When one stream of income slows down, how do you keep your business moving forward? For a lot of entrepreneurs, the answer is diversification.

In this Small Business Byte on This is Small Business, host Andrea Marquez unpacks how building multiple revenue streams can help you reduce risk and keep growing without spreading yourself too thin. You’ll hear how Blake Shook of Desert Creek Honey diversified within beekeeping to weather unpredictable harvests, how Angus Willows of Kangaroo Hanger started a side hustle to fund his invention, and how Zoya Biglary of Fysh Foods leaned into content creation to keep her mission alive. Plus, professor Dr. Matt Rutherford shares why diversification can be a smart way to ride out the ups and downs of entrepreneurship.

And quick update: we’re going biweekly for a little while as we put together the next season of This is Small Business — there’s a lot of exciting stuff coming your way!

In the meantime, what’s one new revenue stream you’ll try? Share it with us in a Spotify comment, Apple Podcasts review, or email it to us at Thisissmallbusiness@amazon.com. Doing that will not only hold you accountable but could also inspire another entrepreneur to take their next big step.

Sources:

If you want to hear Dr. Matt Rutherford discuss risk and diversification, listen to his episode here: Redefining Risk: A New Way to Make Bold Moves

If you want to know more about Desert Creek Honey, listen to Blake Shook’s story here: From

Bee Stings to Big Wins: How One Teen Turned a Backyard Hive into a Thriving Business - This is Small Business

If you want to know more about Kangaroo Hanger, listen to Angus Willows’s story here: How a Serial Entrepreneur Launched a Business from His Dorm Room - This is Small Business

If you want to know more about Fysh Foods, listen to Zoya Biglary’s story here: How Zoya Biglary Became the Internet’s Fruit Peeler to Fund her Business - This is Small Business

This is Small Business host Andrea Marquez joins Helium 10’s VP of Education and Strategy, Bradley Sutton, for a dynamic recap of Amazon Accelerate 2025. Together, they dive into the latest releases and initiatives reshaping the seller landscape, and reflect on how the event has evolved to deliver even greater value for sellers.

In this episode Bradley and Andrea cover:

00:00 - Amazon Accelerate 2025 Recap of New Releases

02:35 - Impact of Seller Cafe at Accelerate

09:06 - Amazon Labeling Changes Impact Sellers

10:28 - Improved Customer Experience and Returns Flexibility

13:13 - Celebrating 25 Years and AI Advancements

17:09 - AI's Impact on Entrepreneurship and Creativity

20:23 - Product Launch Testing and A+ Content

26:09 - Enhancing Customer Experience and Targeted Marketing

► Watch This Episode on YouTube: youtube.com/@Helium10SeriousSellersPodcast

This episode is presented in both Spanish and English, with the original voices of the guests.

What if the biggest risk isn’t falling, but staying invisible? After a near-accident on his motorcycle, Gonzalo Zamora, the co-founder of Riderbag, realized his black backpack was blocking out his reflective gear and decided to invent the solution himself. With his longtime friend and co-founder Carlos Colarte, Gonzalo turned a pencil sketch into a global product, navigating missteps, cash-flow challenges, and the risk of standing out in a crowded market.

In this special bilingual episode of This is Small Business, host Andrea Marquez blends Spanish and English in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month as she dives into Gonzalo and Carlos’s journey. From the crash that started it all, to the friendship that became a business, to the lessons learned about visibility both on the road and in entrepreneurship, their story is a reminder that staying hidden can be riskier than stepping into the spotlight.

If you’d prefer to listen fully in English, you’ll also find an English-only version of this episode in your feed!

Got a bold leap of your own? Share it with us in an Apple Podcasts review, Spotify comment, or email us at thisissmallbusiness@amazon.com – you might hear it in a future episode.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

(1:00) How can a single accident inspire a business idea? Gonzalo shares the moment on his motorcycle that pushed him to invent Riderbag.

(4:48) Can friendship really be the foundation of a company? Gonzalo and Carlos explain how a chance reunion turned into a lasting partnership.

(08:47) How do you create a prototype when you have no design background? Gonzalo reveals the scrappy first steps that turned sketches into samples.

(10:36) What details make a product stand out in a crowded market? From glove-friendly zippers to hidden safety features, Riderbag shows why small touches matter.

(14:14) What’s the costliest marketing mistake small businesses make? Carlos and Gonzalo recount the costly lesson that reshaped how they invest.

(17:01) How do you know when it’s time to expand internationally? Carlos shares the turning point that convinced them to take Riderbag global.

(18:28) What’s the best proof that your business is on the right track? For Gonzalo, the numbers told one story but customer reviews told another.

(21:50) What does the future of Riderbag look like? Gonzalo and Carlos talk about dreaming beyond backpacks while staying true to their purpose.

(23:15) Are entrepreneurs natural risk-takers or risk managers? Carlos embraces risk, while Gonzalo takes a more cautious approach and together they balance both.