Virginia

A stimulus check, a family recipe, and a mission to bring Filipino flavors to American kitchens

Jake Deleon, a first-generation Filipino American, launched Fila Manila in 2020 after noticing Filipino food was absent from grocery shelves. Using his stimulus check and family recipes, he created cooking sauces, banana ketchup, and ube coconut spread, all made in the USA. Since joining the Amazon store in 2021, the Arlington, Va.-based brand has grown approximately 50 percent year-over-year. Deleon uses Amazon Ads, Vine, Fulfillment by Amazon, Brand Registry, and AI-powered listing tools to reach new customers and protect his brand.

When Lily Wilmoth began experiencing skin issues during pregnancy, she set out to find simple, all-natural alternatives safe for both her and her baby. Inspired by centuries-old beauty rituals, she turned to nutrient-rich ingredients like grass-fed beef tallow, creating a skincare line that quickly became a farmers-market favorite.

In 2022, Wilmoth took a leap of faith and launched Hearth and Homestead on Amazon Handmade. With no prior business experience, she leaned on Amazon’s tools—including Seller University and the IP Accelerator program—to establish and scale her business, from trademarking her brand to fulfilling orders.

In 2010, Amy and Adam Fazackerley founded Lay-n-Go in Alexandria, Virginia, initially creating drawstring play mats for LEGO® storage. The company unexpectedly found its biggest success in the cosmetics market with their convertible makeup bags. After switching to direct-to-consumer sales on Amazon about three years ago, the family business has flourished, expecting 35-45% growth in Amazon sales by 2025. The company has protected its innovation through six U.S. utility patents and participation in Amazon’s APEX program for handling patent disputes. Utilizing various Amazon services including FBA, FBM, and Brand Registry, Lay-n-Go has maintained steady growth, with particularly strong holiday season sales. The Fazackerley’s remain committed to responsible growth while keeping the business family owned.

Leather Honey started in the 1960s as somewhat of a science experiment, when two friends—a retired chemist and a businessman—sought to develop an effective sole treatment for leather shoes.

To test their formula, the pair gave a local postal service worker a new pair of shoes with one sole treated and the other sole unchanged. The treated sole, they found, lasted twice as long.

The leather conditioner, now sold under the brand Leather Honey, has since become a hit as a treatment for all things leather, from saddles and harnesses to belts, baseball gloves, and bags. The product is an Amazon best seller with nearly 60,000 reviews and has established a strong international footprint with plans to expand into every Amazon Global Store over the next year.

After a decade of research and development, Dr. Noreen Galaria and her husband, Dr. Irfan Galaria, created their own line of Inner Glow supplements that are sourced with high-quality ingredients that are scientifically proven to provide sun protection, grow hair, and reverse agings. Selling with Amazon has taken their business to new heights.

“It allows us to reach people we would never be able to reach in doctor’s offices,” said Dr. Noreen Galaria. Amazon, she said, makes it easy for customers and for businesses to access their product wherever they are.