Mark and John Cronin started a company with a unique mission: spreading happiness through socks. John has Down syndrome and John’s father, Mark, was inspired to go into business with his son to empower him to have a high-quality job and subsequently, to create high-quality jobs for others with different abilities. With the help of AdWords, they turned their seasonal business into one that operates year-round and has customers in 44 countries.
Coolhaus is a women (LGBTQ) owned architecture-inspired ice cream shop based in Los Angeles. AdWords and Google My Business were key components of their growth strategy. Since 2009 they have grown from one food truck to operating 10 mobile ice cream trucks, three storefronts, and selling packaged goods in 7,500+ stores in the US and abroad.
Artisan crafts is deeply rooted in the history and culture of India. Craftsvilla is a one stop shop for hand-made artisan products crafted by local artists. This video showcases the cultural significance of the online shop that sees over ten thousand orders everyday with customers from all over the world.
Highway Inn is an Oahu-based restaurant founded by Hawaii-born Japanese-American Seiichi Toguchi. After learning to cook in an internment camp during World War II, Seiichi founded Highway Inn to share the tradition of Hawaiian cooking. Seiichi passed the restaurant down to his son Bobby Toguchi, who has since passed it to his daughter, Monica Toguchi Ryan. When her grandfather started the restaurant, he relied on word of mouth to connect with customers. Now, Monica uses Google Ads and their Business Profile on Google to reach new customers, helping them to grow from one location to three across Oahu.
Over 200,000 individuals leave their military career every year and finding employment can be difficult. Google’s Veteran Search function enables those who served our country more access to jobs to help them succeed in their civilian life.
A father from Malaysia dreams of making a better life for his family but when no one believes in his invention he takes his design to YouTube and his dreams take flight.
From Green Beret to the starting lineup, the story of Nate Boyer is so extraordinary that it’s almost unbelievable. Growing up as a kid with no self esteem and no hopes for his future, Nate decided to join the military to do something special with his life. Quickly rising through the ranks, Nate became an elite member of the United States Army, Green Berets. After five tours of duty in both Iraq and Afghanistan, it was time for Nate to take the next step in his life. So, at 28 years old, Nate made the decision to enroll in the University of Texas, with the goal of playing football for the storied University of Texas Longhorns. The only problem; Nate had never played a day of football in his life.
Writer and food anthropologist Vicky Bennison has always loved learning about the origins of different cuisines, specifically observing how food brings people together. While spending time in Italy, she was inspired by the Italian grandmothers (or “nonnas”) who pride themselves in passing along recipes to future generations. Vicky started Pasta Grannies, a YouTube channel that documents the stories of these Grannies as a way to preserve the rich traditions of Italian cooking. Five years later, Vicky’s Pasta Grannies Channel boasts 429k subscribers. We traveled to Naples and Ischia, a small island off the coast of Italy, to meet Vicky and some of her Grannies, as well as to try some delicious, authentic Italian food.
As a graduate of the Goodwill Digital Career Accelerator, Chelsea Rucker was able to go from struggling to find housing to finding a job as a Data Center Technician at Google.
Inspired by her suffragette grandmother’s love of hats, Harlem-based community leader Rev. Georgiette Morgan-Thomas puts retirement on the back burner to take over a hat company. Thanks to Georgiette’s business savvy skills, and with a little help from Google, American Hats persevered through an incredibly tough transition time and is now on the upswing. Bringing the catalog online and investing in AdWords has helped reinvigorate an old school business and bring it into the 21st century
Flores De Oaxaca is a business that was transformed from a hobby to an international venture after a daughter dared to put her mother’s passion for flowers online.
With the help of Grow with Google’s IT Support Professional Certificate, Daniel Anderson grew his love for technology into a career helping other people.
In the colorful Favela’s of Rio De Janeiro, eight-year old Gabriella’s passion for playing her trumpet was left wanting until her access to Google led her to Favela Brass. A school for children with aspirations of playing in a brass band, at Favela Brass, Gabriella found a home for her passion and ultimately found a few new friends along the way.
Jakarta, Indonesia’s number one issue is the debilitating traffic congestion. Congested streets suffocate the city and have slowed it’s economic progress. Combating the problem, ride sharing app GO-JEK is transforming the community by allowing scooter owners to make money by transporting people and products quickly throughout the crowded streets. The ride sharing app has provided jobs for thousands and is increasing the quality of traffic and life in Jakarta.
Goodwill is far more than their thrift stores: they are also one of the largest job training organizations in the United States. Each year they train thousands of individuals in specialized job skills for no cost at all. Inspired by their good will, Google has pledged to provide the resources necessary to provide job training for an additional million people over the next 5 years.
Quyen and her husband Binh run Reaching Out, a multifaceted business based in Vietnam that provides gainful employment for 70 people with disabilities. Having an online presence has helped tourists find Reaching Out. Employees receive full benefit health insurance and paid vacation, their lunches are paid for, and they can receive tuition help for their children. With the success they have gained, they now can go further in helping the community. They assist disabled children with school tuition, the Teahouse staff teach in sign language at a local night school, and the employees are even involved in wheelchair sports.
