Etsy Conversations Podcast

Onyii Brown is the fashion designer behind ... I actually found out about her through my brother who saw her fashion show during New York Fashion Week 2015 and when I learned that she got her start on Etsy I knew I just had to have her on the podcast.  I was so curious to find out how she made the leap from Etsy to the most highly sought after runway in the world and she's here this week sharing her story and how it happened every step of the way. I love how she describes how she reacted when she was pushed into a corner and forced to make choices and how she overcame the odds... Starting with a sewing machine that she didn't even really know how to use! :) Topics Discussed: Differentiating oneself from the competition in a saturated field The importance of humble beginnings Handling the struggle between being secure and following one's passion Always learning and growing and why this is a must for all entrepreneurs Future plans for . Resources Mentioned: - Gotta love this... There is sooo much helpful information here. Best ways to reach Onyii: Website: Social Media: , , Please take a minute to subscribe and leave an honest review of the podcast in and . That really helps to get the word out about the show. Connect With Me: Twitter: Follow Facebook Group: - This is where I'm connecting with you after the podcast. Lots of fun convos here too! Facebook: Like the Pinterest: Instagram: Google+: Email: Use the OR interview [at] convome [dot] com

I'm so proud that this day has arrived... This is officially my 100th Etsy Conversations Podcast episode. Well, technically, it's actually episode #102 I believe but it's my hundredth numbered episode. In the podcasting world (and in my own little world too) this is a big deal because "they" say that in podcasting most new shows don't make it past the 7th episode, so to now be a 3-digit podcast makes me happy that I have survived this long :) I wanted to make this a super-special episode to mark this milestone and have on a special guest but I didn't get who I really wanted and because I have been traveling internationally for the last couple of weeks, I decided that I'd just have a quiet celebration with just you and me... :) This is also a great time for me to take care of some housekeeping so in this episode I talk about some things that I don't usually get to talk about during the regular episodes. Topics Discussed - Yes! I do sell on Etsy too :) One of my recent podcast guests asked me if I have an Etsy shop and why I never talk about it or promote it on the podcast... So I address why I have chosen to do things the way I do and what, if anything will be changing going forward. - I talk about the benefits of being a guest on the podcast and what I do for featured shops, I also discuss how to be a guest on the show or how to make a suggestion for potential guests that you'd like to hear on the podcast. Have you ever wondered why some people aren't on the podcast...? I explain that too. Connect With Me - I'm almost everywhere on social media you'd think to look (but I'm not equally active on all platforms). All my social media links and contact information are below and I'd really like to connect with you on your platform of choice... I'm partial to some, I definitely have my "preferred places to hang out", but like I said, I'm pretty much everywhere. Podcast Reviews - in the world of podcasts, reviews are pretty important when it comes to directories like and . I explain why reviews are the lifeblood of a podcast (okay, maybe it's not that dire), but they certainly are great to have and I make a request for honest ratings and reviews. Etsy Shop ShoutOuts Tara Jacobsen - marketing expert at and Etsy shop owner of . She helped me get organized and streamline my processes to ensure I get to spend time growing my Etsy shops while running the podcast. Her printable planners and organizers have been super duper helpful for me, and fun to use to!! Michele Gallagher - Etsy consultant at . She helped me set up my Simply Craft Supplies shop because I was spread too thin doing the podcast, and she can do the same, and probably more, for you too. Michele also sells on Etsy in . Please take a minute to subscribe and leave an honest review of the podcast in and . That really helps to get the word out about the show. Connect With Me: Twitter: Follow Facebook Group: - This is where I'm connecting with you after the podcast. Lots of fun convos here too! Facebook: Like the Pinterest: Instagram: Google+: Email: Use the OR interview [at] convome [dot] com

My guest this week is Tara Jacobsen of . Tara is also a 15-year marketing expert and when I learned that she recently opened up her brand new Etsy shop, , I was very interested to learn how her marketing background was helping her as an Etsy business owner and wanted her to share some marketing tips and information with us. You can learn all about Tara's marketing services at and also see what she's done in that arena in the past. Tara's also a professional speaker so get ready for a long and very detailed conversation. I'm very grateful to have had her as my guest as she shared lots of valuable information and agreed to use me as a case study to test out how well the service packages she offers Etsy sellers work, so stay tuned for the "before and after" follow up episode to see how things panned out ;) Topics we discussed: The joys of marketing Knowing the right time to get help Know who your perfect customer (or "avatar") is Time management for multi-passionate entrepreneurs and busy parents Etsy shop promotion (it's always nice to learn how a professional marketer gets things done... ;) ) Social media marketing strategies And much much more... Resources mentioned: - for finding and removing inactive Twitter followers - tool for Etsy SEO and keyword research - for creating graphics e.g. shop banner, logo, etc. - for curating items you like Tara's Etsy Shop ShoutOut: - she makes cute and adorable paper clips and page markers (tell her Tara sent you :) ) Best ways to reach Tara: Websites:  and Etsy shop: Twitter: and Pinterest: and Instagram: and Please take a minute to subscribe and leave an honest review of the podcast in and . That really helps to get the word out about the show. Connect With Me: Twitter: Follow Facebook Group: - This is where I'm connecting with you after the podcast. Lots of fun convos here too! Facebook: Like the Pinterest: Instagram: Google+: Email: Use the OR interview [at] convome [dot] com

