Handmade & Beyond Podcast

I'm back with an all new Friday episode for you! Etsy Seller News will bring you everything you need to know with recent updates, changes, and relevant information for sellers. Oh, and of course, I'm going to have a little fun with some special segments included in the episode as well. Check out the all new Seller News episode now!

Everyone has advice, especially when it comes to Etsy. But that doesn't mean it's "good" advice. If you're following the wrong advice, that can lean to big mistakes in your business that will hinder your progress and slow you down. I know you don't want that, right? That's why in this episode I am going to give you 5 of the WORST things I've heard when it comes to Etsy advice so you don't make these mistakes. I want to sort this out for you! Do you want some great advice when it comes to Etsy listings? Snag my Etsy Listing Success Checklist for FREE here: https://www.handmadeandbeyond.com/etsylistingchecklist

I know you want to hear the cha-chings, but what happens when it's crickets instead? This will inevitably happen, even for shops that traditionally perform well. Does it mean the world is ending? NO! It just means that you have to dig your heels in and put in a little work to get a boost in your shop. I have a strategy just for you that you can follow when sales seem to be drying up and want to share that with you today. Like I mentioned in the video, Alura is a fantastic tool to help you get tracking and make improvements in your Etsy shop. You can get your free trial here: www.handmadeandbeyond.com/alura

More Etsy changes are here! ALL online platforms are constantly changing and will always be changing. It's important to keep this in mind when selling because if you don't like change, you won't like selling online! I'm a glass half full kinda guy and I like to give Etsy the benefit of the doubt with changes. I do believe that they try to do what's best for buyers and sellers, not because they are the Mother Teresa of companies, but because it impacts their bottom line if people are unhappy. This also doesn't mean that they won't get it wrong from time to time and have to fix it. With all that being said, this episode covers the newest changes so you know how they'll impact your business. Like this podcast? Don't forget to leave a review! I read them all and really appreciate your support.

I get asked a bunch if POD shops can actually make money on Etsy... My answer is yes and no. Just like any business, there is no guarantee. Some shops make a lot of money and some make no money. Much of a POD shop's success comes down to the owner. There are a lot of variables that helps to promote success or failure. Today I want to break down some pros and cons of starting a POD business so you can decide if this model is right for you. After that, much of your success will come from how you set up and run your POD business. I do believe anyone can run a successful POD business, but it won't come easy or fast. Etsy sellers know how important reviews are to their success. I want to help you get more 5 Star reviews with my easy-to-follow review formula. Get it here: www.handmadeandbeyond.com/reviewformula

I get a lot of questions about sellers wanting to start their own domain outside of Etsy. Now, with so many options this is fairly easy to do, but how do you know which option is best for you? Two of the most common options with Etsy sellers are Pattern and Shopify. I have personally used both and figured it'd be good to break them both down for you and give you the pros and cons of each. This episode is an epic battle of Pattern VS. Shopify! Hey did you know we're almost halfway through the year? Where are you at with your goals? Do you have goals? No worries I've got you covered. Get my goal setting worksheet that will help you set and reach your goals! This may seem easy, but there's a reason most people don't reach their goals. Let me help you change that with this free worksheet. Get the goal setting worksheet here: https://www.handmadeandbeyond.com/goals

Etsy search has changed to include listing descriptions. This is an important SEO change. Here's what's covered in this podcast: Do's and Don'ts: -DO try to incorporate relevant keywords in the first few sentences of your listings. -DON'T copy your title verbatim into your description. -DON'T just list keywords you want to rank for. -DO write sentences talking about your product that naturally incorporate relevant, important keywords. -Do write for humans not robots. -Do continue to include additional, relevant information about your products for your buyers such as specs, washing instructions, ordering instructions, etc. Just add that after your first few sentences describing your product. You can use bulk editing tools such as Vela to speed things up. I'll include the link in the show notes. You can bulk edit in Etsy but it doesn't allow you to put your listings in a list form and edit each one quickly as Vela does. It's more for mass edits of the same information which is the opposite of what you want to do. Get Vela Here: https://app.getvela.com

