I completely know that feeling of hating your job and just don’t want to be that kind of life anymore…. I am 36 years old and I hate my job, i feel miserable every day when going to that job. I already tried 5 jobs but I just don’t feel happy working for a boss and being a slave and even having to ask permission to go to the toilet, or anything. So I started my Etsy job with digital products 10 months ago, putting a lot of time and work into it, and I was hoping I could quit my terrible job after some months. But… I sold 16 products until now. So here I am watching our videos to learn and get inspired.
It's really the hardest part I think! I have to set a reminder to work on Etsy (or whatever project it is) every day and schedule it out or it doesn't get done!
I like how you took the time to break down the story from your university days till present, makes it much more relatable and value-packed. Wish you elite success in your Etsy shop and keep the quality content coming!
I’ve been binging all your Etsy videos and then came across this one … low and behold, I feel like my life is literally yours. I’m in a 8-5 job, and I resell clothing but I’ve been wanting to sell on Etsy. Would love a video on how you balance the 2 side hustles!
I enjoyed hearing your journey to this point in your life. It always helps to hear about the “failures” - lessons learned - from those who are successful. I look forward to seeing your Etsy shop continue to grow and can’t wait to celebrate with you when you achieve your goal this year!
You are an amazing young woman. It warms my heart that you are sharing your success with others. God bless you and your efforts. I have no doubt that you will achieve your goals.
I saw your first month on Etsy and I got so inspired because I never thought of a revenue splitted like this, I’m guessing it’s a lack of objective! But it looks like you know how to be consistent and how work on it! I’m glad that I found you and now I’m waiting to see your fifth month on Etsy! I started to list more frequently so thank you for the inspiration❤
Yes! 🔥 👏👏 I hollered when you revealed that book. That book had the same mind altering effect on my brain when I first read it in high school 1998. 🤯 One of my all time favorites is his 'Cashflow Quadrant'. That snippet of your video would make a interesting short form hook btw, "The Best Dollar I Ever Spent!" 😂 Thanks for all the informative digital Etsy content!
Oh my gosh the cashflow quadrant is what really blew my mind!! Haha I will be forever grateful for whoever decided to donate that book to the thrift store so I could buy it! Haha great idea for a youtube short!
wow your story is so impressive, your discipline is crazy! That is my biggest struggle, how are you getting so much done - shipping and uploading hundreds of pieces of clothing while working as a chemical engineer wow!
Haha thank you so much! The truth is, I don't really have hobbies other than reading and working on side hustles haha. That sounds sad but it's really not because I enjoy that stuff! I heard on a podcast once this guy that was talking about how he just switched his hobbies to lucrative ones, he said something like "instead of learning to play the guitar, I'm learning to make money" (no offense to people that play the guitar haha)- but it kind of just stuck with me haha. Especially early on, reselling didn't feel like work because it was so fun and interesting, I loved doing it in my spare time!
It should be "people don't want to be slaves anymore! " instead of "people don't want to work anymore " Many people particularly the younger generation, use the range of unconventional methods of earning a living these days. I worked in the retail for over 10 years, so I'm quite happy that this is taking place. For too long, retail bullied me and a lot of my employees/colleagues saying things like " if you don't like it, go; another like you is waiting to get in your position" since the COVID, I found a job that helps me grow, pays me more and Values Me Social Media cleared the way for a rapidly expanding market, and it taught us a lot. 2020 was my turning point, and investment helped alot!
Yeah the 2020 pandemic gave everyone a big rethink! I tried a lot of things I realized I shouldn't just let my savings sit around in the bank, try side hustles. It paid!
@Olivia Jayden there's various profitable ways to invest. Starting out you need to work with experienced hands to work you through. As a rookie I dabbled in and made mistakes till I got a mentor to put me on the right track. You can search one too, read books and do your own research
Yes! Rachel Blanc. I really recommend her services because she has amazing competence and a calm approach to guiding you. I can attest to her credibility try and do your own due diligence
Honestly, very inspiring and motivating. Especially the fact that one has the ability to create the life that he or she desires. BTW, really enjoying and appreciating your content. Please keep it coming!
Amazing story!, consistency is king, or queen, it's so true that most people lack it...I go through seasons myself, it really is the secret sauce, the most important ingredient. Whatever you do, do it consistently. Much love, thanks for another great video. Soon you'll add YT to your list of great paying side hustles!
Your story Shae is trully inspiring! I believe we all have an entrepreneur sleeping inside us, who once awaken up will never go back to sleep. It doesn't matter if you fail at some of your side hustles, because the most successful people are also the ones who failed the most. The only way to ensure that you won't fail is to not try at all. I am following your Etsy journey and I am glad to see that your shop is doing great so far! I am sure that if you are consistent till the end of the year, you will manage to exceed your goal.
So cool to know you also are a reseller & changed careers. You came up in my feed about a month ago because I've been looking to add Etsy & POD to my successful Ebay & Facebook businesses...the algorithm does work sometimes 😜
Shae, thank you so much for this video. Im looking forward to watch this kind of content of yours. I learned about Etsy nearly 3 months ago. I live in a 3th world country and digital business or dollar income are pretty much foreign consepts. I started to research, tried to find a niche and putting the effort. Your videos inspired me and my husband so much. I also hated my job after gratuating (im a psychologist) my husband is working as a engineer with a semi-high paying job. We don't have a child either. We invested in stocks and decided to buy a land. But as you highlighted, it is very uncomfortable and scary not to have a stedy, consistent income. I really hope we can achieve what you achieved. Congrats on your etsy journey. Wish you the best ❤ and im always open to advices ☺️
Hi! Thank you for sharing your story! Making money online can be so powerful for you while living in a 3rd world country. Congrats on investing as well and wishing you so much success in your future endeavors ❤️
Also just a suggestion: Hire Help! You can't do it all by yourself. Get someone else to take the photos or pack and ship the products. Hire a college student or teen who is still living with their parents. That way your labor costs stay low. And hire them as an independent contractor so you don't have to worry about the headache of payroll etc. But yeah in order to scale, you need help. Don't burn yourself out hun. hope that helps 😊
Thank you :) Also I do have a virtual assistant and I have hired people as independent contractors to help me with photography in the past! But even with that, scaling the reselling is just not where I wanted to take things! I do agree with hiring help as soon as possible though!
