Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jeannie Stamberger, Founder and CEO of The AmaZone, located in Denver, CO, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I am the CEO/Founder of The AmaZone, a consulting firm that manages Amazon sales for mid and large domestic and international Brands. Our clients include products in food, home goods, safety products, electronics accessories, and more.

Tell us about yourself

I started working on helping my sister's food brand sell on Amazon, and we quickly realized a consulting model made more sense- Amazon was changing so fast it didn't make any sense for any company to keep up with them in-house, and we help all of our companies by identifying issues or changes in Amazon by working across companies. I love my team, and they are so competent and great to work with that. I love working with them every day, and I love our clients - they all make high-quality, interesting products that people love.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I think my biggest accomplishment as a business owner is retaining TA staff members. They are all incredibly qualified - we have everything from a Silicon Valley computer scientist that retired at the age of 30 to an Intelligence Analyst and military veteran who was one of the first women to deploy with Special Forces in Africa. All of them could get another job in a heartbeat, and the fact that they are still here - some since 2017 - is by far my biggest accomplishment. Because of that accomplishment, we have been able to consistently take companies from thousands to millions and millions in tens of millions in sales. All our business success comes from my people, who are incredible. We also have been incredibly lucky to work with great clients - gaining their trust by consistently delivering allows us together to make risky decisions that have panned out really well for the clients. Gaining their trust so we could help them make those bold, successful moves is definitely one of my biggest accomplishments as a business owner.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

There are a lot of risks. I was pretty sure when I started this business that Amazon would put us out of business in a year or two, but we got lucky, and Amazon got much more complex, so we are needed by Brands more than ever before. We have been lucky, and it is hard to guarantee luck! ;)

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Well, all three tips would boil down to people - staff and clients.

  1. Hire people based on your gut.
  2. Manage enough to set expectations, and then don't micromanage.
  3. I constantly work with my staff to ensure that they are doing the work they love and that they pass on work that annoys them to someone else (who happens to enjoy or tolerate that work), and I, of course, take the tasks no one else wants. That will at least give you a decent start - the rest, I can't advise on!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.theamazone.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-amazone/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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