It's party time...! My guest this week is Nessa Jay and she runs the Etsy shop . Nessa and I first "met" in the (and if you're not yet a part of that group please feel free to hop on over and join us). We had a conversation in the group around what types of Etsy sellers people wanted to hear on the podcast and that was the genesis of this episode. Nessa is of the school of thought that we can learn something from almost everyone, including newbies, and so that's one of the topics we focus on during our convo. Nessa runs full time and she shares some very specific steps about how she does it and how she manages her time, including the journey to finding real balance between running your own business full time and having a life. Other Topics Discussed (Some of them...) Defining success Nessa's Pinterest strategy The value of learning from newbies Nessa's strategy for finding her target audience (if you like what you hear, let her know...) ...and much more Resources Mentioned Nessa's Etsy Shop ShoutOuts - run by Ali Pickett, specializing in button pins, magnets, mirrors, temporary tattoos and more - run by Katie and she specializes in beautiful calligraphy prints Best ways to reach Nessa Etsy shop: Website: Social media: , , , , Please take a minute to subscribe and leave an honest review of the podcast in and . That really helps to get the word out about the show. Connect With Me: Twitter: Follow Facebook Group: - This is where I'm connecting with you after the podcast. Lots of fun convos here too! Facebook: Like the Pinterest: Instagram: Google+: Email: Use the OR interview [at] convome [dot] com

I really loved talking to this week's podcast guest Gabe Molnar because his Etsy story is a fantastic reminder of many important facts including: Following your instincts and your passion regardless of what others say Having a creative outlet and finding a way to create the life you want around it Doing whatever it takes to be successful regardless of what extrinsic factors you have to battle Bartering for services and photography with other professionals Being everywhere... As much as you possibly can anyway Gabe's Etsy shop is and to date he has sold over 8,100 handmade items... All of which he has designed, created, packed, shipped, etc. by himself. In our convo we talk about Gabe being a truly one-man show and I get to discuss his take on outsourcing and time management as it relates to him being a solo entrepreneur and owner of a very busy Etsy shop. Gabe's story is such an intriguing one... He went from being a member of a popular heavy metal band that toured the world and opened for ... (I confess, I didn't know who they were before this convo), to being featured in an and also an (back when that was a thing on Etsy). He's a podcaster as well, so after we "geek out" just a bit about podcasting, he shares his thoughts on how he believes podcasting can help Etsy sellers promote their businesses... As in, Etsy sellers having their own podcasts for their Etsy shops! I'm all for this as well and I share my thoughts why. Granted, podcasting isn't everybody's cup of tea, but you never know... Resources mentioned: Contact Gabe: Etsy shop: Social media: , , , , , , Website: (Gabe's podcast is hosted here); Gabe's Etsy Shop ShoutOut - please check out Erin's Etsy shop too... She and Gabe first met when they had neighboring tables at craft fairs they did in New York Please take a minute to subscribe and leave an honest review of the podcast in and . That really helps to get the word out about the show. Connect With Me: Twitter: Follow Facebook Group: - This is where I'm connecting with you after the podcast. Lots of fun convos here too! Facebook: Like the Pinterest: Instagram: Google+: Email: Use the OR interview [at] convome [dot] com

My guest this week is Kristen Carrasco and her Etsy shop is . Kristen makes and sells jewelry, inspirational art prints, and hand-crafted ribbon pine cone holiday ornaments & decorations... In her own words, Kristen describes her Etsy shop as a "gift store". Kristen is a graphic designer and defines herself as a creator of crafty things... Love it! :) She generously shares the story of how and why she ended up selling on Etsy and some of the important lessons she has learned all along the way. Topics discussed: Setting inventory goals (think about holiday stock...) Etsy shop promotion and the importance and benefits of in-person networking Craft fair selection process Developing Etsy shop policies Bookkeeping and accounting solutions for Etsy sellers ...and much more I forgot to mention this during my convo with Kristen but she's offering a special discount to all Etsy Conversations Podcast listeners. Use the promo code ETSY15 to save 15% on your total purchase in . Resources mentioned: (Kristen found the "Art of Pricing" workshop particularly helpful) (If This Then That) Bootcamp (The Art of Getting Press) Best ways to reach Kristen... Her Parade of Links :): Etsy shop: Blog: Social media: , , Please take a minute to subscribe and leave an honest review of the podcast in and . That really helps to get the word out about the show. Connect With Me: Twitter: Follow Facebook Group: - This is where I'm connecting with you after the podcast. Lots of fun convos here too! Facebook: Like the Pinterest: Instagram: Google+: Email: Use the OR interview [at] convome [dot] com

