Blood, sweat and tears. Lots of tears. That’s what it took to grow Bliss Paper Boutique to one of the top stationary shops on Etsy. It wasn’t easy. You don’t just have a wedding invitation go viral, and next thing you know you’ve sold thousands of downloads (I wish!).

Here are the top 5 things I’ve learned during my slow and steady climb to success: 

Be authentic and true to yourself 

• There is no room for copycats, if you can’t come up with original ideas, you shouldn’t open a shop.
• If you love your design, stick with it. Trust your gut. You’re never going to please everyone, but you should make sure you’re pleased with your own work :) It’s hard to defend something if you’re not 100% behind the work.

• Here is the thing about Etsy, people can hide behind their computer screens. It’s easy to write a mean review sitting on your couch 500 miles away.
• There are several shops out there that will copy you  – remember what they say, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” But, I can’t help but get this pit in my stomach when I see someone blatantly copying or stealing my work or someone else’s.

• There are only so many hours in a day. If you don’t have the time to put forth 100% effort in every entity of your business, ask for help so your business doesn’t flounder. 
• Sometimes asking for help means asking for help outside the business; for example: you might need to set up childcare a few days a week so you can solely focus on growing your business.

• Don’t be a slave to your job. The best thing about this new generation of entrepreneurs is we get to make a living doing something we’re passionate about. It should feel like you’re getting paid to do your favorite hobby every day. 
• Social media is great platform to interact and connect with your customers. Let your personality shine through your social presence  – show your customers the “true,” and fun, you! 

• In 2018 I made a goal to break away from wedding designs, and focus on babies, birthdays, moving announcements, etc. 
• Recently, I have been trying very hard (busting my booty actually!) to get my designs available for purchase on Amazon. 

With all the above said, I can’t in good-faith conclude this blog without also letting any of you shop-owners-to-be know that Etsy has become extremely competitive lately. I feel like new shops are popping up daily, even hourly! It’s hard to not become a needle in a haystack and get lost in the overwhelming amount of instant download stationary available on Etsy. However, don’t let this discourage you. I firmly believe that you can do anything you put your mind to.