Ecommerce Conversations Etsy Merchant Eyes Shopify, Dual Brands
Nov 7, 2025
Kevlyn Walsh, a former art teacher from Denver, is now a thriving entrepreneur with her Etsy shop, Festive Gal, and a new Shopify venture, Bake It Fancy. She shares how a headband for a Christmas party kickstarted her journey. Kevlyn dives into the challenges of managing custom orders and scaling operations on Etsy. She critiques the platform's limitations and discusses the benefits of diversifying to Shopify for her baking accessories. Plus, she emphasizes the importance of personality in marketing and offers insightful advice for fellow sellers.
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Origins: Party Headband That Launched A Business
- Kevlyn started Festive Gal after a handmade Christmas headband was a hit at a party and she sold out her first batch on Etsy.
- She quit teaching in 2019 when her Etsy income surpassed her teacher salary and scaled the shop full time.
Trend Hopping Scaled Sales Fast
- Kevlyn rode trends like Game of Thrones viewing parties to sell hundreds of themed party headbands while still teaching.
- She leveraged niche phrases fans loved to quickly create products that sold in volume.
Move Complex Customization To Shopify
- Use Shopify if you need rich customization options for product personalization and more flexible listing UI.
- Avoid forcing complex customization on Etsy when its listing UI limits dropdowns and personalization inputs.