So I am moving…. Into an RV! And no I haven't gone crazy, at least I don't think so lol. Today I want to talk about how I am going to manage my Etsy business from an RV & give you the 5 strategies to help me do it. What's cool is that these tips can be applied to everyone who's running a business. That's why I want to share them with you. Do you need help determining if Etsy ads are right for you or how to run them? Snag my free Etsy ads cheatsheet. This is a pretty cool guide I put together to give you some pros, cons, tips, and best practices when it comes to ads. Get it here: https://www.handmadeandbeyond.com/etsyads

Have you ever looked at your shop from a buyer's perspective and tried to understand their journey & why they buy? A lot of sellers decide to buy or not buy based on what they see in your shop. And some of what they see is nothing more than visual marketing which has the sole purpose of getting more buyers. Today's episode is all about taking advantage of Etsy's visual marketing features & badges so YOU can get more sales. Need help getting more reviews? Snag my Etsy Review Formula here for free: https://www.handmadeandbeyond.com/reviewformula

Do you have unused Etsy real estate? Real estate market is hot! It's the craziest it will probably ever be in our lifetime. When it comes to selling online there is also IMPORTANT real estate to consider. Taking advantage of the space Etsy gives you to win over customers is a key part of success on the platform. Today I am going to give you 5 Etsy real estate areas to focus on so you can get more customers. Need additional help with Etsy SEO? This is the BIGGEST hurdle Etsy sellers face. I have a free eBook to help guide you through the SEO jungle and give you all the tips and best practices you need! Get it here: www.handmadeandbeyond.com/etsyseosuccess

Creativity is clearly very important as a handmade seller. It's pretty much the DNA that holds everything together. But it's common to find yourself in a creativity rut from time to time. Sometimes it's hard to come up with new ideas or stay motivated to create new products. That's normal and something we have to learn to push past. In today's episode, I want to give you 5 tips that I've used over the years to help get me out of the dreaded creativity rut. If you're a new Etsy seller make sure you snag my Free Etsy Quickstart Guide. It'll give you all the tips and best practices so you can start your business off on the right foot. You can download the guide here: www.handmadeandbeyond.com/quickstart

I know you want to grow your Etsy business sooner than later. Making more money in your business just makes things easier. I get it. I'm always working to grow and improve my business as well. Well, today I'm bringing you not 1, not 3, but 25 of my best tips to grow your business in 2022! There's tons of gold nuggets in this episode that you don't want to miss! Up your Etsy SEO game with my free ebook. Get it here: https://www.handmadeandbeyond.com/etsyseosuccess

Believe it or not all products sold solve some type of problem although it may not be quite clear what the problem is. Granted some problems are very small and others are very big. Nonetheless, understanding what problems your products solve and the solutions it brings to the table allows you to market to your customers better. Knowing the problems and solutions helps position your products better to customers, convince them YOUR product is best for them, and reassure them they're making the right decision. In return, you'll make more sales and have happier customers. In today's episode, I talk about how to identify what problems your products solve and give you my 3 step problem solving process. As I mentioned in this episode, I want to give you my free customer avatar guide. A simple questionnaire checklist to help you better identify your avatar which will help you bring a product to market that solves their problems in the future and better understand how your current products do that as well. https://www.handmadeandbeyond.com/avatar

Reviews are super important to an Etsy shop's success. They help build trust with future customers but also help with SEO. The Etsy algorithm sends more traffic to shops that have a 5 star review average. Why? Well, 5 star review shops have highly satisfied customers which are good for that shop and good for Etsy. The more buyers are pleased, the higher chance they'll return and buy from Etsy again. But it's tough getting reviews, especially early on which can be frustrating knowing how important they are. Today, I want to go over 3 ways you can get customers to leave more reviews which in return, will help your shop grow. Also, I want to give you my free 5 star review formula. It's a downloadable guide that will help you get more amazing reviews! Get it here: https://www.handmadeandbeyond.com/reviewformula

