jacob Pendleton, Pendleton Group, LLC, Dothan, AL
- Sasha Wood, Prayz, Pullman, WA
- Lorie Wuttke, Remember When LLC, Delevan, WI
- Ian Roberts, Remote Wholesalers, LLC, New York, NY
- Serena Coleman, Riff Raff Resale, Sandy, UT
- Rhonda Abraham, Ronnie's Closet 2 LLC, Windermere, FL
- Alex Carrera, Save A Suit Inc, Bethel, CT
- Shari Smith, Shari Sells, LLC, Erie, CO
- John Agnello, Snap Goes My Cap, Brooklyn, NY
- Tamara Baker, Sneaker Solecial & Everyday Kicks, Lyman, SC
- Carlos Solis, stuff-4-lessllc, Pomona, CA
- Margaret Sommers, The Ladies Room Inc, Lombard, IL
- Richard Benedetti, the TAG hut/MyWatchCare, Saint Petersburg, FL
- Jennifer Walker, Theory Comics, Rye, CO
- Rosalia Villa, Thrifting Babe, Ventura, CA
- Marcus Binion, Urban ReinVintage, Washington, D.C.
- Waylen Hunsucker, Way Motor Works, Atlanta, GA
Through Hello Alice, all grant recipients are enrolled in an online community of similar businesses for peer-to-peer networking and will also have access to their business center.
About the Up & Running Grant Program
In April 2020 eBay announced Up & Running, a $100 million small business accelerator program to address the devastating impacts of COVID-19 to small, local retail businesses. Built on eBay’s long-standing commitment to “enabling economic opportunity for all,” the program sought to help small businesses without an e-commerce presence transition to online selling.
In November 2020 – to expand on its “Up & Running” pledge – eBay introduced the Up & Running Grant program in partnership with Hello Alice. Now in its second year, the program has received more than 10,000 applications from entrepreneurs sharing details of their small business and how they plan to use the grant to fuel their growth. Following a comprehensive review, 50 sellers are chosen to each receive $10,000 in cash along with premium access to Seller School — eBay's e-learning platform — as well as direct training, Q&A sessions and mentorship from ranking eBay sellers.
About Hello Alice
Hello Alice is a free, multichannel platform that helps businesses launch and grow. With a community of more than 320,000 business owners in all 50 states and across the globe, Hello Alice is building the largest network of owners in the country while tracking data and trends to increase the success rate for entrepreneurs. Our partners include enterprise business services, government agencies, and institutions looking to serve small- and medium business owners to ensure increased revenues and promote scale. Founded by Carolyn Rodz and Elizabeth Gore, we believe in business for all by providing access to all owners, including women, people of color, veterans, and everyone with an entrepreneurial spirit.
About eBay
eBay Inc. (Nasdaq: EBAY) is a global commerce leader that connects millions of buyers and sellers in more than 190 markets around the world. We exist to enable economic opportunity for individuals, entrepreneurs, businesses and organizations of all sizes. Founded in 1995 in San Jose, California, eBay is one of the world's largest and most vibrant marketplaces for discovering great value and unique selection. In 2020, eBay enabled over $85 billion of gross merchandise volume. For more information about the company and its global portfolio of online brands, visit www.ebayinc.com.