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Frequently Asked Questions

General
Who is Amazon Small Business Academy for?

Amazon Small Business Academy is for early-stage entrepreneurs and small business owners looking to learn how to start, build, or launch their businesses online. We offer education, resources, and inspiration for anyone who’s curious about starting a business, has an idea but needs help taking that first step, or has an existing business and is looking to start selling online.

What do I get when I sign up?

When you create your FREE Amazon Small Business Academy account, you’ll get: 

  • Access to all live webinars and on-demand courses
  • Easy, 1-click registration for live webinars, office hours, and events
  • Newsletters for new course launches and upcoming events
Is Amazon Small Business Academy free?

Yes, you can access everything Amazon Small Business Academy has to offer at no cost to you—and there are never any surprise fees. Simply create an account to see all our content.

Will I get any one-on-one coaching?

Amazon Small Business Academy does not currently provide one-on-one coaching. If you have any questions, we recommend attending Ask an Expert. Ask an Expert sessions are 30-60–minute open forum sessions facilitated by an Amazon Small Business Academy training program manager and a subject matter expert from Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO). Our experts will address any pre-submitted questions, followed by 15–30 minutes of live Q&A.

Do I need to be a registered Amazon seller to use Amazon Small Business Academy?

No, you don’t even need to be a seller or have a business yet. Amazon Small Business Academy is meant for all early-stage entrepreneurs, helping you start, build, and launch your business, regardless of where you choose to sell.

How does Amazon Small Business Academy differ from Amazon Seller University?

If you're in the start, build, or launch phase of your business, Amazon Small Business Academy was designed for you. Our resources can help prepare you to sell anywhere online. We offer resources on everything from how to build a business plan and raise capital to the ins and outs of intellectual property.

 

Do you have an existing business and want to start selling in Amazon’s stores? Make sure to check out Amazon Seller University.

What resources does Amazon Small Business Academy offer?

We offer a mix of live and on-demand resources. Our live resources include webinars, office hours, and events. To attend, register with your Amazon Small Business Academy account. Our on-demand resources include previous webinar recordings, and our podcast, This is Small Business.

Where do I start?

You can start by taking the Self-Assessment, where you can find a recommended track based on where you’re at with your business. You can also self-select your preferred track on our Classroom page.

Can I watch the webinar at a later time?

Yes, all live webinars will be recorded and uploaded to the website within 24 hours.

What kind of technology is required to attend a webinar?

You’ll need a desktop, tablet, or mobile device to attend a live webinar. Amazon Small Business Academy uses GoToWebinar.com, which works best on desktop. Click here to learn more about GoTo Webinar’s system requirements.

What materials do I need to bring to attend a webinar session or an office hour?

No need to bring anything. For your convenience, an exercise guide will be available to download with each webinar, so you can take notes and easily find additional resources.

Who creates the course material?

We’ve partnered with industry professionals from Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) to develop the Start and Build Tracks for you. The Launch Track is created by experts from Amazon Small Business Academy in partnership with various Amazon teams focused on small business empowerment.

Why can't I access On-Demand webinars, even though I'm logged in?

That can happen if the account was not verified. Please do the following:

1.      Sign out of www.smallbusiness.amazon

2.      Go to your email, find Verify your email from hello@notify.webflow.com and click on Activate account button

3.      Go back to www.smallbusiness.amazon and sign in

4.      Try to access the gated content again

Will the event be virtual or in-person?

Founders Table is a virtual event. To register, click on the Events tab and find the event(s) you’re most interested in. If you have any questions, reach out to us at founderstable@amazon.com.

Who should attend Founders Table?

This 2-3 hour event will provide an early look at major small business trends and offer inspiration and practical insights on what it takes to innovate and digitalize a business. Anyone seeking a deeper understanding of entrepreneurship—including business leaders, thought leaders, and aspiring disrupters—should take a virtual front-row seat. Reserve your spot now on the Events tab.

What type of content and sessions can I expect?

In addition to major small business trends, inspiration, and practical tips, Founders Table features a mix of fireside chats, expert AMAs (Ask Me Anything), spotlight case studies, and brain date sessions.

What are the event hours and time zone for the event?

The official event time zone is Pacific Time (PT). When you add the event to your calendar of choice (Outlook, Gmail, etc.), it will show up in the calendar’s time zone. Please view times for specific events on the respective detail pages in the Event tab. 

Will the event be recorded?

Yes, panels and virtual talks will be recorded. Due to the virtual nature of the event, participant activity may be recorded.

How can I watch events I missed or want to rewatch?

Highlight videos will be posted on each detail page after the event. Please allow up to 1 week after the event to view these videos.

How do I sign up to attend?

For Founders Table events, you must register for the event from the event page. You will receive an email confirmation after registering. If you haven't received a registration confirmation email within a few minutes, please check your spam folder.

On the day of the event, simply log into the Event hub and enjoy the sessions. The digital event which will launch when the “virtual doors” open on the event date.

Is there a fee to attend?

There is no fee to attend Founders Table events. Only prior registration is required.

What kind of technology is required to participate in the event?

You’ll need a desktop, tablet, or mobile device to attend a live event. Amazon Small Business Academy uses Bizzabo.com, which works best on desktop. Click here to learn more about Bizzabo’s system requirements.

What is the podcast about?

This Is Small Business is a new podcast that pulls back the curtain on pivotal moments in the journey to success for small business owners across the U.S. Each episode focuses on the most pressing challenges small business owners have faced, and how they learned from—and conquered—them on their path to scaling up. The educational and inspirational podcast breaks down each pivotal moment into tangible, actionable takeaways, wrapped in an inspirational small business story. In addition to the small business owners and entrepreneurs, each episode also features industry experts, who will offer best practices, trend analysis, and a unique point of view.

Why did Amazon create this podcast?

As part of our ongoing commitment to support growth of small businesses in Amazon’s store and foster the next generation of brands through free education and resources, Amazon’s Small Business Empowerment team is producing This is Small Business, a podcast that unpacks a pivotal business decision in a small business owner’s journey to success. This new series will complement Amazon’s existing investments in small business education by delivering tangible, inspiring learnings on-the-go. More than half of the products sold in Amazon’s store come from small and medium-sized businesses, and we’re excited to help these small business owners tell their stories through this new podcast.

Does the podcast only feature Amazon sellers?

No, our podcast is not limited to small business owners who sell in Amazon’s store. We feature small businesses and industry experts with diverse products, business backgrounds, and industry knowledge. We are constantly on the search for inspiring stories and lessons to be learned from small business owners themselves.

What criteria do you use to select featured small business guests and experts?

We select small business guests and entrepreneurs who have real-world experience in tackling and overcoming challenges that many small business owners face when trying to launch and scale a business. Expert guests are selected based on their in-depth knowledge on the topic we address in each episode.

How do you determine which brands are small businesses?

We follow Gartner’s definition of small business, which includes businesses that employ fewer than 100 people and have less than $50 million in annual revenue.

Which organizations does Amazon Small Business Academy partner with and how do you choose them?

We work with nonprofit organizations, government/public agencies and organizations, and other corporations with similar missions to support small businesses, entrepreneurs, and underserved and historically disadvantaged small business owners. Our partners often provide access to education, community, capital, and more to drive success for these groups and their business journeys.

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