Have you ever done something and had a false start, then gone back and re-tooled and come back better? That's exactly what my guest this week did. She's Sarah of Etsy shop where she sells calligraphy and hand-lettering stationery (and soon to be more) products. If you're not happy with the way things are going with your Etsy shop right now and you think you need to take a step back and  change things up in  a way that you know will work out better for your business then listen to my conversation with Sarah where she shares her own experience and what she learned. You'll learn that it's perfectly okay, and maybe even essential, to start over... Topics discussed: Building buzz prior to launching an Etsy shop Generating sales through social media Packaging and presentation for maximum impact Sarah's social media strategies that have worked for garnering sales Resources mentioned: Photofy Studio app Etsy teams Best ways to reach Sarah: Etsy shop convo: Social media: , , Sarah's Please take a minute to subscribe and leave an honest review of the podcast in and . That really helps to get the word out about the show. Connect With Me: Twitter: Follow Facebook Group: - This is where I'm connecting with you after the podcast. Lots of fun convos here too! Facebook: Like the Pinterest: Instagram: Google+: Email: Use the OR interview [at] convome [dot] com

My guest this week is Patty and she runs the Etsy shop , but that's just one aspect of what she does as business owner... Patty is a graphic designer and she sells stationery for creative business owners who own Etsy shops and have online businesses. She also has a website where she blogs and in particular shares tips and information about blogging as a means to run and grow an online business. Patty has lots of information to share with fellow entrepreneurs who are moms (especially of young children like hers) and who are working a full-time job while building a business on the side. We also talk about... Selling internationally Squarespace vs. WordPress for blogging Developing new product lines ... and more... Resources mentioned: Best ways to reach Patty: Email: CharmingTreeDesign [at] gmail [dot] com Website: Social media: , Please take a minute to subscribe and leave an honest review of the podcast in and . That really helps to get the word out about the show. Connect With Me: Twitter: Follow Facebook Group: - This is where I'm connecting with you after the podcast. Lots of fun convos here too! Facebook: Like the Pinterest: Instagram: Google+: Email: Use the OR interview [at] convome [dot] com

Okay Etsy sellers, get ready to have your socks blown right off... In this episode of the podcast I talk to Richie and Gordon of and if you've never heard of this fabulous tool that is designed to help you super-charge your Etsy sales and business then you definitely will want to take the time out to listen to what its all about. As of this writing, I have not yet personally used  so I had lots of questions about it and how it works and who its for, etc. But by the time the episode airs, I plan to be already subscribed... :) So what is Marmalead? To quote Gordon and Richie, it is... The best Etsy SEO and market research tool for Etsy sellers Are you intrigued yet? Think about this way, all that research that we tend to do manually on Etsy such as comparing pricing, fishing for good keywords for our titles and tags, figuring out what terms buyers are searching for and which tags are trending, and on and on... does all that for you now. The guys were kind enough to answer all my questions about this tool and delved very deeply into the inner workings of the tool and how it can help you grow your Etsy sales. Here are some of the things we discussed: How to use Ideal candidates for the tool How to interpret the information provided Subscription to the service and support provided Future plans for And lots lots more... I really enjoyed talking with Richie and Gordon because they are very personable and have a great passion for solving these pain points which just about every Etsy seller experiences (because they had them as well when they embarked on opening their own Etsy shop, so they really get it)... And, they got my jokes :) If you have any additional questions about the tool that we didn't discuss in our convo please do leave it in the comments section below or use the contact information for Gordon and Richie to ask them directly. I know they'll be glad to answer your questions and to get any feedback from you too, so, share away!  Please take a minute to subscribe and leave an honest review of the podcast in and . That really helps to get the word out about the show. Connect With Me: Twitter: Follow Facebook Group: - This is where I'm connecting with you after the podcast. Lots of fun convos here too! Facebook: Like the Pinterest: Instagram: Google+: Email: Use the OR interview [at] convome [dot] com

I just had a lovely conversation with Lisa Lehmann, the artist, maker, and gold-smithing creative genius behind the Studio Jewel brand - and Etsy shop . Lisa creates her handmade jewelry from her home studio while at the same time raising 4 teenagers whom she home-schooled while she was initially building her business. If you need some inspiration on your Etsy and creative business journey, especially if you're feeling somewhat overwhelmed with the responsibilities of your own life then sit back and listen to this convo with Lisa. You're not alone... If anyone understands and has worked through all that, it's Lisa. We talk about: How she created her product line and what the inspiration behind her products is The importance of having a mentor How being transparent and authentic has helped her audience connect with her in a very personal way Instant selling on Instagram And lots more... Resources mentioned: Etsy team - (for Jewelry sellers on Etsy Team) Connect with Lisa: Email: studiojewel [at] gmail [dot] com Social media: , , , Website: Etsy shop: Please take a minute to subscribe and leave an honest review of the podcast in and . That really helps to get the word out about the show. Connect With Me: Twitter: Follow Facebook Group: - This is where I'm connecting with you after the podcast. Lots of fun convos & Etsy shop promos here too! Facebook: Like the Pinterest: Instagram: Google+: Email: Use the OR interview [at] convome [dot] com