Have you been thinking about selling printables on Etsy? If you’ve been around a while then you know that I create and sell printables on Etsy and it didn’t take me long to have a 20K year on Etsy, selling just printables! So, do I think you need to start? Absolutely! But there might be some things holding you back from starting because you think you have to take certain actions first. So today, I’m going to tell you 3 Things You DON’T Need Before Selling Printables.
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I can’t start my printables business until…
Have you started selling printables yet? If so, then I’m so proud of you for getting started! Starting is the hardest part. Or at least that’s what some of my followers were telling me over on Instagram. And the reason people don’t start selling printables is because they think there’s all of these things that have to get done before they open up a shop and get started. So today I’m debunking some of your excuses for getting started so you can clear your to-do list of the junk, and focus on what you really need to do!
Do You Need a Business Plan to Sell Printables on Etsy?
The very first thing most people think they need to do is have a business plan. The reason we think we have to have a business plan is because it’s tradition. It’s an old school tradition that you have to have a business plan before getting started. You probably had to have a business plan back in the day because starting a business was SO much harder than it is now. You’d have to create a business plan so that you could secure all the things that were needed for a business back in the day. Where as now, you only need a laptop and an internet connection and you’re ready to make some money!
So we need to look at some of these outdated principles in business and reevaluate them. It’s like how my mom always told me that it takes five years for a business to take off and gain traction. Is that true? Sure, it could be. But don’t we know so many people who were able to get up and running much sooner? So we can to pick what beliefs we’re going to buy into when it comes to the business that we’re building.
Did I have a business plan when I started my Etsy shop? Nope! So do we need a business plan? HECK NO! All we need is the courage to get outside our comfort zone and our intuition that’s going to guide us from there.
Do I Need to Set Up An LLC to Start A Printables Business?
This is a super common question that I get often. “Do I need to set up an LLC to start a printables business?” That answer, of course, is a BIG FAT NO.
In fact, I didn’t set up my LLC until I had been in business for several years. If you get a CPA, they can help you figure out when it’s time to switch to an LLC and when it’s not time yet. But, the gist is (and I’m not giving any financial advice here), that you don’t need an LLC until you actually start making money.
So many people get so scared about what will happen in the future when they start making money. But let’s not worry about that until you are making money. Once you start to make a bit of money, you’ll know it’s the right time to sit down with a professional (oh heck, just check out LegalZoom) to move to the next steps in your business.
It’s these kinds of things that really slow people down from starting because everything seems so professional and business-y. Do you think half the Etsy sellers have it all figured out? Heck no! They are figuring it out as they go.
Have A Bunch of Printables Ready to List: 3 Things You DON’T Need Before Selling Printables
Are you waiting to start your Etsy printables shop because you think you can’t start until you’ve designed 5, 10, 15, 50, or 100 printables that are ready to list? If so, this is absolutely NOT necessary. Don’t hold of starting your shop just because you haven’t created your product list yet.
Why? Etsy loves to see your shop growth. It actually doesn’t want to see you list 100 printables the day you open your shop! The Etsy algorithm wants to see your shop growing steadily over time and reward you as you do. If you throw up 100 listings on your first day, your shop won’t get that “new Etsy shop” feel. So designing and listing as you grow is the goal.
3 Things You DON’T Need Before Selling Printables
The truth is, we make things SO much harder than they have to be. We think we have to have it all figured out before we start. That we have to be so professional and buttoned up from the very start. But that’s just not the case! And most of these “excuses” we have about starting come from fear. We are scared of what’s going to happen once we actually start. So, don’t use any of these three things I’ve talked about today as reasons you haven’t started yet.
And if you’re wondering what things you actually have to have before selling printables, it’s your habits. You need to build good habits first in order to have a successful Etsy shop. So to help you out with this, I’ve created a free training called, How to Build Consistent Habits to Grow your Etsy Shop. Join me in the free training so you can get started right away!
Thanks so much for reading about the 3 Things You Don’t Need Before Selling Printables . I love to help you celebrate life through printables and personal development! But above all, I’d love to connect with you. Reach out to me on Instagram and let’s chat.
xoxo, Lindsay
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