How sonshineleather 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?
Sonshine Leather began in a little room above a Christian bookstore that Nolan’s parents managed in the heart of Music City (Nashville, TN). He honed his leatherworking skills and trade, rebinding bibles and catering to the creative clientele of the area. Fast forward some 40 years after a successful IT career to the internet, laser engravers, and a new way to have a virtual shop online (Etsy). We first gave Etsy a try in 2010 after a year of experimenting with what we could do with a laser engraver to help speed up the tooling and cutting time and enable us to keep up with demand should the shop be a success. We wanted to keep the experience the same as what Nolan had been able to provide in the 1970s, where the customer had seen what we could do and then was able to expand on that with their own ideas. I spent those first years learning the "ins and outs" of Etsy and how to bring our shop to the people in a way that gave them a voice in the process. Many of our products came from Nolan’s collection of antique books that were full of beautiful but forgotten designs. We offered up journals, bibles, and photo albums. It worked, and as people started seeing what we could do, they responded with their own ideas and requests for customized pieces. This grew into military bibles, cowboy bibles, wedding bibles, charge books, and on and on as clients suggested ideas that we could then add to our offerings. It took several years to finalize the listings with all of the options we had to choose from. Etsy grew with us, and as new ways to offer variations and examples were expanded, so did we.
Favorite items
What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?
Family and wedding bibles became one of the most popular items, and it was very rewarding to be making such a special gift that we knew would become heirlooms for generations. We are able to add the family or couple names, the wedding date, etc., which make these wonderful and unique gifts. Probably my favorites are the special ones we make that include the picture of the wedding chapel or other things that make it such a one-of-a-kind heirloom. I love hand-tinting these, and the reviews we get on how they are received just bring us so much satisfaction!
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?
Our first sale was for a small journal, maybe after we had been online for a month. We were over the moon! It was a very slow beginning, but so was our developing process and understanding of the online shopping world. It took about 7 years for it to grow to the point where we could quit our jobs and rely on it alone. These days, we are benefiting from how many years we have been online and allowing Etsy to "put us out there." We have pretty much relied on their advertising options from the beginning. We work hard to produce a product that others will want when they see it in person and to keep clients coming back for more.
Managing sonshineleather
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?
Nolan has partially retired these days, so it is mainly me running things, but he still produces the big military charge bookbinder and is my IT and system manager as well as my cheerleader. I keep things pretty simple, with only a small Facebook and Instagram presence and otherwise relying on Etsy’s ads and shipping services. The Quickbooks connection I got through Etsy has been very valuable in keeping up with business expenses. This past year, the USPS changes have brought some challenges that I had to go outside of Etsy to meet, but I’m expecting Etsy will catch up with those soon.
The future of sonshineleather
What goals do you have for your shop in the future?
My goal as these years start adding up is just to keep going as long as I can. We found our niche, but figuring out how to pass it on to someone else and someday retire is a pretty daunting challenge. The great thing is that I love what I do and how happy it can make others.
Advice for new sellers
What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?
You just can’t say "don’t give up" enough. It takes a long time to believe the process will work. I think it is so important for it to be something you love to do anyway, and that will keep you going when the profits aren’t there. You also just have to be seen to be wanted, so the process of defining your listings to be what will showcase your work is imperative!
