I tell my 22 year old son all the time...we didn't have these opportunities when growing up in the 60s and 70s. I tell him to take advantage of the internet to start a business or start a UA-cam channel. Thanks for sharing this. I have plans to start an Etsy shop myself. I'm definitely going to do it now.
@@Sanity_Faire I shared it openly in the past but stopped after I got a bunch of people copying my designs. I might share it again at some point in the future once my store is more established. Hope you understand!
@@TimKoa I do understand. Would you be able to share what kind of products you're selling on Etsy. Just to get an idea of the niche that produce these numbers. Thanks in advance.
I am so here for your calm vibes. Business videos are usually so high strung that they are hard to watch and just stress me out even more. But your channel is a soothing "you got this". Thanks for making these. :)
$43k selling stickers as a side hustle is not to shabby at all..CONGRATS Brother..I'm just like you, plenty of ideas but acting on them is another story..Thanks for sharing..Keep Crushing It!! Stay HUMBLE, Stay HUNGRY, Stay FOCUSED...~The Jarhead Entrepreneur
Candid advice indeed! There are lot of people on youtube telling how to get things done for selling artwork, but you have not only told it step by setp but also shared your setbacks and feelings, that is really appreciable.
Not sure if You'll ever see this, but this has to be one of the most down to earth and real videos I've watched. I could resonate right from the start, and know that I'll face a lot of these challenges over the coming year! Thank you so much for creating this content, it's refreshing to see something more authentic than a classic script video with a little 'results' section in the last 30 seconds of the video. I'll be sticking around this channel! Thanks :)
I've been on the fence for a few months about starting a side hustle on etsy. I've purchased tons of files with commercial rights over the last few years for 3d printing. I listed about 30 items, and got my first sale in the first 24 hours. Thanks for the motivation homie.
I love how honest and sincere this video is. I’ve began researching into getting a sticker shop up and running myself and looking for ways to start. And it just so happens I came across this video. Thanks Tim! I can see your passion coming through and how positive you are. Keep up the good work Tim! I can’t wait to start my shop very very soon…
Because of UA-camrs like you I started a business on Amazon KDP in October. Slow start but I am grateful for the small sales so far. Wish I could thank my buyers In person. For a girl from a 3rd World country in Africa. I am grateful. Unfortunately I can’t open an Etsy Shop from my country.
@@EddiXP I'm also from WEST Africa, Ghana and this is the first time I'm hearing about Esty. What exactly do we do there and what do they mean when they say *plug it*
You have inspired me to finally work on getting my etsy shop up and running. I've been an artist my whole life, I just feel like nobody will never buy my stuff because why when they could just buy someone elses. But...hell if I ever made it to $500 extra a month, that would be a huge boost for me and borderline life changing, honestly.
I appreciate your honesty and how open you were to share all this, it has truly helped me personally. Also I can tell you’re a genuinely kind person with a super warm heart ♥️ thanks for sharing your journey with us !
I'm just back from a burn out because my job (ex job now) was asking a LOT of me during the pandemic and continued to ask more and more until I broke. Now it's behind me I feel like a new man and want to give me a chance to do what I love and for that you're video is pretty encouraging! So thank you 😄.
Wow....loved this video! 👍🏼 You’re not hyper or doing silly stuff or talking way above my head. You’re come across as very wholesome, honest and to the point. Just what I need as I research to figure things out. Very inspiring. 🙂
Thanks for being real about it. I have an Amazon store and it puzzles me how people are making hundreds of thousands a month. I think those are rare cases. In reality it’s not that simple. Most of us are struggling during this economic downturn
Hey Tim -- great video. I loved your comment at the end about growing up... I'm a 69-year-old retired man and I've just opened a new Etsy shop (I mean, like two days ago). I'm hoping to use what I'm learning from you and other UA-camrs to supplement my income by selling my art online. You're right -- when I was your age, there was nothing like this. Far fewer opportuities and options back then. I'm always happy and inspired to see young people like yourself making the most of UA-cam and other such platforms. Go for it. I congratulate you and thank you for sharing your knowledge with us not-so-young anymore beginners!
Congratulations 👏. Put a link when you can and it can be free advertising on your etsy shop. You both are an inspiration. As for me, the initial start up, is where I'm lacking. Pray that I start soo 🙏.
That's really cool. I heard about a pensioner in New Zealand who started her own gaming channel on UA-cam. There is no age limit - just because the average age of gaming UA-camrs is 15-25, doesn't mean a 70 year old can't do it.
Honestly, I went through every single chapter you described with my Etsy business. Thanks for being open and honest. The humbling did my health some good too. Wishing you a successful 2022 and looking forward to more content!!
I can completely relate to the feeling of having ideas and not being able to make them happen because I wanted to settle with my job too BUT I've been feeling the desire to build something and knowing the commitment that comes with it
This video is very inspiring for me. I am a nurse, but I can no longer work due to illness. I'm not an expert at making things, but I've seen thousands of tutorials on UA-cam and I've been encouraged to start my own business on Etsy. Thank you so much for this video, you don't know how much it helps me.
Hey Tim. I stumbled upon your video when I was trying to find some motivation in life and I just wanted to say how I appreciate your words of wisdom that you shared in this video. Sometimes, its the results that matters, but the beginning steps that started it all. I will manifest that my dreams would become actions. Thanks for being a positive example and for your transparency. Keep it up bro!
At the end you became very inspirational with your speech. And there is so much truth to that. People tend to forget that everybody started as a newbie. Even the biggest people in history started as newbies. If they never tried then they never would have learned and they never would have been as big as they've become. You don't really need papers for 90% of what people do in life. Most of it is motivation and really wanting something. Because that is what makes you want to learn and grow with it. It's like relationships as well. If you are able to be open, learn and grow together then it will grow into a longterm something that is worth it. And it won't be one time, it will continue because growing and learning will never stop if you do it right. Nobody is ever truly done with learning and growing. Great video and thank you for the time you take to explain it all to us. It is truly appreciated.