Many sellers ignore their shop sections! Sure they're not as important as your actual listings, but shop sections still add value for your customers. Not only that, it helps with the all mighty Etsy SEO (search engine optimization), which dictates traffic/sales. Today I am going to give you 5 tips to help you with your shop sections so you can optimize your shop. Don't forget to download the free Etsy Shop Section Checklist PDF that compliments what I talk about in this episode. I break down EVERY shop section and give you tips & best practices for each in this checklist. Get it here: https://www.handmadeandbeyond.com/sectionchecklist

Today's episode is about the not so popular elephant in the room, Etsy's fee increase... I get it, higher fees take money out of small business owner's pockets. The first reaction is often a negative one. Since I'm a glass half full person, I want to give you some perspective about this fee increase and also give you 5 ways you can mitigate the increase. I talk about the free Etsy fee calculator in this episode which is awesome! You can snag it here

Isn't this the question of all questions? Most Etsy sellers at one time or another have wondered if ads were a good way to add revenue to their business... The real answer is it depends and there are a lot of variables at play. But I can tell you that there are some best practices to follow in order to at least have a chance at running profitable ads. In today's episode, I dive into some success tips, pros, and cons of running Etsy ads for your business. Don't forget to download the free Etsy Ads Cheatsheet that goes along with this episode. It has even more success tips and best practices to help you with Etsy ads. Get it here: https://www.handmadeandbeyond.com/etsyads

Everyone is searching for the elusive golden goose in today's age of limitless opportunity. We chase shiny objects, we chase influencers, we chase squirrels... lol. The sad reality is most of that doesn't lead us anywhere. When in fact what most business owners should be chasing is the OLD tried and true way of increasing sales, which is email marketing. In today's episode, I talk about 3 reasons why email marketing is still king and why you should implement it in your business. 1.) You can't do anything without email. Anything you sign up for requires it. All those shiny new objects require it. Anytime something new comes along ppl say email is dead but it's not going anywhere. You will always need an email which is why you should have it as part of your marketing plan. 2.) Email still converts 3 times better than any other platform. That's 3 times as many reasons to get on board. Sure it isn't magic and you have to learn the skills of email marketing just like anything else. But it's like riding a bike. It can be easily learned if you're willing. 3.) When you build an email list it is yours. Facebook doesn't decide who to show your post to. You don't have to worry about getting shut down and losing your audience like on a social media platform. Your audience (as long as they stay opted in) will be with you and that's powerful. If you want to learn the steps to getting started with email marketing and some recommended platforms to use download my free checklist below: Get it here: handmadeandbeyond.com/emailmarketing

Many new and even veteran Etsy sellers talk about the dreaded Etsy shop suspension.. duh duh duh... I know it's scary. But if you know the #1 reason shops get suspended and how to make sure you don't fall into this category you shouldn't be scared. Today's episode talks about how to avoid getting your shop suspended so you can live a carefree and happy Etsy life. Are you a new seller who needs more tips on how to avoid problems early on? Download my free Etsy quickstart guide! Click below to snag your copy. https://www.handmadeandbeyond.com/quickstart

I know you probably have income goals in your business. Maybe you want to make a few extra hundred dollars each month. Maybe you dream BIG and want to hit that $100k mark. When I started I never dreamed that would be possible. But then over time, I started to think it was possible and that became my ultimate goal. Looking back at my early days and the years it took for me to get to consecutive six figure years, I realized there were 13 main steps I took to get me there. And that's what I want to share with you today. It's my hope that you DREAM BIG and one day reach that $100k mark in your business! Need more help with your Etsy SEO? Not sure what to do to improve or how to get more traffic and sales? Well, then you need my free Etsy SEO Revealed ebook! Download it via the link below: https://www.handmadeandbeyond.com/etsyseosuccess

