Etsy Seller Interview with Hanna of CozyAit

How CozyAit 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?

Have you ever felt lost and uncertain about your place in the world? That's exactly how I felt when I was 23. After graduating with a technical degree, I found myself working for minimum wage in Ukraine, where the pay was a measly $90–$100 a month. As a young woman, I felt powerless to demand better working conditions and pay, and I couldn't help but feel like there had to be something more out there for me. As a person who has ASD, I have also struggled with mindless paperwork and work that had no creative foundation.

I hit a low point in my life where I felt like I was just trading my time for money and not even earning enough of it. Luckily, a friend came to my rescue with an offer for a job. It was a huge risk for me, though—it was a brand new field I knew nothing about, with embroidery and digitization being completely foreign to me. Even my relatives were against it, seeing it as a frivolous and creative pursuit. But I knew I needed a change, a fresh start, and I decided to take the leap of faith. And let me tell you, it was the first life decision that came from my heart.

I got into a small embroidery production as a digitizer. I had experience with a computer and several graphic editors. I just did this for myself before because I liked it. And when they started showing me how digitization works, I just understood the logic of this process from the very first minutes. I saw how an individual approach to each design works. I learned fast because I liked it! I liked it. I worked more than 10 hours a day and developed my speed with time to make more orders in a shorter time. I saw how my designs are stitched and what problems can arise in practice.

But one moment. My monthly salary was still between $100 and $160, and I had no way of increasing it. I was doing 1–4 orders a day, qualitatively on special. I liked the process, but time passed, and at some point, I became a good specialist and realized how underestimated my skills were and the degree of return to work. Also, I struggled with strange rules and a dismissive attitude towards me as a woman.

So I started to think about how I could do it better for myself and create something on my own. And I reached ETSY. For a very long time, I was afraid to start, studied all the questions, and dissuaded myself from trying. I saw which products are underrepresented on the site. Because of ADHD, it was very difficult for me to start doing anything, no matter how inspired I was. But at one point, I just turned off my head and started registering.

That was my 2nd job, just after full-time, so at that moment I spent additional hours for the CozyAit and worked 12–14 hours a day on my computer. Very quickly, my audience found me, and I received requests and ideas from my regular customers. I was so surprised! They supported me and sent a lot of feedback, which inspired me to do more and more files. I am grateful to them for leaving me their requests! This created my motion vector. I just asked buyers directly: What else would you like to buy? And acted on their answers.

Since then, I've been steadily adding new designs to my shop and connecting with customers from all over the world. Except 2022-23. The war in my country, Ukraine, takes a lot of energy. It's been an incredible journey, and I feel so grateful to have found my passion and turned it into a successful business. It's been about 5 years since the start until today to my shop and connecting with customers from all over the world. Except 2022-23. The war in my country, Ukraine, takes a lot of energy. It's been an incredible journey, and I feel so grateful to have found my passion and turned it into a successful business. It's been about 5 years from the start until today. And I hope the war will end soon, so I will be able to put all my energy back to work. 

So, that's the story of how a lost 23-year-old girl found her way in the world through the art of embroidery, and now she's me.

Favorite items

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

I'm thrilled that my embroidery design has been embraced by so many people and has received such wonderful feedback. Not only is it easy to embroider, but it also looks amazing on clothes, and there's a wide range of colors to choose from, making it highly customizable. But what I love most about this design is its life-affirming nature. It has helped me confront the sexism I've faced in my life, and it's become a way for me to channel my skills into something that empowers others. I believe that everyone deserves to have their voice heard, and this design is a way for people to make a statement, manifest their beliefs, assert their individuality, and protest against injustice in a way that resonates with them.  And similar designs that I created in the same style:

During the covId period, the nurse's design was popular.

I absolutely adore this design. For me, designing is a way to give back and share my creativity with the world. I love to imagine the endless possibilities of what people can do with my designs. This particular design holds a special place in my heart because it's a way to express gratitude to the heroes who have saved countless lives—the doctors, nurses, and medical professionals who work tirelessly to help others. This design is not only for the COVID-19 pandemic but also for all the times they have shown up for us in our times of need. It's a tribute to their selfless dedication and sacrifice.

I believe that it's important to acknowledge and appreciate the contributions of medical professionals, especially in times of crisis. This design is my way of expressing my heartfelt thanks to all the healthcare workers out there who have been working tirelessly to keep us safe and healthy.

Woman beauty!

Portraits are the foundation of my embroidery shop. They might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of embroidery, but they are my base. Creating portraits is a way for me to honor people and their unique beauty. Sometimes I draw the portraits myself, and other times I collaborate with artists and creators to bring their visions to life. It's all about capturing the essence of a person and expressing their individuality through embroidery. Walking down the street, I'm constantly inspired by the people around me. Each one is like a visual poem, waiting to be captured on my canvas. I'm particularly drawn to women because of their diversity and beauty. That's why many of my portraits are odes to women. In addition to portraits, I also create SnapTabs. They're a popular item in my shop because of their simplicity. They're small reminders of an idea that can be stitched quickly and don't take up much space. They're a perfect way to add a touch of inspiration to your everyday life. I am also preparing 8 new run stitch designs of woman portraits! I am very inspired by these projects, and I hope the buyers will like them. Not in the store yet, but I already love them.

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 first sale happened within a couple of weeks. Then there was a lull, and one of my designs—a portrait of a black woman—was found by my future regular customer. She shared the design with her Facebook group, and new customers came in. It felt like magic. At that time, I did not know if I would be able to keep the store running at all, but such interest became a great impetus to work. 

Now I have ads from Etsy. I try to manage social networks, but it’s hard for me to manage all the affairs on my own; dealing with websites, digitization, custom orders, drawing—it’s difficult for me to do this. ADHD is very resistant to such tasks.

Managing CozyAit

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?

The only employee I can afford is myself. Schedules don't work for me, so I do tasks and solve problems as they come. My favorite type of work is custom orders, which take from 30 minutes for the simplest orders to 30 hours for the most complex ones, which, although rare, happen to me.

Custom orders are always a priority, and I build my life around them. For me, a "working day" is any day when there are orders, and a day off is when there are none and I can give myself a rest. For some people, this is probably a nightmare, but for me, it's the perfect option for life. 

I have regular customers who appreciate these qualities in my work. They know my digitizing style (it is different for different digitizers) and trust me as a professional. Doing my job and being appreciated for it makes me feel like I am in the right place. 

Also, custom works are constantly presenting new problems, solutions, and styles. I approach each individually, applying my creative and professional eye. It makes me happy and saves me from routine! Even if sometimes it makes me stressed, and this is an unsafe way to exist (as my therapist tells me).

The future of CozyAit 

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

I have a lot of new ideas. I mean, a lot of ideas! But unfortunately, now there is simply no energy for their implementation. Every Ukrainian is waiting for the war to end so it will be possible to heal their wounds, mend their lives, and stop living in fight-or-flight mode.

I dream of having my own website. My dream is to create my own clothes for sale here and abroad. I dream of doing stuff that will be a manifesto. But planning is too big a privilege now; Ukrainians don't have it.

Advice for new sellers

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

Try it. There will always be many doubts. I am grateful for my ability to criticize and fear something for the fact that she saved me at certain periods of my life. But creating something is a constructive way to give your creator essence a chance and get rewarded for it by people who can appreciate your skills, your vision, and your creativity. I advise creators to give themselves a chance to be seen.

Some sellers really get inspired by hearing numbers. Feel free to share these if you like.

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: War time: $250-500 Perfect timing:$ 700–1300 (seasoning)

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 2.5%