You have such a great outlook! I am in exactly the same spot, I was overwhelmed with orders and was actually very stressed out and then it slowed down and I was so disheartened, thinking what happened? It is easy to blame what I can’t control. Now I’m creating some new items and really looking at my numbers to figure out what was and is working. We can do this! Never give up! 😀
You are smart to consider the positives rather than the negatives. Positive makes you look at evolving, adding, changing versus doing nothing. I hope you continue to grow your business as you would like.
This is the first video of you I watched. I just stumbled across it scrolling through YT. I am currently building a platform for high performance game server hosting as many other hosting providers use crap hardware and still sell their servers for a huge amount of money and well I’m here to change that game. Thanks for your motivation. Even without a website I already have a few customers and seeing your shop skyrocket really gives me hope that I can achieve the same when I’m done setting everything up. Great video, great spirit. Thank you!
I’m chronically ill and on permanent disability assistance at 22, I can’t afford my necessary surgeries & life feels like it somehow gets darker and darker each month. I’m really hoping I can somehow, someday put my creativity to good use and get myself out of poverty, its a pipe dream but the only hope I have left. I wish the decline in my mental health didn’t get in the way from making art because it’s definitely a helpful outlet, even if you aren’t profiting financially from it! Thank you for sharing
Thank you for taking your time into creating this video with so much transparency and value! I can relate to you so much with always having ideas but never doing anything about it! I finally bit the bullet and created a sticker shop in Oct 2020. This was when I discovered I have a talent for digital art and knowing that people actually want to buy something I created is an incredible feeling which made me continue to push. Keep creating these videos, I know your subscriber numbers are gonna blow up one day! Amazing job 👍
Same here! I've been slow to open sticker businesses in the past for my art as well, especially when people talk about specific subject matters being too high-trafficed or having not as much revenue, and it can be discouraging to get into (unintentionally). These days, I'm planning on opening a sticker shop anyways now that I've graduated college (regardless of whether it's successful to other people's standards or not, it's something I'm finally willing to do more so for my own enjoyment of selling my artwork in sticker form as a side-hustle)! ^^
I moved to Japan and now work from 3pm to 11pm as my job is UK based. I have been trying to balance a new adventure in Japan along with the work life balance and starting new things and challenges. I love how humble you are and the great narration. It in inspiring. Here is to everyone who reads this, lets make our success inevitable together!
@@TheMiyazakiMan Do you also have a business whilst working full time? I just ask because I cannot balance the two and you spoke about work life balance. I have too many interests!
@@biegebythesea6775 Yes, I am also a daddy to 2 lovely young children, I help run my wifes Japanese teaching business with 4 teachers - Cambridge Japanese and I do UA-cam in the late hours of the night for a bit of brand building on Life in Japan and weeb goodies
I don't know how much subscribers you had when you posted this video, but now about a year later, you'll soon hit 100k subscribers, which is really amazing!
Thank you soooo much for this video. I resonate with everything you said about having so many ideas but not starting anything. I’ve finally gotten started and this is exactly what I needed to push me to keep going. It’s been a sloooowww start and I have no idea what I’m doing but hoping for the best! Thanks again for your positivity!
Same here, I have so many creative ideas and never act on it... But in this last month I've been so dedicated to opening my etsy store and creating digital products.
I’ve made over $50,000 each year on Etsy for a good number of years. I’m no longer making that much. It’s almost barely anything now but I’m okay about it, as I want to move away from Etsy due to their current ethos. I just have this huge feeling Etsy gives new shops with potential “in their eyes” a lot of exposure for the first year or two. I got heaps of exposure initially which really helps. Then your on your own and you have to figure out how to scale. I personally wouldn’t get into stickers I don’t think ( although do have a circuit machine and print my stickers for my business) as it’s a hell of a lot of work for not a huge amount in profit margins. I looked into it, but I sell art which can sell at a much higher price point with much higher profit margins (especially if you do it in house). Doing in house though causes a lot of mess though and really I would need a studio ( I shared one at one time). But due to chronic illness that’s all been put on the back burner.
I love your story! I'm a cpa and I have a passion for helping people start, stabilize, and grow their small business. That involves getting their books set up, LLCs setup, and of course, getting you set up for a clean tax year. Please reach out if you need help. This video was great. Loved it. Keep pursing the dream, brother!
I clicked on your video looking to share something with my kids and walked away with more insight than I expected. Thanks for sharing - take care and good luck!
Really glad you didn't get all new equipment and an office and employees! I see so many people get the slightest bump in sales and freak out and over extend themselves and then lose it all since their overhead isn't sustainable. Keep up the great work and you'll be amazed at the progress that compounds over time.
hey man, your video randomly showed up on my youtube and im already a huge fan. really appreciated the humbling section. felt like i really needed to hear that at this very time in my life. thank you for sharing
Stumbled on your channel and wow - am I ever glad I did! Opened my sticker shop last week and no sales yet. All your info is super helpful and I appreciate your honesty. Think I'll binge watch your vids and see how I can improve my shop. Thanks so much for the info!
You seem so kind and like such a good person. I’m really thankful that I found your UA-cam channel today. I’m starting Etsy shop this month and you’ve given me so much to think about. ❤
Started a shop myself on a different platform this past year and can definitely relate to the insane amount of stress you get when you’re doing this alone and your business starts growing faster than expected! You’d think it’s a problem people dream of having but wow it really made me debate whether the money was even worth it. It’s insanely hard to balance it with a full time job when you get to the point where every minute of your free time is consumed by your side hustle like you mentioned. You work 24/7 365. Ultimately ended up taking a break and being one of those people who went “vacation mode”. My body was begging for a mental health break
Thanks for being real and for not skipping the challenging times of your business. I think this is where the real learning and business acumen stems from. Kudos for remaining focused and passionate.
I love how honest and candid this was. Thank you for sharing your story! I think sometimes we think growth is linear (like what you mentioned here). It's also nice that you talked about what the behind-the-scenes of the crazy numbers success felt like. The trade-offs are often not talked about enough I feel.
Came across your video this morning. You're absolutely right about posting these helps with motivation. I actually started my Etsy shop with one sticker last year, and I gave up due to my motivation. Watching your video just lit my motivation up, I'm excited to say I can't wait to make more stickers this year.
