Iowa

In Cantril, Iowa, population 225, the Zimmerman family’s general store draws thousands of visitors daily, traveling hours to shop everything from ammunition to bulk foods. When customers began asking for an easier way to get their popular popcorn kernels and coconut oil, the Mennonite family had to balance their selective approach to modern technology with their commitment to serving customers’ needs.

Through Amazon’s fulfillment services, Dutchman’s found a solution that aligned with their values. While shunning social media and flashy advertising, they discovered that Amazon’s practical selling tools allowed them to maintain their focus on quality products and personal service at their store while reaching customers nationwide. Now, those three products have generated $2 million in the last two years.

About halfway between Cedar Rapids and Dubuque in east central Iowa, the tiny town of Anamosa, population 5,500, is proud home to Blu Track, a family business that sells toy racetracks. The company has brought manufacturing back to the community and created jobs for local students eager to learn new skills. Amazon has fueled Blu Track’s need for expansion, while the heart of its mission to serve Anamosa rests with its founders.

In Dubuque, Iowa, a father’s solution to his daughters’ fear of bugs has evolved into two thriving businesses. When Scott Putnam created the Swat-N-Scoop, a humane bug removal device, he tested its viability in the Amazon store with just a few hundred units. Customer reviews quickly validated both his design and the need for his product. Using Amazon’s suite of seller tools, from Supply Chain by Amazon to Brand Registry, Putnam transformed his invention into a growing business. This success led him to launch Inventor’s Edge, a consulting firm where he helps other inventors bring their ideas to life. “We can be more nimble and change our product based on feedback,” he said of selling in the Amazon store. “It’s lower risk to go into the Amazon store and test a product line, than it is to build your own website and start advertising before your first sale.”

When Dan Bellrichard faced leaving his beloved Decorah, Iowa in 2016, he made a bold choice. Rather than relocate his growing family, he launched Sogo Snacks, leveraging his grass-fed beef industry experience and Amazon’s seller tools to build a business. Despite no formal marketing background, Bellrichard found immediate success through Amazon’s user-friendly store and supportive seller community. From humble beginnings, fulfilling orders with his infant daughter in a backpack, Sogo Snacks has grown into a thriving six-figure family business.

In Marshalltown, Iowa, former technology teacher Chris Hungerford has transformed his passion for basketball into a thriving business through the Amazon store. From humble beginnings hauling VHS tapes in his children’s wagon to the post office, Hungerford’s HoopsKing now offers more than 200 different products, including specialized training equipment and customizable items for schools, colleges, and businesses nationwide.

Drawing from his experience as a two-time Technology Teacher of the Year, Hungerford has consistently adapted his business to embrace new opportunities. His recent focus on customizable products, particularly personalized coaching boards and water coolers, has helped expand his customer base beyond basketball. Using Amazon’s design tools, his team creates sophisticated custom products that have helped grow annual revenue to nearly half a million dollars.