#creative entrepreneur

[carminamasoliver]

Freelance Reflections #164

This week I didn’t have a great time at the job centre, and found it really stressful and unsupportive. It kept me up at night as even with the financial support on top of my existing work, I’m barely covering my basic needs, let alone saving the last £2000 for my training. I’m looking into ways to make my groceries cheaper like community shops, and found a bag of mystery groceries on ‘Too Good…

[heartilluminations]

[harmonyhealinghub]

Unleash Your Creative Potential: How Starting an Etsy Shop Can Open Doors to Side Income and Beyond

Shaina Tranquilino

February 6, 2024

Where traditional employment models are being challenged, many people are seeking alternative ways to generate income. One such platform that has gained immense popularity is Etsy, a vibrant online marketplace known for its handmade crafts, vintage items, and unique treasures. Whether you're looking to make some extra money on the side or embark on a full-time entrepreneurial journey, starting an Etsy shop offers a plethora of opportunities and rewards.

1. A Global Marketplace at Your Fingertips:

Etsy provides an unparalleled reach to potential customers worldwide who appreciate handcrafted and personalized goods. With over 81 million active buyers as of 2020, setting up an Etsy shop means tapping into this diverse audience base eager to support independent artisans like yourself.

2. Showcase Your Creativity:

If you have a knack for creating beautiful products or possess artistic skills waiting to be unleashed, Etsy is the perfect platform to exhibit your talents. From handmade jewelry and clothing to art prints and home decor items, there's ample space for every creative niche imaginable. By showcasing your unique creations on Etsy, you can turn your passion into a profitable venture while doing what you love.

3. Minimal Startup Costs:

One of the most significant advantages of opening an Etsy shop is the low barrier to entry. Compared to setting up a brick-and-mortar store or launching an e-commerce website from scratch, the costs associated with starting an Etsy business are minimal. You only pay nominal listing fees (around $0.20 per item) and transaction fees once your product sells – allowing you to focus more on creating quality products rather than worrying about overhead costs.

4. Flexibility and Control Over Time Commitment:

Starting an Etsy shop enables individuals with busy schedules or existing jobs to earn supplemental income without compromising their current commitments. Unlike conventional nine-to-five jobs, running an Etsy shop offers the flexibility to set your own working hours and pace. This means you can manage your online store during evenings, weekends, or whenever it suits your lifestyle.

5. Opportunities for Expansion:

What starts as a side hustle on Etsy has the potential to grow into a full-time business venture. By consistently delivering high-quality products and providing exceptional customer service, you can build a loyal customer base and gain valuable feedback that helps you refine your offerings. As your Etsy shop gains traction, you may consider expanding into other e-commerce platforms or even launching your independent website – further diversifying and scaling your business.

6. Networking and Community Support:

Etsy isn't just a marketplace; it's also a vibrant community of artists, makers, and entrepreneurs who are passionate about their craft. By joining this supportive network through forums, teams, or attending local meetups, you can connect with like-minded individuals who share similar goals and aspirations. The opportunity to learn from others' experiences, collaborate on projects, or receive constructive feedback can be invaluable in growing both personally and professionally.

Starting an Etsy shop presents an exciting opportunity to turn your creative talents into a lucrative income stream or potentially transform it into a full-time job. With its global reach, low startup costs, flexible schedule options, endless creative possibilities, and supportive community – Etsy provides an ideal platform for ambitious individuals seeking financial independence while doing what they love. Embrace the chance to showcase your unique creations today and embark on an entrepreneurial journey that could lead to tremendous success in the vibrant world of Etsy!

[jonnyardor]

Forge your path as a creative with your biggest strengths

Many people have talents, that they aren’t aware of. Almost every market is oversaturated so to stand out you have to be different in an appealing way. As a musician, there are as many ways to shine as there are personalities. I want to illustrate my idea on being yourself to the fullest on the example of a certain rapper named Busta Rhymes. See, in hip hop lyricism reigned supreme. Even today 50…

[design2repeat]

Print on Demand Platform Comparison 2025: Real Experiences For Beginners

Hey creators! Just spent some months diving deep into the print-on-demand world, and... it's been a JOURNEY.

Remember when we thought POD was just uploading designs and watching sales roll in? laughs in shipping delays

Here's what actually happened:

Tested 5 platforms (RIP our wallet)

Discovered Spoonflower's hidden gems

Had an... interesting... experience with Amazon POD

Found out why some platforms are worth the higher fees

Learned that product testing is literally everything

Full platform comparison + setup guide on the blog. Still figuring this out, but wanted to share our findings with fellow creators! Drop your POD experiences in the notes?

[nr1-logo-design-inspiration]

Logo Shape Psychology ☆☆☆

[gingerylangylang1979]

Yes! One review focused on how the show addresses labor, capitalism, wanting to be creative, class struggle. Aside from trauma and grief, this is the major theme of the show. How Carmy chooses to lead and support is super integral to that theme. People easily change when their money is on the line. He’s trying to develop his crew as he develops himself. He’s going to fuck up, but he’s trying.

so marcus goes to amsterdam, t and ebra go to culinary school…..i love that they’re taking the money and putting it into the *people* who make the restaurant, you know, and not into just like tables and glassware and shit

[thepersonalwords]

Your Core Values are the "glue" that holds your business together.