The Internet IS amazing. And yes, you are lucky to be growing up during this time. There are so many opportunities for young people, sadly many don't realize that anything worth having in life requires a bit of work. But if you are passionate about what you are doing, it won't FEEL like work. You have a very realistic view of all this. You've been honest with yourself on both your success and failures and it's apparent that you've adapted and overcome the challenges. Sure you fumbled a bit along the way, but you took action and got started and then made small adjustments and course corrections along the way. With this mindset, there's no doubt you'll be successful in whatever you choose to do.
I just finished listening/watching your sticker shop series while I was working and they were really great! I like to hear about different people's experiences and I enjoyed your series so much because it felt a lot less "get rich quick" scheme feeling. I appreciated your transparency with your experiences throughout them. I also enjoyed the chill vibe. This has gotta be one of the most chill entrepreneur videos I’ve watched so far XD. I also started a sticker/pins/3D print shop about a year and a half ago with my partner to help earn some extra income when he got laid off. People actually don’t buy many stickers/pins from us and mostly just sell the handful of 3D prints we designed… However I really enjoy running the shop and being able to turn a lot of my doodles into tangible things. It’s especially exciting when someone orders something that’s my original character! Fortunately for me, I only do this as a side hustle and it’s not my main source of income so I feel like I have the freedom to create what I want rather than only making things hoping they sell which is the opposite of the day job. However I do find creating things for our little shop more fulfilling than any other work! Hopefully we’ll continue to sell enough so I can roll it over to have more new things made. It’d be cool to see an organization/packing station setup video! I love seeing how people organize things. I wish you the best on your sticker shop journey and look forward to future stories!
Thanks for sharing your story! In my experience, when people push "getting rich quick" they are usually making money off of you! Wish you the best on your shop :)
Yo. I just found your channel and wanted to tell you I am so excited to start following your content. You're delivery makes me feel like I'm sitting down and just getting advice with a friend. Authoritative yet authentic.
Thanks again, Tim. I started my shop in Aug 2021 as well and sales aren't high and I know the reason why. I need more discipline in really setting time to manage my business. Maybe in your future videos, you can share your routine, how you manage your time between full time job and the business. Thanks again! As always, your videos are educational and motivational..♥️
Finding balance in doing all the things I want to do is still one of the hardest things for me. Try not to be so hard on yourself and just try your best :)
We are so fortunate just like you said, that we have the internet that we have Google that we have UA-cam, and we don't have to go to college for years to learn things. Now I'm older I'm 61 but I still want to start a side business and I watch people like you to inspire me to do so. And yeah we don't have to just work in the daytime we can work anytime.
I had the exact same explosion in sales in august and september, with that sudden decline thereafter. I too thought I could scale the success and get rich lol. I love running my shop, and I know everyone went through a sales decline during those recent months, so I'm not going to give up. I'm going to work harder and smarter. Thanks for sharing your story.
Same with my jewelry store on Etsy. My best month ever was in August and then it went downhill thereafter. Now I’m focusing on two different Etsy stores. It’s been slow but I’m not giving up!
@@mazmahjoobi I'm so sorry! I felt pretty disappointed after the initial rush of orders. From what I've read, people are speculating that the drop-off might be related to that new Star Seller badge somehow. Who knows what they're doing behind the scenes. I'm considering creating a backup store on shopify in case Etsy decides to continue 'experimenting'.
There are hot and cold periods for this stuff and it takes 2-3 years to really start to see and understand those trends depending on the niche you're in. A big part of my slower period is summer time. but i expect it by now and offer different products at those times also that have proven to be more popular and i plan for the slower months and capitalize on the busier months. Definitely stick with it!
Wow! Your humbling was a super great part of this video. You seem calmer and more relaxed than what you explained as your previous self. I like what you said about being super grateful. Now I know how easy it is to get "caught up" in the money. Thank you for your honesty!
Wow! Very inspiring! I love how you keep it real! I like how you also talk about how you were feeling through each of those stages. 🤩 Your video is very timely. I have been wanting to start a successful side hustle for a couple of years. I’ve been working as a front line worker since the start of the pandemic. Three weeks ago, I was at home isolating due to covid, and decided it was time to start on online business. I have had a fear of social media for years except for entertainment purposes on UA-cam. So I’m facing a huge fear of mine. Knowing that social media is a necessary tool to grow and be successful, I’ve been constantly planning, researching, learning, and creating after I’m home from work. I’m wanting to do a UA-cam channel to document the whole journey as well. I’ve been journaling and taking lots of pictures etc. I’m so excited! So scared but excited! Thank you for sharing your story! Keep up the amazing work!
Can you do a video of packaging your orders? You mentioned how you used to take so long to package each order, and that you had to get faster with the influx of orders. I'm still in that slow packaging phase, I'd love to see and learn from how your systematically package the orders!
It's on the list for videos! Best piece of actionable advise is to batch tasks. Eg for stickers: instead of printing an order, cutting an order, packaging an order, etc. Print all your orders at once, then cut all your orders at once, then package all your orders at once. Hope that helps!
I liked your "how much I made with Etsy" type video so much more than others I've seen, because yours seems much more realistic. I'm just one person, I don't have a marketing background, and I probably won't be making anywhere near $1M or even $100K like a lot of those videos boast. Cool for them but my mental health couldn't take that stress lol. But thank you for sharing your reality and experience! It makes me feel better about starting my humble shop
Hi Tim. Great video. Looking at your monthly income chart, I noticed it peaked in August and began to slow down. Then I thought about business cycles and what kinds of events in August might cause an increase in sticker sales. The only thing I could come up with was teachers purchasing back to school supplies. It would be interesting to see if this pattern continues for you next year. Keep up the great work.