This is so inspiring. Thank you! I currently am a reseller and have an Etsy store as well (POD & some digital) so this was so exciting! I also have a full time job I want to replace. So yes any reselling topics I would also love to hear about!
Another great one, Shae! I would love to learn even more from your success on Etsy. If there ever comes a time where you plan on sharing your strategy in depth in the form of a course, training, etc. I'd be all over it! 🚀
Thank you Mary! I definitely have some ideas in the works because I'd love to go in depth and share all I know! I'll let you know when I do come out with something ❤️
I really enjoy watching and listening your story and tips. I want to start on Etsy with digital content like you and like you I’m watching a lot of videos etc to the point now that I was wondering if it’s not too much and that maybe I should finally start creating and open that shop 😂 downside for me is that I got a computer issues atm and I don’t know how to use canva, AI tools …yet😅 but I’m heading there. Just need to move really quickly as I don’t have full time job and savings are running out fast when you have kids 🙈 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 for you! Stay our inspiration!🎉🌷
Yes Canva was a big learning curve for me but I watched so many videos on it to figure it out! You definitely won't regret starting a side hustle and working towards it!! Wishing you success 💕
Congratulations on everything you have achieved so far! When watching your videos, you come across as very comfortable and natural at being an entrepreneur, wishing you even more success👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you Salma! That means a lot because I've been trying to become "comfortable with the uncomfortable"- which is what so much of entrepreneurship is!
Thank you for making this video! It's so relatable and it's exactly what I went through. I grew up thinking I had to get good grades, go to a good college, get a STEM degree, get a good job, and then work a standard 9-5 job until I retire. When I found out about financial freedom and how there were other sources of income besides a salaried job and how working a standard 9-5 job will never really get you to financial freedom, it blew my mind. After working several years out of college and multiple different jobs, I also realized how I hated the whole concept of working 8 hours a day or more and being on someone else's time. I'm hoping to one day be finally free of relying on a salaried job for income!
Great Video! To be honest, I thought you were far younger, like barely out of college type young lol. You got some good genes, girl! lol. Thanks for sharing your story.
Your story of going to college and then finding you don't like an office job is very similar to others I've heard in the slow living movement. So you're definitely not the only one! Starting this month, I am on a year-long sabbatical from work because I need to take care of my grandmother's estate, help my mother move and set up a new house, and do some deferred maintenance on my house. I'm also taking this time to slow down and de-stress. I've worked for 9.5 years without any break. (Previously, I had a break of a few months to nearly 2 years between jobs--not intentionally; it just worked out that way.) I was bored with my job and even though it wasn't hard and there was nothing bad about any part of it, I just couldn't stand getting up in the mornings and going. I wanted to be anywhere but that job. Now, I am happy when I wake up and I work for myself all day, cleaning up my house and doing yard chores. (I have 5.5 acres, so that's not a small amount of chores.) I'm also building an Etsy POD business that I started last year and I want to launch a blog soon as well. I am hoping that between the two of them (or maybe three; I have dabbled just a tiny bit in reselling as well and it's in the queue as a possible hustle), I will be able to make enough money that I don't have to go back to work next year. I don't need an engineer's salary (although I certainly wouldn't say "no" to it, lol) so I don't have as high a bar to jump.
Oh my gosh I love your story, thank you for sharing!! I felt the same waking up with my 9 to 5. Wishing you so much success in your new lifestyle, it sounds wonderful ✨
Hi Shae, so nice to hear your backstory. Would love to hear more about your reseller journey. My daughter is trying to make her way via Depop is there a reason you’re not on that platform? This is such a motivating story. Thank you
Hi! Thank you :) I haven't tried Depop, and the main reason is the clientele on there aren't really my ideal clients for what I sell. Maybe it's changed but in the past Depop was much better for vintage clothing, or trendy Y2K styles and there's a much younger crowd on there. I sell a lot of mid-tier luxury clothing and dresses, so Poshmark made so much more sense! It didn't make sense to crosslist all my items onto Depop when I didn't think there was a major ROI there. But depending on what you're selling Depop could be very viable! I do recommend your daughter crosslists onto other platforms though (depending on what she's selling).
Hi Shae! Will you be continuing the Etsy Beginner Strategies series you started? I see parts 1&2 but not parts 3, 4, and 5 that you had mentioned in the first video of the series (Part 3: Creating your listings, Part 4: Etsy SEO!!! Part 5: Etsy marketing and branding, and bringing it all together!). Thanks!
I've been following along, and I love hearing about your journey. Everything you share is so practical and clear. I would love to see a video about your favorite books/reads/podcasts! I, too read Rich Dad, Poor Dad and enjoyed it!
Thank you so much Cathy! That's a great idea. I have a big list that I can share in a vid at some point! Off the top of my head, my favorite podcasts are the bigger pockets money podcast, the bigger pockets real estate podcast, and the afford anything podcast!
Hey Shae, I just watched your video and I must say that it was really informative and well-made. I loved your videos. I was wondering if I could help you edit your videos and also make highly engaging shorts for you?
4:00 im at this point and i have the same thought. i'm a software engineer and i love coding. but im only 22 and i knowi can do so much more. the feeling of putting my heart and soul into something just for a fixed salary and building someone elses empire doesnt sit right with me. as soon as i can sustain myself through a business then i am leaving my job.
Oh my gosh I love this. I always wished I did software engineering because of all the potential those coding skills have to be used to build your own thing! I totally support that, and wishing you so much success towards that goal Hamza!
@@whatshaesells Thanks so much! It's really sick, the power that coding gives you in your day to day life, the things you can automate, the problems that you can solve etc I want a succesful etsy store just like you, but for selling spreadsheets so I can have an income. But I will always be coding whether it's for my career or not.
