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How to stand out on Etsy when everyone is doing the same thing

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How to stand out on Etsy when everyone is doing the same thing

Last week, I talked about a few reasons why Etsy is a good option for selling digital products online. But what’s the number one reason people shy away from selling on Etsy (at least from my unofficial research)? I’ve noticed that most people who are hesitant about selling on Etsy are worried that their product, whether physical or digital, will get lost in the shuffle. And by shuffle, I mean the literally millions of other product listings on the site, thousands of which show up every time a customer types something into that search bar.

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Why I use Etsy to sell my digital downloads (+ free Etsy how-to guide)

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Why I use Etsy to sell my digital downloads (+ free Etsy how-to guide)

There’s no doubt digital products are on the rise, and a common question among newbies looking to break into this billion dollar industry, is where the heck do you sell them? That question elicits tons of answers, and it all depends on your personal preference, your product type, and your selling style as to which one you should host your products on. When most online entrepreneurs list off the best digital product websites, there’s one that doesn’t get included very often but deserves a spot on the list – Etsy. 

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The difference between inspiration + plagiarism on Etsy

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The difference between inspiration + plagiarism on Etsy

There can be a fine line between inspiration and plagiarism. It’s a gray area that a lot of Etsy shop owners (and even just creative entrepreneurs in general) are afraid to go near. With such a huge platform like Etsy, it's not hard to come across products from different shops that show eerily similar aesthetics or content. When you're just starting out as an Etsy shop owner, or just a creative business, it's easy to look to successful shops and try to emulate their style or ideas. But try to refrain – because there's a fine line between inspiration and plagiarism, and you don't want to be on the wrong side of it. 

Lessons learned from an entrepreneur lost too soon

Lessons learned from an entrepreneur lost too soon

This has been a rough week for my hometown of Springfield, Missouri. We lost a good one over the weekend. A guy who moved to town about ten years ago, opened a coffee shop, and changed the entire community. His name was Tom, and everyone loved Tom. Literally, everyone. In the days since his sudden and tragic death, friends have described him as unbelievably generous, impartially kind, and an undeniable connector of people. 

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A quick intro to digital products + passive income (+ product ideas list)

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A quick intro to digital products + passive income (+ product ideas list)

Digital products are a way of creating passive income for your business. They are basically any type of information product you deliver electronically rather than physically ship. Some popular examples in the creative entrepreneur world would be online courses, video workshops, e-books, PDF guides, worksheets or printables, or design resources like icons, illustrations, stock photos, templates, and more. (See the mega list of digital product ideas included at the end of this post!) 

31 Adobe InDesign terms defined (+ free InDesign training!)

31 Adobe InDesign terms defined (+ free InDesign training!)

I get it — Adobe InDesign can be kinda scary. When you open it up, you’re bombarded with buttons and windows and menus and icons, not to mention some weird words that you probably didn’t associate with graphic design . . . slug, anyone? Have no fear, all these crazy terms have meaning and they’re not as scary as they seem. Below are 31 common terms you’ll find in Adobe InDesign and what they mean — and if you’ll really even need to remember what they mean or not. 

A day in the life of a single mompreneur with no babysitter

A day in the life of a single mompreneur with no babysitter

A lot of people ask me how I get any work done with that cute pig-tailed girl hanging out with me all day. That’s a great question. Some days I don’t get a lot done because of all that cuteness. Some days I don’t get a lot done because behind all that cuteness is a strong-willed, feisty girl who tests my patience. Some days I do get a lot done because she’s in a good mood and entertains herself well. Some days not. That’s the beauty and curse of being a single, work-at-home mompreneur: every day is different. 

5 tips for designing practical printables (+ free design cheatsheet + training!)

5 tips for designing practical printables (+ free design cheatsheet + training!)

Printables, worksheets, workbooks, planners, guides, PDFs — whatever you want to call them — they’re everywhere. You see them as opt-in freebies for email lists, content upgrades on blog posts, even entire shops full of them (hint, hint…). But you know what you also see a lot of, unfortunately? Bad design. Printables that are overworked and unprofessional, and as a designer, that’s a bummer! I know the creator worked hard on the content, put thought (hopefully) into how the printable could be useful to the customer, but the design lacks function and actually makes it harder for the customer to use the product in the first place. 

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My favorite platform for building online courses

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My favorite platform for building online courses

Anyone who’s considered building an online course has certainly gone down the rabbit hole of searching for the perfect platform to deliver it on. I’m a research junkie when I start a new project, whether it’s for me personally (like buying a car or finding a place to live), or for my business (like creating a new product or trying out a new tool). So when I decided to build my first online course,  teaching other creatives how to use the program Adobe InDesign, I did my research. I pretty quickly formed a list of the available platforms for course creation, along with some pros and cons for each. And I just kept coming back to one: Teachery.

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How to plan a DIY mastermind retreat + a recap of mine

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How to plan a DIY mastermind retreat + a recap of mine

I’ll be honest, 2016 has gotten off to a rough start. I try to be transparent in my corner of the Internet, not to glamorize anything I do (because trust me, it is rarely glamorous), but to be totally honest about what the life of a single mompreneur actually looks like. And so far this year it’s looked like a strong-willed toddler, an unexpected breakup, and one very worn out mama. Post-divorce dating is a whole blog in itself, #amiright?! Someday. As much as I’ve tried to be prepared for this new year, I’ve had a lot of other things on my mind and frankly haven’t had the energy to poor into elaborate business goals and strategies to reach them.

