How to Treat Etsy Like a Full Time Business | Etsy Shop Tips
In September 2013 the hubs + I got married and I made most of our decor myself – and then sold it all in less than 2 weeks after the wedding.
That’s basically how AllyBeth Design Co was born.
Well, the short version anyways.
Jump forward ’till now, and you can find me running my Etsy & Amazon shops full time, and shipping out new products monthly to retail stockists across Canada.
And I’m not gonna lie, I’m feeling really good about it.
In many ways, the shop’s success has BLOWN ME AWAY, but I’ve also taken it pretty darn seriously, tried a lot of things and invested a ton of money over the years.
But the best move I ever made in my handmade business? Joining Etsy.
Prior to that, I was slinging’ my wares through local artisan and vintage markets. Don’t believe me? You can see my embarrassing booth evolution here to prove it.
I also worked with the occasional consignment and wholesale shop – but that’s a whole other story for another time. Want the short version? It was a disaster. I wasn’t ready and had no idea what I was doing (I’m much better at it now).
In 2016, I joined Etsy – and it was 100% an accident.
In order to apply to our local Etsy Made in Canada market, you had to have an active Etsy shop. I threw up 15 listings, guessed how much it would cost to ship them, doubled that price and hit publish. It was a win-win. I now met the Etsy Market requirements, and ‘ain’t nobody buying my things for that price.’
Except they did.
It was only 2 or 3 sales over a few months, but it completely changed my opinion about selling my products online. In case you didn’t know, I create wooden home decor. And that shiz is heavy.
Once I realized people would pay for my items and to ship them to their home, everything changed. I mean really, if you’re worried people won’t pay for shipping for your items, remind yourself they pay up to $18 shipping for mine #prospectivematters.
That first year was such a rollercoaster. I managed growing Etsy sales alongside busy market seasons and studied everything there was to know about running a successful Etsy shop.
So that brings me to the second best move I ever made in my handmade business:
Investing in Tools, Courses + Myself.
Over the next year or so, I 100% submerged myself in learning all that I could about how to do Etsy well. Like another other basic b, I started with Pinterest.
While it did get me started with what I needed to learn, I figured out pretty quickly that I was going to need more. Especially if I was going to turn this little shop of mine into a full scale business.
I chose to invest in myself and my business. If you can afford it. Do it. If you feel like you can’t afford it, save up for it. Just Do it. You can’t grow big and bootstrap it at the same time – and don’t be afraid to aim big guys. Free content will only get you so far.
If you want to start an Etsy shop to replace your full-time income – it’s not going to be easy.
You’ve got to treat it like a business from the very beginning. It takes hard work, a willingness to learn from those who have walked before you, and a resiliency like no other.
Oh, but it will be worth it.
Because #sharingiscaring, I’m sharing a handful of the resources that I’ve used while growing my Etsy business that made the biggest difference.
Courses & Resources I Paid For
- Fuzzy & Birch Resources and Mastermind by Jenni Waldorp ($97/Month). Jenni has a ton of amazing content (totally free) on her blog, incredible (affordable) resources in her Etsy shop, and when you’re ready to play big, you’re going to want in on Jenni’s Etsy Success Program – Subscriber Tribe. It’s basically a roadmap to Etsy success and it changed my life.
- Product Shop Talk Guide by Chalkfull of Love ($97). All of the best Etsy advice means nothing if a) you have nothing to sell or b) you’re photos need some serious work. Sarah from Chalkfull of Love covers both of these so extensively in her Product Shop Talk Guide. I still haven’t applied all of the lessons to my shop, but I’m looking forward to implementing what’s left in 2019.
- The Luminaries Club Mastermind by Lisa Jacobs ($2000). While this mastermind is not the same as when I joined it a number of years ago (Lisa is no longer active in the FB Group that comes with the mastermind), I still wanted to include it on the list for two reasons. 1 – to be completely transparent on my investment, since this was (and still is) the biggest investment I’ve made at one time in my shop. 2 – because you can still purchase two of her books, Marketing Creativity and Your Best Year individually and they single handedly changed how I view my business.
In addition to these courses, resources and masterminds – I also have a ton of tools in my…. well…. toolkit that help me do ‘ma thang. Next week, I’ll be sharing how much it costs me to run my Etsy shop every month and which apps, tools and resources I use that charge a monthly subscription fee.
Are these Etsy Shop Tips articles helping you? Be sure to let me know if you find any of the info extra useful, or if you have any questions!
love + light,
Shannon
This Post is Sponsored by AllyBeth Design Co
Quality Wooden Decor for the Modern Home
AllyBeth Design Co is our handmade company – located right here in British Columbia, Canada! We design and create modern decor in all sizes, but our small hanging signs and desk blocks are our top sellers! They make excellent souvenirs, gifts and encouraging reminders for your own beautiful home.
Take a peek at our online shop, Etsy shop or instagram to see more. In the area and want to buy in person? Click here for a list of our stockists!
