Etsy Seller Interview with Brooke of BrookeJadeStudio

How BrookeJadeStudio got started

Introduce your Etsy shop and tell us your story. How did you begin and decide on what to sell on Etsy, and how do you create your products?

I am a fashion illustrator specialising in capturing the fun and glamorous side of women's lives! Ever since I was a little girl, I was mesmerised by the beauty and glam that accompanied a lady. Those red, six-inch pumps; that sequined dress; the hot pink handbag with the big bow! I loved it all! Stealing my older sister's clothing, gazing at my mother's dressing table as the sun glistened through the crystal jewels, the slight aroma of Chanel No. 5, and the powder puff with pink satin bow letting off that wonderful cloud that gave a woman that porcelain glow! These were the things I adored!

As I grew up, I received motivation to pursue art and to explore creatively from my family. My mom was always sewing dresses and suits for myself and my siblings. My dad was an artist who created large canvas oil paintings of tall ships and western scenes, and I think this is where the desire to create something on a canvas or paper became a passion of mine. However, I found myself always wanting to draw something girly, pink, sparkly, and feminine. Then I thought to myself, "You should draw _____ for that wall in the powder room, or _____ would look great next to my jewellery in my bedroom", and so the journey began! My mom taught me the importance of entrepreneurship as she was a sales leader for Fifth Avenue Collection Jewellery, which inspired me to see that a woman can do anything that she puts her mind to. In 2017, with the coaching of my older sister, who is a professional artist herself, I opened my Etsy shop.

Now I am living my dream, thinking about girly things, window shopping the high street and luxury lifestyles for inspiration for my next piece, and illustrating the things I find intriguing and beautiful in life.

Favorite items

What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?

I love my entire bridal collection. Either the mother of the bride or the maid of honour There’s something so special about customising these to perfectly match the wedding day. It makes for some beautiful memories for the family and friends giving them as gifts. My second favourite would have to be rooftop champagne. The day I illustrated this one, I was sitting on my sofa in Canada on a cold day, daydreaming about a trip to Europe and what that would look like.

Getting sales on Etsy

How long did it take for you to earn your first sale and how do you currently attract customers to your Etsy shop?

My very first sale was made by my sweet cousin, who made the purchase only 2 weeks after I opened my shop. I would have to wait about 2 months for my first organic sale to come through. I currently use social media platforms to direct traffic to my shop. I have been finding it a challenge to keep up with all of the changes that have accompanied relying on social media to bring in organic customers. However, it is still my main avenue that I utilise.

Managing BrookeJadeStudio

How do you manage your shop? Are you running solo or do you have any team members? What tools or services do you use to run your shop and how do you handle fulfillment?

I manage my shop by myself, along with my two puppies, who are always by my side. I use the app Procreate to sketch all of my work now. For printing, I use LightRoom by Adobe on my Mac, and then a Canon Pixma Pro-100 is the printer I use. If I can help it, I like to print and ship out in one day to keep organised, so Fridays are usually the day I fulfil my orders.

The future of BrookeJadeStudio 

What goals do you have for your shop in the future?

I would like to add more greeting cards to my shop and possibly venture out to offer a wider range of products like stickers and journals.

Advice for new sellers

What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?

My biggest advice to someone who is considering opening a shop would be to not be afraid or embarrassed to share it with your friends and family on social media. They are your biggest cheerleaders, supporters, and mentors. They are here for you and want to see you succeed. So tell that voice in your head that’s giving you imposter syndrome to go away. You can do anything that you put your mind to. Whatever it is that you want to sell, make, create, or do, just do it! Start and see where it takes you. Five years from now, you will either be saying "I wish I would have" or "Look how far I’ve come".