To be honest, I accidentally stumbled into being a small business owner. I certainly did not realize that’s what I was doing when it happened! That’s how easy it is to open an Etsy Shop.
Over the years of tinkering with my Cricut, I had a few friends who kept telling me “People would buy your stuff!” I struggled with believing that for YEARS prior to considering an Etsy Shop.
I had this narrative in my head that “my stuff is NOT good enough to sell. People wouldn’t buy anything from me. I wouldn’t even know where to start!”
Consequently, I owned my Cricut for 5 years before I made a dime from it. *face palm*
In October 2019, my ex-hubs & I decided to separate. This resulted in me spending countless hours on YouTube just to keep my mind busy. Through that season, I discovered so many inspiring videos. If you’re interested in hearing exactly how I got into woodworking – check out My Story.
It was around April 2020 that I started coming across videos related to opening an Etsy Shop. I can’t even try to tell you how many videos I watched for advice on opening a shop. Nothing really clicked until one day, watching one of Elysia English’s videos, she talked about how many makers there are in the world and how it can be intimidating to get started.. ”but there’s room for everyone.” That statement alone lit a fire & inspired me to just go for it.
I started purchasing the supplies I would need if I had an Etsy Shop… bubble wrap, packing tape, label printer, shipping scale. Things that would be a complete waste of money if I didn’t open this shop. So now I’m committed. I already have the items I need, it’d be a total waste if I don’t go for it, so let’s just try and see what happens.
Deciding a name for my shop was one of the longest & hardest endeavors. There are ton of great tips on how to go about picking a unique name. One that worked best for me was write down a ton of words that you enjoy: favorite food, song, color, state, hobbies, etc. Then play musical chairs with the words/letters to create something totally unique to you. I did try that and found it helpful – but didn’t fall in love with any of my combinations. Thankfully, stars finally aligned, and I was able to land on NOBLE DIZZIGNS. This is special to me as my son’s middle name is Noble and my daughter’s middle name is Dizzi.
Next, I just opened Cricut Design Space and typed out Noble Dizzigns. I played with a few fonts until I found one I loved. I purchased that font so I could have the commercial license for it.
I knew I needed to incorporate a hummingbird somehow into my logo. No matter where we are: home, a store, in state, out of state – a hummingbird seems to always be near my daughter. I feel like it’s her spirit animal or guardian angel. Therefore, we love hummingbirds. 🙂
I was able to find a very simple hummingbird svg on google that was totally free for both personal and commercial use (thank you, maker!). Just like that, I had a personal and low-cost logo to start my business.
I ordered some business cards to include in my orders. I stared at the smallest package size (50) thinking… “there’s no way I’ll make 50 sales?! Why don’t they sell packs of 15!”
On May 4, 2020 – I officially created an Etsy Shop for Noble Dizzigns. This was literally as easy as creating a Facebook page. BOOM. You are now a small business owner! I had no idea what I was in for, lol.
In case you missed it, the year 2020 was a total dumpster fire.
There is no way I could have known how perfect the timing of Noble Dizzigns would be, but I had just opened an online home décor shop in the middle of a pandemic where everyone is being forced to stay inside their homes and only have access to the internet.
Sales. Lit. Up. (…eventually, but let’s back up a second).
My very first sales were two of my best friends. I still had that negative narrative playing in my head “these will probably be my only sales.” Can I just stop you RIGHT NOW if you also have this type of narrative playing in your head? 2021 is a year for positive affirmations, sis. Speak the things you want to see in your life. If nothing else, it generates an attitude of gratitude and encouragement into your own heart which is imperative for a positive outcome. Be your own inner coach, not an inner critic.
I opened my shop with 5 listings. I set a goal for myself to add one listing per week. I took product photos using my iPhone and brightened them using the settings inside of the iPhone photo app. I had glued & screwed some 1×4’s together and painted them white, which I still use for the backdrop on all of my pictures. I purchased a couple greens & florals from Michaels that I lay on top of the backdrop when I take pictures. I put zero effort into SEO when I first opened my shop. To be honest, the concept still overwhelms me. I hashtag to the best of my abilities but definitely need growth in that area.
I had been a social media nomad for years prior to opening my shop. To this day, I still dislike the use of social media. Not for businesses – I can certainly see the amazing benefit it has for business growth. But for personal use, social media still makes me cringe. Simply because of my own personality – I find it very difficult to scroll through social media and NOT compare myself, judge myself, feel discontent, etc. But when I opened my Etsy Shop, several friends were encouraging me to create an Instagram for the business as well – so I did the same night I opened my shop.
I copied my Etsy store link and my Instagram name (@nobledizzigns) then text it to literally everyone in my phone. “Hey! I just opened an Etsy Shop to sell custom wood signs and home décor. If you ever need anything, please let me know – I’m happy to help! If you have Instagram, would you mind please following my page so I don’t look like a total creep with zero followers??”
From that text, I got a ton of social media support and several sales in my Etsy Shop! Definitely spam all of your loved ones when you open your shop. Word of mouth is the best form of advertisement!
Opening an Etsy Shop was the best move for me to step into being a small business owner. I have zero regrets creating an Instagram for it either. I have met the most phenomenal maker community who inspire me beyond anything I could’ve comprehended alone.
People seem most hesitant to open a shop because of Etsy’s fees, but honestly, they’re not enough to prevent you from trying. Try it out, get your feet wet, THEN make a judgement after that. I sincerely don’t even notice the Etsy fees (SHIPPING however, that’s a different story – ugh). Otherwise, their site makes it insanely easy to get started. As a working mama of two, gimme all the easy things.
I am one year into my shop and have made a little over 1,000 sales and a little over $34,000 *queue mind blown sound*
My stat-share is definitely NOT a flex (that’s gross income, friends – it does not include any supplies or shipping costs). But I am a single mom using this as supplemental income to my day job. I started this thinking my two best friends would be my only sales. I only post this to encourage you and prove it’s so worth it.
I am incredibly stoked and forever grateful for the adventure this has led me on. I pray this inspires you to go for “it” as well – whatever that might be! Woodworking has sincerely been the first hobby I’ve ever had, and I didn’t find it until I was 32. Don’t let that be you. Please, go for what sets your heart on fire – you will not regret it. This hobby gave me something to cling to while going through divorce. It fueled me to believe in myself and my future. It gives me something to pass onto my kids and any other friends who are interested. That blows any financial gains out of the water. 🙂
I’d love to hear about something you are either considering starting or have already started – let me know how it’s going in the comments below!
