What is your name?

Rachel Winard

What is your Etsy shop name and link?

Soapwalla Kitchen

What type of items do you make?

Luxurious face and body products made with organic vegan and food-grade ingredients, never harsh chemicals or synthetic preservatives.

Who is your target market?

Eco-conscious twenty- and thirty-somethings, new moms, women 40-55 who want alternatives to age-reversing chemical and surgical procedures.

What are some of the hardest things about selling on Etsy? (i.e getting traffic to your shop, finding time to create and list, getting your pictures just right, etc.)

Hands down, getting traffic to the shop. I found it took a solid month of researching and trying out various tags and descriptions to capture my items on virtual paper and to appear in directed search queries.

What do you do to get people to your shop? Do you advertise? What type of marketing do you do?

I just purchased my first advertisement spot on Cool Mom Picks. Otherwise, all my traffic has been via word of mouth and from blog reviews.

Is this your full time job? Would you like It to be?

Yes, this is my full time job. I am also a violinist, but I spend about 80 hours a week on Soapwalla Kitchen.

Do you sell anywhere outside of Etsy?

Yes, I sell personally to clients and I sell at the (Makers) Market in Brooklyn.

What inspires you?

Nature. People who persevere against all odds. Love. Flowers. Talking to clients and knowing that my products make their lives easier. I constantly push myself to create the highest quality products I can, while leaving the smallest ecological footprint possible. I want Soapwalla’s products to be enjoyed by everyone – including those with even the most sensitive skin.

What advice would you give to new crafters on Etsy?

Two things: (1) find one or two successful Etsy sellers who are in a similar field, then study, study, study their sites – their photography, descriptions of items, tags, profile page, appearance, everything. (2) Become affiliated with an Etsy Team that is complimentary to your art form/craft. I found great friends and such supportive people through Etsyveg, VeganEtsy and CreateAbility Teams. The site didn’t seem so overwhelming, and I was able to bounce ideas off of Etsy veterans.

What do you do when you get in a rut? (i.e not inspired to create new items and/or when or shop sales slow down, what do you do to pick them back up again)?

I have lists of goals, ranging from very short-term (this week) to long-term (5 years from now). When I start feeling down (which happens on a weekly basis!) I look through the lists and see what small thing I can do today to help me get one step closer to my ultimate goal. I also seek out friends and family who are experts at pep talks, and get a little reminder that what I do is important and that success isn’t linear.

I HIGHLY recommend putting together a personal cheerleading team and having them on stand-by. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had severe self-doubts, and wanted to throw in the towel and get a “real job.” But my incredible friends and family always step in and tell me that what I’m doing is important, of value, and that I can do this! It’s saved me more times than I can count.
What would you say the most satisfying thing about being an Etsy seller is?

Seeing all the incredible talent and creativity in the world, on a daily basis. I am continually inspired by fellow sellers’ – and buyers’ – stories, interests, hidden talents. It’s just amazing.