In this interview I talk with Corinne of The Sudsy Goat Soapery.
Some of the links in this article are affiliate links that will pay a small commission at no cost to you if they’re used to purchase something.
Tell us a little about your shop and who you are.
My business is named The Sudsy Goat Soapery
, my name is Corinne Malakar, and I sell artisan goat milk soaps, candles and other bath essentials.
How long have you been selling on Etsy?
I’ve been on Etsy since 2014.
What’s the hardest part about selling online?
The hardest part of starting a business, for me, has been squeezing the work around being a stay-at-home mom with two littles, a fixer-upper house, and just general busy-ness of life.
That, and the number of different hats you have to wear (sometimes simultaneously!) to maintain and grow a business.
What’s your daily routine like?
My daily routine starts with exercise.
Then I get the kids to school, come home and work on whatever needs doing first.
Typically this is when I make product, or move it along the production line (unmolding soaps, trimming, labeling, storing) and cleaning up soap dishes.
Sometimes I finish packing orders from the day before so they can go out that day.
Then I go get my youngest, come back home, do lunch, and work for a couple more hours.
Usually I work on office-type things, like planning new product lines, answering emails, scheduling social media posts, etc.
Then I go get my older child when school lets out, come back home and make dinner, and help with any homework.
Then I go back to working on anything else that needs doing, like designing labels or just spending time with my family.
Once the kids are in bed, if I have extra orders I fill those so that they’re ready to go out for the next day. Then I sleep.
Phew, I’m exhausted just writing it out!
I try to keep the weekends for family time, chores and house projects, though sometimes work overflows to Saturday.
What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start selling online?
My advice…hmm. It’s not as simple as “create a product, slap it online and assume it will sell like hotcakes.”
There’s a ton of work involved.
But, if you do decide to pursue online sales, make sure your product has healthy profit margins.
Try to simplify the kind and amount of base materials that you use to something that can be made into multiple things.
Don’t let go of a steady job and dive right in, it takes a while to build up income.
Organization and scheduling is crucial, but be flexible.
If you go through a slow period, use that time to streamline work practices, prep, or learn ways to improve your business.
You can connect with The Sudsy Goat Soapery online at:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheSudsyGoatSoapery
IG: @sudsy_goat
FB: @sudsygoatsoapery
PIN: @thesudsygoatsoaperyofficial
Recent Posts
This article looks at the confusing revenue reporting on Etsy in the stats section and other sections where you can find financial info.
Opening an Etsy shop isn't difficult, it's making your first sales that gets tricky! But once you decide what you're going to sell, you can get started selling on Etsy by opening a shop and listing...