Gregory Perkins, CEO of African American Expressions, said that Amazon Accelerate provides businesses with the necessary tools, strategies, and community support to remain innovative. This statement was made on Amazon’s website.
“Amazon Accelerate has been transformative for our growth,” said Perkins. “I used to send my team members, but after attending myself, I really understood the value of it. It’s not just about learning new tools and strategies—the connections with other sellers make the real difference. The knowledge-sharing and community have been invaluable for keeping our 30-year-old company innovative.”
Amazon Accelerate is an annual conference aimed at supporting small business growth through seller education, networking opportunities, and product announcements. The event emphasizes the role of independent sellers in the U.S. economy and includes training sessions, one-on-one consultations, and showcases new tools to help entrepreneurs expand within Amazon’s marketplace. It is part of Amazon’s broader strategy to empower small businesses as outlined in the company’s 2024 Small Business Empowerment Report.
The 2024 Amazon Accelerate conference attracted significant participation from the small business community, with 3,600 attendees including sellers, partners, and over 1,000 Amazon staff providing support. This turnout underscores the increasing dependence of small and medium-sized businesses on Amazon’s marketplace for scaling opportunities. Tinuiti reported these attendance figures as indicative of the platform’s role in connecting entrepreneurs with growth prospects.
Sellers involved in programs highlighted at Accelerate experienced notable gains such as a 32% sales increase during Prime Day 2024. Independent sellers on Amazon averaged $290,000 in annual sales in 2024, marking a 16% rise from the previous year. These statistics suggest that engaging with Amazon’s tools and events offers competitive advantages to sellers. This information is according to Amazon’s 2024 Small Business Empowerment Report.
Perkins founded African American Expressions in 1991 after working as a peace officer. Under his leadership, it has grown into a multimillion-dollar brand known nationwide for culturally authentic greeting cards and gifts. He has also been active in philanthropy by using his company’s platform to contribute to community causes. PR Newswire provided this background on Perkins.