Hi Shae, first off I wanna thank you for making these videos. You are such an inspiration to me. I found your channel just a few days to a week ago and I’ve been watching your video from the very beginning. Your videos helped me to just go for it and let go of any fear I held for too long. I also want to start a digital Etsy shop but kept procrastinating for silly reasons! So thanks again! ❤️ I have 2 questions … Firstly, I am still having difficulty in finding a niche because I want to find a niche that is both profitable but also is my passion and something that I enjoy making so I was thinking of creating “personal development/self growth” digital planners, journals, calendars, and so on but also have a piece of quotes written on them to uplift people’ day or mood like a piece of poetry. quotation, or just a “saying” that I come up with and design myself but I think it is still too broad but I have no idea how I can niche this down any further and I’m not sure if it is a profitable niche either! My 2nd question is … what are all the start-up costs and financial investments that I have to consider because I’m watching other UA-cam videos and the list is endless of all the tools these people say to have in order to be successful on Etsy! They say aside from canva pro which I agree that canva pro is essential but they also say we should have the following … erank, marmalade, alura, sales samurai, everbee, and I’m sure that there are some more but it’s kind of hard to invest in everything all at once when you are a beginner and money is a bit of an issue to invest in all of this at the very beginning. Are all these absolutely necessary in order to be able to grow your business to 6 figures because my goal is to also grow my store to 6 figures! 🥰 Another thing is that I know that you said that you are a beginner and new on Etsy but you’re not new to online business but I am. I am new in everything and I have never worked online before so is it still possible for someone who is a total beginner in online business to still grow a store to 6 figures? I’m sorry for my list of questions, I’m just confused a little bit! ❤️ Keep doing what you’re doing shae and I am rooting for you to reach your annual goal by the end of 2023! 😊
In terms of the tools you mentioned, while they may be useful in growing your business, they are not all necessary to get started. It's important to prioritize which tools are most essential for your business and invest in them first. Canva Pro, for example, is a great tool for creating professional-looking designs for your products and marketing materials. However, you may not need all the other tools mentioned right away. To determine which tools and investments are necessary for your business, it's important to do some research and assess your specific needs. Look into the tools that successful Etsy sellers in your niche are using and consider whether they are relevant for your business. Keep in mind that investing in too many tools all at once can be overwhelming and may not be financially feasible for a beginner.
I’d recommend just picking 1 or 2 of those tools. You don’t need more then that. And free is always good. :) marmalead is a good one for very broad key search terms and one for beginners looking at niches and niching down.
Hi Nikki! I typed up a big response to your comment but I don't think it actually posted lol, I will try again! The personal development/productivity niche is very profitable!! I haven't done super in depth research but I had considered this niche before and there's tons of potential there as a beginner shop. Just make sure to do research about the individual product and be as competitve as possible with the design, because a lot of people will be buying in this niche based on the aesthetics of the planner. Also try to include features that maybe other products don't have (an example would be adding a habit tracker with the planner). For your second question, I totally believe in starting as lean as possible until you start making some sales. Definitely Canva pro is a must, but I prefer erank as the only other paid tool as it's just $6/month for the cheapest plan. I use the free version of Alura a ton and sometimes the free everbee.
@@whatshaesells Thanks Shae, you clarified so many things for me! ❤️ but just one more thing … so the niche I chose is ok in terms of not necessary to niche down further and keeping it as it is? Also; I heard you mention some niches are super saturated so if personal development/productivity niche is saturated; if I include features that are unique and original then it won’t be as saturated as it may be right now? Also, how do I figure out how to price products just right? So that it’s not too little to make a profit but it’s not too overly-pricey either? Thanks again! Your channel is like God-sent to me! ❤️😊
@@SuperNikki1987 Yes the entire productivity niche is great! It's a large niche but still niched down enough that you'll have a cohesive looking store :) I don't think that niche in general is too saturated (some products might be) but there's still plenty of opportunity for new sellers in that niche. For pricing, I just go off of the market and what the bestsellers are priced at. I don't like to go cheaper, I usually will price the same or provide more value and price higher! You really don't want to go too cheap and lowball yourself! Also I do run sales of 10-15% off so my prices fluctuate slightly :)
Wow! We're a lot alike! I grew up with a single mom who worked hard and saved so much money just for me to go to college so I got a bachelors degree in IT (information technology) because I craved financial security too and that was a high paying degree. During college I too got an internship that paid a lot of money and I hated it too. But my mom told me to keep at it that not all jobs are this bad and it's important to keep a good employment history of working with an employer of more than 1 year. So I did that and ended up with a job that was a lot like this that I hated more so now I'm trying to start my own etsy business as well. It's nice hearing that I'm not the only one who also felt guilty being privileged to work for a good job but I hated it too. It just wasn't for me. I didn't understand the idea of working and dying for someone else's dream when I knew I had more potential than that. I just want to enjoy life and not wake up every morning getting the Monday blues.
Thank you for sharing, I can relate to your story so much! I too had a single mom (she's since remarried) but going to college and getting that engineering degree was a pretty "big deal" in my family! I completely agree- people are like "why did you leave a prestigious engineering job to sell things online?" But it's simply because I didn't want to work my whole life towards someone else's dream- and ultimately having your own businesses and investments will lead to more success in the long run! Best of luck in starting your own side hustles and leaving your job, wishing you so much success 💕
Is there anyway you can hop on a phone call about your knowledge on reselling. Walked into a goodwill outlet for the first time after watching this and I see crazy potential.😅 Great content by the way!!!😋
Oh my gosh the Goodwill outlets are so crazy!! I have been to them all over the country and some are better than others for sure. Some (especially in larger cities) are an absolute goldmine. I know a ton of people that make 6 figures just from flipping things at the goodwill outlets! I currently don't have time to do calls unfortunately... but maybe at some point I'll make a video further into reselling! I learned most of my reselling knowledge from other UA-cam channels, the best imo is Mogi Beth, she mostly does women's clothing. My biggest advice with that is just to learn the brands. Once you become an expert on what brands are good and how to look up what something will sell for, you have a major advantage at the thrift stores!
Awesome...great info!❤ Very encouraging. Thanks for sharing. Would you considered outsourcing/hiring someone to handle shipping for your reselling business to keep it going? What are your thoughts on that?
Thank you! Yes I do have a virtual assistant for my reselling and I have hired people in the past to help with tasks like photography. I have considered outsourcing at length. But ultimately there are limitations that didn't make sense- for instance obtaining inventory is one of the most time consuming parts- once you outsource that (as in just buying large pallets in bulk), your margins get slimmer and slimmer as the inventory usually becomes worse. That, coupled with paying someone to handle shipping, and it makes things even worse! I have done a ton of calculations and projections on this (I have a spreadsheet where I went over different scenarios lol) and I can't get the numbers to work to hire someone! The only exception would be to hire someone really flexible and cheap (like a family member), but I don't live near family so that didn't make sense. Anyways those are my thoughts lol!
