Here's what we've got inside this week's newsletter:

• Interview with a Y Combinator founder on setting up a proper business foundation
• Full SmartScout course (free)
• Amazon's $35+ billion B2B secret weapon
• Why Amazon's pulling ahead while Walmart stumbles

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Interview With A Y Combinator Founder

I just sat down with Arjun Mehadevan, founder of Doola, to talk about the best way to set your business up for success from day one.

We focused on the foundations that matter most:

• Business entity structure

• Proper business financials

• Business financing and how to stay out of debt

I understand this isn't the sexiest topic, but these are the things that I wish I knew when I was starting on Amazon.

​Click here for the full interview with Arjun.​

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SmartScout A to Z Course (Yours Free)

I just released a comprehensive SmartScout training course that breaks down every single tool in detail.

Most of my SmartScout content has focused on using it to find brands.

But this course goes into detail on every SmartScout tool, not just the ones for finding suppliers.

We go deep on:

• Brand research tools - How to identify profitable wholesale brands in under 10 minutes
• Market intelligence - Using data to predict which products will trend before your competition catches on
• Competitor analysis - The exact process to reverse-engineer successful sellers' strategies
• Analysis workflows - Step-by-step systems to find and analyze profitable products

The course includes real examples, actual case studies, and the exact workflows I've used for years in my business.

Most importantly, I show you how to apply these tools to your Amazon wholesale business starting today.

​Click here for the (free) SmartScout course.​

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Amazon's $35+ Billion B2B Secret Weapon

Amazon Business now serves over 8 million business customers.

This number had grown from 6 million in 2023 and now generates over $35 billion in annual sales.

There are over 160 million total products available for business buyers to purchase through Amazon Business.

The numbers tell a clear story:

• $10 billion in 2018

• $25 billion in 2021

• $35+ billion in 2022

Analysts project this could reach $100 billion in the next five years.

My take: Amazon Business is quietly becoming one of the most important marketplaces for wholesale sellers. While everyone obsesses over consumer sales, the B2B side is exploding with less competition and higher margins.

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Why Amazon's Pulling Ahead While Walmart Stumbles

Amazon's U.S. retail sales grew 9.5% year over year​

This was more than double Walmart's 4.6% growth.

These changes signal a shift in retail leadership.

Amazon's share of U.S. retail spending jumped 7.6% in Q2 2025, more than doubling in six years, while Walmart has remained flat at 7 to 8%.

Every new Prime subscription reinforces loyalty.

Every additional seller grows product selection.

Every fulfillment center shrinks delivery times and raises customer expectations.

My take: This is more about momentum than market share. Amazon has built a self-reinforcing system where growth creates more growth.

For sellers, this means Amazon's platform will continue getting stronger while alternatives struggle to keep up.

The lesson: Don't diversify too early just for the sake of diversification. Double down on what's working and build your foundation on the platform with the strongest tailwinds.

Thanks for reading, be back next week!

-Corey

PS: The free SmartScout course includes much more than how to find profitable wholesale brands. It's the full playbook on integrating SmartScout into every aspect of your business.