Thank you for being so transparent about your work. A sticker shop comes with quite a lot of material costs - what was your net profit (after taxes?). Also it would be great if you could make a video on how and which systems you put in place to work as efficient as you did. Going from 50/ month to several thousand/month in a couple of months requires quick and efficient systems to be able to fullfill the orders. Best wishes
Hi Laura, I actually find material costs for stickers to be really low in comparison to other types of stores (aside from digital products). As mentioned, I sell orders for $13-14 and material costs (paper, ink, packaging) per order is around $2.50. Of course there's other costs too like Etsy fees + shipping, and I do pay for Etsy ads which I'm going to be going through in an upcoming video. I can't really say what after-tax profits are as my accountant is still working on that for last year, but it's highly dependent on where you live anyways so not sure it would be much help to you. And I will do a video on how I dispatch orders, but it's a lot of work to make those types of videos so I've been procrastinating on it 😅 Thanks for the comment, which you the best! :)
@@elizabethelric3721 What do you mean? He is in Canada and the highest taxation rate is approx 53% (which i'm assuming he hasn't met unless his day job is extremely well paying), but it is always worth it to earn an extra dollar, even if that means it will be taxed slightly higher
I love your perspective on not blaming others and society. I think God was definitely telling you to relax and catch up with yourself ❤️ opened up my Etsy store at the end of December and I am just taking this time to create, focusing on what makes me happy and creating that for others ❤️
the ending of your story hit me the hardest, and im happy to say i started doing what ive been putting off and its been a great road so far! thanks for the advice along the way.
Such a both inspiring and realistic video! Thank you so much for sharing! I would love to see a video from you about any tax things or money things you should know when it comes to starting an etsy. I know you probably aren't an expert but it would be really good info for someone who is starting out :)
Yeah, I'm not on expert on tax at all. I would get an accountant earlier than you think you need one. If you're not making money yet, a lot of cities have free resources for small businesses. Look around your local gov't website. Hope that helps and thanks for watching :)
You made... you made the equivalent of my (meager) salary in one year just making stickers. I'm both encouraged and saddened by this :D I need to get on the ball. I'm terrible at promotion. Thanks for the inspiration :)
I just started making inventory for my custom homemade decor and custom tops, I am so excited :) I was a little worried I wouldn't sell anything but your video gave me some hope :)
Dude your a blessing!!! Thank you for being honest! I’m trying to get my first sale and I can o oh imagine how your feeling many blessings to you thank you for sharing this
Can you add a link to your etsy store, I keep searching for it and cannot find a link anywhere, not on your insta or on your YT channel. It seems odd that you wouldn't include a link to your store in any of your socials? Thanks
Wow. Love his calm attitude and analysis. reminds me of the sea. He is expressing the experience he worked for and is proud of it (rightly so). Good luck in 2022 and thank you for the tips!
I make with my store 350 to 400 usd per week after taxes and every month is growing (4 months in etsy). My store is 100% digital products. Honestly because of you and teacher in tesla I became super strong competitor and growing fast every month. I change princial photo every week so always I am in the top
I think the drop in sales cuts across Etsy. My sakes drop from 6k to 2,500. I am patient with myself and the system. Hopefully, it will pick up again. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for this video! I just helped my 11 year old daughter who just started her Etsy shop. We will definitely have to see what things we can improve it.
Thanks for sharing your journey honestly. Its one of a kind because it brings a lot of value and transparency. It can also be helpful and can serve as a motivation for those youngsters who are hesitant in starting a business. Thank you for this, Tim!
Thanks for your video, very inspiring and also you're so humble to share your profits number, many youtubers don't do that cause they are fake ones, you're the real deal!
I tell my 22 year old son all the time...we didn't have these opportunities when growing up in the 60s and 70s. I tell him to take advantage of the internet to start a business or start a UA-cam channel. Thanks for sharing this. I have plans to start an Etsy shop myself. I'm definitely going to do it now.
@@Sanity_Faire I shared it openly in the past but stopped after I got a bunch of people copying my designs. I might share it again at some point in the future once my store is more established. Hope you understand!
Mmm I guess
Wages were liveable then
@@TimKoa I do understand. Would you be able to share what kind of products you're selling on Etsy. Just to get an idea of the niche that produce these numbers. Thanks in advance.
Maybe your son doesnt want to sell sh.t on the internet as a means to make money.... doesnt matter what you think, it matters what he wants to do.
You are a great dad!
I am so here for your calm vibes. Business videos are usually so high strung that they are hard to watch and just stress me out even more. But your channel is a soothing "you got this". Thanks for making these. :)
Thanks for comment and thanks for watching! :)
Agree!
Me too! It’s hard to listen to those shouting coaches in YT. 😃
Yessss
I couldn't agree more with you. I cant stand them shouting all the time. Like dude shut up I just need information not a coach.
$43k selling stickers as a side hustle is not to shabby at all..CONGRATS Brother..I'm just like you, plenty of ideas but acting on them is another story..Thanks for sharing..Keep Crushing It!!
Stay HUMBLE, Stay HUNGRY, Stay FOCUSED...~The Jarhead Entrepreneur
Candid advice indeed! There are lot of people on youtube telling how to get things done for selling artwork, but you have not only told it step by setp but also shared your setbacks and feelings, that is really appreciable.
Not sure if You'll ever see this, but this has to be one of the most down to earth and real videos I've watched. I could resonate right from the start, and know that I'll face a lot of these challenges over the coming year! Thank you so much for creating this content, it's refreshing to see something more authentic than a classic script video with a little 'results' section in the last 30 seconds of the video. I'll be sticking around this channel! Thanks :)
I just wrote a similar comment 😂 his presentation is incredibly genuine.
I've been on the fence for a few months about starting a side hustle on etsy. I've purchased tons of files with commercial rights over the last few years for 3d printing. I listed about 30 items, and got my first sale in the first 24 hours. Thanks for the motivation homie.
Interested on how your hustle is going! Wanted to do the same but with one specific route/theme :D
I love how honest and sincere this video is. I’ve began researching into getting a sticker shop up and running myself and looking for ways to start. And it just so happens I came across this video. Thanks Tim! I can see your passion coming through and how positive you are. Keep up the good work Tim! I can’t wait to start my shop very very soon…
hows it going?
Because of UA-camrs like you I started a business on Amazon KDP in October. Slow start but I am grateful for the small sales so far. Wish I could thank my buyers In person. For a girl from a 3rd World country in Africa. I am grateful. Unfortunately I can’t open an Etsy Shop from my country.
Ive been playing with that idea, im interested in youre experience so far if you would be willing to share it with me
Plug your shop
@@EddiXP I'm also from WEST Africa, Ghana and this is the first time I'm hearing about Esty. What exactly do we do there and what do they mean when they say *plug it*
@@norteyamoah947 Etsy is a craftsman selling site. There's some limits on what you can sell. Plug it is basically promoting yourself.
