eBay Awards $500,000 to 2022 Class of Up & Operating Grant Recipients

Annual program celebrates eBay’s dedication to rising small enterprise, distributing $1.5 million in money prizes to 150 entrepreneurs since 2020.

SAN JOSE, Calif.  , Sept. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — eBay Inc. right this moment introduced the recipients of its third annual Up & Operating Grant program, which was created in partnership with Whats up Alice to help U.S. small companies with the capital and sources they should scale, develop and thrive on-line.

The Up & Operating Grant program yearly awards 50 notable eBay sellers every with $10,000 plus custom-made mentorship, coaching and instruments. Drawn from almost 15,000 submissions, this yr’s winners symbolize 23 states and a number of classes, starting from a bridal boutique in California to an auto components store in Ohio, and a sneakers retailer in Texas to a buying and selling playing cards collector in Florida.

“Small enterprise is the heartbeat of eBay, and we’re impressed every single day by the thousands and thousands of entrepreneurs whose ardour, innovation and ambition drive probably the most trusted and richly stocked marketplaces on the earth,” mentioned Adam Eire, GM and VP, eBay U.S. “What we proceed to listen to from small enterprise homeowners is that entry to capital, to a group, and to enterprise growth sources are important to their progress – and we are going to proceed to put money into instruments, advocacy and applications just like the Up & Operating Grant to allow their success and unlock their potential.”

A survey of 2020-2021 grant recipients revealed that this system offered them with important help, with 91% of companies citing the grant “extraordinarily or very” useful to their enterprise, and an awesome 94% assured that their doorways would stay open because of eBay. Recipients span classes like trend, purses, electronics, comics, collectibles, sports activities gear, motors and extra.

Meet eBay’s Class of 2022 Up & Operating Grant winners:

• Adina Ringler, Adina’s Bridal, Northridge, CA
• William Sellitto, AESellitto, Graniteville, SC
• Sylvestre Apolonio, Aiden Laptop, Fontana, CA
• Candice Busby, Hi Good Buy!, Hutchins, TX
• Kimberly Dawson, Beautiful Old Souls, Las Vegas, NV
• Christian Lewon, Bisbee Racing, Bisbee, AZ
• James Patrick, Business Bushido, Jacksonville, FL
• Michael Cheung, Kaylee*s Korner, Monterey Park, CA
• Clair Brockway, Clairs Wears, Arden, NC
• Michael Wagner, Comic-Con Collectibles, Denver, CO
• John Salcedo, Shop Azul, Cedar Rapids, IA
• Daisy Smith, DaisyLo, Fayetteville, GA
• Debra Wenzel, DDW Quilts, Casa Grande, AR
• Anthony Nguyen, Demin Rag, TX
• Dominic Moreno, DM Online Sales, Casa Grande, AZ
• Michelle Nguyen, Emmi’s Closet, Arlington, TX
• Sharon Knight, Everyday Vintage Boutique, MIdlothian, VA
• Laura Buffardi, Figo Fashion, Palm Seashore, FL
• Jaster Nyasulu, Fitness Braces, Redmond, WA
• Jaimie Finley, Pop-Blox, Jonesboro, AR
• Francisco Meneses Luna, Free One PDX Shop, Beaverton, OR
• Raquel Paula, Graced in Glory, Wilmington, DE
• Ruth Hensman, Hand Up Network, Tyler, TX
• Daybreak Ambrose, Heated 4 U, Avenue, MD
• Heather Web page, Heather Dawn 14, Plantsville, CT
• Kristen Carrillo, Hoarders Alley, Huntington Seashore, CA
• Jonathan Proulx, We Can Sell That, Alpine, UT
• Annie Smidt, Pinpointed, Salem, MA
• Katelyn Pivot, Legacy Sales, Fredericksburg, VA
• Jamie Deruso, Mic 8086, Yucaipa, CA
• Dora Bobrosky, Make Time for Magic, Large Stone Hole, VA
• Jill Faxon, Miss Jill’s Closet, Palm Springs, CA
• Jeffery Abed, Multiverse Technologies, Oakton, VA
• Nickolai Bakken, Nickeleye Supply Solutions, Delano, MN
• Freddy Alvarez, PKWY Collection, Austin, TX
• Justin Okeke, PowrUp Gaming, Raleigh, NC
• Ashton Pepper, Purse-N-All Style, Tulsa, OK
• Ricardo Moreno, R&M Wholesale, Downey, CA
• Rachel Fournier, Racfour 14, San Antonio, TX
• Richard Brooks, Remember When Cards, Wimauma, FL
• Lauren Villareal, Round Two Avenue, Decatur, IL
• Dexter Bowling, Jr., ShoeBiz, Vienna, VA
• Simona Drentea, Simply The Best For You, Colorado Springs, CO
• Marisa Torrres, Sportscar Salvage, Rootstown, OH
• Anthony Harnell, Sportsnatic, Oxnard, CA
• Martha Teissier-Lule, Teissier Vintage, Oxnard, CA
• Sarah McKibben, The McKibben Family, Orange Park, FL
• Kellie Ward, Tickled Lucky Ducky Resale, Oklahoma Metropolis, OK
• Miguel Sotero Gonzalez Velazquez, Wabbit76, Indio, CA
• Andrea Winchester, Winchester’s Works, Oakdale, CA

By means of Whats up Alice, all grant recipients are enrolled in an internet group of comparable companies for peer-to-peer mentoring, networking and help for all phases of enterprise.

Concerning the Up & Operating Grant Program

In April 2020 eBay introduced Up & Operating, a $100 million small enterprise accelerator program to deal with the devastating impacts of COVID-19 to small, native retail companies. Constructed on eBay’s long-standing dedication to “enabling financial alternative for all,” this system sought to assist small companies with out an e-commerce presence transition to on-line promoting.

In November 2020 – to develop on its “Up & Operating” pledge – eBay launched the Up & Operating Grant program in partnership with Whats up Alice. Now in its third yr, this system has obtained greater than 45,000 purposes from entrepreneurs sharing particulars of their small enterprise and the way they plan to make use of the grant to gasoline their progress. Following a complete overview, 50 sellers are chosen yearly to every obtain $10,000 in money together with premium entry to eBay Academy — eBay’s e-learning platform — in addition to direct coaching, Q&A classes and mentorship from rating eBay sellers. See the 2022 winners on this video here.

About Whats up Alice

Hello Alice is a free, multichannel platform that helps companies launch and develop. With a group of greater than 600,000 enterprise homeowners in all 50 states and throughout the globe, Whats up Alice is constructing the biggest community of homeowners within the nation whereas monitoring information and developments to extend the success charge for entrepreneurs. Our companions embrace enterprise enterprise providers, authorities businesses, and establishments trying to serve small- and medium enterprise homeowners to make sure elevated revenues and promote scale. Based by Carolyn Rodz and Elizabeth Gore, we consider in enterprise for all by offering entry to all homeowners, together with girls, individuals of coloration, veterans, and everybody with an entrepreneurial spirit.

About eBay Inc.

eBay Inc. ( Nasdaq: EBAY) is a worldwide commerce chief that connects individuals and builds communities to create financial alternative for all. Our know-how empowers thousands and thousands of patrons and sellers in additional than 190 markets all over the world, offering everybody the chance to develop and thrive. Based in 1995 in San Jose, California, eBay is likely one of the world’s largest and most vibrant marketplaces for locating nice worth and distinctive choice. In 2021, eBay enabled over $87 billion of gross merchandise quantity. For extra details about the corporate and its international portfolio of on-line manufacturers, go to www.ebayinc.com.

SOURCE eBay Inc.