This year, we celebrate six years in business. We’re so thankful for the hundreds of clients, our employees, partners – and family members who felt our growing pains (and long hours). Here, we share the Riverbend Consulting story. What’s it mean to you? Success comes from hard work, smart people and serving a niche of people – Amazon sellers –that need help. We’re glad to be that for you.
In the beginning was madness … Amazon madness
It’s 2017. Start a business? It was the year of a mesmerizing total lunar eclipse and years before a global pandemic. Lesley Hensell and Joe Zalta joined forces and launched Riverbend Consulting.
It started simply. Joe Zalta was a million-dollar Amazon seller facing an account suspension. He knew Lesley Hensell and reached out. Within days, the account was reinstated. He shared an idea about starting a new company helping Amazon sellers get practical counsel – and reinstatement support. Circumstances were just right. Why not combine big ideas, resources and experts to help sellers?
“I’m going full throttle as a seller and Amazon hit me with an Inauthentic policy violation, account suspended,” said Zalta. “I called who I knew—Lesley. She got me reinstated, that’s when I had an idea—let’s join forces to create a service company that could get sellers – and keep sellers – on track. That’s how it started.” The idea got bigger and stronger, the numbers were crunched. And Riverbend launched. It was September 2017.
“It seemed like destiny when Joe called me and said let’s start a company,” said Hensell. “It was a crazy time, a tough time – and the perfect timing—to go for it.”
Making it work, making it grow
Today, Riverbend Consulting employs 85 employees spread across the globe. Its employees are the heartbeat of the company. Experts, ex-Amazonians, former and current Amazon sellers, they are the Riverbend Consulting employees who work to reinstate unhealthy and suspended seller accounts. It’s a niche consultancy targeting ecommerce and Amazon sellers facing the toughest, most difficult complexities. It’s hard work at a relentless pace, says Hensell, but worth it.
“I’ve seen Amazon shut down a seller for the smallest of infractions. The seller loses everything, has to foreclose on their home and lay off employees,” said Hensell. “Our work gives sellers hope. It can literally be a service that means life or death –and whether they can pay the mortgage. That’s what is so rewarding, to really make a difference. It can be exhausting but it never gets old, even after six years, to get a seller back in business.”
Yet, It wasn’t always rosy as the economy dipped, then Covid. It was a vivid reminder to Riverbend – and Amazon sellers – that owning a business is a journey of unknowns, be it tragedy or triumph.
“We were concerned when Covid hit, there were so many questions without answers,” said Zalta. “Amazon became a bit like the Old West, with a small number of sellers inflating product prices on medical and cleaning supplies, which always ripple down into legitimate sellers that follow all the rules. Amazon overreached and closed down hundreds of good guys. We were positioned to curtail this onslaught and get sellers back to selling.” Riverbend continued its growth. In 2022 and 2023, Riverbend Consulting was named one of the fastest growing privately held companies in the United States by Inc. Magazine in its annual Inc. 5000 rankings.
Keeping it steady and successful for sellers
While success is good – as are accolades – the real value of success is how it translates into success for others. Riverbend’s success derives from happy customers, return customers, high-value employees and strategic partners.
“In my entire career, I’ve never seen a group of employees with more smarts or a stronger work ethic than our team,” said Hensell. “We collaborate, solve problems, debate and disagree—and end up with solutions for our team, clients and partners.”
In the end, Riverbend Consulting has spent six years helping sellers keep steady – and successful. That focus continues now and for the future.
“Center on the customer.Listen to the struggle.Find the answers. Empathize, act and solve problems. That’s Riverbend’s formula,” said Zalta.
And for the days ahead? Zalta and Hensell agree that ecommerce and Amazon growth offers unlimited opportunity.
“Amazon remains the best way for somebody to begin a business and find success, even with limited start-up resources,” said Hensell. “It’s not for the faint of heart or the lazy, it’s not a get-rich scheme or ‘easy money.’ It is a point of entry for vast success.”
Lessons learned
The top lessons learned over the last six years that help new and existing sellers? Here they are:
- Client obsession. If you focus on the client – and their best interests – everybody wins.
- Keep learning. Always be learning and anticipate “what’s next.” Expand your mind and explore the unknown.
- People. Great people yield great outcomes. Be intentional hiring quality team members. Hire those with strong character, work ethic and smarts.
- Partners. Align with the best companies and people. Reciprocity is an unbreakable golden rule.
- Listen. Stay close to your clients, listen, and act. Don’t rest on your laurels, think ahead, be creative and add services clients need and want—and those services they don’t even know they need.
What’s next? Hensell and Zalta agree the “next step” is, well, the next step. Focus on today and tomorrow will take care of itself. With this step-by-step approach and their collective vision, they see continued growth as they expand services, listen to their clients and adapt.
Here’s to more years to come! Thanks to you all.
Riverbend Consulting.
Amazon. Solved.