How are you now? I hope you are thriving in your business and living a great life 🥰
You have inspired me to finally work on getting my etsy shop up and running. I've been an artist my whole life, I just feel like nobody will never buy my stuff because why when they could just buy someone elses. But...hell if I ever made it to $500 extra a month, that would be a huge boost for me and borderline life changing, honestly.
I'd love to see your art! Please let me know what your shop name is!
I appreciate your honesty and how open you were to share all this, it has truly helped me personally. Also I can tell you’re a genuinely kind person with a super warm heart ♥️ thanks for sharing your journey with us !
Your jam playlist is kinda fly ngl. LoL
You’re the only seller that speaks truth! Thanks man! Wish you all the luck !
I'm just back from a burn out because my job (ex job now) was asking a LOT of me during the pandemic and continued to ask more and more until I broke. Now it's behind me I feel like a new man and want to give me a chance to do what I love and for that you're video is pretty encouraging! So thank you 😄.
Wow....loved this video! 👍🏼
You’re not hyper or doing silly stuff or talking way above my head.
You’re come across as very wholesome, honest and to the point. Just what I need as I research to figure things out.
Very inspiring. 🙂
Thanks for being real about it. I have an Amazon store and it puzzles me how people are making hundreds of thousands a month. I think those are rare cases. In reality it’s not that simple. Most of us are struggling during this economic downturn
Hey Tim -- great video. I loved your comment at the end about growing up... I'm a 69-year-old retired man and I've just opened a new Etsy shop (I mean, like two days ago). I'm hoping to use what I'm learning from you and other UA-camrs to supplement my income by selling my art online. You're right -- when I was your age, there was nothing like this. Far fewer opportuities and options back then. I'm always happy and inspired to see young people like yourself making the most of UA-cam and other such platforms. Go for it. I congratulate you and thank you for sharing your knowledge with us not-so-young anymore beginners!
Congratulations 👏. Put a link when you can and it can be free advertising on your etsy shop. You both are an inspiration.
As for me, the initial start up, is where I'm lacking. Pray that I start soo 🙏.
That's really cool. I heard about a pensioner in New Zealand who started her own gaming channel on UA-cam. There is no age limit - just because the average age of gaming UA-camrs is 15-25, doesn't mean a 70 year old can't do it.
Love how clear spoken and relaxed you are.
getting that first sale online is one of the best feelings ever.
It really is! I remember it like it was yesterday :)
Honestly, I went through every single chapter you described with my Etsy business. Thanks for being open and honest. The humbling did my health some good too. Wishing you a successful 2022 and looking forward to more content!!
So I wasn't the only one, lol! Wish you the best, Carolina! On to better things in 2022 :)
So agree :-)
I can completely relate to the feeling of having ideas and not being able to make them happen because I wanted to settle with my job too BUT I've been feeling the desire to build something and knowing the commitment that comes with it
This video is very inspiring for me. I am a nurse, but I can no longer work due to illness. I'm not an expert at making things, but I've seen thousands of tutorials on UA-cam and I've been encouraged to start my own business on Etsy. Thank you so much for this video, you don't know how much it helps me.
Hey Tim. I stumbled upon your video when I was trying to find some motivation in life and I just wanted to say how I appreciate your words of wisdom that you shared in this video. Sometimes, its the results that matters, but the beginning steps that started it all. I will manifest that my dreams would become actions. Thanks for being a positive example and for your transparency. Keep it up bro!
I appreciate you Jimmy! Hope you find what you need and I seriously wish you the best! Best of luck :)
At the end you became very inspirational with your speech. And there is so much truth to that.
People tend to forget that everybody started as a newbie. Even the biggest people in history started as newbies. If they never tried then they never would have learned and they never would have been as big as they've become. You don't really need papers for 90% of what people do in life. Most of it is motivation and really wanting something. Because that is what makes you want to learn and grow with it.
It's like relationships as well. If you are able to be open, learn and grow together then it will grow into a longterm something that is worth it. And it won't be one time, it will continue because growing and learning will never stop if you do it right. Nobody is ever truly done with learning and growing.
Great video and thank you for the time you take to explain it all to us. It is truly appreciated.
You have such a great outlook! I am in exactly the same spot, I was overwhelmed with orders and was actually very stressed out and then it slowed down and I was so disheartened, thinking what happened? It is easy to blame what I can’t control. Now I’m creating some new items and really looking at my numbers to figure out what was and is working. We can do this! Never give up! 😀
Love this! Sounds like you have a plan, just gotta keep at it. Wish you the best :)
You are smart to consider the positives rather than the negatives. Positive makes you look at evolving, adding, changing versus doing nothing. I hope you continue to grow your business as you would like.
This is one of the greatest, most honest video I've ever watched. Thank you for talking about your experience.
Thanks for the comment Nadia :)
This is the first video of you I watched. I just stumbled across it scrolling through YT. I am currently building a platform for high performance game server hosting as many other hosting providers use crap hardware and still sell their servers for a huge amount of money and well I’m here to change that game. Thanks for your motivation. Even without a website I already have a few customers and seeing your shop skyrocket really gives me hope that I can achieve the same when I’m done setting everything up. Great video, great spirit. Thank you!
Sounds like a plan, Jonas! Wish you the best :)
I’m chronically ill and on permanent disability assistance at 22, I can’t afford my necessary surgeries & life feels like it somehow gets darker and darker each month. I’m really hoping I can somehow, someday put my creativity to good use and get myself out of poverty, its a pipe dream but the only hope I have left. I wish the decline in my mental health didn’t get in the way from making art because it’s definitely a helpful outlet, even if you aren’t profiting financially from it! Thank you for sharing
Thank you for taking your time into creating this video with so much transparency and value! I can relate to you so much with always having ideas but never doing anything about it! I finally bit the bullet and created a sticker shop in Oct 2020. This was when I discovered I have a talent for digital art and knowing that people actually want to buy something I created is an incredible feeling which made me continue to push. Keep creating these videos, I know your subscriber numbers are gonna blow up one day! Amazing job 👍
It's really an amazing feeling when you start to sell your first pieces of art. Congrats Salina, keep going :)
Same here! I've been slow to open sticker businesses in the past for my art as well, especially when people talk about specific subject matters being too high-trafficed or having not as much revenue, and it can be discouraging to get into (unintentionally). These days, I'm planning on opening a sticker shop anyways now that I've graduated college (regardless of whether it's successful to other people's standards or not, it's something I'm finally willing to do more so for my own enjoyment of selling my artwork in sticker form as a side-hustle)! ^^
do you recommend having an instagram to promote the stickers?
