Courtesy Photos
Amazon's 2019 Small Businesses of the Year Winners: from left, Mikey Ahdoot of Habit Nest, Madeline Haydon of nutpods, and Natasha McCrary of 1818 Farms
- Amazon has announced the winners of its first-ever Small Business of the Year awards.
- nutpods, based in Bellevue, Washington, won Small Business of the Year, for their dairy-free, sugar-free coffee creamer that uses all-natural ingredients.
- 1818 Farms, based in Mooresville, Alabama, won Woman-Owned Small Business, for their farm that is a model of environmental stewardship.
- Habit Nest, based in Los Angeles, California, won Small Business Owner Under 30, for their journal system that helps people get healthier and achieve their goals.
- Also for the first time, Amazon will feature a small business gift guide and showcase exclusive deals for Small Business Saturday.
- Visit BI Prime for more stories.
Amazon has announced the winners of its first-ever Small Business of the Year awards, just days before the holiday shopping season officially kicks off with Black Friday and Small Business Saturday.
The three winners edged out 1,300 other nominations and were ultimately chosen by Amazon customers from among 18 finalists in the categories of Women-Owned, Owner Under 30, and Small Business of the Year.
"1818 Farms, Habit Nest, and nutpods exemplify what small business success in our stores looks like, and we celebrate them as models for other aspiring small businesses and entrepreneurs," Nick Denissen, Amazon's VP of small business, said in a release.
Also for the first time, the retail giant will feature a Small Business Gift Guide and showcase exclusive deals for Small Business Saturday on November 30.
Scroll down to read more about this year's winners: nutpods, 1818 Farms, and Habit Nest.
Small Business of the Year
nutpods
nutpods founder Madeline Haydon
nutpods - Bellevue, Washington
Madeline Haydon invented a dairy-free, sugar-free coffee creamer to fulfill a personal need. She started making batches in her kitchen for her own use, but soon her friends and family were asking her to share it.
"I knew there was an opportunity to create something better," she told Business Insider.
Since she began selling on Amazon in 2015, her sales have grown 5,500% and her business now has 24 employees. nutpods is now the second-fastest-growing woman-owned company in America, and Haydon was recognized as the Entrepreneur of the Year in the Pacific Northwest by Ernst & Young.
Read more about Haydon's best tips for entrepreneurs here.
Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year
1818 Farms
1818 Farms founder Natasha McCrary
1818 Farms - Mooresville, Alabama
Natasha McCrary credits her middle child's fascination with a breed of sheep called "Babydoll Southdown" as the inspiration for her farm business.
"Owning a babydoll was all he could talk about," McCrary told Business Insider, " so I began to dream and plan for a small profitable farm where we could teach our children to appreciate the land and animals and to be good conservationists."
She launched her farm's bath and lifestyle products on Amazon's Handmade channel in 2012, and sales have doubled year-over-year.
Read more about McCrary's best tips for entrepreneurs here.
Small Business Owner Under 30 of the Year
Habit Nest
Habit Nest cofounders Mikey Ahdoot, Amir Atighehchi, and Ari Banayan
Habit Nest - Los Angeles, California
Mikey Ahdoot was "pretty damn pissed off" about how life was going after college, so he started cultivating new habits that would help him get healthier and achieve his goals.
"I knew great daily habits would set up a foundation that would attract true happiness, fulfillment, and success in all areas of my life," Ahdoot says.
He and two cofounders each put in $4,000 to bootstrap Habit Nest in 2017, which makes a range of specialized journals to help people learn new skills and improve their lives. Sales have grown 300% per year since listing on Amazon.
Read more about Ahdoot's best tips for entrepreneurs here.