Thank you so much for this video! It was interesting to hear that this journey didn't happen overnight for you! I still have my 9-5 job, but I've been wanting to start a side hustle as well so that I can leave one day. Do you have a video or a list of the books/podcasts that you've read about stocks, investing, financial independence, etc? Thanks :)
It definitely was a process haha! I will probably make a video or short about that at some point. But my favorite podcasts are the bigger pockets real estate podcast, the bigger pockets money podcast, afford anything, and choose FI. I pretty much binged those and learned so much!
Hola Shae, me encanta me encanta escuchar tus vídeos. Me gusta mucho tu sinceridad y la forma tan simple y abierta como explicas todo. Tengo que aprender a ser más disciplinada con mi tienda. Te deseo mucho éxito hermosa 😘Saludos desde España!!
hey shae! love your videos, very relatable on googling the highest paying bachelor jobs, currently in college myself and I remember googling right before I was starting my college application, and thats how I decided on my major. I plan on starting on my etsy shop during the summer, and I have been able to to take alot of nice notes watching your videos! Do you suggest on creating a LLC for these types of etsy shops, or do you think it would be fine if I start off with out one since I believe there isn't as big of a risk of getting sued with digital products if we dont plagiarise or use copyrighted content?
Hi! Thank you :) I don't think an LLC is necessary, but eventually as you grow, you'll want to get one for tax benefits! If you can set one up from the beginning, that's great, but you shouldn't let not having one deter you from getting started!
Congratulations Shae on your success at Etsy! Your videos are super interesting and helpful. I wanted to start selling digital templates on Etsy for a some months now and finally started my shop this week. However it got suspended within 24hrs of opening. At first i was shocked but later realised this happened with almost all new shops from India (maybe other places too but not sure). I didn't violate any of their policies. I then realised how little control sellers have on Etsy. Apparently a lot of other accounts got suspended too and how one can totally lose a big chunk of their income overnight. What are your thoughts on this?
I agree that it’s really unfortunate how little control you have when you are selling on another platform. Etsy is super unfair with new shops and shuts them down so frequently. The only way to fully have control is to completely sell on your own site like Shopify, but generating your own sales from that will take a lot longer than on Etsy. Ultimately I think the pros of selling on Etsy greatly outweigh the cons,but it's still so annoying what Etsy does! I'm sorry your shop got suspended :( has Etsy got back to you on it yet?
Yes I've definitely thought about POD! I would consider it in the future. I am interested more in unique POD rather than just t-shirts (like cutting boards, jewelry, candles, etc.)
@@whatshaesells why not? :-) you have a lot of followers on UA-cam so wouldn’t it be a good chance to gain more sales if you promote it here? I’m just learning so I am really curious now!
@@Lienvandh It's mainly for conversion rate reasons. Sharing my shop would get me a lot of views but not a lot more sales (my items are not in a niche that most of the people that watch my youtube would be interested in). So this would tank my conversion rate and hurt my store in the Etsy algorithm!
Shae, what an incredible example of excellence and diligence. You are right not many people have the motivation for consistency and so I for one am so glad how you share with us 'how' you've done it. I think the effort that you out into making your videos informative is phenomenal. Just a huge thank you from me. Could I could ask a question, do you think digital children + adult party invitations are a profitable Etsy niche? Huge Blessings🤎
HI! Thank you :) I haven't done way in depth research on that niche but yes I think it's profitable and possible to break into as a beginner. There's also so many options and variations in that niche so you'll never run out of products to make and new designs to try. I'd say go for it as long as the SEO looks good and there's newer shops that are making sales!
I completely know that feeling of hating your job and just don’t want to be that kind of life anymore…. I am 36 years old and I hate my job, i feel miserable every day when going to that job. I already tried 5 jobs but I just don’t feel happy working for a boss and being a slave and even having to ask permission to go to the toilet, or anything. So I started my Etsy job with digital products 10 months ago, putting a lot of time and work into it, and I was hoping I could quit my terrible job after some months. But… I sold 16 products until now. So here I am watching our videos to learn and get inspired.
It’s the consistency where I fall short. Thank you for this reminder
It's really the hardest part I think! I have to set a reminder to work on Etsy (or whatever project it is) every day and schedule it out or it doesn't get done!
I like how you took the time to break down the story from your university days till present, makes it much more relatable and value-packed.
Wish you elite success in your Etsy shop and keep the quality content coming!
Thank you so much!
I love how your interactive with your audience
Thank you :)
I’ve been binging all your Etsy videos and then came across this one … low and behold, I feel like my life is literally yours. I’m in a 8-5 job, and I resell clothing but I’ve been wanting to sell on Etsy. Would love a video on how you balance the 2 side hustles!
Wow! Awesome story - Thank you for sharing.
Yeeyy!! Rich dad poor dad was also my first self help book I read and it changed my life and my mindset on money 😊
Yay!! I seriously love that book!!
I enjoyed hearing your journey to this point in your life. It always helps to hear about the “failures” - lessons learned - from those who are successful. I look forward to seeing your Etsy shop continue to grow and can’t wait to celebrate with you when you achieve your goal this year!
Thank you so much! It's true, hopefully some of my failures can help others avoid the same mistakes haha!
Congratulations! You are a smart girl! Very happy for you!
Aww thank you so much :)
You are an amazing young woman. It warms my heart that you are sharing your success with others. God bless you and your efforts. I have no doubt that you will achieve your goals.
Thank you so much Toni 😊 I appreciate your kind words, it means so much!
Love ur talk, definitely pump up my spirit 🎉 thanks again
You're welcome :)
I saw your first month on Etsy and I got so inspired because I never thought of a revenue splitted like this, I’m guessing it’s a lack of objective! But it looks like you know how to be consistent and how work on it! I’m glad that I found you and now I’m waiting to see your fifth month on Etsy! I started to list more frequently so thank you for the inspiration❤
Thank you!! Glad my videos have been helpful ❤️
Yes! 🔥 👏👏 I hollered when you revealed that book. That book had the same mind altering effect on my brain when I first read it in high school 1998. 🤯 One of my all time favorites is his 'Cashflow Quadrant'. That snippet of your video would make a interesting short form hook btw, "The Best Dollar I Ever Spent!" 😂
Thanks for all the informative digital Etsy content!