Tim, you are a vibe check. Much love and success to you.
I moved to Japan and now work from 3pm to 11pm as my job is UK based. I have been trying to balance a new adventure in Japan along with the work life balance and starting new things and challenges. I love how humble you are and the great narration. It in inspiring. Here is to everyone who reads this, lets make our success inevitable together!
how did you get to work remotely? what is your line of work?
@@biegebythesea6775 I am a Senior Salesforce Consultant. Really challenging but fun at the same time!
@@TheMiyazakiMan Do you also have a business whilst working full time? I just ask because I cannot balance the two and you spoke about work life balance. I have too many interests!
@@biegebythesea6775 Yes, I am also a daddy to 2 lovely young children, I help run my wifes Japanese teaching business with 4 teachers - Cambridge Japanese and I do UA-cam in the late hours of the night for a bit of brand building on Life in Japan and weeb goodies
@@TheMiyazakiMan That's fantastic. Congrats. You must have very solid skills in discipline.
I don't know how much subscribers you had when you posted this video, but now about a year later, you'll soon hit 100k subscribers, which is really amazing!
Thank you soooo much for this video. I resonate with everything you said about having so many ideas but not starting anything. I’ve finally gotten started and this is exactly what I needed to push me to keep going. It’s been a sloooowww start and I have no idea what I’m doing but hoping for the best! Thanks again for your positivity!
Same here, I have so many creative ideas and never act on it... But in this last month I've been so dedicated to opening my etsy store and creating digital products.
@@morishachetty709any progress??? How much did you need to invest?
I've been watching some similar videos and honestly they're so hectic, loud and stressful. this video gave me sm peace and encouragement. you're great
I’ve made over $50,000 each year on Etsy for a good number of years. I’m no longer making that much. It’s almost barely anything now but I’m okay about it, as I want to move away from Etsy due to their current ethos. I just have this huge feeling Etsy gives new shops with potential “in their eyes” a lot of exposure for the first year or two. I got heaps of exposure initially which really helps. Then your on your own and you have to figure out how to scale.
I personally wouldn’t get into stickers I don’t think ( although do have a circuit machine and print my stickers for my business) as it’s a hell of a lot of work for not a huge amount in profit margins. I looked into it, but I sell art which can sell at a much higher price point with much higher profit margins (especially if you do it in house). Doing in house though causes a lot of mess though and really I would need a studio ( I shared one at one time). But due to chronic illness that’s all been put on the back burner.
I feel you on the chronic illness. Has really hurt my side hustle plans😭 we got this though!!!
I love your story! I'm a cpa and I have a passion for helping people start, stabilize, and grow their small business. That involves getting their books set up, LLCs setup, and of course, getting you set up for a clean tax year. Please reach out if you need help. This video was great. Loved it. Keep pursing the dream, brother!
You were so well spoken and easy to listen to. I can relate so heavily to the fact of always having new ideas flowing in. 🙂
I clicked on your video looking to share something with my kids and walked away with more insight than I expected. Thanks for sharing - take care and good luck!
Really glad you didn't get all new equipment and an office and employees!
I see so many people get the slightest bump in sales and freak out and over extend themselves and then lose it all since their overhead isn't sustainable.
Keep up the great work and you'll be amazed at the progress that compounds over time.
hey man, your video randomly showed up on my youtube and im already a huge fan. really appreciated the humbling section. felt like i really needed to hear that at this very time in my life. thank you for sharing
I opened my business on my 12th birthday it’s been a year and a half it hasn’t been supper successful in some people eyes but in my eyes I am!
Amazing! I wish I started as young as you!
This is so inspiring! Happy to have found you in my recommendation. Just subscribed!! Thank you for sharing your experience.
Stumbled on your channel and wow - am I ever glad I did! Opened my sticker shop last week and no sales yet. All your info is super helpful and I appreciate your honesty. Think I'll binge watch your vids and see how I can improve my shop. Thanks so much for the info!
Thanks for the comment Ginger! Hope you find them useful and best of luck on your shop! :)
You seem so kind and like such a good person. I’m really thankful that I found your UA-cam channel today. I’m starting Etsy shop this month and you’ve given me so much to think about. ❤
Started a shop myself on a different platform this past year and can definitely relate to the insane amount of stress you get when you’re doing this alone and your business starts growing faster than expected! You’d think it’s a problem people dream of having but wow it really made me debate whether the money was even worth it. It’s insanely hard to balance it with a full time job when you get to the point where every minute of your free time is consumed by your side hustle like you mentioned. You work 24/7 365. Ultimately ended up taking a break and being one of those people who went “vacation mode”. My body was begging for a mental health break
which app i can create and sell nft’s?
What site did you use? Shopify or?
Thanks for being real and for not skipping the challenging times of your business. I think this is where the real learning and business acumen stems from. Kudos for remaining focused and passionate.
I love how honest and candid this was. Thank you for sharing your story! I think sometimes we think growth is linear (like what you mentioned here). It's also nice that you talked about what the behind-the-scenes of the crazy numbers success felt like. The trade-offs are often not talked about enough I feel.
Came across your video this morning. You're absolutely right about posting these helps with motivation. I actually started my Etsy shop with one sticker last year, and I gave up due to my motivation. Watching your video just lit my motivation up, I'm excited to say I can't wait to make more stickers this year.
Hello! I don't see your Etsy shop linked anywhere. Your sales will probably go way up if you link in every description and about section.
I've had a very similar experience but with my YT channel actually . The humbling is real.
Thank you for being so honest. I’m 3 years into my business and still struggle with online sales. And I would like an extra 400-500 a month 😆.
