Image Credit: Recast City
New Insights Emerge by Combining Data from GoDaddy and Main Street America
Washington, DC – September 2, 2026 – Recast City offers today a first-ever snapshot of the size and nature of small-scale manufacturing in America. It reveals both the extent of small-scale manufacturing in America and the crucial role that small-scale manufacturers play as revenue-attractors, bringing much-needed income and economic activity into local communities.
This snapshot is made possible by combining 2026 data from two sources: GoDaddy and Main Street America, both of which have previously conducted surveys of small businesses but now explore specifically the small-scale manufacturing sector. The GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab data illuminates microbusinesses, which are often not captured by economic development initiatives, and explores how many of them make a product. It does so through a survey of users of its platform. The Main Street America data comes from a survey of small businesses that sell goods and services. Main Street America survey respondents skew toward microbusinesses operating in Main Street districts in the United States. Both sources reveal much about these small-scale manufacturers.
For purposes of this snapshot, a small-scale manufacturer is a small business that fabricates a product itself. Both GoDaddy and Main Street America use that same definition, but Main Street America also refers to the businesses as “makers.” Understanding the role of small-scale manufacturers in the US economy is crucial, because small-scale manufacturing is key to maximizing domestic manufacturing and revitalizing downtowns. Only small-scale manufacturing can spread to literally every community in America. Only small-scale manufacturing can connect each local community with a statewide, regional, or national network of suppliers and skills needed by larger manufacturers. Only small-scale manufacturing can provide the pipeline and ecosystem that larger manufacturers need to thrive and expand. Small-scale manufacturers – from artisan crafts and food products to hardware innovations and advanced manufacturing components – are sold in-person and online and are not solely dependent on local spending.
What the Data Shows
GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab
The GoDaddy data reveals that of those small businesses that use its online platform, 32% sell physical goods or products. Of those, 58% make those goods or products themselves. That suggests that 17% of the small businesses are small-scale manufacturers.
What’s even more revealing is the extent to which small-scale manufacturers bring revenue into a community. That’s the case in part because many more small-scale manufacturers sell their products online than other small businesses: 81% vs. 69% sell their products on their websites. 40% vs. 28% sell their products on social media. Further, many more small-scale manufacturers sell their products nationwide than other small businesses: 55% vs. 44%.
Notably, many more small-scale manufacturers started their businesses while still working elsewhere than other small businesses: 62% vs. 51%. In addition, many more started their businesses in an entirely different field: 65% vs. 46%, thereby broadening the local economy. Many more did so to support a cause or hobby about which they are passionate: 42% vs. 30%.
Small-scale manufacturers are also more optimistic. Many more small-scale manufacturers are more positive about the business’s revenue prospects over the next six months: 76% vs. 70%. Many more expect their income from the business to be significantly greater in 2026 than in 2025: 30% vs. 26%. Many more have more positive expectations for the national economy over the next six months: 37% vs. 33%. Many more are in growth mode: 14% vs. 8%.
Main Street America
The Main Street America data provides further evidence that small-scale manufacturers –about 22% of survey respondents – are a key economic engine. 72% are women-owned (the same as non-makers, but notable given the manufacturing context).
Small-scale manufacturers function as supply chain anchors, not just storefronts: 41% of product businesses supply other local businesses — vs. only 13% of non-makers. 69% use local vendors vs. 53% of non-makers. 46% identify as a landmark/destination business vs. 35% of non-makers.
They bring outside money in: Only 33% of makers do zero e-commerce vs. 52% of non-makers. 24% of makers get more than 10% of their revenue from online sales vs. 15% of non-makers. This is “import substitution” in reverse — they're exporting goods and pulling revenue into the local economy.
Small-scale manufacturers are ready for investment and hungry for infrastructure: 27% of makers have used a business accelerator or shared space vs. only 12% of non-makers — they're twice as likely to seek out structured support. 54% of those makers found accelerators or shared spaces very useful vs. 49% of non-makers. 56% of makers are very interested in being listed in a national Main Street business directory vs. 43% of non-makers. 44% are very interested in joining an online learning hub for small business owners vs. 37% of non-makers.
They're also more confident and more resilient: These product businesses score 7.3/10 on confidence (median 8.0) vs. 6.9/10 (median 7.0) for non-makers — meaningfully higher. Revenue trends are slightly better too: 30% of makers saw revenue increase vs. 25% of non-makers.
“With this snapshot, we can see for the first time the strength and impact of small-scale manufacturing and its vast potential,” said Ilana Preuss, Founder and CEO of Recast City. “While the individual businesses may be small, their collective power and potential to energize local and broader economies is enormous. The power of small-scale manufacturers is magnified further by their optimism, home-grown nature, and immediacy. Their potential is enhanced even more by opportunities created by AI to reach broader markets and scale quickly. Small-scale manufacturers should, therefore, be prized by elected officials at all levels of government, who should make them the focus of robust policy attention.”
For more information or to speak with Ilana Preuss or officials of GoDaddy and Main Street America, contact Henry Miller at 917-921-8034 or hmiller@highimpactpartnering.com.
About Recast City
Recast City is a firm founded and led by Ilana Preuss, a leading champion of small-scale manufacturing and author of Recast Your City: How to Save Your Downtown with Small-Scale Manufacturing (Island Press, 2021). Founded in 2014 and based in Greater Washington, DC, Recast City works with local leaders, real estate developers, city and other civic leaders to integrate space for small-scale producers into redevelopment projects and place-based economic development. Over the past 11 years, Recast City has worked with over 200 communities in 44 states and the District of Columbia to revitalize their downtowns through small-scale manufacturing.
About GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab
The GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab analyzes more than 20 million online businesses with a digital presence, defined by a unique domain and active website. Most of these businesses employ fewer than ten people, classifying them as microbusinesses. Since 2019, the program has surveyed more than 70,000 entrepreneurs, making it a leading source of data and insights on microbusiness trends. To learn more, visit godaddy/research.
About Main Street America
Main Street America leads a movement committed to strengthening communities through preservation-based economic development in older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts. Since 2020, Main Street America has regularly surveyed small business owners in Main Street districts across the United States. With more than 21,000 responses from small business owners, our small business survey is one of the largest in the nation, particularly for microbusinesses and businesses in rural communities. To learn more, visit mainstreet.org/small-business-research.
Ready to create an amazing downtown, main street or older industrial district with small-scale manufacturing? There are three ways to get started: