For Subscribers

To the Letter Testimonials lead to a world of opportunity.

By April Y. Pennington

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Tara O'Keeffe's rancher father had long endured splitsand cracks in his hands and feet, motivating her to create O'Keeffe's Working Hands Creme. Impressed withthe product's healing powers, independent pharmacies carriedit. But when O'Keeffe, 48, tried to get the cream in retailersnationwide, buyers only cared about which major stores alreadystocked the product.

Undaunted, O'Keeffe collected letters from gratefulindividuals. She shared the testimonials at a trade show, where aWalgreens buyer was impressed by the binder that contained 1,000letters.

Before long, the buyer had placed O'Keeffe's product inevery store--allowing her to begin advertising nationally. "Webecame a brand in consumers' minds," says O'Keeffe,who saw sales increase 20 to 25 percent and projects 2003 sales toreach $2 million.

Though major chains now stock her product, the testimonials arestill vital when meeting buyers. "It proves a need for aproduct," says O'Keeffe, who donated some cream tosoldiers in Iraq. When it became the soldiers' most-requestedproduct among the items they were given, she donated 10,000 moretubes--a gesture sure to win even more loyal customers.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

She Started a Creative Side Hustle While Working 'Dead-End' Jobs — Then Grew It From $10,000 to Over $50,000 a Month: '[It] Became Magnetic'

Alyssa O'Toole, 35, juggled "mismatched uniforms and odd hours" to turn her passion into a business.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Buying / Investing in Business

Former Zillow Execs Target $1.3T Market

Co-ownership is creating big opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Business News

TikTok Is Laying Off Some U.S.-Based Employees This Week. Here's What We Know.

TikTok did not disclose the number of employees affected by the layoffs.

Business News

Have You Made an Amazon Return in the Last Decade? You Might Be Getting a Refund.

Amazon is issuing refunds, and some returns are dated as far back as 2018.