Hopefully you can get there! Cheering for you :)
The Internet IS amazing. And yes, you are lucky to be growing up during this time. There are so many opportunities for young people, sadly many don't realize that anything worth having in life requires a bit of work. But if you are passionate about what you are doing, it won't FEEL like work.
You have a very realistic view of all this. You've been honest with yourself on both your success and failures and it's apparent that you've adapted and overcome the challenges. Sure you fumbled a bit along the way, but you took action and got started and then made small adjustments and course corrections along the way. With this mindset, there's no doubt you'll be successful in whatever you choose to do.
I just finished listening/watching your sticker shop series while I was working and they were really great! I like to hear about different people's experiences and I enjoyed your series so much because it felt a lot less "get rich quick" scheme feeling. I appreciated your transparency with your experiences throughout them. I also enjoyed the chill vibe. This has gotta be one of the most chill entrepreneur videos I’ve watched so far XD. I also started a sticker/pins/3D print shop about a year and a half ago with my partner to help earn some extra income when he got laid off. People actually don’t buy many stickers/pins from us and mostly just sell the handful of 3D prints we designed… However I really enjoy running the shop and being able to turn a lot of my doodles into tangible things. It’s especially exciting when someone orders something that’s my original character! Fortunately for me, I only do this as a side hustle and it’s not my main source of income so I feel like I have the freedom to create what I want rather than only making things hoping they sell which is the opposite of the day job. However I do find creating things for our little shop more fulfilling than any other work! Hopefully we’ll continue to sell enough so I can roll it over to have more new things made. It’d be cool to see an organization/packing station setup video! I love seeing how people organize things. I wish you the best on your sticker shop journey and look forward to future stories!
Thanks for sharing your story! In my experience, when people push "getting rich quick" they are usually making money off of you! Wish you the best on your shop :)
I second this, it would be great to see the set up and the packing process For Tim!
Yo. I just found your channel and wanted to tell you I am so excited to start following your content. You're delivery makes me feel like I'm sitting down and just getting advice with a friend. Authoritative yet authentic.
Thanks again, Tim. I started my shop in Aug 2021 as well and sales aren't high and I know the reason why. I need more discipline in really setting time to manage my business. Maybe in your future videos, you can share your routine, how you manage your time between full time job and the business. Thanks again! As always, your videos are educational and motivational..♥️
Finding balance in doing all the things I want to do is still one of the hardest things for me. Try not to be so hard on yourself and just try your best :)
We are so fortunate just like you said, that we have the internet that we have Google that we have UA-cam, and we don't have to go to college for years to learn things. Now I'm older I'm 61 but I still want to start a side business and I watch people like you to inspire me to do so. And yeah we don't have to just work in the daytime we can work anytime.
I had the exact same explosion in sales in august and september, with that sudden decline thereafter. I too thought I could scale the success and get rich lol. I love running my shop, and I know everyone went through a sales decline during those recent months, so I'm not going to give up. I'm going to work harder and smarter. Thanks for sharing your story.
Great mindset! Wishing the best for us in 2022! :)
Same with my jewelry store on Etsy. My best month ever was in August and then it went downhill thereafter. Now I’m focusing on two different Etsy stores. It’s been slow but I’m not giving up!
@@mazmahjoobi I'm so sorry! I felt pretty disappointed after the initial rush of orders. From what I've read, people are speculating that the drop-off might be related to that new Star Seller badge somehow. Who knows what they're doing behind the scenes. I'm considering creating a backup store on shopify in case Etsy decides to continue 'experimenting'.
There are hot and cold periods for this stuff and it takes 2-3 years to really start to see and understand those trends depending on the niche you're in. A big part of my slower period is summer time. but i expect it by now and offer different products at those times also that have proven to be more popular and i plan for the slower months and capitalize on the busier months. Definitely stick with it!
Tim thanks for making the time to go through things, your frankness is much appreciated!
Wow! Your humbling was a super great part of this video. You seem calmer and more relaxed than what you explained as your previous self. I like what you said about being super grateful. Now I know how easy it is to get "caught up" in the money. Thank you for your honesty!
Wow! Very inspiring! I love how you keep it real! I like how you also talk about how you were feeling through each of those stages. 🤩
Your video is very timely. I have been wanting to start a successful side hustle for a couple of years.
I’ve been working as a front line worker since the start of the pandemic. Three weeks ago, I was at home isolating due to covid, and decided it was time to start on online business.
I have had a fear of social media for years except for entertainment purposes on UA-cam. So I’m facing a huge fear of mine. Knowing that social media is a necessary tool to grow and be successful, I’ve been constantly planning, researching, learning, and creating after I’m home from work. I’m wanting to do a UA-cam channel to document the whole journey as well. I’ve been journaling and taking lots of pictures etc. I’m so excited! So scared but excited!
Thank you for sharing your story! Keep up the amazing work!
I love how positive and happy you seem. Very inspiring video! Thank you!
Can you do a video of packaging your orders? You mentioned how you used to take so long to package each order, and that you had to get faster with the influx of orders. I'm still in that slow packaging phase, I'd love to see and learn from how your systematically package the orders!
It's on the list for videos! Best piece of actionable advise is to batch tasks. Eg for stickers: instead of printing an order, cutting an order, packaging an order, etc. Print all your orders at once, then cut all your orders at once, then package all your orders at once. Hope that helps!
I liked your "how much I made with Etsy" type video so much more than others I've seen, because yours seems much more realistic. I'm just one person, I don't have a marketing background, and I probably won't be making anywhere near $1M or even $100K like a lot of those videos boast. Cool for them but my mental health couldn't take that stress lol. But thank you for sharing your reality and experience! It makes me feel better about starting my humble shop
Congratulations on the success! Really appreciate that you are sharing the journey and it’s very inspiring 😉
Thanks for watching :)
such a likable man.. that aside your videos have been the most useful out of all the videos ive come across on UA-cam, thank you for sharing
Hi Tim. Great video. Looking at your monthly income chart, I noticed it peaked in August and began to slow down. Then I thought about business cycles and what kinds of events in August might cause an increase in sticker sales. The only thing I could come up with was teachers purchasing back to school supplies. It would be interesting to see if this pattern continues for you next year. Keep up the great work.
