Selling Vintage in a Modern World | Made in America, Season 5, Ep 3
Friends since kindergarten, Vonda Rogers and Lisa Brickey turn trash into treasure in their Gray Brush Vintage Market and show what it is like to run a small business in Appalachia. Brought to you by GoDaddy.
Originally published on GoDaddy Resources
Lifelong friends Vonda and Lisa have a knack for finding vintage treasure — one they’ve turned into Gray Brush Vintage Market. They believe it’s their second act in life, a chance to work for themselves with more freedom and flexibility than ever before. But a lack of small business funding stands in the way of quitting their 9-5 jobs and running Gray Brush full time. So, the two set out to win a pitch competition in their city of Portsmouth, Ohio, with a $5K prize to help fund the entrepreneurs’ inventory for the upcoming busy holiday season.
Portsmouth was once an industrial and manufacturing powerhouse until most of the production jobs were lost to areas overseas. The community fell into dark times with high unemployment, widespread poverty and effects of the opioid epidemic. Having personally felt these impacts , Lisa stresses the importance of kindness and compassion for everyone affected in the community.
Known by locals as “the pickin’ ladies,” Vonda and Lisa partner with Empower by GoDaddy to become more tech savvy in their small business, particularly social media, ecommerce, inventory management and introducing a point of sale. The women know that listing items online could be a game changer for their young business.
They are as committed as ever to chase their American dream.
Witness Vonda Rogers and Lisa Brickey’s story as part of GoDaddy’s Made in America: Ohio series, streaming now on YouTube.
About Made in America
Made in America is a GoDaddy YouTube docuseries made in partnership with our global 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 entrepreneurs, intentionally focusing on the disparity in opportunities and access to resources for underserved communities. The fifth season tells the inspiring stories of Ohio entrepreneurs beating the odds. To learn more about Made in America, visit www.GoDaddy.com/made-in-america.
About GoDaddy
GoDaddy helps millions of entrepreneurs globally start, grow, and scale their businesses. People come to GoDaddy to name their idea, build a professional website, attract customers, sell their products and services, and accept payments online and in-person. GoDaddy's easy-to-use tools help microbusiness owners manage everything in one place, and its expert guides are available to provide assistance 24/7. To learn more about the company, visit www.GoDaddy.com.