Oh my gosh the cashflow quadrant is what really blew my mind!! Haha I will be forever grateful for whoever decided to donate that book to the thrift store so I could buy it! Haha great idea for a youtube short!
wow your story is so impressive, your discipline is crazy! That is my biggest struggle, how are you getting so much done - shipping and uploading hundreds of pieces of clothing while working as a chemical engineer wow!
Haha thank you so much! The truth is, I don't really have hobbies other than reading and working on side hustles haha. That sounds sad but it's really not because I enjoy that stuff! I heard on a podcast once this guy that was talking about how he just switched his hobbies to lucrative ones, he said something like "instead of learning to play the guitar, I'm learning to make money" (no offense to people that play the guitar haha)- but it kind of just stuck with me haha. Especially early on, reselling didn't feel like work because it was so fun and interesting, I loved doing it in my spare time!
It should be "people don't want to be slaves anymore! " instead of "people don't want to work anymore " Many people particularly the younger generation, use the range of unconventional methods of earning a living these days. I worked in the retail for over 10 years, so I'm quite happy that this is taking place. For too long, retail bullied me and a lot of my employees/colleagues saying things like " if you don't like it, go; another like you is waiting to get in your position" since the COVID, I found a job that helps me grow, pays me more and Values Me Social Media cleared the way for a rapidly expanding market, and it taught us a lot. 2020 was my turning point, and investment helped alot!
Yeah the 2020 pandemic gave everyone a big rethink! I tried a lot of things I realized I shouldn't just let my savings sit around in the bank, try side hustles. It paid!
Having to spend time with family, that's the real MVP! 🏆 Time is your major asset as a human but these corporation try to steal it sadly
@Olivia Jayden there's various profitable ways to invest. Starting out you need to work with experienced hands to work you through. As a rookie I dabbled in and made mistakes till I got a mentor to put me on the right track. You can search one too, read books and do your own research
Yes! Rachel Blanc. I really recommend her services because she has amazing competence and a calm approach to guiding you. I can attest to her credibility try and do your own due diligence
That's her we bpage name you can look it up online and connect with her
Honestly, very inspiring and motivating. Especially the fact that one has the ability to create the life that he or she desires. BTW, really enjoying and appreciating your content. Please keep it coming!
Thank you so much!
I love your story! I actually have that rich dad poor dad book! Thanks for sharing! Very helpful😊🌸
That book literally changed my life 🥲 So glad this vid was helpful, thanks for watching! 💕
@@whatshaesells thank you!!🥰🥰🥰
Amazing story!, consistency is king, or queen, it's so true that most people lack it...I go through seasons myself, it really is the secret sauce, the most important ingredient. Whatever you do, do it consistently. Much love, thanks for another great video. Soon you'll add YT to your list of great paying side hustles!
Thanks Noam! It's so true. Haha hopefully I can add YT to that list 🙏🏽
Your story Shae is trully inspiring! I believe we all have an entrepreneur sleeping inside us, who once awaken up will never go back to sleep. It doesn't matter if you fail at some of your side hustles, because the most successful people are also the ones who failed the most. The only way to ensure that you won't fail is to not try at all. I am following your Etsy journey and I am glad to see that your shop is doing great so far! I am sure that if you are consistent till the end of the year, you will manage to exceed your goal.
You are so right! Mine will never go back to sleep lol. Thank you for the encouragement :)
So cool to know you also are a reseller & changed careers. You came up in my feed about a month ago because I've been looking to add Etsy & POD to my successful Ebay & Facebook businesses...the algorithm does work sometimes 😜
Haha what a coincidence! I love that you are adding Etsy on too, it's great to have more streams of income and a great way to diversify!
Loved hearing your journey ❤
Thank you :)
Shae, thank you so much for this video. Im looking forward to watch this kind of content of yours. I learned about Etsy nearly 3 months ago. I live in a 3th world country and digital business or dollar income are pretty much foreign consepts. I started to research, tried to find a niche and putting the effort. Your videos inspired me and my husband so much. I also hated my job after gratuating (im a psychologist) my husband is working as a engineer with a semi-high paying job. We don't have a child either. We invested in stocks and decided to buy a land. But as you highlighted, it is very uncomfortable and scary not to have a stedy, consistent income. I really hope we can achieve what you achieved. Congrats on your etsy journey. Wish you the best ❤ and im always open to advices ☺️
Hi! Thank you for sharing your story! Making money online can be so powerful for you while living in a 3rd world country. Congrats on investing as well and wishing you so much success in your future endeavors ❤️
This is by far the best story I've heard on financial independence. It's realistic and relatable.
Also just a suggestion: Hire Help! You can't do it all by yourself. Get someone else to take the photos or pack and ship the products. Hire a college student or teen who is still living with their parents. That way your labor costs stay low. And hire them as an independent contractor so you don't have to worry about the headache of payroll etc. But yeah in order to scale, you need help. Don't burn yourself out hun. hope that helps 😊
Thank you :) Also I do have a virtual assistant and I have hired people as independent contractors to help me with photography in the past! But even with that, scaling the reselling is just not where I wanted to take things! I do agree with hiring help as soon as possible though!
This is so inspiring. Thank you! I currently am a reseller and have an Etsy store as well (POD & some digital) so this was so exciting! I also have a full time job I want to replace. So yes any reselling topics I would also love to hear about!
