☕ Sippin’ Sunday: One Year In

On February 12, I quietly celebrated one full year on Etsy.

One year of listings.

One year of late-night packing sessions.

One year of figuring it out as I go.

One year of truly stepping into my business.

And I’ve learned a lot.

Not the flashy, viral-growth kind of lessons. The steady, grounded kind. The kind you only learn by doing.

1. Stay in Your Lane

If you start a business, especially a creative one, everyone will have advice.

“Try this.”

“You should sell that.”

“Have you thought about adding…?”

“You’d make more money if…”

And listen — most of it comes from a good place. People mean well.

But here’s what I’ve learned:

You don’t have to make everything.

Just because something sells doesn’t mean it’s yours to sell. Just because someone else is successful doing it doesn’t mean it belongs in your shop.

There were ideas I chose not to pursue — not because they weren’t good, but because they weren’t me. And that clarity matters.

Your lane is powerful when you stay in it.

2. Give Back. Share the Journey.

Not everyone gets the opportunity to build something that brings them joy.

That’s a privilege.

So if you’re in that position — share it. Inspire someone. Tell the truth about the hard parts and the exciting parts. Teach what you’ve learned. Answer the DM. Encourage the person who says, “I wish I could do that.”

There is room.

I don’t ever want to hoard what I’ve learned. If anything, I want my journey to give someone else permission to start theirs.

3. Build Steady, Not Loud

This one surprised me.

I used to think growth had to look big. Explosive. Viral. Overnight.

But this year taught me something different.

Steady matters.

Systems matter.

Consistency matters.

Packaging supplies being stocked at 10 p.m. matters.

Tweaking listings matters.

Learning your numbers matters.

It’s not glamorous. But it builds something solid.

And solid lasts longer than hype.

One year in, and I’m still learning. Still adjusting. Still dreaming bigger.

But I’m also more grounded. More confident. More clear on who I am as a business owner.

If you’re at the beginning of something — keep going.

If you’re one year in — celebrate it.

If you’re thinking about starting — this is your nudge.

You don’t have to do everything.

Just do what’s yours.

xo,

Jecca 💛