Amazon recently gathered thousands of sellers in Seattle and tens of thousands virtually at Accelerate, Amazon’s premier annual seller conference, to connect and learn about new ways to scale and grow their businesses. So many of these sellers are going beyond their day-to-day work and turning their businesses into a force for good in their local communities. During the event, Amazon celebrated three of these amazing sellers.
Meet Gifts Fulfilled, Hustle Clean, and Nyssa—three inspiring small businesses employing individuals in underserved communities, providing access and resources to those in need, and working to improve women’s healing and health education.
Amazon honored Gifts Fulfilled, Hustle Clean, and Nyssa for making meaningful impacts in their communities and surprised each of them with a $50,000 grant to support them in driving even more positive change.
Gifts Fulfilled
Berlin, Maryland
According to a recent labor report, in 2022, the unemployment rate for individuals with a disability was twice as high as it was for those without a disability. Gifts Fulfilled was founded to change this. Making a difference one gift basket at a time, Gifts Fulfilled creates job opportunities for people with disabilities to assemble gift baskets and care packages for occasions like birthdays, baby showers, and holidays. The more this small-but-mighty company grows, the more jobs they will be able to create.
“We are committed to taking steps throughout the year to recruit, hire, retain, and advance individuals with disabilities, and to provide them with the opportunity, full participation, economic self-sufficiency, and independence they deserve,” said founder Kim Shanahan. “Amazon has provided the access and ability to build and scale a business achieving this mission, and I am really excited to bring even more opportunities to individuals in our community with disabilities.”
Hustle Clean
Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
Justin Forsett and his co-founders met on the football field at the University of California, Berkeley. What began as a body wipe to help get these teammates from practice to class on time became a successful brand that makes self-care accessible on and off the field. Hustle Clean provides convenient, antibacterial, and antimicrobial wipes that clean, sanitize, deodorize, and disinfect, to help people stay fresh on the go.
The hustle continues off the field through the company’s work to give back. By establishing Free Play, a sports scholarship program, Hustle Clean unlocks opportunities for underserved youth to play sports, including access to equipment, uniforms, training, and more. Through #ShowerToThePeople, the company provides the dignity of a shower substitute when a shower isn’t accessible—partnering with nonprofits to donate its products to communities lacking access to clean water.
“At Hustle Clean, we prioritize purpose over profit, and selling in Amazon’s store, in part, helps us advance in both areas,” said Justin Forsett, CEO and co-founder. “We began our giveback efforts in 2015 to serve local communities, but we are always ready to step up and support wherever there’s a need. To date, we’re proud to say we’ve supported many young athletes and donated products to communities in need, including Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria and Houston, Texas, after Hurricane Harvey.”
Nyssa
Chicago, Illinois
An all-woman owned and operated women’s well-being startup dedicated to flipping the script on the “unmentionables of womanhood,” Nyssa was among the first to combine therapeutic function and comfortable styling in undergarments for all the transitional moments in a woman’s life, from puberty to postpartum to menopause. But Nyssa goes beyond products and provides educational content to support customers. The company teams up with doctors to educate women on what to expect throughout their health journey, providing digital downloads, checklists, guides, a podcast, and a Substack channel. Nyssa also donates products to women in need in Chicago, on the U.S. border, and wherever they see a need.
“For centuries, women have been underserved when it comes to pain and healing solutions. We are determined to help build a better future for women’s wellness,” said Eden Laurin, CEO and co-founder. “It takes solidarity and the boldness to change history by prioritizing women's needs for better health outcomes. Amazon has become the other aisle for customers to shop for Nyssa’s products and enables Nyssa to build customer trust and loyalty.”
With more than 60% of sales in Amazon’s store coming from independent sellers, there are countless purpose-driven businesses of all sizes thriving and making a difference across the U.S. and beyond. We’re proud and thankful to partner with businesses like these, and we look forward to continuing to support them as they grow and accelerate the good they’re doing in local communities.
If you missed Accelerate in person, you can register for free virtual access to unlock tools and insights to grow your business.