Maybe you're not getting the traction you want on Etsy or maybe you just want to boost your revenue. Either way, you may have thought about dabbling in some new sales channels. In today's episode, I go over 5 sales channels that could be beneficial for you to try. I also talk about the main pros and cons of each. Are you a newer Etsy seller and are struggling to get the results you need with your Etsy shop? Try my FREE Etsy Listing Checklist. Get all the best practices you need to find success with your listings faster. Get it here: https://www.handmadeandbeyond.com/etsylistingchecklist

Usually in your business saying yes and taking tons of action will get you to the next level. However, this episode is all about saying no to the extra junk that may come your way during your business journey. This may be spam messages, third party tools, new products outside of your niche, or any other of the many shiny objects out there fighting for your attention. This episode will help you decide which new opportunities are best for you and how to be strategic about those you choose. Do you need help with sorting through the "junk" and focusing more on your Etsy goals for 2022? Check out my new goal setting guide here: https://www.handmadeandbeyond.com/goals

What the heck is a customer avatar and why is it important? You're in luck. I talk about this and more in this episode. Knowing your ideal customer can help you market better, align your brand better, get more sales, and give customers more of what they want. All of this can give you more out of your business so you can worry less. Of course, I have a handy free guide that goes with this episode and will help you find YOUR ideal customer avatar. You can get your copy for free here: www.handmadeandbeyond.com/avatar

Welcome to episode 100! Wow, it's hard to believe. Thanks for all the support, kind words, and encouragement along the way. I appreciate my listeners and if I can impact your business or life in just a small way then it's worth it. This time of year is all about goals… Which honestly makes me cringe. Why? Most people never meet or come close to hitting their goals because there is so much emphasis on having and setting goals but very little on actually how to do it so you can reach that goal. Today I want to talk about 3 steps you can take to actually achieve your goals this year. What's even better is I'm going to give you a "goal setting worksheet" for free to help you with this as well. It will break down a lot of what I talk about in this episode to help you set goals and give you some real examples. Go to www.handmadeandbeyond.com/goals to get it.

The dreaded lost package... If you're in the e-commerce game long enough this will inevitably happen to you. The post office will lose a package. Luckily, for me it doesn't happen that often. But when it does and depending on how you handle it, you could have a customer service nightmare on your hands. Today I want to talk about how I handle lost package issues so it could help you if it happens.

It's safe to say I've been in the Etsy "game" for quite a while now. 8 years to be exact... In that time I've learned a bunch. Mostly from many mistakes.. lol. When looking back at all I have done and learned over the years it got me thinking about what I would do now if I started a brand new Etsy business? What are the main things I would focus on to ensure I had the best chance of success? Well instead of keeping all this to myself I'm going to share these things in today's episode so hopefully you can learn and benefit! That's always the goal of these podcasts. As I mentioned in today's episode, here is the link to try Alura. The BEST tool to research Etsy niche demand and so many other great features to help you improve your Etsy biz: Try Alura Here Just started or getting ready to start your Etsy business? Start off on the right foot with my free Etsy Quickstart Guide! Get It Here

If you've started an Etsy business of course your main focus is making sales. This is the best way to gauge success. Sales equal winning. However, winning is usually a lot harder than most sellers realize. It may lead you to believe your products aren't good enough or Etsy doesn't work. What it really comes down to is a combination of factors that you can control and if done correctly can increase your chances of winning. In today's episode, I want to give you some tips to "win" more often on Etsy. Get the FREE Etsy Listing Success Checklist below and start creating winning Etsy listings today! https://www.handmadeandbeyond.com/etsylistingchecklist

Apps today have so many features. With all the bells and whistles it can be easy to miss some. Etsy is no different. There are tons of features with new ones coming out all the time. Today I want to point out 3 Etsy features that maybe you don't know about but should. These could help your business in several different ways. I dive in and talk about Alt Text, Search Analytics, and Explore in today's episode.

