Month: September 2024

Categories
Creators

Transforming Passions into Life-Changing Success

At Amaze, we are redefining the future of creator commerce by providing creators with the tools they need to turn their passions into thriving businesses. With our Spring platform, creators across every industry can seamlessly monetize their content, sell products their fans love, and build meaningful connections with their audiences—all without the traditional barriers to entry.

Our platform makes it easy for creators to launch custom products, grow their personal brands, and unlock new revenue streams, allowing them to focus on what matters most: creating. From fitness enthusiasts building communities to bakers sharing their passion, Spring helps creators bring their ideas to life and turn their influence into income. Here are just a few stories of creators who have used Spring to transform their passions into profitable, purpose-driven businesses.

The Garage Gym Competition

Joe Gray’s journey began with a passion for lifting weights in the comfort of his own garage. That simple love evolved into the Garage Gym Competition, an online powerlifting event that has brought together over 5,000 athletes from around the world. But what sets this competition apart is not just the physical strength it celebrates—it’s the sense of community and impact it creates.

Through his competition, Joe has helped people stay consistent with their fitness goals, meet new friends in the lifting community, and live healthier lives. Beyond that, his initiative has raised more than $12,000 for nonprofits. Joe says, “I’ve been told over and over that my competition has helped people get into lifting, stay consistent, and live happier and healthier lives.”

Now with over 11,000 followers on Instagram, Joe continues to grow his community and influence in the world of powerlifting. Using Spring, Joe has also launched a store featuring products that celebrate the love of weightlifting, allowing his fans to connect even more deeply with the sport they love. His merchandise resonates with the lifting community and has become an extension of the passion that drives the competition.

See his entire lineup here. 

Bake It Simple

For the creator behind Bake It Simple, baking wasn’t just a hobby—it was a passion that had been simmering for years. However, living in a small town meant there were few avenues to pursue it professionally. “I’ve always had a passion for baking, but the town that I lived in had no opportunities for me to pursue it as a career,” she shares. That all changed on October 16, 2022, when she decided to take a leap of faith and start her YouTube channel.

Launching Bake It Simple started as a platform to share recipes and quickly evolved into something much bigger—a space for personal growth and self-discovery. “My content made a big difference in my own life. It helped me get over a lot of my insecurities—social anxiety, public speaking, and worrying about what others think of me,” she explains. Beyond that, creating content gave her a new set of skills that she could take into the professional world, opening doors she hadn’t imagined before.

Her journey hit a special milestone when she reached 500 subscribers, an achievement her family celebrated by crafting a homemade YouTube “plaque” from aluminum foil and a cereal box. That moment wasn’t just about numbers; it symbolized the pride and growth that came from turning a lifelong passion into something real. Since then, her YouTube channel has continued to grow and has reached almost 5,000 subscribers. 

Thanks to Spring, she’s been able to seamlessly expand her brand by creating a free Bake It Simple store selling products that her fans love. One of the most convenient features she uses is Spring’s YouTube integration, which allows her merchandise to be displayed right beneath her videos. This integration not only makes it easy for her audience to shop directly from her channel, but also captures impulse purchases that she might have missed otherwise. By using Spring, she’s found an effortless way to monetize her content and turn her passion for baking into a growing business.

“I wanted my community to have something tangible that connects them to the joy of baking, just like my videos do,” she says. By combining her content with a carefully curated product line, she’s created a cohesive brand experience that keeps her fans engaged and inspired.

Empowering Creator Commerce with Amaze

These are just a couple of the many creators who have been able to add a new source of revenue to their lives, allowing them to continue pursuing their passions and creating impactful content. With the help of Amaze and Spring, creators are not only connecting deeper with their online communities, but they’re also expanding their brands in meaningful ways.

At Amaze, we’re committed to fueling the future of creator commerce. By providing seamless tools, integrations, and platforms, we empower creators to monetize their influence and earn income while doing what they love. For creators everywhere, the journey to financial independence and brand growth has never been easier.

Categories
Creator success News

Supporting Grassroots and Success Stories: Success at Amaze 

Creativity has always been a powerful force, but the Internet has taken it to an entirely new level. 

At Amaze, we’re investing in the next generation of content creators with grassroots initiatives. We genuinely believe that when you combine creativity with entrepreneurship, you get an almost-magical skillset that can transform lives. 

