My journey as a handmade business owner... My Key Takeaways

Introduction

Starting a handmade business is never easy, and my journey has been no exception. From countless hours of learning to a whirlwind of emotions with my first order, every step has taught me valuable lessons. Here's my story—and how I learned to embrace the unexpected.

The Beginning: Discovering the Craft App

When I first started crocheting, I discovered a popular app designed for handmade creators. I thought, why not give it a try?

I spent endless hours learning how to:

• Take professional-looking photos.

• Choose the right keywords.

• Write compelling product descriptions.

• Calculate shipping costs accurately.

The process was far from easy. I pulled countless all-nighters, struggling to feel like I was making any real progress. But no matter how frustrating it became; I refused to quit.

The Joy of My First Order

One day, the long-awaited moment arrived: a notification dinged from the app. My first order was in! My joy was indescribable—I even took a screenshot of the order details to remember the moment forever.

But just as I was celebrating, everything came crashing down. Without warning, the app decided to permanently close my store. They sent a cold, no-reply email, leaving me unable to respond or appeal effectively. My excitement turned into anger, frustration, and disbelief.

My good fairy's bag ready to be shipped!

The Good Fairy and Her Summer Tote Bag

Even though my shop was closed, I felt a deep sense of responsibility to the customer who had placed the order—my “good fairy". She trusted me to deliver her summer tote bag, and I couldn’t let her down, even without payment.

I shipped the bag to France, hoping for the best. A week later, my good fairy received it, and her happiness was contagious. But I still hadn’t explained the full situation to her.

The next day, I finally contacted her. I explained the situation and asked if she’d been refunded by the app. She was shocked to learn that I had sent the bag without any guarantee of payment. It took nearly a month of back-and-forth communication with the app before they refunded her. Once she received her refund, she immediately paid me directly for her beautiful new tote bag.

Reflecting on the Experience

This experience taught me some important lessons:

• If I hadn’t taken a screenshot, I wouldn’t have been able to fulfill the order.

• If I hadn’t set up my own website, I would’ve had to start from scratch—redoing photos, descriptions, and shipping details.

• If this incident hadn’t happened, I might’ve continued wasting time on a platform that didn’t value its sellers.

  
  

My Key Takeaways

1. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket—it’s too risky!

2. Rely on your own strength and resources whenever possible.

3. Good fairies really do exist—and they’re worth the effort!

✨😍✨

My journey as a handmade business owner has been full of ups and downs, but it all started with a big leap of faith. Want to know more about how I transitioned from city life to crafting happiness? Read my story here: Crafting Happiness.