Welcome to Road Stop Stories
Open Call may not be until October 7–8, 2025, but the journey is already well underway. We’re hitting the road — and the road is hitting back with innovation, ambition and entrepreneurial spirit at every turn.
Our Road to Open Call tour made stops across the country, from Los Angeles to Orlando, Kansas City to Baltimore, Austin to Columbus, and Atlanta. At each Road Stop, we met local business owners with big ideas and shelf-ready products — made, grown or assembled right here in the U.S.
June 26
New Orleans, LA
Big Easy, Bold Finale: Road to Open Call Wraps in New Orleans
The journey came to a close in true New Orleans style with bold ideas, vibrant connections and a spirit of celebration. Our final stop on Walmart’s Road to Open Call brought more than 30 talented entrepreneurs together to share products made, grown or assembled in the U.S.
Five trailblazing businesses earned Fast Passes and are Bentonville-bound, ready to shine at #WalmartOpenCall this October.
Special thanks to Greater New Orleans, Inc. – GNO, Inc., TECHPLUG, and The Shop Workspace for hosting and creating an inspiring space for innovation and collaboration.
From L.A. to New Orleans, every stop on the Road to Open Call showcased the creativity and determination of American entrepreneurs — and now, all roads lead to Bentonville.
June 24
Atlanta, GA
From A-Town to Open Call: Innovation in Motion
Atlanta showed us what happens when innovation meets Southern hospitality. At the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE), more than 25 talented founders shared their American-made products, each one brimming with purpose and a vision for lasting impact.
Ten entrepreneurs are now headed to Bentonville, Arkansas, with Fast Passes in hand — ready to pitch their products at #WalmartOpenCall this October.
A heartfelt thank you to Jay Bailey, Tamiea, Terri-Nichelle Bradley, Stefan, Shalon and the entire RICE team for creating such a powerful, energizing space. Your commitment to empowering entrepreneurs and building generational wealth is changing lives, and we’re proud to stand with you on that mission.
June 18
Columbus, OH
Big Ideas, Buckeye Pride: Thank You, Columbus!
Columbus definitely brought the Buckeye spirit! From innovative eats to clever home goods, more than 25 Ohio entrepreneurs came ready to wow us with products made, grown or assembled right here in the U.S. The creativity was contagious and the passion for American-made business impossible to miss.
We couldn’t have asked for better hosts — huge thanks to the Columbus Chamber of Commerce for rolling out the welcome mat and to COhatch for giving us the perfect space to connect, collaborate and cheer on local talent.
Eight standouts are heading home with Fast Passes to this year’s #WalmartOpenCall in Bentonville, Arkansas, and we can’t wait to see them bring that Columbus hustle to the national stage this fall.
May 13
Baltimore, MD
Built to Grow: Baltimore’s Entrepreneurs Show Up Big
Our fourth Road to Open Call stop touched down in Baltimore on May 13, 2025, and it delivered in every way. With the help of SEED Spot and their standout retail readiness program, nearly 30 entrepreneurs from across the East Coast pitched their American-made products, shared their stories and showed what’s possible with the right platform.
From handcrafted innovations to scalable shelf-ready goods, the energy in the room was electric. Thanks to SEED Spot’s thoughtful vetting and preparation — and a valuable connection from Monique Carswell of Walmart.org — the day ran seamlessly. And by the end, 15 entrepreneurs walked away with Fast Passes to Open Call 2025.
May 9
Kansas City, MO
Heartland Hustle: Kansas City Brings the Spark
The Road to Open Call pulled into Kansas City on May 9, 2025, where local flavor met national ambition at the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. Hosted in partnership with The Latino Coalition, the event created a vibrant space for connection, collaboration and fresh opportunities.
We met with 16 innovative entrepreneurs from Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa and Florida — each one bringing a shelf-ready product and a passion for growing their business. At the end of the day, three Fast Passes were awarded, giving selected entrepreneurs a direct path to pitch at Walmart’s 12th Annual Open Call.
May 1
Orlando, FL
Sunshine State of Mind: Orlando Brings the Momentum
We kicked off Small Business Month in a big way with our second Road to Open Call stop in Orlando on May 1, 2025. Hosted in partnership with the Hispanic Chamber of Metro Orlando, the event brought together 31 entrepreneurs from across Florida — each with products made, grown or assembled in the U.S.
From eco-friendly bandages to bold new takes on pantry staples, the energy was high and the ideas even higher. We were proud to award eight Fast Pass tickets to Open Call 2025 and spotlight the diverse, shelf-ready talent fueling local economies.
Orlando brought the ideas, the energy and the entrepreneurial spark.
The road to Bentonville rolls on.
April 3
Los Angeles, CA
Small Businesses, Big Energy: Thank You, L.A.
And that’s a wrap on our first stop on the Road to Open Call in L.A.! From pet stationery to man butter and non-alcoholic mixers, local entrepreneurs brought bold ideas and big energy.
We’re grateful to everyone who helped bring the event to life, including Bill Imada of the IW Group, and leaders from organizations like National ACE. A special shoutout to some of the incredible organizations and businesses who showed up and showed out: Marissa Gurdian of Sweet Paws, Lisa Sohanpal of Nom Noms World Food, and the sister duo behind This Girl Walks Into a Bar, known for their delicious mixers and snacks. In fact, seven standout businesses received fast-pass invitations to pitch at this year’s Open Call in Bentonville, Arkansas.
The journey’s just getting started, and L.A. set the bar high.