New sellers often consider what they're going to sell, their shop name, their branding, etc. But it's common for them to miss other supplies, equipment, and materials that will be necessary to run their business effectively and efficiently. Let's dive in and talk about this laundry list of goodies that will help you run your Etsy business better!

In today's episode, I go over some of the most important key terms related to your business and their meaning. I'll be talking about: 1 - Visits 2 - Views 3 - Conversion % 4 - Clicks 5 - ROAS 6 - YOY 7 - Traffic 8 - Revenue 9 - Profit 10 - SEO Are you new or just opened an Etsy shop? Get my free PDF download Etsy Quickstart Guide. The perfect guide for those looking to start or who just started an Etsy shop to ensure they're set up for success. Get it here www.handmadeandbeyond.com/quickstart

Are Etsy ads a magic lever to automatically increase your revenue? I'd say no. When deciding to run Etsy ads you should make sure to have your shop in order and a good understanding of Etsy best practices before starting an ad campaign. Not doing this could actually hurt your shop rather than help it. In today's episode, I talk about this and more to help you decide when it's a good time to advertise. Need help with Etsy SEO? Get my free Etsy SEO Revealed eBook here: www.handmadeandbeyond.com/etsyseosuccess

It's no secret that I love Alura. They have a truckload of really cool features to help you with your Etsy business. They have SEO tools, shop analyzer tools, follow-up tools, and much more. In today's episode, I am going to touch on 3 of my favorite tools that Alura has and how I use them for my own business. Click on the link below to check out Alura and all its amazing features to help your Etsy biz. This tool is the real deal! https://www.alura.io/?via=LLETSY

Happy Friday! I wanted to do an episode on adding text to your product photos because I've been getting this question a lot. It seems there's a lot of confusion on whether you should do this or not and if doing it will hurt your business. Let's dive in and talk about it!

Most of your customers will be first-time buyers from your shop and may even be first-time Etsy buyers as well. With all those new buyers, it's vital to make and leave a great first impression. That's why I want to help you by giving you 5 great ways to level up your customer's first-time buying experience. These are easy to do, but often get overlooked by sellers. Repeat buyers are an important way to grow your business year after year. Let's dive in! I mentioned Alura in the podcast to help you bulk send messages. This is just one of their fantastic tools to help your Etsy business. Get Alura through this link: https://www.alura.io/?via=LLETSY ***Get my newest Black Friday Playbook FREE PDF Download! Everything I talk about in this podcast and more is in this playbook. You're going to love it! Get it here: https://www.handmadeandbeyond.com/blackfriday

It's time for a brand new segment, "What Would LL Do (WWLLD)." This is where I talk about popular topics relating to your handmade/Etsy business and talk about what I would do in that scenario. I've come across a bunch of common and uncommon issues in my 20+ years of selling online. It's my hope to share some insight with you so you can have the ammo to tackle issues when they come up. Today's topic is all about custom orders and what to do if you get asked for a custom order but it's not something you offer. Let's dive in! Get my newest Black Friday Playbook FREE PDF Download! Everything I talk about in this podcast and more is in this playbook. You're going to love it! Get it here: https://www.handmadeandbeyond.com/blackfriday

Let's face it, product photos are tough. If you sell online I'm sure you know what I mean. You may have the perfect product, but if your photos are terrible no one will click on your listing which means no one will buy. I've been in your shoes. Even after selling online for over 20 years, I am still not a photography expert. This is why I wanted to talk to someone who is, Imelda from www.sunsetshutterbug.com in today's episode. We dive into some of the BIGGEST mistakes sellers make when taking product pictures and how to fix them so you can learn what not to do. You're going to love our conversation that's packed with tons of tips for you!

What's up, everyone!? I wanted to do a new podcast on some of the coolest Etsy tips to save you time and help performance. In today's episode, I talk about copying listings, the sell on Etsy app, saving messages, sending coupon codes, and mailing presets. Let's dive in! Don't forget to download my FREE Black Friday Playbook here. Get everything you need to plan and run a successful Black Friday Sale!

