Julie talks with Etsy digital products seller, Stephanie, about her plans to create a larger digital products business for busy moms. Her niche is women pursuing businesses.

Takeaways

• Starting an Etsy shop can be a great entry point into the online business world.
• It's important to be flexible and willing to pivot your business direction based on what sells and what your target audience wants.
• Understanding your target demographic and their needs is crucial for building a successful business.
• Consider exploring trends and niches within your niche to find new opportunities for growth.
• Building a Facebook group can be an effective way to connect with your target audience and create a community.
• Collaborating with other influencers in your niche can help you reach a wider audience and gain credibility. Pitching is essential for growing an online business, even if the response rate is low
• Collaborations and bundles can be effective in reaching a wider audience and generating sales
• Building a following and validating the demand for products is important before investing too much time and effort

Contact Stephanie: https://thebusymamabee.com/

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pXIDaur0Pw8

Gold City Ventures: https://goldcityventures.com

Beyond: https://goldcityventures.com/beyond

 

 

In this episode of Crickets to Cha-Chings, Julie Berninger interviews Lauren Hooper, an artist and entrepreneur, about her expertise in user-generated content (UGC) photography. Lauren provides tips for creating UGC, including the importance of background, lighting, and showcasing the product in real-life scenarios. She also discusses the impact of UGC on Etsy sales and the value of testing different types of content to see what converts best.

Contact Lauren: https://lauren-likes.com/

Gold City Ventures: https://goldcityventures.com/

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/vgcvBFvLeLc

 

 

Sarah Edwards, a Cricut crafting expert, discusses the crafting community and the popularity of digital files and finished crafts.  We cover: Cricut machine, digital files, finished crafts, SVG files, trends in crafting, selling crafts, crafting, digital files, pricing, layered paper crafts, SVG, sublimation, AI, sublimation printer, Facebook groups, floral craft countdown   Takeaways

• The crafting community has grown, especially since the pandemic, with a predominantly female audience.
• Crafters use SVG files to create their projects, which can be customized and uploaded to the Cricut Design Space.
• Trends in crafting include gnomes, dog breeds, and personalized items.
• Selling digital files is more popular than selling finished crafts due to scalability and lower costs. The price of digital craft files can vary depending on the complexity and time investment required to create them.
• Layered paper crafts command a higher sale price due to the time investment and complexity involved.
• Sublimation crafting is growing in popularity, especially with the availability of affordable sublimation printers.
• AI is starting to impact the crafting industry, but there is still a demand for hand-drawn and unique designs.
• Joining crafting communities on Facebook can provide valuable support, inspiration, and learning opportunities.
• The floral craft countdown summit is a great way to learn new techniques and try out different crafts.

Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Overview 01:56 The Crafting Community and its Audience 03:56 The Popularity of the Cricut Machine 08:49 Trends in Crafting 20:31 The Pricing of Digital Craft Files 22:51 The Popularity of Layered Paper Crafts 26:10 The Growing Trend of Sublimation Crafting 32:54 Joining Crafting Communities on Facebook 39:24 The Floral Craft Countdown Summit   Resources:  Get your free ticket to the Floral Craft Coundown Summit from Craft with Sarah: https://go.goldcityventures.com/floral-countdown   Learn more about us: https://goldcityventures.com/   The Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/exXxqJNCOTg

Julie Berninger and Janet LeBlanc of Paper and Spark discuss the steps to take when starting an Etsy shop from a CPA's perspective. They cover topics such as understanding the difference between a business and a hobby, obtaining a DBA permit, opening a business bank account, and the importance of bookkeeping. They also touch on the issue of Etsy shop suspensions and the need for proper tax ID information. The conversation emphasizes the importance of treating an Etsy shop as a business and making informed decisions based on accurate financial data.   This is not legal or tax advice. Please obtain your own professionals.

Resources:

Janet's Etsy Seller Spreadsheet

Janet's Get Legit Toolkit Course training

**we are affiliates for both products

Takeaways:

• Before starting an Etsy shop, it's important to understand the difference between a business and a hobby, as well as the legal requirements for running a business.
• Obtaining a DBA permit (Doing Business As) is often necessary for running an Etsy shop under a name different from your own legal name.
• Opening a business bank account can make bookkeeping and tax filing easier, even if it's not legally required.
• Proper bookkeeping is crucial for tracking expenses, understanding profitability, and making informed business decisions.
• It's important to provide accurate tax ID information to Etsy, and to keep track of all business-related transactions for tax purposes.
• Etsy shop suspensions can occur for various reasons, and it's important to understand and comply with Etsy's policies to avoid suspension.
• Sellers should be aware of their tax responsibilities, including sales tax and income tax.
• Janet LeBlanc's GetLegit Toolkit is a valuable resource for product sellers to navigate their financial responsibilities.

