Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Cassiy Johnson, a print-on-demand coach based in Brighton, MI, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I have a YouTube Channel that helps people looking to start their first business online and make their first sales as quickly and easily as possible! I teach a business model called 'Print On Demand,' where no physical products get made until a customer orders them. This allows anyone anywhere to start a business with minimal start-up costs. Even if you only have a few extra hours per week, selling Print On Demand products on Etsy could be the perfect fit for you if you are looking to make a little extra money on the side to help pay for bills or even eventually quit your job and sell online full time!
Tell us about yourself
My husband and I both lost our jobs in 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic. I spent this time off looking for a way to make a little extra money online. I found some YouTube videos talking about selling products you don't make on Etsy and making money. I decided to start my business that day and even got 2 sales right away! I worked really hard on my business every day, thinking it was just a good way to pass the time during quarantine. I went back to work in August 2020, and that same month I actually made $4,000 profit with my Etsy business! This was more than I was making at my new job. This was when I decided to take it super seriously and make it my full-time income. I quit my job officially in June of 2021, and since I started selling on Etsy in May 2020, I have now sold $700,000 in revenue on Etsy! It has been a life-changing experience, and I am so excited to share my knowledge now with others in an easily digestible way!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment as a business owner has been helping my students succeed like me. I was initially worried if I could actually teach what I had been doing. This winter, though, I had one student who sold $107,000 in the month of November alone! Another student sold $37,000 in November, and tons sold $10,000 - $20,000 in the month of November! Now, these numbers are before expenses; with print-on-demand, you typically make around 25% - 30% profit on your total sales. I am so proud of my students for taking action and changing their lives with Etsy like I did!
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things about being a business owner is self-accountability. When you don't have your boss telling you what to do and when it's easy to get distracted and not be as efficient and intentional with your time as you can. Being self-employed for 1.5 years now, this is still something I struggle with, but I am working on getting better every day! I wouldn't trade it for working for someone else ever!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
My top tips to anyone looking to start run and grow a business on Etsy today would be:
- Get started today! There is always more research to be done, but you won't learn anything until you start. I learn the best while doing this. You can't learn it all before you even jump in.
- Don't be afraid to make mistakes or fail. I have learned so much from my mistakes and failures; without them, I wouldn't have gotten to where I am. You will never be able to avoid them altogether, so you might as well learn from them and grow!
- Find a community. It is so important to have people to talk to that are on the same journey as you. It can be lonely having your own business because no one is going through the same thing as you. Find a Facebook group, a Reddit page, etc., and find people in your space to connect with. It will help hold you accountable, and you can learn from each other's mistakes instead of everyone having to make them themselves!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.cassiyjohnson.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLO9E4VY1fjn_aIPByy9HSA
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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