The holidays are coming up on us really soon... It's hard to believe. With that being said, I wanted to talk about a question I always get around the holidays. Should you leave holiday stuff up year-round? Depending on your niche you may want to leave them up or take them down. However, I think there are benefits to taking them down. Let's dive into today's episode and I'll explain. Don't forget to download my FREE Black Friday Playbook here. Get everything you need to plan and run a successful Black Friday Sale!

Black Friday is right around the corner! This year I want to make sure you're the most prepared to take advantage of this HUGE buying event! In this episode, I help you plan and give you some strategies so you can have an awesome Black Friday! Also, make sure to download my FREE Black Friday Playbook here. Everything I talk about in this podcast and more is in this playbook. You're going to love it!

You're all set to open your Etsy shop and your name is taken! What a bummer. This happens to many sellers, especially now with the millions of shops out there. In this episode, I want to talk about what to do if this happens and give you some additional tips to help you get through this. Getting ready to open your Etsy shop?! Download my FREE Etsy Quickstart guide via the link below. I want to make sure you have everything you need to open your shop successfully: www.handmadeandbeyond.com/quickstart

This is something that new and current Etsy sellers get scared about. First, understand that ANY e-commerce platform can get shut down if you don't follow the rules. People act like Etsy is so harsh and usually say I'll just open my own website. Your own website has a host, usually has a third-party builder it runs off like Shopify, Square Space, etc. You don't control those and they can shut you down as well. All Etsy shops get shut down because they did not follow Etsy's selling policies. Understand that it's HARD to get shut down and you don't have to worry if you're doing things on the up and up. I know you still may worry because you hear horror stories online, but again those people weren't following the policies lol. Let's dive into the most common reasons shops get shut down so you can make sure you're doing the right things with your Etsy business. Copyright/trademark infringement Selling stuff that's not vintage, or stuff you didn't make and/or design Selling stuff that's not allowed on Etsy Too many customer service cases by customers Too many bad reviews Are you getting ready to open or just opened your shop? Snag my new Etsy quickstart guide. Learn all the best practices to start your Etsy business off on the right foot! Get it here: www.handmadeandbeyond.com/quickstart

Time is a valuable resource we can never get back. In business, if you're wasting time or spending it on the wrong tasks, it can keep you from growing and meeting your goals. Let's talk about 5 of the biggest time wasters I've seen a lot of Etsy sellers fall victim to, including myself. Etsy SEO Revealed FREE eBook - Learn and understand Etsy SEO to help you grow your business. Download it for free here: https://www.handmadeandbeyond.com/etsyseosuccess

Refunds aren't fun, but as a business owner, we have to deal with them. If you haven't had to deal with a requested refund yet, you can be sure it will happen eventually. In today's quick question Friday I talk about refunds, how to prepare, and how to handle them. Let's dive in!

I've got a fresh, new podcast for ya! This is a topic that I don't hear talked about much so I wanted to give you some feedback on what to do with your business revenue & profits. There's no short of opinions or strategies when it comes to money and you always have to do what's right for YOUR business. But I at least wanted to let you know what I do and maybe give you some ideas to help you strategize.

Ahh the exhilarating feeling of getting your first sale!! It's very exciting but then you realize you don't exactly know what to do next lol. You're not alone. Today's quick question comes from a new seller who just got her first sale but freaked out because they weren't sure what the next steps were. Let's talk about it, ease their mind, and get some congratulations in order. Are you still struggling to understand Etsy SEO (search engine optimization)? Then you need to read my Etsy SEO Revealed FREE eBook! It's a no-nonsense guide to help you understand SEO and how to use it to grow your business. Download it for free here: https://www.handmadeandbeyond.com/etsyseosuccess

