Podcast Summary:

How to Sell Your Stuff on Etsy

Host: Lizzie Smiley
Episode: 216 | What We Wish We Knew About Etsy—Before We Ever Opened Our Shops
Date: January 15, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Lizzie Smiley is joined by her top students and fellow Etsy shop owners, Becca Miller and Preston Cox, for a practical and honest roundtable. Together, they share the key things they wish they’d known before opening their Etsy shops. Their conversation aims to demystify the complexities of launching and running a successful Etsy business—from workflow hacks and leveraging AI, to shipping strategies, mindset, and the critical role of community. This is an episode packed with actionable advice, candid stories, and plenty of encouragement for both new and established Etsy sellers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Start with Systems: Templates & Mockups

• [03:38–05:45] Becca urges new sellers to build reusable templates for product design and listing descriptions from the start. Templates in tools like Canva can streamline the creation of digital products and drastically cut production time.
  • Quote (Becca, 03:38): "Take the time initially to build templates. Those things are going to make your business so streamlined... Instead of taking one product taking you an hour, you can take two products in an hour."
• [06:43–10:46] Both Preston and Lizzie reinforce the importance of mockups: using high-quality blank product photos onto which you can overlay designs, especially for print-on-demand or handmade items. This boosts conversion and saves you from doing repetitive photography.
  • Quote (Lizzie, 10:46): "You only need one really good [mockup]. So...perfectionists, right now, you stop it. You only need one really good one."
  • Pro Tip: You don’t need to retroactively update all old listings when you change your template or mockup—just update the bestsellers.

2. Mastering Shipping Early

• [11:45–16:47] Preston discusses how intimidating shipping can feel for new sellers, but encourages standardization (same size boxes, simple labels) to simplify the process and save money.
  • Quote (Preston, 11:45): “My first thing that I wish I knew was that shipping is not as scary as you think that it is. It's as easy as you make it or as hard as you make it.”
  • Tips:
    • Standardize packaging to avoid confusion.
    • Customers are willing to pay shipping costs, especially for handmade items.
    • Once you figure it out, you mostly set it and forget it.

3. Leverage AI and ChatGPT for a Competitive Edge

• [16:56–25:10] Becca and Lizzie describe how AI tools—particularly ChatGPT and image generators—can supercharge research, design, and listing optimization. Becca uses AI for market analysis, generating new product ideas, and design enhancements.
  • Quote (Becca, 16:56): “Use AI and ChatGPT as a business tool. That has been such a game changer in my shop... it’ll only make your business scale and grow that much faster by the end of the year.”
  • Preston uses custom GPTs for turning customer logos into engravable designs, underscoring that AI is "an assistant, not your vice president" (Preston, 18:51).
  • Examples include researching competitors, improving visuals, and iterating on product offerings quickly.

4. Understanding the Financial Side: Taxes, Fees, & Mindset

• [25:16–29:31] Preston shares the value of getting a resale tax exemption to save on supplies, and accepts that Etsy fees are merely the cost of doing business (just like physical store rent).
  • Quote (Preston, 27:33): “Fees are just a part of doing business... If you're losing money on Etsy because your fees are too exorbitant, you might need to increase the price of your product.”
• [29:31–31:33] Mindset is key—focus on gratitude for the low barrier to entry rather than resenting fees. Get external advice from small business resources for legal/tax questions.

5. Progress Over Perfection

• [32:26–35:39] Becca addresses perfectionism—how it slows you down and ultimately doesn't serve your business. Customers value variety; just getting listings live helps you learn.
  • Quote (Becca, 34:43): “I wish I knew it was more about eyeballs than my personal opinions.”
  • Preston echoes this, adding: “Drafts don’t sell. You got to put stuff up, man.” (35:13)

6. Realistic Expectations: Growth Takes Time

• [35:41–41:51] Preston speaks candidly about the myth of overnight Etsy success ("fear of success") and cautions against social media hype.
  • Quote (Preston, 39:29): “We always overestimate what we can do in six months and underestimate what we can do in two years.”
  • Both hosts emphasize that slow, steady growth is the norm, and that each stage—even "failure"—builds skills for future success. Stick with it!

7. Research and Trends Trump Creative Whims

• [41:51–44:42] Becca and Preston discuss how research-driven product development outperforms just following personal taste. Etsy is a search platform; design with demand in mind.
  • Quote (Becca, 41:51): “Research is just as important as the design itself... Etsy is a search engine.”
  • Visual trend spotting and using AI for keyword/data analysis are both valid strategies.

