Running An Online Business: Tips to Know

Welcome back!
   The process of running a business can be incredibly stressful and confusing. I'm here to make that process a little bit easier for you! In this blog post, I will be sharing what I have learned while running my own online business on Etsy. There are probably three super important things I have learned while running this store (even though it's only been a few weeks). These three things are: prepare for setbacks, set expectations you can meet, and be patient.
     First up, prepare for setbacks. Failure is a huge part of the entrepreneurial process. In fact, it might even happen more than once. However, having setbacks does not mean your business is a flop, it just means there is a little more work to do. When I first started my online business I had planned everything. I followed the business process, business idea, goal, venue (Etsy), and anything in between.

     I was ready to go and start my business. My first step at the time was to make an account on Etsy, which was the platform I was using for my online shop. Etsy's rules are pretty straightforward in fact they provide all the steps with instructions to help you start your business. Things immediately got difficult and I was only trying to figure out my shop name! This was my first setback. Now, if you're smart you may already have thought of a shop name for your business, however, there is the possibility that name is already taken (given you are using Etsy), so I spent a while just trying to figure out a name. I finally settled on JellySticker, which thankfully wasn't taken. The next setback was when I got to payment method. The thing is I don't have a credit card or Paypal that I could use. Not only that, but I had to be over 18 to get payments. I am only 15, so this was obviously a problem. I did some quick problem solving and asked my dad to provide his credit card information so I could continue working. That plan didn't end up working very well at all. Instead, I was unable to make the account at all because too much of the information didn't add up with the system. In the end, my wonderful father made a new account using his information and passed it on to me. My business was finally running! Until..I got banned. That was my third setback. In the end, I did get my shop back and it's running smoothly, so it did end well, but it took a lot to get there. Even careful planning doesn't cover the possible setbacks from outside sources! So know when planning a business, you might need to problem solve and be flexible.

(This image is supposed to symbolize flexibility, which is an important step to running a business)

     The next thing I learned was about setting expectations I could meet. This step is important to take into consideration when you're planning out what you want your business to be like. Setting expectations for yourself is important because it allows you to be more organized with your business in general. When I thought about setting expectations for myself it was more around how long I was going to take making the product and sending it out to the buyer. One of the steps on Etsy, when you make a new listing is to mark how low it might take for the product to be delivered. They have set days, weeks, or you can even make your own custom setting. For myself, it didn't take very long to make designs, so at first, I thought that the best option for me would be about 1-3 days. However, that only counted when they were printed beforehand and it didn't take into account how long it might take me to make a custom drawn sticker, so I decided that I would lengthen my time (1-5 days) for custom stickers, so I would have more time to make it. There are other factors you might have to take into consideration though besides the actual length that making the product would take. Make sure you apply your schedule to these times you set for your customers because that's important as well. For example, if you have to work for 3 days, but you said you'd mail your product out within 3 days, that might not be a great fit for you. For me, I have school all week, but I have time to make my product when school ends, so the times I set for myself work. Overall, make sure to take everything into consideration when setting expectations for yourself, because you don't want to be overwhelmed with too much, but you also don't want to take too long, try to make sure the time is even between you and the customer.

(This is an example of what NOT to do. Your reality should match your expectations) 

     Finally, the last pro tip is to be patient. Now, this one might seem a little obvious, but for me, this proved to be a little difficult. I tend to be a person who wants results right away, but I learned when running a business that might not always happen. When I first set up my shop I was so excited to have my first sale and make money, but it actually took about two weeks to get my first sale and I haven't gotten another one since. I have gotten views and some likes on certain drawings, but so far it's been pretty dry. But that's okay! It took me a while to realize that, but it's a part of the process. New businesses are bound to have a little bit of a dry period to start with, even business that have been running for a long time have dry periods, but that's okay. I think for me and probably many of you, the issues is that your business is new. There is a very high chance that there aren't a lot of people that know about your business yet. The best thing to do is to is to get the word out. Letting people know your business is open is the first step to getting customers. Telling friends, family, coworkers, etc.. can help build your business up. You also might not have many products out yet, which I think is also an issue on my part. I have very limited options at the moment and especially with stickers, a person might not like the design, but they wouldn't be able to get much since there aren't many options to begin with. This is a good experience to learn from if you are starting a business make sure there are many options in the beginning, so customers don't feel limited to what there is. In conclusion, patience is a virtue, it's okay if there are dry periods in our business the best things to do is let others know about your business or make more products in the meantime. Not only will this help you practice patient, but it'll make reward feel all the better. 

(This quote helps us remember that although patience can be hard, the rewards, in the end, make it worth it)

     Now you know some pro tips! Remember, these tips are: prepare for setbacks, set expectations you can meet, and have patience! Another bonus tip is to have fun! Now I know that this is a bit corny, but it is important. If you don't like your business and aren't having a good time pursuing it then maybe that's when something needs to change whether that's your venue, goal, or the business altogether. The joy of running your own business is that everything is personalized to fit what you want, so it's always okay to change something. Running a business is going to be difficult, there will be setbacks, you'll have to hold yourself accountable, and it requires a lot of patience. All these tips I've provided are guaranteed to help your business run smoothly, so go ahead and get started!