PASSIONS TO PROFIT

Junior Madison Martinez clasps a charm to a metal earring hook for one of the products she sells on her Etsy shop MandDsBoutique.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY MADISON MARTINEZ

Students make money selling handmade jewelry on Etsy

BY ABBY GODSEN OLIVIA HELMUTH assistant editor reporter

Hobbies can serve as unique creative outlets to pass time, but committing to an interest and turning it into a profitable business takes dedication and research. For junior Madison Martinez, her business started as a hobby that over time became a bigger priority.

“It is something that I can do with my mom, especially during quarantine,“ Martinez said. “We wanted to do something fun and creative during this time. It has really kept me busy and I feel like I have to stay on top of things and check my website, but sometimes I fall behind because of my focus on school.”

Similar to Martinez, junior Kaitlyn Chandler started making jewelery because of her determination to learn a new hobby. However, she also wanted exposure to being the owner of a business for her career after graduation.

“I wanted some business experience in case that is something I want to pursue in the future with an engineering company,” Chandler said. “I focused on my business over the summer and during quarantine so my shop is more of a fun summer hobby while I focus on my school primarily in the winter.”

Chandler found out about selling on Etsy through buying products from other small business owners. She also did research about the inner workings of running a business.

“I found out about Etsy by shopping for homemade items such as masks, tiedye, and jewelry. Setting up my business included a lot of research by looking at other people’s experience selling on Etsy as well as researching how to ship items from home. I also learned a lot about cost, pricing, and how to make jewelry in general,” Chandler said.

Martinez saw others who created their own businesses during quarantine and chose to sell her products on Etsy because of their history of being small business friendly.

“I saw many people creating an at home business and being very creative from making masks to making t-shirts, so I wanted to make something that I like, which is jewelry,” Martinez said.“It really helped me look into other small businesses and kind of see how they progressed as a business throughout the years. I decided to do Etsy because they are an amazing website that helps you spread the word about your products and they make it very easy for you to manage

‘‘ I enjoy making jewelry that makes me and other people feel good about themselves and jewelry that comes from local places instead of fast fashion.

junior Kaitlyn Chandler

everything that you have.” to start by being creative and do your own

Empowering others through the jew- things and be proud of what you make. I elry she makes is one of the reasons why started to make jewelry from seeing vidChandler loves having a small business as eos from social media of people making well as the process from getting an order to their own and I wanted to learn for myshipping it out. self and then I kind of realized that this is

“I enjoy making jewelry that makes pretty easy and I wanted to start selling for me and other people feel good about themselves and jewelry that comes from a local place instead of fast fashion. I also love the feeling I get when I have a new ‘‘ I really love getting feedback from my customers. They really do enjoy the products I hand made. people,” Martinez said. “Every small business has their ups and downs and I just started not even a couple months ago so it’s not really been profitable at the moment but hopefully order and I get to ship soon my Etsy shop will items out. It makes grow and more people me feel productive junior Madison Martinez will see it and hopefully and independent,” by maybe the end of this Chandler said. year it will come a little

Getting feedback from customers and bit more profitable.” stylizing the products are some of the rea- Martinez encourages those looking to sons why Martinez loves having a small start their own Etsy shop to pursue it. business. “For somebody that wants to do it and

“I really love getting feedback from I say go for it and be proud of what you my customers. They really do enjoy the make because it’s your product and you’re products I hand made. But sometimes I just making an original,” Martinez said. really feel like a lot of people are doing the Chandler agrees with Martinez that same thing and I just don’t wanna feel like students should do if they were considering I’m copying someone. But definitely put- it because of how rewarding it can be. ting my own style that I can make really “I think that anyone who has thought helps me not feel that way,” Martinez said. about doing something like this should

Every small business has their ups and go ahead and do it. It is so rewarding and downs, but it is a good way for students to makes you feel accomplished as well as be creative,” Martinez says. gaining experience and new hobbies,”

“It’s honestly a great way for students Chandler said.

Junior Kaitlyn Chandler uses pliers to create rings.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY KAITLYN CHANDLER

Junior Kaitlyn Chandler creates jewelry for her Etsy shop, Pretty Little Blings.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY KAITLYN CHANDLER