BowWowBeds

After receiving such an incredibly positive response to our first Quit Your Day Job article on DennisAnderson, we have decided to spin it into a series highlighting sellers that have decided to take the plunge into selling on Etsy full time!  Soon after the article launched, I heard from Kent & Amberlii King of BowWowBeds.  Kent had recently quit his day job to help out with the growing success of his wife Amberlii’s dog bed making business.  This was a bit of a twist on the conventional way we would imagine someone quitting their day job to sell on Etsy, but a touching one nonetheless.  BowWowBeds has been selling on Etsy for just over a year and are moving right along; keep reading to learn more about how this husband and wife team makes a living doing what they love.

When you first started selling on Etsy did you have dreams or goals of eventually quitting your day job?
I have been a stay at home mother, [so] that’s my day job. So, it wasn’t so much quitting for me as it was having the chance to contribute to my family’s income. Etsy has enhanced that experience by developing this great site. It is a way to get my product to a greater audience, allowing me the opportunity to grow as a small business. It was my husband who quit his day job! Now he works alongside me after many years in the professional realm.

How long were you selling on Etsy and working your day job before deciding you were ready to switch over to Etsy full time?
I tried Etsy a few years after I had established my business. It has been a great venue for my work.

What made your husband decide to quit his day job?
My business had grown considerably, so much so that my husband decided to leave his job and join me in this adventure. Together, we knew we could take the next step in growing (our) business into something strong enough to depend on.

How did you two know you were ready for him to take the plunge?
When it is time, you just know. For us it took a lot of late night conversations where we compared the pros and cons. Fortunately, the reasons to plunge always overshadowed the rest. With every ‘plunge’ it is either sink or swim. But that part is up to you, make it work and it will.

Did you do anything to prepare ahead of time before taking the plunge?
There were a lot of pre-plunge conversations. We knew what we had to do to stay afloat. We set our personal goals, business goals, some timelines and a plan of attack with options. Luckily it was something we could do together…that is a big part of our success, working together and sharing the burden.

What goals have you set for your Etsy business in the next few months and year?
Our goal is always to out-do the last year. My husband keeps detailed records and even charts our progress on graphs just to keep a close eye on how things are going. It is important to have both short term and long term goals for your business and know when to re-think them.

What are the most effective ways you have promoted and marketed your Etsy business?
Nothing helps promote your work like putting a face to it. It is what you get with small business. You get to deal straight with the person. I make the beds, I answer the phone and emails, we package and ship them, etc. There is a person behind my product and when you buy from me you get to deal with that person. My husband and I cherish what we are doing and know that people respect buying straight from the maker. We try to show that through any advertising we do.

How’s it going so far, are you getting by?
So far, so ….GREAT!!! Taking control of our life like this has been the best thing we, as a family, have ever done. We are constantly thankful for the opportunity to become self-employed.

Can you walk us through what a typical workday might entail now that you are both working on BowWowBeds fulltime?
My day is filled with processing orders, correspondence and making the products. It is a busy day but one spent in my home office alongside my family. It isn’t so much like a job as it is just a part of my life. It is constant work, but that is what it takes to keep it going. It is a great responsibility but one that I love.

What do you enjoy most about working for yourself at home?
Being your own boss comes with the typical benefits. If you are considering it, then yes…it is everything you could ever want and more. But it doesn’t come easy. You have to reconsider some things. For us it was to reconsider every goal we ever set and re-think our entire family life. We made the right decision. We are now on the path where we belong.

What piece of advice would you give someone thinking about taking the plunge to sell full time on Etsy?
I would tell anyone that success depends on commitment; it’s like that with anything. But to get started, do the research. Know your product and the niche you fill by offering it. We got into it by buying a great dane puppy, that led to making a good bed for him to sleep on, that led to realizing others could use one too, that led to further research and development, and here we are today. It takes time, give it what it deserves.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?
My husband says that the world is changing. He compares what we do with how it used to be back when people made a living from their own craft and handiwork. We love that Etsy supports that. If you have the love of creating things and the willingness to make it your life…do so! You only live once…..