From dorm rooms to thriving brands: Meet our new college student ambassadors program

Recent studies show a significant increase in students’ interest in entrepreneurship, with many seeking opportunities to start their own businesses or side hustles while still in school. Around 70% of college students report that social media isn’t just for socializing — it’s also for building out personal brands and exploring business opportunities. 

We want to help these students grow and learn the skills that set them apart after graduation. That’s why we’re so excited about our new college student ambassadors program, which supports two different types of students and helps turn dorm rooms into centers of creativity and business. 

First, there’s the ambassador. These are passionate, positive, and outgoing social butterflies who want to help their peers thrive. The ambassadors are working hard to find their creative peers on campus, and build communities and networks where they can thrive. Ambassadors not only earn commissions and bonuses for every successful sign-up, but they also gain invaluable, hands-on experience in leadership, sales, and marketing. This opportunity allows them to directly see how their hard work and ambition translate into real financial results, as each paycheck reflects their individual efforts.

We’re also supporting on-campus creators and helping them get started with their entrepreneurial journey. As part of the program, we’re offering students a free online storefront where they can customize and sell over 180 products, from apparel and decor to digital downloads, all without any upfront investment. We take care of the production and shipping, so the students can focus on building their brands, sharing their creations, and earning money. 

Turning ideas into impact

Students are just one piece of our network though. We’re also proud to be empowering anyone to turn their passions into impact. 

Many of our creators start their content creation journey as a passion project. They simply find something they love and start sharing their joy for it online. Whether it’s a love for dogs, a desire to tell jokes, or simply a dream to share life’s small moments, the goal isn’t necessarily to create a business — it’s a way to express themselves and bring them closer to the people who love what they do.

Once they start creating content though, many discover they can have a huge impact on those communities — and we’re here to help them do that with product lines. Our creators can use our tools to sell anything to anyone, anywhere on the planet, and spread their message further than ever before. 

A lot of our creators have used product lines as a way to raise money for the causes they care about. They may not have the desire to build a fully product-based business, but find that products are a great way to increase awareness around their personal passions and as a vehicle to funnel money back into their communities. By selling a product and donating the profit, they’re able to have a huge impact. 

Helping creators create more financial security and freedom

As the creator economy continues to grow, creators are redefining the way businesses are built. Today, they’re no longer just promoting brands—they’re building their own. In a recent survey of our creators, we found that many of them were moving away from creating content just for entertainment. Instead, their content was starting to become a marketing tool in its own right that drove fans to other revenue streams.

At Amaze, we help creators build out product lines that they can turn into revenue. One of the most rewarding aspects of the work we do is helping creators see financial independence faster. Our creators and small business owners regularly report that adding products as a revenue stream has helped them spend more time with their families, travel the world, secure their retirement, and design a life they love. 

Better yet, they get to do it on their own terms. Instead of promoting other businesses, they get to have full creative control over their products. It’s a new way for them to express themselves and catapult their businesses forwards.

We’re excited to help creators grow

Looking to the future, we’re excited to help more creators build product lines. We’re proud to help them create endless possibilities for expanding their reach, developing innovative projects, and fostering a supportive community.

Categories
New Hires News

Good Things Come in Threes. Meet Our New Dream Team for Creator-Led Growth!

It takes a village to help creators everywhere turn their ideas into impact, especially today. Remember when selling merch was just a side hustle? Creators today are now inventing entire product lines and building business empires — and we’re here to support them as they do it. 

That’s why we’re so excited to announce we’re adding some new faces to our creator growth and customer success teams, all with the goal of helping even more creators expand their businesses.

First at bat is our new Executive Vice President of Global Growth, Derek Francis. Derek brings over 24 years of experience, and has previously worked with companies like Microsoft, American Express, and Disney. Derek joined the team to help build out our client-centric growth strategy, as he calls it, which means we’re committing to putting creators at the center of our future growth plans. As Derek himself said when he announced he was joining Amaze, “As a 24-year SaaS veteran, it’s always the goal to skate to where the puck is heading, and I can’t imagine selling into an industry hotter than the creator economy, which is expected to reach a value of $485 Billion Dollars by 2030.”

