The thought of starting an actual business is absolutely freeing and amazing when you imagine it right? Working for yourself, working your own hours, having the freedom of choice to work when you want and where you want and lets not forget the best part….Doing what YOU love, the real deal, that thing called Passion we all long for. Now the problem. (I live in the clouds 90% of the time so here’s the realist part of me.) Studies show that only 29%, no not a typo, 29% of people actually will GO FOR IT! Like balls to the wall, dive head first, and step out of the comfort zone. I have this inner longing to help people, where ever and whenever the opportunity arises…..(This has bitten me in the ass several times too, so I am not Mother Theresa just yet.) However! I first want to share my story so you know how I am able to help you in taking the steps to LAUNCH YOUR HANDMADE BUSINESS….. Ready for the awesome sauce…..ITS FREEEEEEE! I will be doing a 12 week blog course on my fails and flying moments, to help you start your handcrafted business…..like step by step slow mo style. Are you ready? Lets doooooo this! Also feel free at ANY TIME to email me at courtney@thesweetestlittlelife.com if you need help or get stuck on something! *Later on I will attach worksheets to help as well!* I want to share with you where I started…… I had two FAILED (like failed hard on my face with nothing left type of failed…) businesses before I started Etsy. I owned two salons and Oh Em Gee…..NIGHTMARE (raise hand here.) I came to an all time low and knew this was not for me and I hermitted out. Thank God for my awesome husband who pulled me out of my funk with encouragement! I loved crafting and making things and knew briefly about Etsy, but didn’t know how to sell….. I became pregnant with my daughter and decided to test out a few listings. I started out selling these baskets….which is COMPLETELY AGAINST THE RULES… Dont do this…Than little by little I started random postings taking pictures with my I Phone. (A little example of my first non basket listing) Listings were basically just anything I got asked to make for a friend and it became documented and listed as an “item”.
Then I waited…..and waited….and waited…. I opened my shop in May and did not get my first order til the following December. I thought this was just a fluke with Christmas, but then little by little I began to get 2-5 orders a month. I WAS STOKED. (Little did I know what was coming.) I was making $100 a week sitting home painting and it was AWESOME. I got to meet these awesome people. I got to be a stay at home mom. Then one morning POW KABOOM BAM, I got the infringement Etsy Email we all cringe at. All of my listings had to be deleted. I had no idea “phrases” or “words” you couldnt use on a mug or shirt. Whoopsie Daisies. Now, I am not sharing all this with you so you can go shiiiitttt this girl is a hot mess. Im sharing this with you because in 2016, 3 years later after my open date, I made over $50,000 making crafts and selling on Etsy.(In one year.) I now average 50-150 orders PER MONTH. Did I fall on my face for 2 years? HELL YES? Did I learn enough to write a book….yup. Well I am not at a book writing phase yet in my life, but I do want to make sure you know my secret recipe to success and learn from my slow painful, running into brick wall lessons. I want other kick ass mommys, wifes, husbands,students, and YOU to know you can do the same thing I did…LIVE YOUR PASSION. (My listings now look like this.) 
So Stay Tuned for the Next 12 weeks, Grab a Coffee or Wine, A Pen and Paper, and get ready to go GOAL DIGGING with me!