Oh my gosh that's awesome! I love doing reselling too with Etsy because it just diversifies things and means more streams of income :)
This is your best video yet, I think this will really be helpful for my wife and I. Thank you for sharing your personal journey w/ us🙏🏾
Thank you so much! Glad it’s helpful 🙏🏽
Another great one, Shae! I would love to learn even more from your success on Etsy. If there ever comes a time where you plan on sharing your strategy in depth in the form of a course, training, etc. I'd be all over it! 🚀
Thank you Mary! I definitely have some ideas in the works because I'd love to go in depth and share all I know! I'll let you know when I do come out with something ❤️
I really enjoy watching and listening your story and tips. I want to start on Etsy with digital content like you and like you I’m watching a lot of videos etc to the point now that I was wondering if it’s not too much and that maybe I should finally start creating and open that shop 😂 downside for me is that I got a computer issues atm and I don’t know how to use canva, AI tools …yet😅 but I’m heading there. Just need to move really quickly as I don’t have full time job and savings are running out fast when you have kids 🙈
🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 for you! Stay our inspiration!🎉🌷
Yes Canva was a big learning curve for me but I watched so many videos on it to figure it out! You definitely won't regret starting a side hustle and working towards it!! Wishing you success 💕
Congratulations on everything you have achieved so far! When watching your videos, you come across as very comfortable and natural at being an entrepreneur, wishing you even more success👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you Salma! That means a lot because I've been trying to become "comfortable with the uncomfortable"- which is what so much of entrepreneurship is!
Bless you ❤️ thank you so much for sharing ❤❤
Thank you for making this video! It's so relatable and it's exactly what I went through. I grew up thinking I had to get good grades, go to a good college, get a STEM degree, get a good job, and then work a standard 9-5 job until I retire. When I found out about financial freedom and how there were other sources of income besides a salaried job and how working a standard 9-5 job will never really get you to financial freedom, it blew my mind. After working several years out of college and multiple different jobs, I also realized how I hated the whole concept of working 8 hours a day or more and being on someone else's time. I'm hoping to one day be finally free of relying on a salaried job for income!
Oh my gosh we have such similar stories!! Wishing you success on being financially free, that's my eventual goal- to retire early!
Great Video! To be honest, I thought you were far younger, like barely out of college type young lol. You got some good genes, girl! lol. Thanks for sharing your story.
Haha thank you! Yeah, I'm almost in my 30's but I get mistaken for a college student all the time 😆
Your story of going to college and then finding you don't like an office job is very similar to others I've heard in the slow living movement. So you're definitely not the only one!
Starting this month, I am on a year-long sabbatical from work because I need to take care of my grandmother's estate, help my mother move and set up a new house, and do some deferred maintenance on my house. I'm also taking this time to slow down and de-stress. I've worked for 9.5 years without any break. (Previously, I had a break of a few months to nearly 2 years between jobs--not intentionally; it just worked out that way.) I was bored with my job and even though it wasn't hard and there was nothing bad about any part of it, I just couldn't stand getting up in the mornings and going. I wanted to be anywhere but that job.
Now, I am happy when I wake up and I work for myself all day, cleaning up my house and doing yard chores. (I have 5.5 acres, so that's not a small amount of chores.) I'm also building an Etsy POD business that I started last year and I want to launch a blog soon as well. I am hoping that between the two of them (or maybe three; I have dabbled just a tiny bit in reselling as well and it's in the queue as a possible hustle), I will be able to make enough money that I don't have to go back to work next year. I don't need an engineer's salary (although I certainly wouldn't say "no" to it, lol) so I don't have as high a bar to jump.
Oh my gosh I love your story, thank you for sharing!! I felt the same waking up with my 9 to 5. Wishing you so much success in your new lifestyle, it sounds wonderful ✨
Wow! Thanks for sharing your story! So inspiring!
Hi Shae, so nice to hear your backstory. Would love to hear more about your reseller journey. My daughter is trying to make her way via Depop is there a reason you’re not on that platform? This is such a motivating story. Thank you
Hi! Thank you :) I haven't tried Depop, and the main reason is the clientele on there aren't really my ideal clients for what I sell. Maybe it's changed but in the past Depop was much better for vintage clothing, or trendy Y2K styles and there's a much younger crowd on there. I sell a lot of mid-tier luxury clothing and dresses, so Poshmark made so much more sense! It didn't make sense to crosslist all my items onto Depop when I didn't think there was a major ROI there. But depending on what you're selling Depop could be very viable! I do recommend your daughter crosslists onto other platforms though (depending on what she's selling).
Really appreciate the background info to your journey. Very validating, thank you.
Thank you! Glad it was helpful :)
So enjoyed hearing about your journey! Such a smart cookie. You will go far! ❤
Thank you 💕
Hi Shae! Will you be continuing the Etsy Beginner Strategies series you started? I see parts 1&2 but not parts 3, 4, and 5 that you had mentioned in the first video of the series (Part 3: Creating your listings, Part 4: Etsy SEO!!! Part 5: Etsy marketing and branding, and bringing it all together!). Thanks!
Hi! Yes the next video is part 4, seo! I have part 3 up but it is divided into two videos :)
New follower here and watched all the vids. You're doing great! Keep it up!!!
Thank you so much!!
I've been following along, and I love hearing about your journey. Everything you share is so practical and clear. I would love to see a video about your favorite books/reads/podcasts! I, too read Rich Dad, Poor Dad and enjoyed it!
Thank you so much Cathy! That's a great idea. I have a big list that I can share in a vid at some point! Off the top of my head, my favorite podcasts are the bigger pockets money podcast, the bigger pockets real estate podcast, and the afford anything podcast!
Hey Shae, I just watched your video and I must say that it was really informative and well-made. I loved your videos. I was wondering if I could help you edit your videos and also make highly engaging shorts for you?
Hi! My business email is whatshaesells@gmail.com
Keep teaching us Shae! I love listening and learning 😊
Thank you Dawn :)
Amazing Story! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you!!
Thank you for this! Such a great, straight-forward video. Congrats on your success!
Thank you so much ❤️
4:00 im at this point and i have the same thought. i'm a software engineer and i love coding. but im only 22 and i knowi can do so much more.
the feeling of putting my heart and soul into something just for a fixed salary and building someone elses empire doesnt sit right with me.
as soon as i can sustain myself through a business then i am leaving my job.
Oh my gosh I love this. I always wished I did software engineering because of all the potential those coding skills have to be used to build your own thing! I totally support that, and wishing you so much success towards that goal Hamza!
@@whatshaesells Thanks so much! It's really sick, the power that coding gives you in your day to day life, the things you can automate, the problems that you can solve etc
I want a succesful etsy store just like you, but for selling spreadsheets so I can have an income. But I will always be coding whether it's for my career or not.
