Don't Sweat the Small Stuff, Etsy Sellers

Yesterday, I was thinking about my experience selling on Etsy and growing my few listings there into a serious full time job. I thought about the goals I had for myself when I started and I thought about what I was worrying over and doing in order to try to achieve those goals.

 As time has gone by, my goals have grown and changed, but they haven't changed drastically. What has really changed is how I approach trying to bring them into fruition and what I do and don't worry about now. I spent a lot of time in the earlier days thinking about and worrying over things that didn't matter at all. It's almost laughable how much they haven't mattered to my business as I've grown! Because I know that nearly every person who sells on Etsy will at some point think about these things, I thought I'd make a list so that maybe some of you can know what to avoid. So here goes:

Things Every Etsy Seller Thinks About At Some Point That Don't Really Matter in the Grand Scheme of Their Business

1. Every seller at some point frets over wanting to be featured seller. Don't! It is such a waste of time. While the feature can be fantastic for a seller, for the most part it is a fairly short lived glory. Yes, it is cool to get the recognition. Yes, it is fun to have the spot. But it is absolutely and completely unnecessary to achieving success as a seller. Let your profit be the validation of your success!

2. Every seller worries over the sales number at some point. Whether it's right at the beginning when the number is initially starting to grow, or later on as it approaches 2000, at some point every seller will measure their success on that sales number. While caring about it for a minute or two is perfectly fine and can be motivational, getting too caught up in it can be a BIG mistake. Being caught up in the number can lead to underpricing, cutting quality, and making it easier to become stressed when the number isn't growing fast enough. Remember that with sales it's all about Quality and not about Quantity. Your profit is what matters, NOT the number you've sold.

3. Every seller wonders why they aren't being picked for the Etsy Finds e-mails. Even the ones who say they don't have at least noticed if they do get featured or not and could tell you. I happen to know that I do not. I can't help it. I just know. Some people will get really worried about it and start to think the admin are purposefully ignoring them or that they need to tag items better. Really, there doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to who gets chosen, so just don't worry about it. It's not a big boost to be featured anyway.

4. Every seller will be semi-alarmed during at least one of the typical summer slow-downs. You're not alone if you're starting to wonder if this July isn't cooking along, or why this June is so much slower for you than everyone else. The fact is summer is slow. Yes, some people will have all the luck and will have busy summers, but for most people it is the slower season. Use it to improve and get ready for Christmas rather than wondering what you're doing wrong.


5. Every Etsy seller at some point worries about another person selling a similar product. Some worrying about this is good. Having someone directly copying your work is a problem, but worrying over sellers who have similar products taking your business is not seeing the pie for the size it really is.

6. Every Etsy seller will at some point be offended by something Etsy does. For real. It will happen. Sometimes it's a change they make, sometimes it's a statement one of their admin makes, sometimes it's a blog post, and sometimes it's who they choose to feature. At some point in time, those hipsters out in Brooklyn will manage to have offended everyone who sells on Etsy in some way--big or small. Even people who adore Etsy through and through have had a, "Hey, wait a a minute!" moment since starting to sell.


Now, I realize these are some sweeping generalizations, so if you're an Etsy seller and you're reading this thinking, "That's not me-- I've never done or thought those things," well then great! Huzzah for you! This is a list made from my observations after selling full time on Etsy for the last two years. I'm not a scientist, I've conducted no polls. 

New Things Thursday

This Thursday is actually going to have to encompass the last two weeks! Last week on Thursday, I was too busy showing you my new studio space to mess around with telling you all about what's new.

Three weeks ago, I began trickling in some of my new Minima Series pieces. Tomorrow is the official "launch" on my website along with some elegant new pieces in the series you may not have yet seen.

