Laura Burget & Connie Lo, Three Ships Beauty, Toronto, ON
"Selling online on Amazon is essential to our small business as it's a platform that enables us to reach a much wider audience of customers than we would be able to reach just through our own site. Additionally, Amazon offers unparalleled convenience for our current customers as well who are looking to capitalize on fast Prime shipping. Finally, review generation on Amazon is trusted by consumers more than reviews on any other platform, which has helped us gain credibility with new consumers."
Shop Three Ships Beauty
Aja Horsley, Drizzle, Calgary, AB
"I was formerly an Environmental Scientist working on urban agriculture and beekeeping projects. During this time, I noticed a gap in the honey market – there were no bee-friendly, innovative, health-conscious products. Even worse, the honey at the grocery store was often fake, wasn’t locally produced and had terrible, old-school branding. So I started Drizzle! Drizzle is unique because our products are completely raw, bee-friendly and powered with superfoods. Our honey is all locally produced and 100% Canadian. We selectively source bee-friendly hives and donate to pollinator research. We are a proudly women-owned and run enterprise, and have an investment backing from Dragons’ Den investor Arlene Dickinson. By being a Certified B Corp, Drizzle meets the highest standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency in the world."
Natalie Kim, Kim and Pom, Hamilton, ON
"I love that my business is built on thoughtfulness, quality and a passion to brighten up our customer’s day with our handmade, natural bath & body care products. We are excited to be able to do our part to ensure that you and your loved ones feel special. As a small, local business, Amazon’s wide reach and efficient fulfillment service has provided us with the opportunity to connect and share our beautiful products with customers across North America."
Shop Kim and Pom
Josh Green, Mysa, St. John’s, NL
"Right out of university (I studied Engineering at Dalhousie University), I was interested in helping homeowners become more energy efficient to help fight climate change. This led me to conducting home energy audits. During this time I discovered a gap in the market for a smart thermostat for electric baseboard heating. While other smart thermostat brands are widely popular, they don't work with high voltage heating systems such as electric baseboard heating, which equates to about 10% of the homes in North America! Mysa Smart Thermostats are specifically designed for electric baseboard and in-floor heating systems."
Tara Gilbert & Tiziana Ienna, Zazubean Organic Chocolate, Vancouver, BC
"We both love chocolate and wanted to make a positive impact by creating fun, innovative superfood chocolates for all diets (plant-based, keto, paleo, gluten-free). Our products are not only good for you with healthy and clean ingredients, but they are good for the planet and for the growers, using only 100% organic ingredients and sustainable packaging while being socially conscious and supporting the farmers and their communities with fair-trade premiums. Amazon has allowed us to spread our passion for chocolate to reach more people with our great-tasting, clean chocolate."
Shop Zazubean Organic Chocolate
Natasha & Stephane Maighan, Maighans, Montreal, QC
"As passionate wholesale entrepreneurs, it was difficult for us to get the consumer’s direct feedback on the brands that we love and proudly represent. Amazon gives us the opportunity to reach a variety of savvy consumers and hear directly from them what they love most about our products. Having access to Amazon’s wide, efficient and ultra-fast fulfillment centres also allows us, as proud local Montreal business owners, to continue focusing on our team and partners who help us put together the best baby and kid products on the market, without having to worry about managing the complex tech platform, warehousing nightmares, logistics surprises, high shipping fees, returns and more."
Jude Patla, Top Hat and Monocle, Mississauga, ON
"We sometimes think of greeting cards as the small sidekick to a gift, but to me, they are so much more. The pandemic underscored the importance of the small but mighty card when it forced us to find new ways to connect and show people we're there for them even when we can't be there in person. In our collective sorrow, cards allow us to spread joy, send appreciation to our heroes, and mail uplifting messages to those that mean the most to us. Whether for celebration or grief, there is nothing more rewarding to me than creating just the right sentiments to elicit laughter and connection in these important moments we share with our loved ones."
Shop Top Hat and Monocle
Puja Vij, Frönaturals, Calgary, AB
"Moving back to Calgary from Houston in 2015, I started to suffer from skin and hair issues while my husband had issues with his toe joints. Determined to find a natural solution to our problems, I tapped into the knowledge of Ayurveda and other home and natural remedies that I had experienced living in India, Namibia and Angola. Frönaturals was created to share with our customers our own experiences with these 100% pure, cold-pressed beauty oils, plant superfoods and small-batch distilled essential oils, the benefits of which we, as a family, had personally experienced. All our products are 100% pure. We do not use any diluents, additives or added synthetic fillers. We test each prospective product in our daily lives and only when we are convinced that the product delivers benefits to our health and wellness do we introduce the product in our store at an affordable price point to our customers."