Suzie Mills bravely served her country in the U.S. Air Force for eight years. Back home in Northern Virginia, she founded Honest Soul Yoga to offer veterans and civilians alike a more holistic way to keep their bodies and spirits in healthy shape. With this special mission in mind, she used Google tools to grow her studio into one of the most popular yoga studios in the area.
Edgar achieved his dream of working in tech after participating in the program that inspired the new IT Support Professional Certificate.
A mother desperate to aid her son’s eczema without the use of harmful creams turns to YouTube to create her own product and turns her invention into a successful business.
In honor of International Women’s Day, we created a sizzle that celebrates the incredible achievements of female business leaders around the world. Whether they’re turning childhood dreams into thriving businesses, designing innovative products, or creating jobs for disadvantaged populations, these women are making a positive impact through entrepreneurship.
Google asked YouTube Creators to give a special shout out to their favorite Latino-led small businesses to celebrate #HispanicHeritageMonth. Join us in supporting the local spots that make your community special by leaving a review on their Google listing.
Pasteles Increibles is a dream that was cooked up by a young lady whose lifelong love for baking combined with her creative spirit led her into the business of baking extravagant cakes. Her work essentially remained a hobby until Google AdWords took her company to new heights.
Nehemiah Manufacturing was created to show the benefits of a business getting online, but the story grew to be something more. The heartwarming story of how CEO Dan Meyers employs those who need it most spawned three additional videos of Nehemiah Manufacturing that ultimately ran as 15, 30 and 60 second ads during Small Business week.
We were asked to create five separate videos to promote Small Business Week using our successful case study video Missouri Star Quilting Company. The first video was a 60 second commercial that aired on television in the Washington DC area. Then we were asked to create a 15, 30, 60 and 90 second video for YouTube Ads to help promote Small Business Week. This video has now been used in several ways: Lorraine Engage Keynote, YouTube SMB Ad campaign and Americas Small Business Week Campaign. Featured on the YouTube Advertising site.
Penned the “Sock Queen of Alabama,” Gina Locklear runs Emi-G Knitting, a small family business with a passion for making socks. We are developing a Velocity case study of their business.
After getting out of a difficult relationship, Anna Fiscale felt moved to help other women empower themselves. Coupled with her belief that economic independence is the key to fulfilling a person’s potential and a deep care for the environment, she started Progetto Quid, an ethical and ecological fashion brand. Progetto Quid has a team of designers who design the apparel and an incredibly diverse staff of 63 employees, 90% of whom are women, including those who are disabled, victims of human trafficking, former prostitutes, former drug addicts or former detainees and have no professional training in the fashion industry. Disadvantaged women in Italy face even more hardship as they are faced with an additional gender gap. The cycle moves forward as the newly employed are trained by the women who were first employed before them.
The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) believes that awareness and understanding are critical steps in the journey to acceptance. See how NCTE uses #AdWords to make information about trans issues and trans equality accessible to the public and policymakers alike.
To celebrate #SmallBusinessWeek, Google asked YouTube Creators to give a special shout out to their favorite small businesses. Join us in giving #SmallThanks to the local spots that make a difference in your community by leaving a review on their Google listing.
In September 2017, Hurricane Maria became the worst storm to hit Puerto Rico in over 80 years, destroying a third of the homes on the island, causing the largest blackout in U.S. history, and creating over $90 billion in damages. Small businesses were severely impacted. Because Puerto Rico’s local communities are powered by small businesses, helping them recover is critical to the island’s economic and social recovery. We produced this piece to support Google’s fundraising efforts for Hurricane Maria relief.
Libraries have long been America’s go-to gathering place for learning – and now more than ever, people turn to their local library as a resource to grow their career or business. Grow with Google is teaming up with the American Library Association to offer free digital skills workshops for job seekers and small businesses in all 50 states.
When Google AdWords rebranded and became Google Ads, we created a sizzle that highlighted the new and improved brand and introduced new digital advertising tools for small business owners.
Young’s Jersey Dairy, a family-owned ice cream shop, cheese store, restaurant, and entertainment venue, uses the Google My Business app to stay connected with their customers no matter where they are.
Jasmine has broken new ground as the first trans and gender non-conforming individual to open a tattoo shop in Philadelphia. Now people searching for an inclusive tattoo shop are finding Spirited Tattooing Coalition.
In every corner of America, trans trailblazers are transforming their communities for the better. Retired after 14 years of service in the Army, Evan Young was searching for community. The Major ultimately found a home in the Transgender American Veteran’s Association and has since become its president.
Umbrella tells the story of four transgender individuals across America who are fighting for rights and representation in a challenging and changing world. Through the interwoven stories of a leader in trans rights in Washington DC, the owner of a Philadelphia tattoo shop, an Army dad in rural Arkansas, and the creator of the transgender flag, Umbrella explores the lives of four transgender trailblazers bound by their passion to create change.
Someone Somewhere is sharing the traditions and artistry of Mexico’s indigenous cultures with the world. Marketing their unique embroideries to Millennials, Someone Somewhere is improving and preserving the way of life for Mexico’s indigenous communities.
