This mom’s frustration with finding quality outdoor gear ⛷🧢 for her children drove her to start an Amazon business a decade ago.
Annalisa DeMarta says her initial interest in Amazon was an experiment spurred by an unsuccessful shopping trip with her son. DeMarta learned how to find manufacturers, run quality checks, set up infrastructure to measure and maintain her supply chain — and learned the ins and outs of the Amazon marketplace. Her small children’s outdoor apparel business morphed into a $5M direct-to-consumer, Amazon-only brand called Lone Cone quicker than she had anticipated. DeMarta sold Lone Cone for an undisclosed sum, adding her to the small but growing group of women founders who exit their ventures.
Clearly an Amazon whiz, DeMarta has used her experience from building and selling Lone Cone to pivot into co-founding an Amazon marketplace consulting agency. Ridgeline Insights consults with clients to help them launch and maintain their products on Amazon through an omnichannel marketing approach.
Bonus Alert:
Business veteran DeMarta shares the one thing that no one mentions when selling a business that she wishes she had known. Tune in to hear her three tips to grow a brand on Amazon in 2022. Why she speaks up and asks questions, especially to investors How to prioritize when creating your Amazon strategy
All and more, on this episode of SheVentures.
2:50 How to start a business while navigating a growing family 17:52 DeMarta’s timeline from ideation to selling her products on Amazon 20:00 Ever wonder what the difference is between dropship and private label? How to decide what’s best for your brand. 24:50 DeMarta discusses the Amazon algorithm and search engine optimization. 30:12 When did DeMarta realize her business was scaling rapidly? 30:42 What happens when you sell your company? 37:30 The insecurities DeMarta sometimes felt when arbitrating purchase deals 39:21 How do you value an Amazon business? DeMarta shares her experience. 42:02 Three tips to grow a brand on Amazon 46:33 DeMarta talks about her pivot from entrepreneurship to agency owner. 50:40 What does omnichannel marketing mean? 55:33 Rookie mistakes aspiring women entrepreneurs should avoid