How Michaela K 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?

My name is Michaela and I am the owner and creator behind Michaela K Creations on Etsy! In 2018, I quit both of my jobs and bought a one way ticket  to pursue a new job opportunity in Hawaii and it fell through. 

Having a clean slate, I decided to start the art business I always dreamed of running. I started drawing and creating sticker designs everyday until I finally made it home to Fresno, CA. The day after I arrived home, I opened my shop and started sharing my artwork with the world. 

I currently source my items with a variety of local companies.

Favorite items

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

Some of my favorite items are holographic stickers, such as these Moths and Mushrooms . I personally love the shine and bright colors holographic stickers have and my customers have too! They sell very well in all sizes and I’m sure customers love them for the same reasons I do. 

I also love creating and selling keychains in my shop. Keychains and stickers are both products that allow you to customize your items. Keychains can be paired together to make a cute accent for keys, bags, backpacks and so much more!

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?  

I made 1 sale on the first day my shop opened, but it took me about a year and a half before I started getting consistent traffic to my shop.

I try to post as often as I can on Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest to attract and interact with my customers.

Managing Michaela K Creations

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 currently work with 3 other women to run my shop. I do a little bit of everything but I have 1 person who packages and sends out orders, 1 person who plans social media posts and edits Etsy listings, and 1 person who prints shipping labels and preps packaging.

Everything is done in my newly renovated office and we have so much fun doing it! 

I use Etsy to run my shop and process shipping labels, later for social media posts and Pinterest and Instagram to interact with customers.

The future of Michaela K Creations

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

One of my goals is to start offering other artists a place to make their own stickers! We hope to have the equipment to start doing that by the end of this year and are on track to start making all of our stickers 100%  in house. 

I would also love to open a brick and mortar store and a mobile trailer store that can be taken to various events. At these locations customers can create their own custom gifts! There will be different gift boxes/bags, stickers, keychains, pins, journals, cards, jewelry, etc. allowing anyone to create a customized unique gift.

Advice for new sellers

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

Don’t give up! Starting a business takes time and commitment. Do what you love and your customers will love it too! Stay consistent with social media, but also make sure to take care of yourself and enjoy life and much as you can.