Lately, I've been really into looking for sea otters. Here in the Monterey area they are very common. I love to go stand on Fisherman's Wharf and look for them eating and playing together. Why is it otters always seem to be putting on a show for onlookers? They are so gosh-darn cute! I couldn't stop thinking of them, so naturally I painted a teeny necklace painting of one for you to enjoy. -- The Sea Otter, $40.00

My trip to the redwood forest on the 4th of July was spectacular! It was almost surreal standing in such a large forest. I was inspired after visiting them to paint them, but what really stood out to me was their age. At the entrance of the trail I hiked, was a large slice from a fallen tree. The rings were marked to show approximately how old it was. I was so inspired by it that when I sat down to paint the tree, I ended up painting it's story instead. -- Slice of a Redwood, $46.00

 I LOVE Shark Week on the Discovery channel every summer. Never mind that I don't have cable-- I still love it. It's fun, impressive, and genuinely informational. Plus there's the added suspense that you might actually see some researcher get chomped on by one of these predators. -- Live Every Week Like It's Shark Week, 3 section pill case, $58.00

 Tea has got to be one of the top comfort foods even though it is a drink. I really don't know if much makes me feel as cozy as hearing a kettle whistling in the kitchen does. MMmmmMMM, it just sets me in the mood for tea and a book. -- Copper Tea Kettle, $46.00

This little fox looking up is like my unofficial symbol. For the last 2 years, I've painted several versions of him for various pieces, drawing a doodle of him on nearly every package sent out, and even considered getting version of him (looking a bit different, I think). He's still my favorite, and I think this pill case is my favorite version of him yet. -- Fox in the Woods, 3 section pill case, $50.00

As always, I take custom orders. Below are two of my recent ones. I really love them both. The cat took quite a bit of back and forth with the buyer to get just right, but I am so glad it did because the final product is adorable! 

 

The two horse lockets are for a pair of young gals who are best friends soon-to-be-parted by a move. I remember moving several times when I was younger and then watching a good friend of mine move away from me. It's a rough spot that it seems every girl goes through at some point in time. I hope these two unique friendship necklaces help them feel connected to one another even from far away.

Na-na-nana-na-na-nana Batman!

Seeing Batman movies reminds me of my brother. When we were little, my sister, brother, and I all shared a room together for several years. Amongst the posters on our wall was one of "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm." Nearer to my area was a floor stand from "Batman Returns" complete with cardboard penguins marching along at the base. Catwoman was my favorite character and I loved having the life-sized poster in my room.

I think of my brother when I see any of the thousands of Batman figurines from the early 90s and when I see vintage Batman toys ala the Adam West days. He had a vintage Bat-Cave that his figurines could stand on and seemed to have a toy for each model ever dreamed up of the Batmobile. I remember him chugging around the house in Batman pajamas that had little velcro squares on the shoulders where a cape could attach. When I see the Jack Burnley Batman drawings my dad owns, I think of my brother because they remind me of my dad reading Batman books to us all at night.

Jack Burnley cover art of Batman and Robin

So when Friday came around and my husband wanted us to join some friends in seeing "The Dark Knight Rises" I went along thinking of my brother. The movie was good, but not an all-time favorite for me by any means. All throughout, I felt like I was really enjoying the movie because it made me think of my brother. It made me think of watching "Batman: the Animated Series" with him and it made me think of how we've grown-- kind of how Batman has grown into more of an adult story-- and maybe I don't know him as well as I used to.

I like to think I know all of my siblings well. There are six of us now and so spread out in age that it will be years yet before everyone has left my parent's house. I haven't lived under the same roof with my brother for more than a few months since I was in high school. Back then, I was preoccupied with my own drama, the angst of high school and trying to escape it, and I somewhat lost track of where he was at. He was always there in my peripherals, but perhaps not as in focus as I'd like to think.

As I think about this latest Batman series by Christopher Nolan, I realize that while I have maybe enjoyed them somewhat, I have paid attention and cared because they make me nostalgic. I care about them because my brother does, and if there was ever a person whose life has had a Batman theme running through it it's him.

So I left the theater happy enough on Friday evening and remembering all of the times I played Catwoman and he was Batman. I smiled remembering the poses he made and his serious "Batman" expression when he was fresh from the bath and stuffed into his pajamas, cape stuck on behind. I guess that is the sign of a certain kind of good movie: the kind of movie that makes you remember why no matter how many times they "reinvent" Batman, at his core he's the character we all grew up with--from Baby-boomers to kids right now. He's "The Bat." And for me he'll always make me think of my brother. 