Learn more about Gold City Ventures and Crickets to Cha-Chings: https://goldcityventures.com/

Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0K-1qYQTpVo

Laura Winston, Principal and Chair of the Intellectual Property Practice Group at Offit Kurman, answers your questions on common trademark and copyright issues Etsy sellers face.

Note: This is not legal advice. Please review your own situation with professionals.

Questions covered:

• How do I search on the USPTO web site and understand the results?
• Is the word FRIENDSGIVING trademarked?
• Can I use a song title on a t shirt or baby shower bundle of products?
• What about song lyrics?
• How about an illustration of a famous pop star?
• Is parody on a song title allowed? What about a t-shirt that says “In my Swiftie era”?
• Trivia games – can you use the names of songs? Artists? Candies?
• Can you use a picture of a candy to show how a printable works with that candy?
• Can you sell reproductions of vintage art?
• Let’s talk about Winnie the Pooh. Can I use this image in my product?
• Can I copyright my printable?
• What if something is trademarked in one country and I live in a different country?
• Someone copied my printable…but it doesn’t look like it exactly…what do I do?
• Should I be using legal templates that I can purchase on the internet?
• How can I be sure an artwork is in the public domain?

If listeners need further advice on trademark and copyright issues, they can contact Laura at [email protected] or connect on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurawinston/

Watch the Episode on YouTube here

Learn more about Gold City Ventures

Etsy put out a spring/summer trend report​​ and Julie reviews it in this episode of the Crickets to Cha-Chings podcast.

Here are some snippets of trending keyword searches according to Etsy in case you don't have time to read the report:

• +266% YoY increase in searches on Etsy for divorce gifts or items
• +351% YoY increase in searches on Etsy for cozy home items
• +465% YoY increase in searches on Etsy for host or hostess gifts
• +2,159% YoY increase in searches on Etsy for lawn games
• +105% YoY increase in searches on Etsy for wildflower art
• +50% YoY increase in searches on Etsy for pickleball gifts

We're also seeing major vibes for western and pasta night here.

You may be like "eh, my product doesn't fit in these trends" but I would encourage you to think a little deeper about how you can incorporate trending ideas into the product that you already make.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/R5wfzV7pQoQ

Etsy Marketplace Report: https://www.etsy.com/seller-handbook/article/1255437605579?ref=handbook

Watch our free workshop at: https://goldcityventures.com/

In this live episode of the Crickets to Cha-Chings podcast, Julie Berninger and Sasha Hutchison discuss strategies for growing an Etsy business off of the platform. They provide guidance to Naomi, an Etsy seller selling printables, on how to expand her business and reach a wider audience. The conversation covers topics such as building an email list, repurposing content for social media, and creating YouTube videos. They emphasize the importance of niching down and finding the right platforms to connect with the target audience. The hosts also highlight the need for traffic generation and suggest exploring Facebook groups as a potential avenue for growth. In this conversation, Julie and Sasha discuss the importance of trying new things and not being afraid to fail in business. They also explore the target audience for Naomi's products, including Sunday school teachers, camp directors, and homeschooling parents. They emphasize the need to understand the specific needs and interests of these target customers in order to create relevant and valuable products. The conversation also touches on the potential for affiliate marketing and the importance of staying focused on the core topic of the business.

Gold City Ventures Beyond Program: https://goldcityventures.com/beyond/

Takeaways

• Building an email list is crucial for growing an Etsy business off of the platform.
• Repurposing content for social media can help save time and reach a wider audience.
• Creating YouTube videos can be an effective way to showcase products and attract customers.
• Niching down and finding the right platforms to connect with the target audience is essential for business growth.
• Generating traffic is a challenge for Etsy sellers, and exploring Facebook groups can be a potential solution. Don't be afraid to try new things in your business and allow yourself to fail.
• Understand the specific needs and interests of your target audience to create relevant and valuable products.
• Consider the potential for affiliate marketing to promote complementary products to your target audience.
• Stay focused on the core topic of your business to avoid confusing or losing your audience.

