Etsy Seller Interview with Angela of ArtworkbyAK

How ArtworkbyAK 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?

I’m Angela Backaler, owner and founder of Artwork by AK. I design and sell whimsical and unique art prints, greeting cards, stickers, and other items focused on the Australian Cattle Dog breed. I started Artwork by AK in the fall of 2015 as an Etsy shop with the intent to create a business motivated by my creative passion for art and my love for my two blue heelers, Ella and Bob.

The products I sell in my Etsy shop are items that I, as a cattle dog parent, always looked for in stores but were hard to find. I create designs and products that I would want in my home or to give as gifts to friends and family.

When designing products for my shop, everything starts with my artwork. When I am not doing one of the twenty things that go with running a small business, I am drawing on my iPadty things that go with running a small business, I am drawing on my iPad. Creating art has always been a part of my life ever since I was a child, and therefore, I am an artist first and a small business owner second.

My artwork is inspired by adventures with my dogs and the wonderful, tight-knit community of cattle dog owners I’ve connected with through social media. These dogs have such funny and distinctive personalities! I want every design and product sold in my Etsy shop to directly reflect this.

I design all of my products and produce art prints, greeting cards, gift tags, and stickers myself. Other items like notepads, washi tape, apparel, ceramic mugs, and totes are manufactured with the help of partner U.S. companies.

Favorite items

What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?

My favorite products from my Etsy shop are my 40 Blue Heelers Art Print, Blue Heeler Crew Notepad, Blue Heeler Mountains Reflection Vinyl Sticker, and Blue Heeler Expressions Yoga Leggings. These products are also some of my top sellers, and I wear the leggings at least once a week.

You will not find any cattle dog designs or products like these anywhere in the market today. And while I picked the blue-heeled products as my favorites because I have blue heels, most everything in my Etsy shop has a red-heeled version as well.

Many cattle dog owners tell me they love these items because I’ve successfully captured the wide variation of fur markings and personalities of the breed. They also seem to see something of their dog(s) in my designs while finding products that are fun and functional.

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 came a week after opening, from a fellow cattle dog mom I knew. My second sale came about two weeks later from someone who found me through an Etsy search, and orders trickled in one or two a week for the first few months. I think it helped that I opened my store in October, just as the holiday shopping season was picking up.

Nowadays, I attract most of my customers through SEO (e.g., Etsy Search, Pinterest) and social media, with Instagram being the most effective for me.

Managing ArtworkbyAK

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 continue to run Artwork by AK solo and from my spacious home office and studio dedicated to the business. I also work remotely full-time at my job, so it’s a daily exercise in finding that delicate balance between the two while also making sure I take time for fun and travel with my husband and friends.

Over the years, I’ve added various shelves and storage for all the different papers and envelopes I use for my numerous products. One section of the room is the dedicated "shipping center," which has all the shipping supplies, package scales, and label printers. Another area has a growing number of printers and cutting machines, along with whiteboards for keeping supply lists. Ella and Bob are always underfoot in my office to provide support in the form of kisses (and sometimes impatient looks when it’s time for me to take a break).

I prefer to order all the inventory of paper, envelopes, shipping supplies, etc. twice a year because I find it more economical to buy in bulk. This wasn’t something I did at the start because I was unsure about what I needed and experimented a lot with different materials. In recent years, I’ve developed a better understanding of what I use and have adjusted accordingly. Whatever supplies don’t fit in my office are tucked away in our guest room. My husband is very patient and helpful on delivery days.

As an artist, it’s important to have the right tools in place that allow me to be creative in a digital age. I also have a software and client services background and look for ways to implement technology to streamline my business tasks and processes. Some of my favorite apps and tools include:

iPad Pro 12.9: I always keep my iPad close to me. It’s my primary tool for digital drawing and has a variety of apps loaded on it for the organization of business tasks and ideas.

Procreate: As of two years ago, whenever I draw digitally, it is always in the Procreate app. I really enjoy the drawing experience, and it’s easy to organize my artwork in different galleries. The workflow of importing and exporting files to and from Photoshop is also a breeze.

Canon Pixma Pro-100: I have several of these printers, and while the ink prices can be expensive, I find the print quality to be unparalleled.

Adobe Creative Cloud Photoshop: I use Photoshop for any final edits to artwork created in Procreate. I also use it to build print files for products like art prints, greeting cards, gift tags, and stickers, as well as to create product photos and mockups. Adobe’s Premier Rush is the app I use for editing process videos to post on social media.

Cricut Maker and Design Space: I use Cricut Makers for cutting sticker sheets, and the Cricut Design Space is vital for organizing and creating these products quickly and efficiently.

Good Notes: I love using this app to capture everything from design ideas to new product specs to inventory lists. It has saved me from death by a thousand sticky notes on more than one occasion.

The future of ArtworkbyAK

What goals do you have for your shop in the future?

While I continue to think of new designs and products to sell on my Etsy shop, I also want to focus on simultaneously building a standalone e-commerce website. I’ll always keep and love my Etsy shop, but I also need a place to direct potential customers I connect with outside of Etsy. I’m also starting to research and learn more about how to pursue licensing my artwork for commercial purposes.

Advice for new sellers

What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?

When setting up your Etsy shop, I recommend being laser-focused on the items you sell and making sure they have a cohesive theme that aligns with your brand. Pick a handful of products that go together and then do them well -- like better than anyone else -- and then gradually build your catalog.

Quality product photography is vital for grabbing people’s attention and converting them. Plan to invest your time and some money in photography and/or digital product design. Take advantage of online videos to help you upskill in this area, if needed. And when in doubt, there are also a lot of small businesses out there that specialize in pre-made or designed product mockups that you can customize.

A great product will not make up for poor customer service. Take the time to configure your auto-messages and emails for your Etsy shop. Also, be prompt and friendly when responding to customer messages. Treat your customers as you wish to be treated by other online businesses.

Finally, be patient and kind to yourself. Starting a small business and opening a shop on Etsy is something to be celebrated. It can take time to find your groove and your audience. It took me about three years before I really started to see growth. Even so, I’ll continue to learn new skills, listen to my target audience, and make improvements to my Etsy shop and business.

Some sellers really get inspired by hearing numbers. Feel free to share these if you like.

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 4.6%