Inside My Studio

So we finally got our furniture a couple of weeks ago (Yay!). I immediately dove into setting up my studio. Without my husband here all day like he used to be, I really wanted to make sure the space was going to be somewhere I could be happy in for long periods of time alone.

Although it's not totally finished being unpacked and pictures pinned or hung on the wall, the room is pretty much the way I hope it will always be while we're here.

Taken from the doorway facing the left corner

 The room is nice. It's not particularly big, but is big enough and has decently high ceilings to keep it from feeling claustrophobic.

On the left is my computer desk and on the right is my desk for shipping. I like having "stations" around the room for various things and having a few desks makes that a lot easier. 

Currently, my drafting table is occupied by the lightbox and photo props, but it won't always stay like that. I'm planning to get a table especially for photographing at some point and would like to add a comfy chair for my husband to sit in while studying when he's home. I'm not sure if I'll manage fitting both in, though. 

I really like it. I like having a space with hardwood floors so I can roll around the room in my chair and I like having things up on the walls again. It's nice when a room feels pretty much finished while unpacking. It makes the transition into a new place all the smoother.

Want to see some of my dreams of the perfect studio and some studio space inspiration? Check out this pinboard on Pinterest.

New Things Thursday

It's been a bit of a scramble for me to finally get to this Thursday post. We got our furniture (finally) after a little over seven weeks living on an air mattress in an almost-empty house. Needless to say, I dove into boxes and went about rediscovering my home right away! This set me back a bit in a way I had hoped it wouldn't.

It's been a fabulous kind of setback. I'm SO happy to have my things again!

First thing that I did this week was to create new packaging! Armed with new business cards, I set about updating my packaging to fit my new look. The previous style felt great with "TuckooandMooCow," but didn't have the oomph now. Ta-da! New design. I'm loving it.

Sunflower Locket -- $54.00

I only managed ONE locket for the week, but I think that if there could be only one, I'm SO glad it was this one! The sunflower against the blue with the pretty details of the brass locket makes me happy. How about you?

Smiling Stingray -- SOLD

When I was staying with my aunt and uncle, my Aunt would always mention how rays have happy little smiles on their faces whenever they'd accidentally catch them while fishing. It was such a nice image (and I do love animals that naturally smile--think sloths) that I could resist painting one! 

Introducing the Minima Series

Ceramic Bottles -- $42.00

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about starting a new series using and inspired by the little splotches left when I test colors while painting. These first three examples of the series are some of my favorites so far. The bottles were completely intentional, the tree was about 50% intentional, and the sunset was about 70% discovered. I added the red sun to the splotches in what I thought was the perfect place to evoke a rich, burning sunset. 

Autumn Maple -- $42.00

Blazing Sunset -- $38.00

Military Spouses: Business Potential and Pyramid Schemes

As my husband becomes a little more entrenched in military life, I feel myself settling into it all more too. I'm getting used to showing my ID before grocery shopping, seeing people in uniform more often, and most of all meeting new people. The neighborhood is friendly enough here. I can't say I know anyone particularly well, but the world of social media has made it easy to communicate people who are probably within a few hundred yards of where I am without ever actually meeting them.

To say it's a bit odd would be an understatement.

For all it's oddness, I really do find it useful. One thing that fascinates me though, is how many people seem to have been sucked into pyramid schemes. Every week, spouses advertise loud and proud their businesses selling totes, purses, make-up, candles, and other such glop. It's crazy! I feel like it's kind of life 101 to steer clear of most pyramid schemes, and yet it runs rampant in military communities.

Don't get me wrong, I definitely understand the attraction. You want to make a little money on the side, want to be able to work from home, want to have the flexibility "being your own boss" brings, and here comes screaming what looks like the perfect opportunity. Well, it's not. How many spouses have unsold merchandise lying in a closet? For every successful seller, I would venture a guess that there are many, many more who are not.