Hi Shae, first off I wanna thank you for making these videos. You are such an inspiration to me. I found your channel just a few days to a week ago and I’ve been watching your video from the very beginning. Your videos helped me to just go for it and let go of any fear I held for too long. I also want to start a digital Etsy shop but kept procrastinating for silly reasons! So thanks again! ❤️
I have 2 questions …
Firstly, I am still having difficulty in finding a niche because I want to find a niche that is both profitable but also is my passion and something that I enjoy making so I was thinking of creating “personal development/self growth” digital planners, journals, calendars, and so on but also have a piece of quotes written on them to uplift people’ day or mood like a piece of poetry. quotation, or just a “saying” that I come up with and design myself but I think it is still too broad but I have no idea how I can niche this down any further and I’m not sure if it is a profitable niche either!
My 2nd question is … what are all the start-up costs and financial investments that I have to consider because I’m watching other UA-cam videos and the list is endless of all the tools these people say to have in order to be successful on Etsy!
They say aside from canva pro which I agree that canva pro is essential but they also say we should have the following … erank, marmalade, alura, sales samurai, everbee, and I’m sure that there are some more but it’s kind of hard to invest in everything all at once when you are a beginner and money is a bit of an issue to invest in all of this at the very beginning. Are all these absolutely necessary in order to be able to grow your business to 6 figures because my goal is to also grow my store to 6 figures! 🥰
Another thing is that I know that you said that you are a beginner and new on Etsy but you’re not new to online business but I am. I am new in everything and I have never worked online before so is it still possible for someone who is a total beginner in online business to still grow a store to 6 figures?
I’m sorry for my list of questions, I’m just confused a little bit! ❤️
Keep doing what you’re doing shae and I am rooting for you to reach your annual goal by the end of 2023! 😊
In terms of the tools you mentioned, while they may be useful in growing your business, they are not all necessary to get started. It's important to prioritize which tools are most essential for your business and invest in them first. Canva Pro, for example, is a great tool for creating professional-looking designs for your products and marketing materials. However, you may not need all the other tools mentioned right away.
To determine which tools and investments are necessary for your business, it's important to do some research and assess your specific needs. Look into the tools that successful Etsy sellers in your niche are using and consider whether they are relevant for your business. Keep in mind that investing in too many tools all at once can be overwhelming and may not be financially feasible for a beginner.
I’d recommend just picking 1 or 2 of those tools. You don’t need more then that. And free is always good. :) marmalead is a good one for very broad key search terms and one for beginners looking at niches and niching down.
Hi Nikki! I typed up a big response to your comment but I don't think it actually posted lol, I will try again! The personal development/productivity niche is very profitable!! I haven't done super in depth research but I had considered this niche before and there's tons of potential there as a beginner shop. Just make sure to do research about the individual product and be as competitve as possible with the design, because a lot of people will be buying in this niche based on the aesthetics of the planner. Also try to include features that maybe other products don't have (an example would be adding a habit tracker with the planner).
For your second question, I totally believe in starting as lean as possible until you start making some sales. Definitely Canva pro is a must, but I prefer erank as the only other paid tool as it's just $6/month for the cheapest plan. I use the free version of Alura a ton and sometimes the free everbee.
@@whatshaesells Thanks Shae, you clarified so many things for me! ❤️ but just one more thing … so the niche I chose is ok in terms of not necessary to niche down further and keeping it as it is?
Also; I heard you mention some niches are super saturated so if personal development/productivity niche is saturated; if I include features that are unique and original then it won’t be as saturated as it may be right now?
Also, how do I figure out how to price products just right? So that it’s not too little to make a profit but it’s not too overly-pricey either?
Thanks again! Your channel is like God-sent to me! ❤️😊
@@SuperNikki1987 Yes the entire productivity niche is great! It's a large niche but still niched down enough that you'll have a cohesive looking store :) I don't think that niche in general is too saturated (some products might be) but there's still plenty of opportunity for new sellers in that niche. For pricing, I just go off of the market and what the bestsellers are priced at. I don't like to go cheaper, I usually will price the same or provide more value and price higher! You really don't want to go too cheap and lowball yourself! Also I do run sales of 10-15% off so my prices fluctuate slightly :)
Wow! We're a lot alike! I grew up with a single mom who worked hard and saved so much money just for me to go to college so I got a bachelors degree in IT (information technology) because I craved financial security too and that was a high paying degree. During college I too got an internship that paid a lot of money and I hated it too. But my mom told me to keep at it that not all jobs are this bad and it's important to keep a good employment history of working with an employer of more than 1 year. So I did that and ended up with a job that was a lot like this that I hated more so now I'm trying to start my own etsy business as well. It's nice hearing that I'm not the only one who also felt guilty being privileged to work for a good job but I hated it too. It just wasn't for me. I didn't understand the idea of working and dying for someone else's dream when I knew I had more potential than that. I just want to enjoy life and not wake up every morning getting the Monday blues.
Thank you for sharing, I can relate to your story so much! I too had a single mom (she's since remarried) but going to college and getting that engineering degree was a pretty "big deal" in my family! I completely agree- people are like "why did you leave a prestigious engineering job to sell things online?" But it's simply because I didn't want to work my whole life towards someone else's dream- and ultimately having your own businesses and investments will lead to more success in the long run! Best of luck in starting your own side hustles and leaving your job, wishing you so much success 💕
Is there anyway you can hop on a phone call about your knowledge on reselling. Walked into a goodwill outlet for the first time after watching this and I see crazy potential.😅
Great content by the way!!!😋
Oh my gosh the Goodwill outlets are so crazy!! I have been to them all over the country and some are better than others for sure. Some (especially in larger cities) are an absolute goldmine. I know a ton of people that make 6 figures just from flipping things at the goodwill outlets! I currently don't have time to do calls unfortunately... but maybe at some point I'll make a video further into reselling! I learned most of my reselling knowledge from other UA-cam channels, the best imo is Mogi Beth, she mostly does women's clothing. My biggest advice with that is just to learn the brands. Once you become an expert on what brands are good and how to look up what something will sell for, you have a major advantage at the thrift stores!
Awesome...great info!❤ Very encouraging. Thanks for sharing.
