Missouri

Dustin James, a gastroenterologist, and Helen Kim James, a dermatologist, created Tummy Drops in 2009 after patients kept asking for natural digestive solutions. They made organic, allergen-free lozenges with just four ingredients, but faced a scaling problem. They were fulfilling orders during lunch breaks while raising three kids and seeing patients full-time. Fulfillment by Amazon(FBA) eliminated the operational burden, letting them ship pallets of product to fulfillment centers instead of boxing individual orders. Amazon Ads gave them visibility into what worked, unlike the $40,000 they’d spent on TV ads with no measurable results. But Creator Connections became the breakthrough, connecting them with customers who made authentic video content they couldn’t produce themselves. Real-time dashboards showed exactly which videos drove sales. They’ve grown from two products to over 25, reaching $3.8 million in sales last year, with Amazon as their fastest-growing channel.

Organic growth is something this Amazon seller knows all about—and it’s woven into the DNA of their brand. Big Heart Tea Co. is built on quality-sourced, organic ingredients that are combined into flavorful blends and packaged by hand in their downtown St. Louis warehouse. After a New York Times article containing a link to Big Heart Tea Co.’s Amazon store was published, sales grew by 400% over a period of just a few months.