Doris P. Johnson

[transparentdreamruins]

[femmefatalevibe]

any tips for getting into copywriting?

Learn the basics of copywriting & writing fundamentals/ marketing skills

Study the different types of copywriting (web/banners, email, social, ads, direct mail, sales letters, etc.)

Decide on your niche(s). Study everything you can about the industry, trends, latest news, customer demographics/psychographics, customer behavior, types of lifestyles/preferences they have, how they speak, where they spend the most time (IRL or digitally)

Craft an inspiration folder full of compelling copywriting examples you find when browsing on the web, going through your email, scrolling on social media, billboards, magazines, direct mail, etc.

Practice rewriting these examples with your own flair. Evaluate it, and keep practicing until you're proud of your copy.

Be as concise, clever, and convincing as possible. Keep your tone conversational (write like how you would speak), catchy, simple, and witty. Take out any extraneous or fluff words. Pepper in cultural references, puns, and relatable anecdotes understood by your target audience when relevant to your messaging/CTA

Create a portfolio with these mock-ups or projects done for family/friends (state they're spec work, not client-commissioned samples) or clips from an internship, school work, etc.

Craft a USP for yourself (including your niche, copywriting specialties, and the specific expertise you offer within your broader niche/service offerings that makes you unique)

Create an Upwork profile and share your services on LinkedIn (optimize both of these profiles)

Research local clients and small businesses within your niche. Also, take time to create a list of dream clients. Study their copy, brand voice, and keep tabs on updates regarding these companies' happenings

Learn the art of a cold email/LinkedIn pitch/Upwork proposal. Introduce yourself and your services to your prospect and share with them how you can fulfill a specific need they're seeking out (For local and smaller companies, feel free to offer suggestions. With more established companies, connect the dots as to why your experience/expertise is a great fit for their brand/target audience), and attach your work/link to your LinkedIn profile, website, and any other relevant hub for your professional services & content

Ask for referrals from friends/family to get started. If they're not a relative, get a testimonial to include in your portfolio

Follow up once if you haven't heard back from a prospective client after an initial pitch after a few days

Search for potential gigs on sites like Upwork/ProBlogger/People Per Hour

Once you land a gig, execute to the best of your ability and hand in your work by the deadline (strategies surrounding best business practices is a whole other post, lol)

Gather testimonials from all clients of successful projects. Confirm with clients whether you can use their work in your portfolio if you're unsure

Continue studying copywriting from books, courses, and everyday reading & living

Stay knowledgeable about advancements/updates in your field, keep updated on current events, and culture/social trends, and read a lot in general. Have interesting, multi-faceted conversations with others. Observe what makes people tick & remain engaged in a verbal dialogue or content

[heartilluminations]

All my life creativity and self expression have been at the forefront of how I express myself in the world and yearn to connect with others.

I have always naturally gravitated toward wanting others to connect with their creative expression…encouraging them to be themselves.

I want everyone to connect with their unique magic and confidently shine and share their gifts with the world.

I find that I can lead by example, sharing my gifts, voice, and story with the world. If I’ve touched one heart, I know I’m making an important impact.

[bxtxnx]

♍︎

If you're a content creator and have Virgo placements, daily vlogs or videos like "day in my life" will be your best creations.

In astrology Virgo covers the everyday and mundane tasks, so showing your daily routine as a content creator is guaranteed to bring you good results.

[jonnyardor]

Aiming with more decisiveness to be a professional writer with versatile skill set based on writing and speaking

Aiming with more decisiveness to be a professional writer with versatile skillset based on writing and speaking. This year I will focus on building my YouTube, my WordPress and my website, where I sell my literature and give links to my music. Any other Social Media platform comes after the three spaces I mentioned. To make this point clear, I will drastically decrease my activity on social…

[design2repeat]

From Patterns to Progress: Scaling a Pattern Design Business in 2025

hey pattern design friends! 📝✨

So here's the thing about starting a creative business with someone who lives on the other side of the planet - it's CHAOTIC in the best possible way? Like, imagine trying to coordinate design reviews when one of you is having morning coffee and the other is winding down with tea 😅

We launched Design2Repeat in September thinking we had it all figured out (narrator: they did not). Two weeks later our entire site crashed and we had to rebuild EVERYTHING from scratch. Fun times! But you know what's wild? Sometimes the biggest disasters lead to the best plot twists.

Want to know what happens when you mix German precision with American bohemian vibes? Or how we managed to hit 500 users while literally rebuilding our entire business infrastructure? We're spilling ALL the tea ☕

This isn't one of those "10 steps to success" posts because honestly? We're still figuring it out ourselves. But if you're curious about:

How we handle creative differences across time zones

What happened during that week of complete website chaos

Our very real (and sometimes messy) journey of finding our shared creative voice

The actual tools we use to make this whole international thing work

Come join our creative chaos! We're all just figuring this out together 🎨✨

[nr1-logo-design-inspiration]

Creative "Tokyo cycle club" ♡

Need a professional logo for your business?

Contact: creativelogodesigns01@gmail.com

[millrr]

CREATE THINGS THAT LAST.