In this interview, I talked to Tina, owner of Bello Glass By Tina.
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Tell us a little about yourself and your business.
My business name is Bello Glass by Tina, and my name is Tina Novoth. I create stained glass art for gardens and home décor.
How long have you been an Etsy Seller?
I opened on December 31, 2010, so I’ve been selling on Etsy for about 12 years!
The first product I listed was a stained glass pendant. Listed the second pendant and the first one had disappeared!
I was in a panic until I realized that the first pendant had sold within 15 minutes. I remember thinking, “well, this is going to be easy.” How little I knew.
What’s the hardest part of selling online in general?
I’ve owned a successful public record retrieval business since 1986, so when I started selling on Etsy, I had an administrative skill set already in place.
Coupled with artistic talent, I knew this new business venture would be successful. The hard part was getting my products in front of buyers’ eyes online.
Even with all the knowledge I’ve learned, this is still the hardest part because of all the moving parts out of my control.
Tell us a little about your daily routine.
I am an Early Bird Gets the Worm kind of person.
On an “ideal” day, I’m in the studio around 5:30 am. Logging new orders, answering messages, and checking in with the few social media accounts I use.
My shop is mostly made to order, so production occupies the morning, followed by packaging and shipping.
Afternoons are spent developing new design ideas, photographing, checking supply inventory and ordering, and administrative duties.
I like to turn the studio lights off around 3:30 pm. It’s a long workday, but a creative one that feeds my soul and keeps me happy.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start an online business?
People often talk about doing research to sell online, checking out what your competitors are selling and such.
I urge artists to seek inspiration outside of your chosen field. You will find amazing designs, color pairings, product presentations and so much more by viewing what other artists different than yourself are up to.
I myself am currently finding idea sparks in muralists, quilters, polymer clay artists, gardeners and illustrators.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Talk positively about your business to others.
Make sure people in your life know what you do. Word of mouth is everything and free, you never know when your hairdresser for instance will pass your name onto the next person sitting in their chair and that could lead to something great.
Be proud of what you’re creating!
You can find Tina by visiting her shop on Etsy or her website, or on Instagram using these links:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/belloglass
https://www.instagram.com/belloglassbytina
To see the full Artisan Shopping Directory sections, including signups for discounts, click here.
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