Sellers of Amazon 2022: Where are they now?

There are millions of people who sell in Amazon’s stores, and this year we shared six of their stories in our “Sellers of Amazon” series. Their personal stories—full of triumphs, trials, and advice for other business owners—are proof of what you can achieve through perseverance.

A special thanks to the founders of Aldevra LLC, Ethereal Zen Creations, Elite Sweets, Kanda Chocolates, Back to the Roots, and Coradorables for sharing their stories. Now, find out what some of our “Sellers of Amazon” have accomplished since they sat down with us.

The Sweet Life Under 30

Amir (left) and Amin Bahari stand in front of the Longhorn statue at University of Austin, TX wearing Elite Sweets shirts
Congratulations to Elite Sweets founders Amin and Amir Bahari for being selected for Forbes “30 under 30 Class of 2023.” The November issue of Forbes “honors tomorrow’s brightest young leaders who are turning to entrepreneurship to solve the world’s biggest problems—on their own terms.”

 

Amin and Amir launched their donut business in the kitchen of their 800-square-foot apartment while attending the University of Texas Austin. Learn about their business in our blog post “Slowly but sweetly” and if you missed their story on our social channels.

From undergrads to global recognition

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Back to the Roots co-founders Nikhil Arora and Alex Vélez were honored with the 2022 Hispanic Heritage Entrepreneurship Award.

Hispanic Heritage Awards

 This [award] is the realization that there are so many people that have invested and believed in me, and that you can’t do anything alone.

Alex Vélez
Co-founder & co-CEO, Back to the Roots

In September, Back to the Roots co-founders Alejandro “Alex” Velez and Nikhil Arora were honored with the 2022 Hispanic Heritage Entrepreneurship Award at the 35th Hispanic Heritage Awards. Alex and Nikhil started Back to the Roots in 2009 during their senior year of college. Just over a decade later, they were recognized for their work in sustainability and making gardening accessible. The co-CEOs shared the stage with artists such as Daddy Yankee and Grammy Award legends Los Lobos.

Read how Alex went from growing up in war-torn Colombia to living the American dream in our blog: “From undergrads to underground: Establishing roots with Back to the Roots.” Head to the Sell on Amazon social channels to read the more personal side of their story.

Something I had reserved for my dreams

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Karen Blackwell at the Wearable Art Gala fundraiser in Santa Monica, California in October 2022.

The spotlight was on Karen Blackwell and Kanda Chocolates in October when Karen shared her chocolates with hundreds of celebrities and influencers at the Wearable Art Gala in Santa Monica, California. The star-studded gala raises resources to support the WACO Theaters Center’s artistic and youth mentorship programs.

In case you missed it, Karen shared how a trip to Ghana changed her professional trajectory on the blog earlier this year. Now she’s the CEO of her own company, and selling her chocolates in Amazon’s store. You can read more of Karen’s story on our Sell on Amazon Facebook.

 A million thanks to Amazon’s Black Business Accelerator marketing team for putting me in the room and giving me this unbelievable experience.

Karen Blackwell
Founder, Kanda Chocolates

 

A great place to put your boots down

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Rodney Marshall’s company, Aldevra, was named one of “Michigan’s 50 Companies to Watch in 2022.”

Aldevra LLC was honored in May as one of Michigan’s 50 Companies to Watch in 2022 and named in December as a certified Great Place to Work. But that’s not all—In December, Aldevra hit one million dollars in sales in 2022 in Amazon’s store!

We featured Aldevra in our very first “Sellers of Amazon” blog, “Boots to Business.” Follow Rodney’s journey from Marine Corps boot camp to a million-dollar businessman, and understand more of his history by reading his story on Facebook.

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