With Prime Day upon us (July 12 and 13), Amazon has partnered with Canadian tennis star and Olympian Genie Bouchard to promote small businesses across Canada. We had the honour of chatting with Genie about this initiative, her fave Canadian small businesses sold on the Amazon.ca Small Business storefront, and why this initiative is important to her. —Noa Nichol
Hi Genie! For those who don’t know, please tell us a bit about yourself to start.
Hi everyone! I am a professional tennis player originally from Montreal and now living in Miami. I currently travel the world 30-plus weeks a year for my job competing on the professional tennis circuit. When I am not playing tennis, I try to spend time with friends and family back home in Canada.
When and how did you partner with Amazon Canada on the Amazon.ca Small Business storefront? What made this a good fit for you/why is this initiative close to your heart?
I’ve always been an Amazon Fan and I use it all the time to shop for things I need. After Christmas and Thanksgiving, Prime Day is one of my favourite days!! So, when Amazon Canada reached out to me about partnering to support Small Businesses it was like combining two things I love. As a person who loves what they do and have had a chance to represent Canada at the Olympics in the past, it was really great to have an opportunity to bring attention to amazing small businesses from home. I have a couple of Amazon Small Businesses that I shop from but I love that Amazon.ca always has a landing page providing you with the opportunity to discover more small businesses from local communities across different categories. The Small Business badge they feature is always helpful too! Right now you can check out Amazon.ca/smallbusinessdeals to shop deals from small businesses on Amazon across Canada.
Please intro us to some of the small businesses you’ve tapped as among your favourites; what made you choose these?
I love so many of the small businesses on Amazon.ca storefronts since they always provide quality and put thought in their products. This year, I grabbed a few pieces from Montreal-based jewelry makers, Emery and Opal because they make beautiful pieces made with sterling silver made up of recycled material! I also love that their business was sparked by a good cause making bracelets to raise money for breast cancer—plus they are from my hometown! I also stocked up on some of my favourite honey from Calgary-based brand, Drizzle. I love that the founder is an Environmental Scientist who makes health-conscious products that are innovative and bee-friendly! The honey is 100 per cent Canadian and what makes it better is that its women-owned and run enterprise.
When we think of small business, we don’t generally thing Amazon (rather, we think GIGANTIC business!); in what other ways, besides your collaboration, does the platform represent and support small businesses in Canada?
As a person who shops on Amazon all the time, I truly appreciate how much they have done as a company to support small and local businesses in Canada. “For Prime Day specifically this year, Amazon introduced a new initiative to support small businesses through a Sweepstakes through 7/11. For every $1 spent on Amazon from a Small Business in the lead up to Prime Day, customers received a chance to win Amazon.ca eGift Cards after they registered!” And outside of Prime Day, Amazon is committed to helping their small business selling partners to grow and thrive. They invest in small businesses and offer resources such as the Amazon Small Business Academy to help aspiring sellers from all backgrounds learn how to build their businesses online.
What is the last item you purchased from a small business via Amazon?
Recently I purchased skincare products from Nova Scotia-based brand, Scrub! But I can’t wait to check out the Prime Day Deals on July 12 and July 13 to find some deals from small businesses.
Final, personal question: if you could open your own small business, what products/services would you offer/sell?!
I think it would have to be tennis related! I would love to have a tennis shop in Montreal that could serve our next generation of players. It is something I will consider post tennis!
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