Baltimore Entrepreneurs Gear Up for a Brighter Future | Made in America, Season 4, Ep 4

Previously on Made in America: Baltimore...

Inspired by her experiences as a running coach for an organization called Back on My Feet, Susan Clayton launched WhitePaws RunMitts designed specifically to help runners keep their hands warm during the intense winters of Baltimore. When an exciting opportunity to fulfill an order putting RunMitts on the shelves in 80 REI stores came along, supply chain issues and the lack of capital to purchase all the fabric she needed to satisfy demand caused some major barriers. In a last-ditch effort to get more funding, she entered the local Baltimore Homecoming Crab Tank pitch competition and despite her feelings of failure during a nerve-racking presentation, she won the competition with emotional relief knowing it would help keep her business dreams possible.

Harp Vision’s Tyron and April Harper are constantly on the move, often awake early in the morning or late at night, working tirelessly to build up clientele and create their homemade skincare products sold at local markets and popups. But despite the constant exhaustion and the added stress of dealing with chronic pain, this power couple knows they’re building something special for their family and future generations — and that’s what keeps them going strong. After applying to become a vendor at the legendary Lexington Market in Baltimore and anxiously waiting for a response, this dynamic duo proves that it's not selfish to give more energy to yourself or your family, even while building a successful business.

In the season finale of Made in America: Baltimore, only a quarter of Susan Clayton’s fabric order has shown up and winter is coming soon. REI needs her to deliver the mammoth order, but time is running out.

The Harpers still hope to gain a spot at Lexington Market and to be a part of its long-awaited re-opening. However, a heartbreaking loss strikes the family, leaving them grieving as they wait for the Lexington Market to accept their application as a vendor, one of the biggest decisions to impact April and Tyron’s business and family.

So, what does “Made in America” mean to this season’s featured small business owners? For Harp Vision’s Tyron Harper, “’Made in America’ means not only just making your dreams come true but after, pulling someone else’s up.” His advice to prospective business owners, “Do it scared. If you don’t do it, you’ll never get it. But if you try, you might.”

And for White Paws RunMitts’ Susan Clayton, “It’s a simple idea, but I want other people to realize that you don’t have to have big, big ideas to start a company. I want people to say, I had a problem and I want to solve it, and I want to start a business from it.”

Don’t miss the season finale of GoDaddy’s Made in America: Baltimore series, and all four episodes, streaming now on YouTube.

About Made in America

Made in America is a GoDaddy YouTube docuseries made in partnership with our social impact program, Empower by GoDaddy. As part of our commitment to fostering opportunity for all, Made in America’s purpose is to further GoDaddy’s mission by showcasing the stories of everyday entrepreneurs, intentionally focusing on the disparity in opportunities and access to resources for underserved communities. The fourth season tells the inspiring stories of Baltimore entrepreneurs beating the odds. To learn more about Made in America, visit www.GoDaddy.com/made-in-america.

About GoDaddy

GoDaddy is empowering everyday entrepreneurs around the world by providing all of the help and tools to succeed online. GoDaddy is the place people come to name their idea, build a professional website, attract customers, sell their products and services, and manage their work. Our mission is to give our customers the tools, insights and the people to transform their ideas and personal initiative into success. To learn more about the company, visit www.GoDaddy.com