Georgia

In 2017, Lisa Blaurock launched 5Strands, a food intolerance testing kit, in the Amazon store. At first, the company focused on humans—until her dog Daisy inspired a whole new direction.

Hyperactive, destructive, and stubborn despite training and dietary changes, Daisy left Blaurock searching for answers. When she discovered research linking pet behavior to food intolerances, she realized she could help pets and their owners everywhere.

Today, pet testing kits make up half of 5Strands’ business, with Amazon driving most of their sales. Blaurock credits her rapid growth to a simple strategy: be first. “Anytime Amazon beta tests something, we sign up,” she said.

Quality and American craftsmanship are finding new customers in the Amazon store, as Savannah-based M-Clip shows. This family-owned business maintains its commitment to local manufacturing while using Amazon’s suite of business tools to reach customers nationwide. Founded by Ron McGarity 25 years ago, M-Clip keeps production in-house, supporting skilled jobs in their Georgia community.

The company strategically uses Amazon’s services to fuel their growth. Fulfillment by Amazon handles shipping logistics, while Amazon Ads helps them reach customers efficiently without requiring upfront investment. Enhanced product pages showcase their premium money clips to a national audience. This combination of tools, along with the flexibility to choose which services best fit their needs, has driven consistent 10-12% annual growth.

“Quality, unique designs, treating people right, and our integrity is really what matters,” Ron McGarity said. Through the Amazon store, M-Clip continues to expand while keeping manufacturing jobs in their Georgia community.

Adia Howard grew up watching her father build RA Cosmetics from his kitchen. What started as a simple mission to find clean, raw products that he could use to moisturize his kids turned into one of Atlanta’s best-selling beauty brands, and the country’s largest importer of shea butter.

When she stepped in as COO in 2022, Howard brought fresh energy and a digital-first strategy. By tapping into Amazon’s seller tools and data insights, she helped drive 40% growth—expanding the brand’s reach, supporting local jobs, and laying the foundation for the next generation.

When her DIY hair gel became an unexpected viral success, Ecoslay founder and CEO Adria Marshall knew she needed help to scale quickly. Amazon’s tools made it easy for her to grow her business and share her brand values, which promote sustainability and kindness, with her customers.

Brian Kirk had an “aha” moment at the beach when he realized there was no such thing as a ‘beach pillow.’ He set out to invent one, but had to convince customers that his first-of-its-kind product was a must-have. With support from Amazon, he was able to market his product to a wide audience, and connect with a network of influencers and content creators that launched the Ballast Beach Pillow to the top of Amazon’s best-seller list.

“I can’t believe the degree to which Amazon has actually been a real partner,” he said. “I thought it was a huge company and that it would be a very impersonal relationship, when really that couldn’t be further from the truth.”

For Michael and Michelle Loyd, coffee is a way of bringing people together and forging connections.

When they first launched Dope Coffee on the outskirts of Atlanta in 2019, they envisioned it primarily as a gathering ground for hip-hop-loving coffee drinkers. But when the pandemic forced them to close up shop, they pivoted the brand to an e-commerce model. Amazon helped make the transition smooth, and since launching in the Amazon store, Dope Coffee has seen double-digit year-on-year growth of its online sales.

Today, Dope Coffee has used the proceeds to build their Atlanta-based cafe into the community center they always dreamed of having, allowing them to showcase the work of local artists and musicians and support local youth through free basketball training.

At its core, Compac Industries is a family business. The manufacturing company was founded in 1980 by Jamaican immigrant Frederick Hart. Today, Frederick’s son Dean-Paul Hart oversees the company’s 17-person staff—the majority of whom are refugees.

“I’ve heard testimonials from people on our staff who have said that they were able to get a house by working here. They were able to send their kids to college by working here. The impact is generational,” he added. “It’s not just about the product that we deliver to our customers, but it’s also about the people who make it happen—we’re all connected.”