Yes, this! Or even just general back-to-school season, since the stickers are so kid/family friendly!
Thank you so much for sharing. You are like the most chill and personal business I have seen on UA-cam. Thank you for being so open. Very inspiring.
Thank you for being so transparent about your work. A sticker shop comes with quite a lot of material costs - what was your net profit (after taxes?). Also it would be great if you could make a video on how and which systems you put in place to work as efficient as you did. Going from 50/ month to several thousand/month in a couple of months requires quick and efficient systems to be able to fullfill the orders. Best wishes
Hi Laura, I actually find material costs for stickers to be really low in comparison to other types of stores (aside from digital products). As mentioned, I sell orders for $13-14 and material costs (paper, ink, packaging) per order is around $2.50. Of course there's other costs too like Etsy fees + shipping, and I do pay for Etsy ads which I'm going to be going through in an upcoming video.
I can't really say what after-tax profits are as my accountant is still working on that for last year, but it's highly dependent on where you live anyways so not sure it would be much help to you. And I will do a video on how I dispatch orders, but it's a lot of work to make those types of videos so I've been procrastinating on it 😅
Thanks for the comment, which you the best! :)
@@TimKoa excellent, thank you for your response!
@@TimKoa subscribed and would love to watch the video on how you dispatch orders!
Is there a point where what you're making on Etsy isn't worth having to pay taxes on the extra income?
@@elizabethelric3721 What do you mean? He is in Canada and the highest taxation rate is approx 53% (which i'm assuming he hasn't met unless his day job is extremely well paying), but it is always worth it to earn an extra dollar, even if that means it will be taxed slightly higher
I love your perspective on not blaming others and society. I think God was definitely telling you to relax and catch up with yourself ❤️ opened up my Etsy store at the end of December and I am just taking this time to create, focusing on what makes me happy and creating that for others ❤️
“You don’t always need a plan. Sometimes you just need to breathe, trust, let go and see what happens.” Sharing some love with ya all
the ending of your story hit me the hardest, and im happy to say i started doing what ive been putting off and its been a great road so far! thanks for the advice along the way.
Such a both inspiring and realistic video! Thank you so much for sharing! I would love to see a video from you about any tax things or money things you should know when it comes to starting an etsy. I know you probably aren't an expert but it would be really good info for someone who is starting out :)
Yeah, I'm not on expert on tax at all. I would get an accountant earlier than you think you need one. If you're not making money yet, a lot of cities have free resources for small businesses. Look around your local gov't website. Hope that helps and thanks for watching :)
Thanks for your calm and genuine approach. Thanks for teaching without sugar coating.
Wow you took off really quickly, well done! Can we see your Etsy store / your content? I couldn't find a link. Thanks for making the video.
this randomly came up in my feed very great stuff my man your positivity has made my day better i will harness this for later thank you😊
You made... you made the equivalent of my (meager) salary in one year just making stickers. I'm both encouraged and saddened by this :D
I need to get on the ball. I'm terrible at promotion. Thanks for the inspiration :)
Don't be saddened, Ron! Opportunity is there for those willing to try! Wish you the best :)
I just started making inventory for my custom homemade decor and custom tops, I am so excited :) I was a little worried I wouldn't sell anything but your video gave me some hope :)
You should add a link to your Etsy shop in the description.
Love the calm authentic vibe of this video. And the content is super useful. Thank you!
Would be good to see a video on how you plan your pricing against esty fees and other fees 🤔
I totally feel your honesty behind those glasses. Don’t give up! 2022 will definitely be a good year for you!
Wheres the link to your etsy shop? I've look in your public profiles on UA-cam and Twitter.
SEO?
Dude your a blessing!!! Thank you for being honest! I’m trying to get my first sale and I can o oh imagine how your feeling many blessings to you thank you for sharing this
What’s your etsy shop link? You should def plug in your video description!
I can’t find a link to your store on any social. Are you purposeful keeping it separate?
Thank you for your honesty. This was a gem of a video!
Thanks for watching :)
This is inspiring, gonna binge watch all your videos now and hopefully I can start an Etsy shop too!
P.S. What is your 100 Etsy shop video title?
Buying Pokémon cards with the extra cash. My man! That's how I know I can trust this channel.
Can you add a link to your etsy store, I keep searching for it and cannot find a link anywhere, not on your insta or on your YT channel. It seems odd that you wouldn't include a link to your store in any of your socials? Thanks
Because people steal designs.
Wow. Love his calm attitude and analysis. reminds me of the sea. He is expressing the experience he worked for and is proud of it (rightly so). Good luck in 2022 and thank you for the tips!
Tim can't you post your Etsy shop links? I'm looking everywhere for it. Advertise advertise advertise!!!
I make with my store 350 to 400 usd per week after taxes and every month is growing (4 months in etsy). My store is 100% digital products. Honestly because of you and teacher in tesla I became super strong competitor and growing fast every month. I change princial photo every week so always I am in the top
Congrats on the success Brenda, hoping for even more in 2022 :)
Would love to learn/know how much you put aside for taxes. You went over revenue but after taxes how much of that is profit?
Thank you for sharing this. You seem so genuine and sincere. Wishing you the best with your Etsy shop!!
I think the drop in sales cuts across Etsy. My sakes drop from 6k to 2,500. I am patient with myself and the system. Hopefully, it will pick up again. Thanks for sharing.
Patience is so important! Congrats on the sales so far, keep going :)
Well done! Thanks for sharing about your journey. Your smile and positive vibe is contagious. Keep it up!
Is there a link to your Etsy shop? Didn’t see it in the description…
Thanks for this video! I just helped my 11 year old daughter who just started her Etsy shop. We will definitely have to see what things we can improve it.
Hey Tim, where can we buy some of these stickers? Can we have the link?
Thanks for sharing your journey honestly. Its one of a kind because it brings a lot of value and transparency. It can also be helpful and can serve as a motivation for those youngsters who are hesitant in starting a business. Thank you for this, Tim!
Where can I buy your stickers? I can’t find a link 🤨
Thanks for your video, very inspiring and also you're so humble to share your profits number, many youtubers don't do that cause they are fake ones, you're the real deal!