• First of all, sales aren't for everyone.
• Second of all, the military community isn't an overly wealthy one, so the desire to spend on things like totes, purses, extra make-up, candles, etc just isn't high enough to make for a lucrative business--not selling within the community anyway. 
• Thirdly, pyramid schemes are notoriously bad decisions. They put the bulk of the work on the bottom (new recruits) and funnel the largest amount of profits to the top. The more people involved, the worse it is for those on the bottom, so as it grows, it actually gets a bit worse to be a part of. 

One of the biggest draws to them seems to be their portability. Well, let me tell you what, I run a home business that is totally mine and doesn't involve recruiting new sellers or throwing parties and is still portable. It's definitely possible! In fact, I think it is so possible, I really want to see more military spouses working for themselves!

Obviously, not everyone is going to go for the same sort of business I have. Like I said above, sales aren't for everyone. Hair stylists, interior decorators, photographers, bakers, bloggers--each should have at least their own facebook page. That little piece of your work can always go with you. As you meet new people they can fan your page and stay informed about what you do and how to get in touch with you. Everyone moves around and you never know who-knows-who in each community. Having that central page give people something to send friends to. The more your network grows the more interconnected your clients become.

The great thing about starting with at least the facebook page is that you can make it as serious or as casual you want.

For example: like to make cakes? Having a facebook page with info about your cake-baking would come in incredibly handy. By having the page you've got a place to post pictures of your cakes for people to see, to post contact info (AND people can contact you directly through it with the handy-dandy message system), to add a website url if you want, and a place to help generate interest in what you do! You could get really creative and industrious and offer cakes for all kinds of events and work a lot, or you could stay small and do select work.

What's daunting about promoting online is the same for everyone, "But what will I talk about?", "No one's going to be interested in what I have to say," "I'm not good at facebook." These are the things I hear all the time. I totally get it. I was there too in the beginning. Don't judge your social media skills with how well your personal page does. I seriously cannot stress this enough. My own personal facebook page is..meh...at best. But my business page, now THAT'S where the par-tay is at! I love posting there! At first, it was sort of weird coming up with things to say. Then I realized that the people who "liked" that page liked my work, so hearing about it was something they enjoyed. Friends might love seeing your cute baby-belly pics or having a drink with you on Friday nights, but they may not care AT ALL about your mad skrills.

The two biggest things standing in the way of ANYONE'S success are the will/motivation to just do it and the drive to continue once you've started. The two most common tales are those of the people who had an idea, but let it stay a distant dream and of the people who start with fire and fail to keep stoking the flame.

I think military spouses have a unique chance to build on the network already created by our own camaraderie. The only thing standing in the way is the fire to make it happen.



(Don't believe me about facebook? This is my new facebook page launched in May, 2012.)
(How I started working for myself: "Quit Your Day Job" for the Etsy blog August, 2011)

A Minimal Series

Lately, I've been messing around with a new idea. My friend Lee of LeeWolfePottery and OneClayBead suggested a few months ago that I do some pieces that were very minimal and relied only on color and texture. At the time I wasn't so sure. I like having lots of detail--in fact, the more the better! I felt I'd been working towards better and better paintings and that just color and texture alone wasn't moving in that same direction.

About a week ago I realized just how silly that was.

"Playing With Paints" a tiny watercolor using my left over blobs.

 While playing with a large hole punch I have, I began to take an interest in my scraps. While I work, I dab the brush often on the paper beside the painting, I mix colors there and usually end up with a soup of vibrant spots. In the past, I've even done a couple of pieces using these "left overs."

What I hadn't done was any jewelry.

Weeks ago, I ordered some pendants that were just the wrong size. For a long time I've puzzled over what to make with them. I had no plans, so they sat in a box and I forgot about them.

When I began punching out the sections of paint blobs, suddenly they were perfect! The punch happens to be the exact same size as the pendants, so I happily set about making a few. What has come of it are some kind of neat results!

As I play with the punches from random color blobs, I am beginning to be inspired to make some with a bit more direction and planning. Maybe even some abstract landscapes...

So far, I'm really delighted with the results and will be selling these each as limited edition pieces as a series titled "Minima." 

 

Have you worked on any projects lately that you've been even more inspired by than when you started? What were they?