The simple answer is probably yes. But it's not as complicated as you may think. A marketing plan is more about figuring out what you're going to say, how often you're going to say it, and where you're going to say it. Marketing gives you the chance to reach out to your fans and audience. It's your chance to give your business and brand a voice. In this episode, I talk about marketing and some of the common mistakes I see when it comes to marketing your business. Etsy SEO Revealed FREE eBook - Learn and understand Etsy SEO to help you grow your business. Download it for free here: https://www.handmadeandbeyond.com/etsyseosuccess

It's Friday and that means I have another quick question for ya! I often get this question. Usually, when thinking about or getting ready to start an Etsy business there are a few main areas to consider. In this episode, I dive into this topic so you can start off on the right foot when you open up your Etsy shop. Are you still struggling to understand Etsy SEO (search engine optimization)? Then you need to read my Etsy SEO Revealed FREE eBook! It's a no-nonsense guide to help you understand SEO and how to use it to grow your business. Download it for free here: https://www.handmadeandbeyond.com/etsyseosuccess

I'm super excited to bring this new podcast to you! I recently had a really good conversation with Jess Van Den who is a fellow Etsy seller and handmade coach. She's been selling jewelry on Etsy since 2008! She's an OG of the Etsy world and is extremely knowledgeable about running an online handmade business. She has also been a handmade coach for the last 8 years, sharing her extensive knowledge to help other handmade sellers with their businesses. We talk about her journey from school teacher to full-time handmade seller. This story alone is unique and inspiring... We talk about some of her struggles along the way and how she built her business. We also dive into mindset, success tips, photography tips, and many struggles that she encounters with her students. There are tons of gold nuggets in this interview! You don't want to miss this awesome episode! I really enjoyed talking to Jess and know you'll get a lot out of this podcast. You can find more about Jess below: Her coaching website: https://www.createandthrive.com Her Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/jessvanden Her podcast: https://www.createandthrive.com/ctpodcast

It's time for another quick question Friday episode to help you with your Etsy biz! Today's question is whether is all about free shipping vs paid shipping and how to handle the pricing. Are you still struggling to understand Etsy SEO (search engine optimization)? Then you need to read my Etsy SEO Revealed FREE eBook! It's a no-nonsense guide to help you understand SEO and how to use it to grow your business. Download it for free here: https://www.handmadeandbeyond.com/etsyseosuccess

This is something I'm battling with a lot now in my business since I have grown so much. I am very type A and controlling when it comes to every aspect of my business so it's hard to give someone else that responsibility. Technology has made it much easier to outsource now more than ever. Here are a couple of common questions and tips I get on outsourcing. When should you start to outsource? Either you get too big and can't do everything yourself (a good problem to have) or you want to focus on the big picture to grow and the menial tasks are slowing you down. What should you outsource? I look at outsourcing as a very big picture. I think many small business owners think of outsourcing "business stuff" when if you look at what you're doing, a lot of your time is probably being spent on non-business stuff preventing you from working on your business which is preventing growth. There's a lot of time spent on housework, chores, cooking, driving, etc. Start there first. Then, look at your entire business and what tasks you routinely do. What are the $10 hour jobs that someone else can do? What is your special sauce/skill that makes the biggest impact in your business that's a $100 an hour job? For example, if you do all the designing of your product, that's something that you're going to continue to do and probably don't want to outsource. But do you really need to package your stuff to ship? Do you need to be the one to run or post on social media if you are only really interested in designing/creating? How to outsource? Like I said before technology has made this much easier. After you figure out what you're going to outsource or have a plan for what you want to outsource in the future. Use the resources out there to your advantage to outsource. Here are a few: For chores/housework, etc. Thumbtack is a great app to hire trustworthy people based on reviews. I've used this app dozens of times with no issues. For one and done tasks use www.fiverr.com. Things like creating a logo, creating photo mock-ups, etc. Usually paid for each project. For more long-term tasks and projects www.upwork.com is good. This is stuff like someone to run your social media or copywriter to do your email marketing, etc. Usually paid by the hour or project. Need additional help, resources, and support to grow your Etsy & handmade business? Check out www.handmadeandbeyond.com