For the 24th day of our 25 Days Of Christmas Celebration, we have a special dual shop feature scheduled for you. This morning, Let's meet Angela of Amievoltaire :-)
Angela is one of our sweet and amazing Blog Leaders and author of Your Holiday Audience Two Part series. Be on the look out for more engaging articles from our lovely leader this holiday season!
Angela is one of our sweet and amazing Blog Leaders and author of Your Holiday Audience Two Part series. Be on the look out for more engaging articles from our lovely leader this holiday season!
My goal as an Etsy seller has always been to build a full time shop.
My lifetime goal began as a journey to get my PhD and have a professional career. I made it to my Master's Degree, and employed several careers all of which I enjoyed while I did them but none of them "completed me." By the time a finished my masters I had 4 kids in the house, gas prices sky rocketed and I decide my life, my time and my kids were top of the list. I decided working for myself would be the best way to get my life back.
I
began reselling clothes and then toys and finally decided I needed my
own product market. I then began a new education process focused on
sewing skills, supply sources and marketing tactics. Phew, I started
Ebay reselling in 05, and joined Etsy in 08. It's been quiet the 5 year
ride on Etsy.
It was through the storks and other Yahoo chat groups that I found other sellers making and marketing handmade clothing. Many of these gals have moved on to bigger and better places or at least different places.
One group of gals from HereComesTheStork forum started making and marketing their patterns which turned into YouCanMakeThis.com. Some I still see selling on Etsy and some I am friends with on Facebook and we are chat focuses have transformed from fabric to education and family. It was through HereComesTheStork that I found Etsy.
On Etsy
At
first we were just a "Circle of Friends" who hearted each other. I
opened my store in February 08 but didn't do much but play heart my shop until October of 08. I made my first sale in May which was
encouraging...
But
about October, Ebay decided they needed to up their fees and many small
sellers argued that they were being pushed out. This little push gave me
the incentive I needed to move away from peddling handmade goods at auctions
starting at .01 and often ending between 5-10$, thanks to sister storks
who "slimed" my listings :<) Pretty heart breaking giving away a
skirt or dress that I put so much effort into for less or as much as the
fabric cost but I chalked it all up to a learning curve and learn I did
:<)
In the early days handmade sales were all about Disney Vacation items and holidays.
These
marketed goods were safe products, items commonly searched by Ebay and
Etsy buyers. The next step in developing my budding business was moving
beyond safe product marketing to developing my own style. This task
marks my biggest challenge, an ongoing challenge for every business, deciding what searchable products, items people will look for or can be encouraged to
look for, that I can make. A continual challenge in an ever changing fashion
industry. My niche is to create classic styles with ever changing modern
touches. As we know "The more things change, the more the stay the
same." :<)
Where did you come from and where are you going?
Angela, thank you so much for joining us this holiday season for our 25 Days Of Christmas Celebration Event. Your story will touch the hearts of many crafters around the world and your gorgeous dresses will bring much happiness to many little ones this Christmas :-)
Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and happy holiday season.
Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and happy holiday season.
Spread Some SPST Love And Visit Angela's Etsy Shop Today :
PRESENTED TO YOU BY OUR TEAM CAPTAIN:
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