Want The Truth About Quitting Your Day Job?
13. May, 2011 
19 Comments
Want The Truth About Quitting Your Day Job?
Etsy has a popular blog series that we all enjoy where Etsy sellers are featured that have reached a high level of success. They are so successful that they have actually quit their day job and now run their handmade business full-time. These stories inspire us to persevere, encourage us to dream, and make us work harder to reach success in our own Etsy shop.
The Handmadeology team was curious. What makes these sellers the top performers out of thousands of Etsy shops? What can we all learn from these shops?
We’ve all heard the commentary in the Etsy community before:
“The more items for sale in your shop the better you will perform.”
“It’s important to participate in circles.” Or “Circles don’t add any value.”
“Hearts don’t matter—sales do.” Or “Hearts eventually lead to sales.”
And lastly, “You need a wide range of prices in your shop to better connect with your customers.”
The Handmadeology team is tired of “rumors of success” and have sought out the truth in the matter!
For the past three months, we’ve been doing research. . . . lots and lots of research, data gathering, graph making, analyzing data, asking questions, interpreting data—all in the quest for truth about quitting your day job!
We’re almost done with the analysis and are putting the finishing touches on a special report edition of the Handmadeology Magazine—which will be called “The Naked Truth About Quitting Your Day Job – What’s Important and What’s Not”!
This report will separate fact from fiction when it comes to running a successful business on Etsy-offered through the Handmadeologybiz Etsy shop.
Sign up below to be informed when the premier Handmadeology Magazine First Special Report will be released. (It will be be between 25 and 30 pages long packed full of easy to interpret graphs, evidence that will help lead you to success, and practical action items developed from the research).
About The Author
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I’m all over it like white on race, baby! Bring it! lol, and thanks for all of your hard work. It is mucho appreciated!
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Very excited about this! I would love to check this out- I recently lost my day job and would like info on how to stay as a full-time Etsian- thanks!
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I am very lucky to have made a success of my business in it’s first year to the point where I work at it full time but I do sometimes feel like a fish out of the water with things still being relatively new, so this is great news for me as I would love to find out more about how more longer term successful etsy business’ make it work and the all important yes’ and no’s as I think I still have plenty to learn! Thanks for this I’m looking forward to it!
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This sounds like its going to be an awesome resource. I can’t wait to get a copy and see what you all have determined. Thank you so much for all of your hard work and for sharing such insightful and helpful information with us.
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Wow, thank you so much for doing this research! I’m really excited about this! It’s gonna be awesome!
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Great news. We heard all those rumors. Now it it time to separate facts from fiction. I am looking forward to get the facts. Thanks.
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This will be an interesting report – can’t wait to see it.
Thanks for all the hard work to bring us what questions are in the back of all our minds.
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What will you be charging for the report?
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As a newbie to Etsy, I’m interested in resources that will help me move to the next level. I’m looking forward to checking this out.
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Will this report be free to Handmadeology subscribers, or is there going to be a charge for the information?
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An Etsy Team of metal artists has been blogging about the topic of “Quit your day job” on their site. The perspectives come from an international group of metal artists and jewelers, all of whom sell on Etsy. Interesting perspective from the people who are on the front lines of the issue. http://www.etsymetal.blogspot.com
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@ArtsiBitsi – They will be available in their Etsy shop and will run from $5-$15
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I always chuckle at the rumors, because whenever I check out the top-sellers and full-time Etsians… many of them are “breaking the rules” of success!
They rarely use all 14 tags, or have thousands of products listed (some of them only have one or two pages!)… some don’t use all 5 images, and only renew items as they sell…
Some only feature one or two popular lines.
The one thing I do notice is how stellar their photography is, and how professional their shops appear. And how much *time* they spend working on their products and shops.
I don’t think there is a “quick fix” answer, it just takes a lot of time, and hard work, to keep improving oneself.
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You hit the nail on the head Tara! Quick fixes sound great, but in reality it takes time. I work hard on improving my listings, photos, style of robots everyday.
One of my most favorite sellers, does nothing that is suggested and kicks butt. It’s different for everyone and Will Take Time.
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Yep, I haven’t quit my day job yet…because I love my day job! I love etsy too!
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The truth is, I had to quit my day job, due to my partner’s re-location after he was made redundant. To be honest, I too have twice been made redundant and picked myself up again. I have shops in Folksy and Etsy (I’m in the UK).
I just have to make a go of my on-line hand made shops, this is my big chance. It has take a couple of years to get going and be noticed, but I’m making progress, thanks Tim!!
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I lost my job 10 months ago and I would love to be able to have a successful etsy shop allowing me to stay at home. I am at the age that jobs are scarce and very few. I would rather work my fingers to the bone for my own success instead of someone else. I am looking forward to the results magazine!
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It seems that 99% of the time the people who are featured on “Quit Your Day Job” are either married or have a supporting person’s paycheck. I’d love to hear how single people become self employed and make it. I became self employed (I’m single) in August 2008…a month before the economy tanked. I stuck it out for a year but it was brutal. Had to go back to work. Great experience, want to do it again, but afraid to take the chance anytime soon!
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I wonder if it will compare the CODA survey results from several years ago. We need to compare the “good years” with the bad years. That survey (Appalachian State Univ) showed that artists who wholesaled had nearly 3x the income compared to artists who relied on only retail fairs or online sales.
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