If you missed our Live Q&A, here is the replay on YouTube.

Julie broke down 4 business ideas and how they would work off Etsy 1) subscription book box, 2) beauty professional templates 3) seasonal printables for kids monthly subscription and 4) a blog for dog lovers. She also screenshared what Beyond looks like and the prizes you get with purchase. Special pricing ends April 30th at 11:59PM ET.

Resources: https://goldcityventures.com/beyond/

In this episode, Julie and Sasha of Gold City Ventures and Kennedy of Our Friendly World discuss growing a business off of Etsy. They talk about competitor analysis and the importance of understanding your customers and competitors. They specifically discuss what to do when your competitor is a bigger brand than you and was on Shark Tank!   They also discuss the potential for collaborations and sponsorships, as well as the role of video content in driving traffic and engagement. The conversation highlights the importance of repurposing content and experimenting with different platforms to reach your target audience.   Links:  Kennedy's Business Our Friendly World: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ourfriendlyworld Gold City Ventures Beyond Program: https://goldcityventures.com/beyond/ This episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/TU_L6OaA5UQ   In this conversation, Julie and Sasha also discuss various strategies for driving traffic and generating leads for a handmade crochet kit business. They emphasize the importance of understanding the customer journey and tailoring content to different stages of the sales funnel. They also discuss the potential of affiliate marketing, building an email list, and outsourcing tasks to save time. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the value of collaboration and networking within the crafting community.   Takeaways

• Understanding your customers and competitors through competitor analysis is crucial for growing your business off of Etsy.
• Collaborations and sponsorships can be effective ways to expand your reach and attract new customers.
• Video content is a powerful tool for driving traffic and engagement, and it can be repurposed across different platforms.
• Experimenting with different platforms and strategies is important to find what works best for your business. Understand the customer journey and tailor content to different stages of the sales funnel
• Consider affiliate marketing as a way to leverage the networks of others to promote your products
• Build an email list to capture leads and nurture relationships with potential customers
• Outsource tasks to save time and focus on high-value activities
• Collaborate and network within the crafting community to expand your reach and opportunities

 

 

Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 02:00 Competitor Analysis and Insights 04:06 Understanding the Woobles and Differentiating Your Products 09:06 Taking Advantage of Competitors and Building the Market 12:24 Repurposing Content and Driving Traffic with Video 15:18 Exploring Collaborations and Sponsorships 22:16 The Role of Video Content in Attracting Customers 25:49 Experimenting with Different Platforms and Strategies 28:03 Understanding the Customer Journey and Tailoring Content 35:24 The Potential of Affiliate Marketing and Building an Email List 45:32 Outsourcing Tasks to Save Time and Focus on High-Value Activities 52:07 Creating Efficient Workflows and Maximizing ROI 58:22 Collaborating and Networking within the Crafting Community

In this episode, Julie Berninger and Sasha Hutchison of Gold City Ventures interview Jenny, an Etsy seller who sells printables. They discuss Jenny's journey from selling physical products to focusing on printables, specifically in the golf niche. They explore the potential for Jenny to expand her business beyond Etsy by creating a lifestyle brand and leveraging social media. They also discuss the importance of custom and personalized products and the potential for affiliate marketing. The conversation provides valuable insights and ideas for Jenny to grow her business. In this conversation, Julie and Sasha discuss different strategies for monetizing an Etsy shop that sells golf-themed products. They explore options such as affiliate marketing, creating video content, and targeting specific niches within the golf community. They also discuss the importance of understanding the target audience and their preferences. The conversation ends with rapid-fire ideas for expanding the product offerings and leveraging affiliate marketing.

This is another coaching call-style podcast and there will be two more following in the series!

They discuss:

• The customer journey of people searching for niche printables
• Why picking a niche once you start selling off Etsy is the way to go
• Where Etsy sellers posting on social are messing up
• What to post on social media to attract your ideal customer
• Ways to monetize with YouTube and affiliate marketing by performing product reviews
• How the Gold City Ventures team can improve their new offering Beyond
• & more!

Stay tuned to learn more about Beyond which launches mid-month to the Gold City Ventures community!

Resources:

Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/3VCSKIx5bUM

🌟 Learn more about Gold City Ventures -- https://goldcityventures.com 🌟