Podcast Summary

Podcast: How to Sell Your Stuff on Etsy

Host: Lizzie Smiley
Episode: 220 – "How to Make Your First $10k on Etsy"
Release Date: February 12, 2026

Episode Overview

In this deep-dive episode, Lizzie Smiley breaks down a comprehensive, step-by-step roadmap for new and aspiring Etsy sellers on how to earn their first $10,000 on the platform. Through a mix of motivational coaching, practical tactics, and granular tips, Lizzie offers actionable strategies, mindset shifts, and personalized anecdotes drawn from her own experience and successful student stories.

Lizzie introduces her new 177-page eBook, “How to Make Your First $10k on Etsy,” but holds nothing back in the episode, aiming to equip anyone listening with free, concrete knowledge that can be applied right away. This is a highly actionable, no-gatekeeping episode designed to demystify the process for sellers at any stage, especially beginners.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Psychological Power of the $10k Milestone

• Achieving $10k, according to Lizzie, creates a transformative mindset shift.
• Quote:

  “There’s something psychologically about the number $10,000... There's a belief shift that cranks in your brain where you're like, wow, I can do this.” (32:20)

2. Essential Tools: Profit Tree & EverBee

• Profit Tree: Lizzie highly recommends investing in this Etsy research tool (lifetime fee $67) for up-to-date data and easy calculation of profitability and trends.
• EverBee: A complementary, free tool for keyword and SEO research.
• Quote:

  “Profit Tree happens to have the most up to date data… generating from the past 12 hours of activity on Etsy. That's insane!” (07:45)

3. Step-by-Step Roadmap to Your First $10k

Lizzie details a robust, practical 16-step process:

1. Open Your Etsy Shop (41:45)

• Don’t wait to have everything figured out; taking the leap is crucial.
• Shop name and first listing can be placeholders—just get started.

2. Set Up Research Tools (44:17)

• Open Profit Tree and free EverBee accounts for market/SEO research.

3. Choose a Product Category (47:00)

• Options: Handmade, Print on Demand (POD), Digital, Vintage, Supplies.
• Digital products recommended for most beginners due to low risk.

4. Establish Demand Using Data (59:40)

• Research search volume and trending keywords first—don’t rely on hunches.
• Use tools to see what’s working, especially for shops newer than 6 months.

5. Study Trends & Patterns (01:08:00)

• Identify popular aesthetics, colors, and designs among top sellers.
• Build your “brain cache” by frequently reviewing bestsellers.
• Quote:

  “A brain cache grows like a muscle... Look at best sellers, every day, on Etsy.” (01:09:54)

6. Pick a Niche to Test (01:15:20)

• Focus on one niche for clarity, then expand as you grow.

7–11. Create, List, and Refine Your First Products

• Create 3 prototype products and use listing templates ("dummy listings") to save time.
• Research and apply proper SEO to each listing.
• Don’t get stuck in “analysis paralysis”—publish quickly and refine.

12. Observe Results & Iterate (01:48:05)

• Use stats (views, favorites, sales) to steer your efforts.
• If no sales, it’s likely a positioning problem; no views, it’s an SEO problem.

13. Identify and Scale What Works (01:51:30)

• When repeat sales arrive, “lean in” to those winners: create related products, expand styles or offer on new product types.

14. Use Etsy Ads Strategically (01:56:00)

• Only turn on ads behind proven bestsellers.

15. Narrow and Refine Shop Focus (01:59:45)

• Deactivate older/unsuccessful listings and streamline shop sections.

16. Do the Math—Reverse Engineering Your $10k (02:02:25)

• Conservative conversion rate is 1–3%.
• Calculate how many listings, sales, or traffic you need to hit your goal.
• Two main “levers”: quantity of listings and value (earnings) per listing.
• Quote:

  “Once you understand the ratio, you can change any part of it… The math stops being mysterious and the goal stops feeling abstract.” (02:08:02)

4. Mindset & Motivation

• Done is better than perfect. Get your products out there and learn as you go.
• Community (like Lizzie’s Scaling Society or trend membership) helps fight isolation, provides feedback, and accelerates learning.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Getting Started:

  "Open your shop. That might sound crazy and that might feel really big, and that's actually why I want you to do it..." (41:55)

• On Overcoming Fear:

  "Done is better than perfect. The game here is to start getting listings up ASAP. Not trash, not… not like that. High quality, yes. Do the research, but don't allow analysis paralysis..." (01:24:22)

• On Scaling:

  "When you see a lot of best sellers for something on Etsy, it doesn't mean that that product is way too saturated. ... It means that lots of people are buying them. And especially if you see bestsellers that are newer—that's a strong indicator you can also compete." (01:05:20)

• On Crafting Your Brain Cache:

  "It's a folder in your brain where you store everything you’re learning about what actually works… over time, creating new concepts becomes intuitive." (01:09:00)

• On Perseverance:

  "You're going to suck at first. That's just part of… sucks to suck. But the more you create and list and test and study and refine and create, the faster you get through the sucking stage." (01:24:54)

• On Managing Expectations:

  "Two years are going to pass either way. You can either have straight teeth in two years or still be wishing you did... In two years if you were making $2,000 a month—holy moly." (01:43:00)

Important Timestamps

• 03:14 — Lizzie launches her new eBook for $27 with 177 pages.
• 07:45 — Unpacking why Profit Tree is the one paid tool worth investing in.
• 32:20 — The psychological impact of hitting a $10k milestone.
• 41:45 — Step 1: Open your Etsy shop (even if you’re not ready).
• 47:00 — Step 3: Choosing the best product category for you.
• 59:40 — Step 4: Establishing real demand using data.
• 01:08:00 — Step 5: How to study trends and patterns for success.
• 01:15:20 — Step 6: Drill down into one niche to start.
• 01:24:22 — How to avoid perfectionism and analysis paralysis.
• 01:48:05 — Step 12: Analyzing your results and troubleshooting sales droughts.
• 01:51:30 — Step 13: Scaling up what works in your shop.
• 01:56:00 — Step 14: When and how to use Etsy ads.
• 02:02:25 — Step 16: Reverse engineering your financial goals with conversion math.
• 02:08:02 — How to tweak the “math levers” for growth.

Additional Resources & Offers (Summarized)

• eBook: "How to Make Your First $10k on Etsy" ($27, 177 pages, link in show notes)
• Scaling Society: All-inclusive membership with step-by-step support, monthly group coaching, access to exclusive tools and community feedback.
• Weekly Trend Report Membership: “Trend Spotting” — $17 first month with code keep20 (normally $37/m), for fast-moving trend insights and listing ideas.
• Free Masterclasses & Tutorials: On Etsy SEO and ads (links in show notes).

Conclusion & Takeaways

Lizzie delivers a clear, highly actionable, and encouraging tutorial for making your first $10K on Etsy, focusing on commitment, data-driven research, and persistent creation. She demystifies the process, advocates for progress over perfection, and highlights the power of community and iteration. The message: Open your shop, get your first listings live, let data lead, keep learning, and don’t give up.

For anyone planning to start or scale an Etsy shop, this episode is an empowering, comprehensive guide covering both the tactical steps and the mindset required for real success.