How Aiden Marketing is nurturing Baltimore’s hidden talent

Mark Duncan sees Baltimore’s entrepreneurial spirit on every corner.
“You see people selling water on MLK Boulevard — and they’re there every day,” he said in a recent interview. And where some see the city’s hustler mentality and nothing more, Duncan sees potential. “What if we take those guys who have the hustle, but gave them product knowledge in a more meaningful way?”
So, along with fellow Aiden Marketing cofounder Stacie Price, Duncan is actually doing something about it.
“We would love to unleash their potential,” he said.
Aiden Marketing is a full-service inbound marketing firm serving the IT, higher-ed and healthcare sectors. Duncan and Price, both Baltimore natives, left comfortable corporate jobs to pursue this venture in 2012 and haven’t looked back. Duncan, a graduate of Towson University, and Price, a graduate of University of Maryland, Baltimore County, both set out to break barriers and create opportunities for those who are often overlooked.
A major focus is on-the-job training — especially for students, veterans and returning citizens, Price said.
“We recognize that it’s not about the color of your skin, or what you’ve been through. It’s your skills and expertise that matters,” she said. “We believe we have a great training process, and we want to mentor and cultivate those who have that hustle and drive to learn.”
Aiden Marketing works with local institutions like Morgan State’s Entrepreneurship Development Assistant Center and BCCC’s Year Up program, providing internships for students of color looking to develop unique marketing skills.
“Our team, whether it’s the people who are working with us on a consistent basis, or people who are coming in as interns, really get an opportunity to learn first-hand how inbound marketing is done from strategy to implementation,” said Price.
The company will begin a strategic partnership with the Robert V. Haysbert Entrepreneur Center later this year. Aiden’s first project there will be an eight-week digital marketing series for business owners.