Would you considered outsourcing/hiring someone to handle shipping for your reselling business to keep it going? What are your thoughts on that?
Thank you! Yes I do have a virtual assistant for my reselling and I have hired people in the past to help with tasks like photography. I have considered outsourcing at length. But ultimately there are limitations that didn't make sense- for instance obtaining inventory is one of the most time consuming parts- once you outsource that (as in just buying large pallets in bulk), your margins get slimmer and slimmer as the inventory usually becomes worse. That, coupled with paying someone to handle shipping, and it makes things even worse! I have done a ton of calculations and projections on this (I have a spreadsheet where I went over different scenarios lol) and I can't get the numbers to work to hire someone! The only exception would be to hire someone really flexible and cheap (like a family member), but I don't live near family so that didn't make sense. Anyways those are my thoughts lol!
@@whatshaesells Oh wow. I see. Thanks for breaking that down.😊
I really love this video! Thank you for sharing your journey =)
Thank you so much ❤️
Thank you so much for this video! It was interesting to hear that this journey didn't happen overnight for you! I still have my 9-5 job, but I've been wanting to start a side hustle as well so that I can leave one day.
Do you have a video or a list of the books/podcasts that you've read about stocks, investing, financial independence, etc? Thanks :)
It definitely was a process haha! I will probably make a video or short about that at some point. But my favorite podcasts are the bigger pockets real estate podcast, the bigger pockets money podcast, afford anything, and choose FI. I pretty much binged those and learned so much!
@@whatshaesells Thank you :)
Good for you!!!❤
Thank you Leslie! ❤️
What other ways you made money online? Please make a vdo on this topic
Oh good idea! I can definitely do that :)
Hola Shae, me encanta me encanta escuchar tus vídeos. Me gusta mucho tu sinceridad y la forma tan simple y abierta como explicas todo. Tengo que aprender a ser más disciplinada con mi tienda. Te deseo mucho éxito hermosa 😘Saludos desde España!!
Hello! Thank you so much, glad these videos are helpful :) Being more disciplined is a constant struggle for me as well lol, wishing you much success!
Hi, Thank you for sharing your story. So inpiring! Do you just have one Etsy shop?
Thank you :) I do just have one Etsy shop right now!
Nice!!! Thank you!!💜
hey shae! love your videos, very relatable on googling the highest paying bachelor jobs, currently in college myself and I remember googling right before I was starting my college application, and thats how I decided on my major. I plan on starting on my etsy shop during the summer, and I have been able to to take alot of nice notes watching your videos! Do you suggest on creating a LLC for these types of etsy shops, or do you think it would be fine if I start off with out one since I believe there isn't as big of a risk of getting sued with digital products if we dont plagiarise or use copyrighted content?
Hi! Thank you :) I don't think an LLC is necessary, but eventually as you grow, you'll want to get one for tax benefits! If you can set one up from the beginning, that's great, but you shouldn't let not having one deter you from getting started!
Very impressive!
Thanks Cort ♥️♥️
Congratulations Shae on your success at Etsy! Your videos are super interesting and helpful. I wanted to start selling digital templates on Etsy for a some months now and finally started my shop this week. However it got suspended within 24hrs of opening. At first i was shocked but later realised this happened with almost all new shops from India (maybe other places too but not sure). I didn't violate any of their policies.
I then realised how little control sellers have on Etsy. Apparently a lot of other accounts got suspended too and how one can totally lose a big chunk of their income overnight. What are your thoughts on this?
I agree that it’s really unfortunate how little control you have when you are selling on another platform. Etsy is super unfair with new shops and shuts them down so frequently. The only way to fully have control is to completely sell on your own site like Shopify, but generating your own sales from that will take a lot longer than on Etsy. Ultimately I think the pros of selling on Etsy greatly outweigh the cons,but it's still so annoying what Etsy does! I'm sorry your shop got suspended :( has Etsy got back to you on it yet?
@@whatshaesells Not really : ( just some automated msgs.
@@adititiwari5420 Ugh i'm so sorry. Maybe creating a ticket will help?
Curious to know if you've ever thought about doing print on demand instead of just digital products?
Yes I've definitely thought about POD! I would consider it in the future. I am interested more in unique POD rather than just t-shirts (like cutting boards, jewelry, candles, etc.)
Big Capricorn energy
haha I am Aquarius but same vibes!
No Capricorn in your chart? lol@@whatshaesells
mmm , thats why ♥ :)
Why aren't you linking your own etsy store in none of your video's?
I don’t want UA-cam to impact my Etsy store
@@whatshaesells why not? :-) you have a lot of followers on UA-cam so wouldn’t it be a good chance to gain more sales if you promote it here? I’m just learning so I am really curious now!
@@Lienvandh It's mainly for conversion rate reasons. Sharing my shop would get me a lot of views but not a lot more sales (my items are not in a niche that most of the people that watch my youtube would be interested in). So this would tank my conversion rate and hurt my store in the Etsy algorithm!
@@whatshaesells oh I get it now. It’s smart! Thank you for the info! :-)
@@Lienvandh Your welcome :)
Hello Shae, How can I contact you?
Hi! My business email is whatshaesells@gmail.com
Shae, what an incredible example of excellence and diligence. You are right not many people have the motivation for consistency and so I for one am so glad how you share with us 'how' you've done it. I think the effort that you out into making your videos informative is phenomenal. Just a huge thank you from me.
Could I could ask a question, do you think digital children + adult party invitations are a profitable Etsy niche?
Huge Blessings🤎
HI! Thank you :) I haven't done way in depth research on that niche but yes I think it's profitable and possible to break into as a beginner. There's also so many options and variations in that niche so you'll never run out of products to make and new designs to try. I'd say go for it as long as the SEO looks good and there's newer shops that are making sales!
@@whatshaesells Thank you for the reply Shae. I'll dig a bit more to see if newer shops are selling, thank you! Blessings
You are the inspiration! 🫶🏻 have been following you since a month ago as I also wanna start Etsy shops
Thank you so much!! ☺️
I really enjoy your honest videos. Thank you! Where can I reach you privately? (Insta?) I would like to ask your opinion about my shop.
Hi! I'm not super active on Insta, but my email is whatshaesells@gmail.com