How one year can change your business

How one year can change your business

The end of the year is obviously a time for reflection and planning for the next year, so I’m sure you’re reading a plethora of other blog posts lately about people’s goals and plans for 2016. At the risk of doing what’s expected, I do think it’s important to take time to pat yourself on the back at the end of the year and remind yourself that all your hard work is worth something. Plus, it can be pretty motivating to see how much can change in a year.

My favorite non-creative podcasts for creatives

My favorite non-creative podcasts for creatives

I’m a podcast junkie. And on a holiday like this week, I’m going on a binge while I’m stuck in a car for 8 hours driving home for Thanksgiving. Who’s with me?! Today’s post is super short, but only because you just need to get over to iTunes and start downloading these shows. We all know the great “creative entrepreneur podcasts” that always make the list — I’m looking at you Being Boss, SeanWes, Invisible Office Hours, The Fizzle Show, Make it Happen, Startup, ShePercolates (which I’ve had the pleasure of being on!), etc.

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How my maternity leave was my best season for business

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How my maternity leave was my best season for business

Babies. Babies are hard. Babies are sweet and precious and cuddly and a blessing, but babies are really really hard. Add maintaining a business, and babies get even harder. BUT, the cool thing about babies is they give you some lead time before they get here. My pregnancy, albeit an emotional one, was an instrumental period of time for my business. I knew I had nine months to build P+O into something that could help sustain a life for my daughter and me. 

How the Adobe design programs work together (+ free InDesign training!)

How the Adobe design programs work together (+ free InDesign training!)

The Adobe Creative Suite is the only design software with the capacity to create high-quality, professional design work. The three main programs, Photoshop (PS), Illustrator (AI), and InDesign (IND) each have their own purposes, and it can be confusing to know the differences. Before we jump in to integrating these three programs to work together, here's a quick overview highlighting the strengths of each program and what it’s best used for.

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My recipe for a great product launch (+ free launch planner!)

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My recipe for a great product launch (+ free launch planner!)

Today is a big day for me, guys. Five months ago I started work on a project that would keep me up to ungodly hours. It would involve hours upon hours of planning, creating, writing, designing, strategizing, and more strategizing, and a little more designing, and then some more writing, and writing again. It’s been such a wild ride that had my mind racing with non-stop ideas since the beginning. And then the last two weeks, I hit a wall. I’ve prepped as much as I can prep, quadruple checked that everything’s ready, and I think it’s all catching up to me now. I’m tired, unmotivated, and would rather take a nap than write one more email campaign. 

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How to create gift packages to promote your launch (+ free launch planner!)

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How to create gift packages to promote your launch (+ free launch planner!)

I was just telling my friend Jamie the other day: you can take the girl out of the stationery, but you can’t take the stationery out of the girl :) This is my premise for using gift packages to promote launches or projects I’m working on – I LOVE giving gifts. I love curating the perfect collection of items that I think the recipient will love, especially when it’s centered around a specific theme or for an event – like a launch! Since I scrapped my physical product line earlier this year, I was itching to work something physical back into my business and sending these launch packets has been the perfect solution.

11 simple tricks to work smarter in InDesign (+ free InDesign training!)

11 simple tricks to work smarter in InDesign (+ free InDesign training!)

It’s no secret I love InDesign – if you’ve been around these parts for even just a week, you can probably tell that :) I’m launching my very first e-course in just 3 weeks, so today I want to share a few of my favorite simple tricks, tools, and shortcuts to help you work smarter + faster in Adobe InDesign. Stick around until the end, and you can download a sneak peek at one of my favorite components of my new course – the ready-to-use project you’ll complete by the end of it. I’ve got 11 tricks to go through, so we’ll skip the small talk and go straight to the good stuff!

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The difference between design fads + trends

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The difference between design fads + trends

Fads and trends. This topic can be a little touchy, I think, especially when you start talking about the elements of branding + design. Let me start by saying this: your business’s brand — no matter how businessy (is that a word?) — is still personal. It’s a personal reflection of the work you’re passionate about. It’s how you describe what fires you up to potential clients and customers. The design of your brand is most definitely personal to you, and by default, I’m sure you’re a little protective of it. 

The ultimate guide to e-book design (+ free starter guide)

The ultimate guide to e-book design (+ free starter guide)

I’ll be the first to admit it: I love a good e-book. One that provides great content — actionable stuff, not fluff — and a clean, easy to follow design is hard to resist. E-books are super popular right now, and for good reason. They make great opt-in incentives or lead magnets, you don’t have to worry about printing anything physical, you can send it directly to your customer with one click, and you can share just about any kind of information using an e-book format. E-books are super versatile, they can be super valuable, but there’s also some bad news… they can be super ugly. 

3 ways you can use your business to give back

3 ways you can use your business to give back

One of my favorite parts about being a creative entrepreneur is I get to decide where my money goes. I get to decide how much of the profits I take for myself, how much I invest back in my business for new equipment or opportunities, how much I put towards education and networking events, and my new favorite — how much I give back to communities and organizations around the world that make a real difference in the lives of those who need it. 

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