Chris Yee, The Cocktail Box Co. & Brew Your Bucha, Vancouver, BC
"My business partner Derek and I started Brew Your Bucha because, while we enjoy drinking kombucha, it's expensive! After brewing with a SCOBY purchased locally, it left us wanting to make sourcing the accessories and ingredients easier. We also wanted to save money, so we put together our first 4 Litre Kombucha Kits and started sharing them with friends and family. Shortly after, we officially launched Brew Your Bucha. We have since become one of the top sellers of kombucha SCOBY and starter kits and offer many guides and resources to new and experienced brewers. We had a similar experience with cocktails. We wanted to make it fun and easy to make cocktails, so we started with a true classic – the Old Fashioned. We have since released five other cocktail kits and other bar-related accessories. Each of our products have been designed to deliver a fun and unique experience. Whether making kombucha or creating your favourite cocktail, you will want to share your creation with your friends, family and colleagues. You can get creative, tailoring your beverage to suit your flavour preferences, and we encourage testing and experimenting with different recipes."
Shop The Cocktail Box Co. & Brew Your Bucha
Jonathan Wong, Custom Car Posters, Vancouver, BC
How I got my start:
I started to illustrate cars when I couldn’t find a poster that characterized my particular vehicle. I soon realized that many car enthusiasts wanted the same thing – a poster of their car, in the right colour. I began illustrating more and more cars to meet the demand of fellow car enthusiasts and just like that, Custom Car Posters was born.
What makes my products unique:
Custom Car Posters offers over 700 car designs in a plethora of colour combinations. Here you can find the perfect poster to match almost any vehicle. As a car enthusiast, I take the utmost care to ensure every detail of each car is illustrated with absolute precision.
Why I love what I do:
As a major gearhead, I’ve restored, modified and raced a variety of cars over the years. I live and breathe all things automotive and love the process of bringing a new car poster to life. I enjoy engaging with the car community online and working closely with customers to get them the perfect print. Whether you are a car expert or are completely lost in the automotive world, I love to help my customers find the perfect design.
Stella Benson, Benols Beauty, Calgary, AB
How I got my start:
I was previously in the finance industry, but am now a mother of three with a husband that travels a lot as an engineer. In 2017, I started searching for a business opportunity that would allow me to set my own schedule so I could have more flexibility and freedom to be with my family. After researching, we found ASM (Amazing Selling Machine), joined it and started selling on Amazon in June 2017. We decided to offer products that would provide a flawless look, with bold, beautiful eyes and face in minutes. Additionally, we wanted to focus on products that are high quality, all at an affordable price.
What makes my products unique:
My products are made with safe, premium and quality materials. Our magic eyeliner is a gamechanger for people that love false lashes because it is a no-glue, non-magnetic formula that works with any eyelash of your choice. Our lashes are handcrafted, cruelty-free, reusable and last for multiple uses. Our makeup brushes are premium quality and also a perfect gift for loved ones.
Why I love what I do:
At Benols Beauty, we believe everyone is beautiful. Seeing people’s confidence as they put the finishing touches on their makeup with our products is such a joy. We love when customers are happy with their bold and beautiful eyes and when they get lots of compliments from our products, without breaking the bank.
Florence Luo, Jan & Jul, Vancouver, BC
How I got my start:
I have loved sewing and knitting ever since I was a child. Fast forward to when my two daughters were born, I realized most of the clothing I bought hardly lasted, because kids grow so quickly. Feeling inspired, I started experimenting with adjusting my kids’ clothes to get more use out of them. Just like that, my Gro-With-Me designs were created!
What makes my products unique:
I’ve thoughtfully designed every little detail about Jan & Jul products to be practical for parents and comfortable for kids. All of our designs are produced ethically with high-quality artisanship. They are also made to last for growing kids, featuring our Gro-With-Me adjustments as well as our innovative breathable, waterproof fabric we use in our rain gear.
Why I love what I do:
As a parent, there is nothing better than enjoying the great outdoors with my kids. Outside, my kids are calmer, absorb their surroundings and continue to grow. It’s amazing. Knowing Jan & Jul is helping families make those memories outdoors together is a beautiful thing for me.
Agata Piskunowicz, SLY EYE, Toronto, ON
How I got my start:
It has always been a dream of mine to own a greeting card shop. My love for greeting cards started when I noticed the effect a small note had on people who received it. When friends or family around me needed a pick-me-up, I was busy creating custom cards that would make them smile. Life happened and a different creative career path took over, so the dream of my stationary shop never materialized. Three years ago, I created SLY EYE to reawaken my passion for greeting cards, posters and illustration.
What makes my products unique:
All of my work is printed using a Risograph machine. This process is environmentally friendly because the inks are soy based, the printing screens are made using plant materials and the machine is very efficient on energy consumption.
Why I love what I do:
I love being able to create work that other people enjoy.
Tao Guo & Jaclyn Wang, Little Bot, Toronto, ON
How we got our start:
We started by bringing neutral and unique patterns into a market long known for its colourful and alphabet letter designs. We wanted something that would fit into the living space, not just for babies, but also for parents.
What makes our products unique:
The design and the living style that Little Bot promotes. Our Ofie Mat is now enjoyed by thousands of families. People recognize us by our designs and quality, but they really get to know us through our ridiculously friendly customer service. We use one of the most comfortable and non-toxic foam materials when making our play mat, which adds to our uniqueness. Words travel fast and our reputation precedes us.
Why we love what we do:
We love being different and being the leader in a traditional landscape by bringing something distinct and exciting that creates memories. Being a parent is a hard job and on those especially draining days, we want to bring a sense of normalcy into people’s lives.
