EB Friday Hotlist: One Year on Etsy

Time flies when you're not quite paying attention!  As you know, my focus lately has not been on my craft business and so I completely missed the fact that my one-year Etsy-versary was last month.  On September 16, 2010 I concluded my first year of selling online, which quite honestly is a little mind-blowing for me.  Now I can't boast that I've turned a major profit or that I'm ready to "quit my day job" (it's not even my goal...), but I still feel like I've been successful.  I've learned how to sell at craft fairs, the farmer's market, and the flea market.  I've gotten a blog, Twitter, and Facebook following.  I've made 25 online sales between Etsy, Zibbet, and Artfire and learned how to package and ship across the country.  I've also sold a large wholesale order and seen my jewelry on display in a local shop (more on that in a later post).  I've made friends, honed networking skills, and organized and led a local team event.  Most importantly I've learned a great deal, not just about running a small, independent business, but about myself - my personality, my strengths, and my passions.

I've been talking a lot about inspiration lately, and if there was one piece of advice I could give to anyone starting out it would be to stay inspired.  Do something you really enjoy or it's really just work.  Crafting is generally not easy money (hence the popular term "starving artist"), but it is possible to turn your passion into a successful business - whatever "success" means to you.

Many thanks to each and every one of you that read the blog, tweet the posts, leave comments, subscribe to the newsletter, and purchase from the shop.  I don't know what I would have done without you this past year.  I genuinely appreciate all of your kind words and support.  Happy sales!

Until next time,
Elle