How AnxietyGone got started
Introduce your Etsy shop and tell us your story. How did you begin and decide on what to sell on Etsy, and how do you create your products?
Hi! I’m Chantal McCulligh, the owner and founder of Anxiety Gone. We are an online self-help mental health and wellness shop that offers therapeutic products, gift sets, tools, techniques, and resources to help support people going through difficult times or struggling with their mental health—and to help others do the same for their friends and loved ones.
Anxiety Gone was inspired by my own personal struggles with anxiety as well as seeing many others go through similar experiences. I was diagnosed with anxiety disorder and panic disorder as a child and have always dreamed of helping others go through what I was (and still am) struggling with. It took me a long time and many hardships to learn that life with anxiety and other mental health concerns didn’t have to be a struggle. There are so many things out there that can help manage and boost your mental health, and they aren’t always bath bombs and rainbows (though sometimes they are!).
There are hundreds, probably even thousands, of items out there that can help your mental health, but they are marketed for something else, so people never actually learn what they can do. It’s my mission to not only provide these tools to our customers but to also teach them how they can be used to improve mental health, provide comfort and calmness during high-anxiety times, and so on and so forth. Since my initial launch, Anxiety Gone has become a well-rounded resource for everything mental health, with gift sets and tools for depression, seasonal affective disorder, all types of anxiety, and general mental health and wellness too.
When it comes to selecting products for my shop or putting together a collection for a mental health gift set, I always look within and think about what I could have used or needed when going through different situations, whether it was an anxiety attack or the loss of a loved one. I also strive to source all of my products from small businesses whenever possible in order to support other people's dreams.
Favorite items
What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?
Ooph. This is a tough one because I genuinely love everything I sell. The worry thumb stones are definitely a personal and fan favorite. Not only are they affordable, but they also date back thousands of years, when monks were believed to use stones to help them meditate. They also offer a hefty dose of spiritual energy too, which is great because who doesn’t love some pretty gemstones?
The mental health gift sets are also a top favorite, and I believe this is because more and more people are learning how they can support themselves and their friends and loved ones when they’re struggling. Instead of sending expensive flowers that eventually wither away (although we do love a good bouquet), our mental health gift sets allow people to send helpful, therapeutic resources that support the recipient with whatever they are dealing with.
Our crystal-sprinkled candles also deserve an honorable mention because they’re loved by those embarking on their spiritual journey and they are an exclusive Anxiety Gone product. These pillar candles are coated in gemstones and infused with good energy. They can be used for spiritual practices, spellwork, or to simply add ambiance and calmness to your home.
Getting sales on Etsy
How long did it take for you to earn your first sale and how do you currently attract customers to your Etsy shop?
My first sale from Etsy came fairly quickly—maybe within the first week. Attracting customers comes down to high-quality photos, excellent customer service, and great reviews. But in order to attract customers, you have to get them to your shop first. I focus on using the right search terms based on SEO (my other profession) and social media, such as Instagram and Pinterest. I also run ongoing ads for a few extra bucks each week to help people find my products.
Managing AnxietyGone
How do you manage your shop? Are you running solo or do you have any team members? What tools or services do you use to run your shop and how do you handle fulfillment?
I am a proud mompreneur who runs the entire shop by myself, from our social media to our product fulfillment, shipping, customer service, and so much more. As a new mom and entrepreneur, the easy interface and features definitely allow me to run my store by myself, as I can quickly manage orders, respond to customers, run a sale, and post new products. (Shout out to my husband too, because he runs a lot of my business errands and helps out with putting together orders!)
I also use a variety of third-party apps to help run my business. Some of my go-to's are:
Canva is an online platform that makes it easy to create all of your marketing materials on your own, even if you have no prior experience whatsoever. From social media posts to infographics, booklets, pamphlets, and even IG reels, this tool is a secret weapon.
Lightroom Mobile: life-saving software If I had a dime for all of the time I wasted trying to make all of my product pictures look good before finding this app. Lightroom is an app I use on my tablet and mobile device that allows me to edit all of my photos like a pro (and with a few clicks). It's nearly foolproof, and the presets are game-changers (and time savers).
Quickbooks: I once had a friend of mine who is a marketing and business guru tell me that knowing your numbers is the most important step to growing a business. Unfortunately, numbers aren’t my thing, nor have they ever been. So, I use Quickbooks to do all of my accounting, and at the end of each month, I go through the reports they automatically generate for you to know what my numbers are, where we can save money, where we can spend more, and how to grow my business as a whole.
Google Docs: The big "G" is also a huge help for running my business. I use it to store all of my files, from social media posts to contracts and everything in between. I also use it to create all kinds of tables and Excel sheets to track vital information. It’s like having my own personal assistant. Thank you, Google.
For shipping, I use Canada Post, as I have a corporate account with them and discounted rates. Although shipping costs are always extremely (and painfully) high for small businesses, hopefully, someone comes up with a better option for us in the future. Once I print off all of our labels with CP, I turn my kitchen into an assembly line and start putting together my little mental health masterpieces.
The future of AnxietyGone
What goals do you have for your shop in the future?
I hope to eventually turn Anxiety Gone into the go-to shop for all products related to mental health and wellness, so we can offer more products and more mental health gift sets, as well as digital courses, virtual groups, etc.
Currently, I am creating mini booklets that serve as a crash course/workbook on helpful practices, such as gratitude, breathing exercises, overthinking techniques, and so on and so forth.
But my biggest goal: I would love to grow Anxiety Gone to a point where we can give away scholarships for people with mental illness and offer sponsorships that pay for therapy for the underprivileged.
In the meantime, you can find all of our content and products on:
We also sell on Etsy, of course, and Amazon.
Advice for new sellers
What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?
I often find myself recommending Etsy to other small business owners, as it’s an excellent way to get your brand seen. So, just being on Etsy is a good start!
As for advice for new sellers, I would say:
- Take high-quality photos. The apps I mentioned above can help, and there are also many courses you can take online to sharpen your skills. A good camera and proper lighting are also key!
- Aim to get the three badges each month (for timely responses, on-time shipments, and high-star reviews).
- Spend time filling out the keywords (and learning what keywords to use for your brand).
- Spend a couple of bucks on ads each week.
- Provide the same quality of customer service that you would want to receive from a company.
Aside from that, the most important thing is to genuinely love what you are selling—to love your products, to love your mission, to love your goals, and to know how your products can enhance the lives of other people. Put that same energy into your customers’ experiences and packages, and the rest will fall into place.
