Etsy Seller Interview with Kristin of MiracleMakerDesigns

How MiracleMakerDesigns 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 am Kristin Wacker, owner and creator of Miracle Maker Designs on Etsy. We sell handmade party accessories, home decor items, and clothing for the whole family. I started Miracle Maker Designs in 2018 after having my son, Hudson, who was born extremely premature, weighing only 1 pound, 4 ounces! From the moment Hudson came into this world, he inspired and touched the lives of so many people. He defied all odds and fought each and every day (of his 127-day NICU stay) just to learn how to breathe, how to eat, and how to grow. He exemplified courage and taught us that we are all capable of just about anything we set our minds to do. And from this, the idea of Miracle Maker Designs began. I wanted to be able to give back and help other NICU families, just as so many had done for us.

As the mom of a micro-preemie, I know firsthand just how important every milestone and every celebration is. I still vividly remember the day we were told that Hudson would be able to wear clothes for the first time! It seemed like such a small thing, but it meant we were moving in big directions (which was one step closer to going home!). As we excitedly shopped around for clothes, I noticed a lack of choices in the preemie area. There were tons of cute clothes for newborns, infants, and children, but only a few selections for preemies. And this is why every Miracle Maker design is offered in preemie sizes. Also, a portion of the proceeds from every sale is donated to the "Make It Matter Project," which gives back to local NICU babies and their families. I personally design all of the items in our Etsy store and handmake everything from our home workshop. Because each piece is handmade to order, I love working with our customers to make the perfect personalized products.

Favorite items

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

I have many favorite items, but I will pick one from each category we sell. For clothing items, my favorite product and best seller is the Fight Like A Preemie Bodysuit. It represents our shop on so many different levels and was one of the first listings I created and sold.

My favorite and best-selling paper and party supply is our Ofishally One High Chair Banner. First birthdays are a true milestone and a huge celebration for both the child and the parents. The "O'fish"ally One party theme seems to be a big hit! I have created and sold multiple matching items for this party theme, such as personalized banners, cake toppers, and birthday shirts. This way, customers can create the perfect personalized party without leaving our shop!

For home decor items, our tiered tray signs are all the rage. They are such an adorable and easy way to decorate your home for the holidays without a lot of expense and effort. Our best-selling tiered tray sign is the New Year's Eve Tiered Tray Sign. I believe the chic layouts and glittering gold accents bring the perfect amount of fun and sparkle to your home decor.

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 within the first week of opening our shop. I was so ecstatic to hear that cha-ching noise come from my phone, and it was one of our preemie bodysuits that sold. This first sale gave me the confidence to know that if I put time and effort into the shop, I could make it a valuable business and an asset to our family. I currently attract customers to my Etsy shop by working very diligently on my SEO, tags, titles, and descriptions. I do use social media as well; however, my social media pages do not seem to be a huge driving force for my Etsy shop as of yet. Pinterest has generated the most views. I was also very lucky and had a social media influencer randomly buy one of our seasonal holiday products: Halloween bats. After she used them to decorate her own home and made a video reel, the Halloween bats literally "flew" off the shelves. To this day, my seasonal products seem to sell very well.

Managing MiracleMakerDesigns

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 primarily run and manage all aspects of our Etsy shop. From design and production to customer service and fulfillment, I work seven days a week to keep up with business. During our busy season, I do rely on assistants to help with packaging and labeling orders. However, all of the day-to-day tasks are performed by myself. I work out of my home office, where I have three different cutting machines (sometimes all going at the same time!). I also have a professional-grade heat press, and I don’t know how I managed it before getting my DYMO label printer. I use Etsy’s integrated shipping labels for mailing and contacting customers regarding tracking information. I still hand-deliver my packages to the post office every morning to ensure that they are received.

Because I sell a variety of different products (and only have so much available space in my office), I keep a minimal amount of materials on hand and order often as my quantity of supplies starts running low.

As far as apps and tools go, I use the Etsy Seller and Sell on Etsy apps to run my business when I’m on the go. The apps make it easy to update quantities, renew listings, and engage with customers via messages while I am away from my computer. I have recently been loving Canva to create social media posts, and videos, and even design business marketing materials. I use Adobe Lightroom for photo editing because we all know good pictures sell! I also use the Business Suite to help with creating and scheduling social media posts.

The future of MiracleMakerDesigns

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

My future goals are to continue to grow and expand my business. I truly believe it is important to have a business that is adaptable. As the market and industry change, it is essential to learn about them and grow with them. With an increase in sales and profit, I would be able to further support the heart of our business goal, which is giving back to NICU babies and their families.

Advice for new sellers

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

My advice to new sellers starting an Etsy shop is to go for it! Believe in yourself and in your products, and you can make what feels impossible possible. When first starting off, I recommend taking your time. Go slow, do your research, and create good-quality listings. Focus on SEO, keywords, tags, titles, descriptions, and images. Speak to your customers and try to answer all of their questions about your products, both in words and images. Don’t be afraid to fail or to try something new. Not every listing you put in your shop is going to be a bestseller. But you never know unless you try it! Once you find your "niche," go with it. Add more products that are similar or appeal to your audience. Lastly, have fun. If you are enjoying the process, it does not even feel like work.