My Etsy shop has completely changed my life! Instead of working harder, I'm working smarter, spending more time with my family, and less time pulling overnighters to meet clients deadlines. When I re-opened my long forgotten Etsy shop almost a year and a half ago, I was hoping to make a little extra money, in addition to my full-time creative sign and screen printing business, to offset my ever increasing health insurance premiums. Since becoming self-employed 8 years ago, I'd always managed to eek out a living with my business, but I could never seem to save up for that famous "Dave Ramsey Emergency Fund." (Love that guy!) I just kept taking on more clients and working more hours.
In 2015, while building my Etsy shop in my "spare time" (what's that?), I worked more hours at my first business than I ever had before, staying up super late several nights a week, and working Saturdays and Sundays just to stay caught up. When I realized last summer that all of the money I was banking was coming from my Etsy shop, and not from all the extra hours, I stopped to take another look at my numbers. I was working myself to death, and if it hadn't been for Etsy, I still wouldn't have been able to save much, let alone take the first real vacation I'd had in years, or finally buy a "new to me" vehicle.
Therefore, I took most of December and January off from my "other business" and worked out a new business and life plan! I have some work to do to get from Point A to Point B, but I know my goals are achievable. I'm selling the storefront for the other business, selling a rental property I'm tired of dealing with, and within a few months, I plan on having my little "Creative Cabin" just outside my back door, right here on our acreage. (OMG, I can't wait!) More importantly, I don't want to miss another minute with my daughter, Treva, or my wonderful boyfriend Jon, because I have to finish up a rush order for someone. I don't want my daughter to have to deal with me being grumpy and stressed out because I'm trying to keep track of 30 different clients' deadlines and event dates. I don't want my kitties and chickens to forget who I am either! So THANK YOU, Etsy to giving me a wonderful tool to sell my goods on-line, streamline my business, simplify my life, oh, and finally earn that income I needed to save up that nice cushy "Emergency Fund." Happy 10th birthday, Etsy. Just wish I would have realized how great you are years ago!
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