Derek is just the start, though, when it comes to our new leadership team. We’ve also hired Yoheswaran Gnavavel (better known as Yogi), who joined at the end of July as our Director of GTM for Europe and India expansion. Yogi’s been a strategic GTM advisor for much of his career, with a particular bend towards partnerships and marketing. He previously worked at Canva and helped them expand into India. He’s been busy since starting at Amaze and helped us officially launch in India in August. 🇮🇳

Our third big hire is Jude Trapp as our Director of Global Partnerships. Jude comes to us with years of experience in building out great partnerships for tiny companies like SiriusXM, where he was the cross-functional sales lead (and managed a $10 million portfolio) across key accounts on Pandora, SoundCloud, Stitcher Podcasts, and the SiriusXM platforms. At Amaze, he’ll help us connect with even more creators, suppliers, and brands. 

Talk about making big moves. 🔥
At Amaze we’re expanding globally, but we’re also working hard to help creators go beyond merch and establish full-fledged product lines. We’re setting the stage for a new era where creators are not just making sales — they’re building brands.

Our new hires are here to help make that a reality in every way, from developing new and interesting partnerships that creators can leverage, to building out a customer success function that helps creators grow. For creators, this means next-level opportunities. You’ve got the vision and the audience. We’re bringing the business savvy and global reach to amplify what you do best.

Categories
News

Going Global, Staying Green: Building a Sustainable Future for Creator Commerce

Fast fashion has become the norm. Cheaply made, mass-produced items are often worn only a handful of times before being discarded. This cycle of disposable fashion not only creates enormous amounts of waste but also fuels global sourcing practices that prioritize low cost over ethical production, driving up carbon emissions and environmental degradation.

The problem extends beyond clothing. Creators who want to offer quality, responsibly sourced products to their communities often face the challenge of balancing cost, sustainability, and accessibility. This conflict is worsened by the environmental toll of global retail—cheap sourcing, long shipping routes, and products that ultimately end up in landfills.

But as consumer awareness grows, sustainability is becoming increasingly important, especially for younger generations. 75% of Gen Z shoppers believe that buying sustainable products is more important than purchasing based on brand name, and 75% of millennials consider sustainability when making purchases. Creators care too, but they often lack the tools to meet these demands without sacrificing profitability or reach.

A Sustainable Solution for Creators and Their Communities

At Amaze, we’re committed to changing the way creators connect with their audiences. It’s not enough to simply offer creators a platform to sell their products; we need to make it smarter and more sustainable. We’re addressing the root issues by reshaping how products are created, sold, and delivered.

Our global expansion isn’t just about reaching more creators and fans—it’s about building smarter, more sustainable connections. By optimizing shipping routes, embracing local production, and reducing product costs, we’re helping creators reach their audiences faster, more efficiently, and with a lower environmental impact. This is how we’re building a sustainable future for creator commerce—where creativity thrives and carbon footprints shrink.

Printing Only What’s Sold and Reducing Waste with Manufacture-on-Demand

One of the biggest contributors to environmental waste is overproduction. In traditional retail models, items are produced in bulk, and unsold products often end up as waste, contributing to landfills. This is a significant challenge for creators who may not have the ability to accurately predict demand but still want to offer products to their fans.

At Amaze, we’ve embraced a manufacture-on-demand model, which is fundamentally more sustainable. Instead of producing large quantities of stock upfront, we only create products when they’re actually sold. This helps reduce waste by 90% and gives creators the freedom to experiment with new ideas without the risk of overproduction. For creators, this means they can sell their products without the fear of items sitting on shelves unsold, and for the environment, it means less waste.

This practice also benefits creators financially. By removing the need for large upfront investments in inventory, creators can test new products without taking on unnecessary risk. They can focus on refining their offerings based on audience demand rather than worrying about unsold stock.

Optimizing Shipping and Cutting Emissions with Local Production 

When a fan does buy a product, we’ve set up back-end logistics to make sure it gets to them in the most sustainable way possible. A big change we’ve made to support our global expansion has been our partnership with 25 different fulfillment centers around the world, including in regions like Australia, Europe, the UK, India, and Mexico. These fulfillment centers mean creators can get products to fans faster at a lower cost, but it’s not just speed and affordability we’re after — they also help us cut down on transportation emissions.

