Small business central

Following a car accident, Sandra Gustard discovered that a traditional Jamaican remedy was the best treatment for her injured arm—so she started making it herself.

Yinka Ogunsunlade turned his lifelong love for fashion into a thriving eBay sneakers and clothing business. Plus, he’s done it all while still a full-time attorney.

Growing up in a large family with few resources, new socks were hard to come by for Rachel Smith and her siblings. But she remembers how great it made her feel when she got her hands on a new pair.

Mike Musheinesh has worked at DetroitAxle a long time, starting in his early teens. Now as CEO, he leads the auto remanufacturing business his father started in 1987.

Roman Sharf immigrated as a teenager from the Soviet Union and says he has worked every job under the sun. He left his career at a Fortune 500 to pursue his passion: selling luxury watches on eBay.

As a “self-confessed shopaholic fashionista,” Linda Lightman’s fashion business has let her follow her passion. More than that, Linda’s Stuff has grown from a “one-woman show” in her home to employing a “village” of employees in a 100,000 square-foot warehouse.

Late at night, you’ll find Stephen Weller boxing up that day’s eBay orders, orders that came in while he was working his day job—Senior Business Development Manager at eBay. Long before he helped businesses succeed on eBay, Stephen started selling Disney pins on the platform as a way to help fund his family’s own love for everything Disney.

Sam Straus has loved coins since he was a little child, and selling on eBay started as a part of his hobby. From there, he’s grown a part-time business that’s taught him skills he’s putting to use as an undergraduate at Carnegie Mellon—and as a summer intern at eBay.

Jim Rodman calls his specialty “a dying art.” Though he says clock and clock repair shops are shrinking in number, Jim’s eBay business keeps growing.