Indiana

Carl Borkholder built an adjustable, lockable, multi-ball hitch from American steel that could handle nearly double the load of anything in stores. He built it for his business, not intending to start one. But when Nappanee contractors started asking for one, then three, then more, Borkholder and his wife made the decision to go all in.

“We had no dealer presence, no wholesale distributors. But we had a great product, and we had Amazon,” Borkholder said.

Twelve years later, Gen-Y Hitch posted its best year ever with more than $5 million in Amazon revenue, up 35% year over year. Amazon’s AI tools became the force multiplier. Ryan Cramer, their Amazon Channel Manager, manages hundreds of SKUs across fulfillment centers, listings, advertising, and international expansion. What once took 30 to 45 minutes per product listing now takes under five.

“Amazon’s AI tools take my time and multiply it by 20,” Cramer said.

This Black- and woman-owned enterprise captures the essence of unity and style with its distinctive line of matching family wear, including pajamas, sweatshirts, T-shirts and bags.

CEO Ashley Green credits Amazon’s reputation with helping to increase her own company’s sales. “There’s a different level of credibility that you get as a seller when people receive their items in an Amazon box,” she said.