Proudly made in Ohio: This is how small businesses sustain success at home

The Buckeye State’s reputation for creativity is strengthened by makers like these.

Not everything has to be created in New York, Los Angeles, or Silicon Valley. Ohio has a thriving entrepreneurial culture, and behind each business is a dedicated visionary, determined maker, or team of hard workers.

Take Tom Tsuchiya, for example. He’s a Cincinnati-based sculptor who creates works of public sculpture. You can see his bronze artwork at the Baseball Hall of Fame, and his favorite subjects are local sports heroes from his home state of Ohio.

Dale Grinstead-Mayle, meanwhile, has put his entrepreneurial energy and talent into Goodfellow’s, a barbershop in Columbus. Like Tsuchiya, Grinstead-Mayle was born and raised in Ohio. He picked Columbus as the place to grow his family and business, and loves the community he is both a part of and helping to foster.

Floyd Johnson, the son of an entrepreneur in the silkscreen business, came by the apparel industry naturally. He started Ohio Against The World, a lifestyle brand focused on apparel that celebrates Ohio pride and is manufactured in Cleveland. The slogan of the brand — which you can get printed on a shirt, hat, or sweatshirt — speaks to a defiant, underdog spirit and can-do attitude. It’s no wonder that the brand has caught the attention of Ohio athletes, among others.

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