When I opened my Etsy shop years ago, I wasn't dreaming about hitting 9,000 sales.
I was hoping for one.
One person I didn’t know choosing something I’d created.
One email saying, “Congratulations! You made a sale.”
One tiny bit of proof that maybe this little business could become something.
This week, my shop quietly passed 9,000 sales.
It’s a milestone I’m incredibly proud of, but not because of the number itself.
Because this number represents every time I wanted to give up . . . and didn’t.
There were so many days I questioned whether it was worth continuing. Sales would slow, I’d wonder if anyone even wanted what I was creating anymore, and I’d think, “Maybe this is it.”
Then another Etsy email would arrive.
“Congratulations! You made a sale.”
Sometimes it was one sale. Sometimes two.
But each one reminded me that someone, somewhere in the world, had chosen something I’d created.
And that was enough to keep me going for another day.
It Was Never an Overnight Success
From the outside, people often see milestones like this and assume they happened quickly.
The reality?
Years.
Thousands of hours.
Countless product ideas.
Listings that never sold.
Products that sold once… and never again.
Learning SEO.
Changing photos.
Rewriting titles.
Answering customer messages.
Celebrating great months.
Wondering what happened during the quiet ones.
Building an Etsy Business Has Never Been Easy
Despite what many YouTube videos and Etsy “experts” would have you believe, there isn’t a magic formula.
There have been countless hours spent designing products, researching keywords, improving listings, answering customer messages, testing ideas, learning photography, and wondering whether any of it was making a difference.
Some products became best sellers.
Others have never sold at all.
Every algorithm update seemed to change the rules.
Every year brought new competition.
Every quiet month made me question whether I should keep going.
That’s the reality of building a business that most people don’t talk about.
Etsy Has Helped Support Our Family
There have been seasons where Etsy has carried us.
There have also been seasons where sales slowed and I wondered whether it was worth continuing.
The algorithms changed.
Customer buying habits changed.
Competition increased.
Every time I felt like I’d finally figured Etsy out… something else changed.
Running an online business has never been about reaching a finish line.
It’s about learning to adapt.
The Biggest Lesson?
Don’t build your entire future on someone else’s platform.
I will always be grateful for Etsy.
Without it, I wouldn’t have reached 9,000 sales.
It gave me the opportunity to build a business from New Zealand that reaches customers all over the world.
But after years of relying on one marketplace, I’ve realised something important.
Platforms change.
Algorithms change.
Businesses evolve.
That’s why I’m now investing more time into building my own website and growing my YouTube channel.
They’re places where I can share what I’ve learned, connect with people directly, and build something that I truly own.
Success Doesn't Always Feel Like You Expect
If I’m honest . . .
Reaching 9,000 sales didn’t suddenly make everything easy.
I’m still learning.
I’m still trying new ideas.
I’m still balancing family, finances, work and everything else life throws at us.
One thing I’ve learned is that business milestones don’t always arrive when life feels easy.
Sometimes they arrive when you’re questioning everything.
Sometimes they arrive while you’re wondering if you should keep going.
This milestone doesn’t mean I’ve got it all figured out.
It doesn’t mean every month is a record-breaking month.
It doesn’t mean there haven’t been tears, frustration, or moments where I wanted to walk away.
It simply reminds me that showing up consistently, even when progress feels painfully slow, can eventually take you further than you ever imagined.
The Messages I'll Never Forget
As much as I’m grateful for every sale, it’s the messages I’ll remember most.
Parents telling me their son couldn’t wait to hang his new artwork.
Customers coming back years later because they were decorating another child’s room.
People taking the time to send a kind message after their order arrived.
On the days I questioned whether I should keep going, these messages reminded me why I started in the first place.
One of my favourites looked like this . . .
I still save messages like these. On the hard days, they’re a reminder that behind every order is a real person, a real family, and a little piece of artwork that’s found a home.
If You're Just Starting . . .
Maybe you’ve made one sale.
Maybe you’ve made none.
Maybe you’re wondering whether to keep going.
I’ve been there too.
Sometimes progress feels invisible while you’re living it.
Then one day you look back and realise that all those tiny steps, all those small decisions to keep showing up, have quietly built something bigger than you ever expected.
Today it’s 9,000 sales.
Tomorrow I’ll keep showing up and working towards 10,000.
Not because the number matters.
But because every sale represents another person who chose something I created.
And that still feels pretty special.
Thank you to every single customer who has supported my little business over the years. Every order, every kind message, every review and every recommendation has helped me keep creating.
If you’re curious, you can visit my Etsy shop here.
Here’s to the next chapter . . . and maybe, one day soon, 10,000 sales ❤️