The impact is pretty big. In Australia, for example, our new fulfillment center has helped us cut 15,000 kilometers off of our transport distances, which has slashed emissions by 98%.  Previously fans had to wait for imports from the US or the EU, which could take anywhere from 9-17 days. Now, if Australian fans order from a creator that uses Amaze, shipping only takes 2-7 days. 


Our local fulfillment centers have the added benefit of making products more affordable for fans. Where previously fans would have to pay higher shipping costs or import tax fees, local fulfillment means they can skip these expensive add-ons. In Australia, the local production, fulfillment, and distribution means we’ve been able to cut shipping costs for fans by an average of $8.50. The more affordable shipping means that creators can keep their products accessible. 

Sustainable Packaging

We’re also continuously working on improving how we package products. We ship everything out in white-label standard plain poly mailers. We don’t do any individualization, because it creates extra costs, complications, and waste. We’re working hard to minimize, if not eliminate, plastics in our packaging—continuing our commitment to more sustainable production and shipping practices.

Environmentally-Friendly Production
The products we help creators bring to life aren’t just sustainable in terms of production—they’re designed to be high-quality items that customers will want to keep and use, rather than throw away after a few wears. Our eco-friendly, water-based, biodegradable inks and sustainably sourced cotton ensure that products are responsibly made. In addition, our production facilities operate with green technology, minimizing pollutants, toxic fumes, and waste


The Path Forward: A Sustainable Future for Creator Commerce

At Amaze, we understand that sustainability is not a one-time fix but an ongoing commitment. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made so far, but we know there’s still more work to do. By embracing sustainable practices like manufacture-on-demand, local fulfillment, and eco-friendly materials, we’re helping creators not only grow their businesses but do so in a way that positively impacts the planet.

Our mission is simple: build a future where creator commerce thrives without compromising the environment. By building smarter, more sustainable connections, we’re ensuring that creators and their communities can continue to create and innovate, all while leaving a smaller footprint.

Categories
Creator success Insights News

Building the Future of Creator-Powered Commerce

As the creator economy continues to grow, creators are redefining the way businesses are built. Today, they’re no longer just promoting brands—they’re building their own. At Amaze, we’re at the forefront of this transformation, enabling creators to seamlessly monetize their communities and scale their businesses through ecommerce.

We provide creators with everything they need to succeed—whether it’s selling their own branded products or offering curated items from popular consumer brands. From expanding globally to developing new revenue streams, Amaze is empowering creators to take control of their financial future with ease.

Global Growth: Powering Creator Commerce on a Global Scale

As creators expand their reach beyond borders, ensuring fast, affordable, and sustainable shipping is critical to their success. That’s why Amaze’s global expansion of in-country fulfillment centers is so vital to driving creator-powered commerce. By establishing fulfillment hubs in regions such as Australia, Europe, the UK, India, and Mexico, we enable creators to connect with their global audiences more efficiently than ever before.

This global footprint means creators can now deliver a seamless shopping experience to fans around the world, without the traditional barriers of long shipping times or high costs. In Australia, for instance, our new fulfillment center allows creators’ merchandise to reach fans in under 7 days, a 70% improvement in delivery speed. This quicker, more affordable service not only increases customer satisfaction but also makes creators’ products more accessible and appealing, resulting in more sales and revenue growth.

In addition to these benefits, Amaze’s expansion reduces the environmental impact of long-distance shipping. By cutting 15,000 km off transport distances in Australia alone, we’ve slashed carbon emissions by 98%. This commitment to sustainability not only reflects the values of creators and their audiences but also positions creators as eco-conscious business leaders.

With faster, localized shipping, creators can market their products to fans worldwide with confidence, knowing that their customers will receive their orders quickly and affordably. This enhances the creator-powered commerce model by ensuring that creators’ global communities are supported with the same care and efficiency as local customers.

New Opportunities: Empowering Creators to Expand and Thrive

At Amaze, we understand that creators need a variety of ways to monetize their online communities and grow their brands. Offering new products, tools, and services is key to helping them not just survive, but thrive in the evolving creator economy. The more diverse the opportunities available to creators, the more successful they can be in turning their influence into real income.