8. Treat It Like a Business, Not a Hobby

• [44:44–50:13] To scale, Etsy must be approached professionally, even on a limited schedule. The shift from "side hustle" to "business" is mostly about mindset and consistent effort.
  • Quote (Lizzie, 48:03): “The consistent effort you can put towards your business is more important than the volume of your effort.”
  • Both Preston and Lizzie encourage sellers to take themselves seriously and call it a “business” even before they’re seeing large results.

9. Community Accelerates Success

• [50:52–54:50] Becca credits community (even for introverts) as a critical factor in motivation, troubleshooting, and learning. Peer review and accountability speed up decision-making, reduce burnout, and provide invaluable feedback.
  • Quote (Becca, 50:52): “Community is everything, especially on the hard days.”
  • Lizzie reframes “community” as “sounding board,” making it palatable for less social entrepreneurs: “Having people around you who understand what you’re doing... can help you get success a lot faster.” (52:18)

10. You Don’t Need Social Media to Succeed on Etsy

• [55:10–59:12] Both Becca and Preston point out that they reached robust sales without any social media presence. Focus on Etsy SEO and product research first; only expand to outside marketing after 500–1000 sales.
  • Quote (Preston, 55:10): “You can exist on Etsy and be successful without spending a ton of time trying to create content and create videos or have a banger website.”
  • Quote (Becca, 59:12): “I've made $1,500 the past two months with no social media presence.”

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Templates Save Time
  Becca (03:38): “Take the time initially to build templates... It will get those listings more consistently updated onto Etsy and just make your shop blow up quicker.”

• Mockups for Scaling
  Lizzie (10:46): “You only need one really good [mockup]. So...perfectionists, right now, you stop it.”

• Shipping Simplified
  Preston (11:45): “Shipping is not as scary as you think that it is. It's as easy as you make it or as hard as you make it.”

• AI is a Tool, Not the Boss
  Preston (18:51): “AI should be your assistant, not your vice president. You still make all the decisions about it.”

• Overcome Perfectionism
  Becca (34:43): “I wish I knew it was more about eyeballs than my personal opinions.”

• Expect Gradual Growth
  Lizzie (39:29): “We always overestimate what we can do in six months and underestimate what we can do in two years.”

• Research First, Design Second
  Becca (41:51): “You may design something that's really awesome but if there's no demand for it, it's not going to sell as well as designing something that is research driven.”

• Consistent Effort Beats Sporadic Hustles
  Lizzie (48:03): “Consistent effort...is more important and more valuable than bouts of large amount of effort.”

• Community as a Catalyst
  Becca (50:52): “Community is everything, especially on the hard days.”

Important Timestamps

• 00:58 - Lizzie introduces Becca and Preston, shares their storefront successes.
• 03:38 - Becca: Templates save time and boost efficiency.
• 06:43 - Preston: Mockups aren’t just for digital sellers.
• 11:45 - Preston: Shipping is less intimidating when standardized.
• 16:56 - Becca: AI and ChatGPT help with design, research, and scaling.
• 25:16 - Preston: Get a resale tax exemption and understand Etsy fees.
• 32:26 - Becca: Overcoming perfectionism.
• 35:41 - Preston: Debunking instant success myths; healthy expectations.
• 41:51 - Becca: Why research is as important as product appeal.
• 44:44 - Preston: The moment you treat your shop like a business, it starts to grow.
• 50:52 - Becca: The vital role of community and peer feedback.
• 55:10 - Preston: Succeeding without social media.
• 59:12 - Becca: Zero social, still profits; focus on what matters.

Final Takeaways for Etsy Sellers

• Systematize your processes (templates, mockups) ASAP.
• Start simply: don’t overcomplicate shipping, taxes, or fee management.
• Use knowledge and research to drive your design choices, not just personal aesthetics.
• AI isn’t just for pros—use tools to analyze, ideate, and test.
• Set realistic expectations. Etsy is a marathon, not a sprint.
• Your mindset carries more weight than your current product or number of sales.
• Build or join a peer group/community for support, accountability, and feedback.
• Focus solely on Etsy and mastering its platform before branching into broader marketing.
• Above all: be patient, consistent, and kind to yourself—it’s a journey.

Until next week: Go make something awesome! [61:27]