One of the key ways we do this is through our custom products team, which helps creators bring their most imaginative ideas to life. From apparel to one-of-a-kind items, creators can develop products that truly resonate with their audiences. For example, social media star Howie the Crab became a household name thanks to his quirky TikTok personality, and through Spring, Howie’s owner was able to launch a custom plushie that captured his charm. This product not only deepened Howie’s connection with fans, but it also led to 20 times more sales in its first week than previous weeks selling standard merchandise.

For creators who aren’t focused on custom products, Spring by Amaze offers a constantly expanding catalog of ready-to-sell items. From custom apparel to digital downloads, Spring provides the tools creators need to offer products that resonate with their audiences. By tailoring their offerings to meet their followers’ preferences, creators can deepen engagement, boost sales, and grow their brand.

The ability to continually evolve and expand their offerings is essential for creators to stay relevant, attract new audiences, and capitalize on their community’s trust. At Amaze, we’re making sure that creators are equipped with everything they need to succeed in the creator-powered commerce landscape.

Strategic Partnerships for Success

A key driver of creator success at Amaze is due to our strategic partnerships, which offer creators more ways to diversify and grow their revenue. 

For example, our partnerships with industry leaders Kornit Digital and Cameo have transformed how creators can monetize their influence. Through on-demand production with Kornit, creators can launch products faster and more efficiently, maintaining flexibility in what they offer without the burdens of inventory or overproduction. Meanwhile, our collaboration with Cameo introduces innovative monetization tools that allow creators to leverage their influence in new and engaging ways.

These are only a few of Amaze’s partnerships that not only help creators sell more, but they also help them sell smarter. By simplifying ecommerce and providing powerful tools for product creation and fulfillment, Amaze equips creators to scale their businesses, build sustainable revenue streams, and grow brands that reflect their unique voices and passions. 

The Future is Creator-Powered

At Amaze, we envision a future where creators aren’t just part of the commerce ecosystem—they’re leading it. By providing them with the tools, resources, and partnerships they need to succeed, we’re helping them transform their creative passions into sustainable, scalable businesses. The future of commerce is creator-powered, and at Amaze, we’re proud to be at the forefront of this transformation.

As Aaron Day, CEO of Amaze, says, “Creators are building the brands of tomorrow. Our mission is to make that journey as smooth as possible, so they can focus on what they love—creating content and engaging with their community—while we handle the rest.”

For creators, this is just the beginning. Whether it’s through global expansion, new monetization opportunities, or strategic partnerships, Amaze is helping creators turn their influence into income—and, ultimately, into impact.

Categories
News

From Dorm Rooms to Thriving Brands: Amaze’s Spring Platform Empowers College Students Nationwide

September 18, 2024 – Amaze Software, Inc., a leader in creator commerce solutions, is bringing the power of entrepreneurship to college campuses with its Spring platform, turning dorm rooms into centers of creativity and business. Spring offers students a free online storefront where they can customize and sell over 180 products, from apparel and decor to digital downloads, all without any upfront investment. Spring handles production and shipping so students can focus on building their brands, sharing their creations, and generating passive income with ease.

To amplify its reach and empower more students, Amaze has launched the Spring College Ambassador Program, selecting driven, entrepreneurial students to represent Spring on their campuses. Ambassadors not only earn commissions and bonuses for every successful sign-up, but they also gain invaluable, hands-on experience in leadership, sales, and marketing. This opportunity allows them to directly see how their hard work and ambition translate into real financial results, as each paycheck reflects their individual efforts.

More than just a side gig, the ambassador program instills essential skills for the future, fostering leadership, drive, and resilience in participants. As they build confidence, these students are helping spread the message of Spring’s transformative power—showing their peers how creativity can turn into a profitable venture, right from the comfort of a dorm room. Through their influence, these ambassadors are not only changing their own lives but also empowering their classmates to take control of their financial futures, developing a ripple effect of innovation and entrepreneurship across campuses nationwide.

“Spring is empowering a generation of students to take control of their futures,” says Aaron Day, CEO of Amaze. “We believe in the power of young creators and their ability to turn ideas into thriving businesses. With Spring, we’ve made it incredibly easy for students to take that first step toward financial freedom, all while balancing their studies. We’re building the next generation of entrepreneurs, one dorm room at a time.”

As financial pressures on students continue to rise, the Spring platform provides a flexible, low-risk way for them to generate income and develop entrepreneurial skills that will benefit them in any career. With a user-friendly interface and the full support of Amaze’s logistics and marketing services, Spring makes it easier than ever for students to build their own businesses and create financial opportunities from anywhere.

For more information about the Spring College Ambassador Program and to join the movement, click here. 

About Amaze

Amaze Software, Inc. is an all-in-one, end-to-end commerce solution for any creator looking to generate sustainable monetization and depth of community connection. Our creator success solutions include a merchandising platform, advanced commerce design application, and scalable managed services that help anyone sell anything, anywhere. We believe anyone can be a creator and that everyone should be empowered to tell their unique story, cultivate deeper connections with their customers, and create authentic, shoppable experiences that allow them to monetize their passion.
We’re on a mission to unleash potential and make it easy to create, share, and sell products and services. Build a no-code web page at www.amaze.co or launch a free store at www.springforcreators.com. For press inquiries, please email info@amaze.co.

Categories
Creator success News

Amaze Teams up with alphabeats to Level Up Creator Performance and Improve Mental Fitness

SEPTEMBER 3, 2024 — Amaze, an all-in-one, end-to-end creator commerce solution is thrilled to announce a partnership with alphabeats, a leader in mental performance. This partnership brings alphabeats’ mental training technology to creators through the Amaze platform, offering them advanced tools to manage the unique mental demands of content creation.

The Struggle Behind the Screen

The pressures of consistently generating fresh content, meeting deadlines, and maintaining audience engagement can take a significant toll on creators’ mental health. Research indicates that content creators are particularly susceptible to burnout, making tailored mental health support essential for sustaining creativity and productivity.

Enter alphabeats: The Ultimate Mental Performance Tool For Creators 

alphabeats is a game-changer for mental wellness. By combining neurofeedback with music, alphabeats trains the mind for better focus, heightened creativity and improved output. Like a workout for your mind, alphabeats is a mental fitness tool designed to help creators recharge, refocus, and consistently deliver their best work.

“At Amaze, we understand the critical role mental health plays in the creative process,” said Aaron Day, CEO of Amaze. “This partnership with alphabeats is about providing creators with the tools they need to excel. When creators prioritize their mental well-being, the quality and impact of their work reach new heights, they’re happier, more efficient, and more successful.”

“The challenges facing content creators are intense, with the need to constantly shift between competing tasks and priorities while balancing creative, strategic and operational demands,” said Jorrit DeVries, President & Chief Commercial Officer, alphabeats. “alphabeats, originally developed for elite athletes, translates perfectly to the creative world. It offers creators the same mental performance tools that help these athletes excel, enhancing their focus and creativity and aiding in their sleep and recovery for overall health and wellbeing.”

Elite athletes and content creators face similar mental challenges; both need to perform at their best under pressure. Alphabeats is designed specifically for this, offering targeted mental performance training that helps creators combat burnout, promotes deeper sleep, and keeps them inspired.

To celebrate the launch of this exciting partnership, Amaze and alphabeats will provide a special Creator bundle designed exclusively for the creator community. Start training with alphabeats and unlock your full creative potential. Learn more

About Amaze

Amaze Software, Inc. is an all-in-one, end-to-end commerce solution for any creator looking to generate sustainable monetization and depth of community connection. Our creator success solutions include a merchandising platform, advanced commerce design application, and scalable managed services that help anyone sell anything, anywhere. We believe anyone can be a creator and that everyone should be empowered to tell their unique story, cultivate deeper connections with their customers, and create authentic, shoppable experiences that allow them to monetize their passion.

We’re on a mission to unleash potential and make it easy to create, share, and sell products and services. Build a no-code web page at www.amaze.co or launch a free store at www.springforcreators.com. For press inquiries, please email info@amaze.co. 

About alphabeats

alphabeats envisions a world where everyone can train their mind without limits, becoming the directors of their attention, flow, and focus. This vision comes to life with a pioneering approach that fuses curated music and neurofeedback technology, enabling athletes to master their mental performance. alphabeats is designed for athletes looking to push the boundaries of mental resilience, focus, and recovery. By offering a unique pathway for enhancing mind-body synergy, alphabeats sets new standards in athlete training. Discover more about the vision and join the movement towards boundless mental training at listenalphabeats.com, and follow the journey on Instagram, Meta, YouTube, and LinkedIn.