Etsy Seller Interview with Shanna of SolarasGarden

How SolarasGarden 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?

Solara's Garden started off as a vision more than 10 years ago as a lover of traveling, International Relations, art & most importantly nature. There wasn't a degree or job that could encapsulate all of our passions in one. So we went on the adventure to create it! I began creating resin sculptures out of crystals, dried flowers & various natural objects right after graduating from college. That slowly morphed into acquiring as many minerals & crystals from around the world. Over the years of sourcing, I’ve built very strong connections with my suppliers from small family-owned businesses’ to larger-scale production. Solara’s Garden crystals and minerals are sourced mainly from South Africa, Madagascar, Brazil, Mexico & Indonesia.

For many years as a creator, I sold whatever my heart wanted to create. However, now being an actual business I now know that isn’t sustainable for the long run. We now do market research on various social media platforms, use tools like ALURA, visit gem shows & most importantly have open communication with our friends around the world to stay current on trends and find the newest material!

Favorite items

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

Right now, my favorite items have to be made of rough or semi-rough material, such as citrine, sphalerite, or top-polished emeralds. Seeing a crystal (or part of one) in its unaltered form is simply amazing.

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?

It’s been so long that I really don’t remember the exact timeframe. I do know it took at least a couple of weeks. I currently have various social media platforms where I produce relevant content such as educational, motivational, and just aesthetically pleasing material. I engage with my followers every day and encourage them to ask me any questions they may have.

Managing SolarasGarden

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?

It is mostly me, but I do get help from my husband and other family members from time to time. They usually help me with shipping and fulfillment so I can focus on sourcing and marketing. The resources I use vary from quarter to quarter depending on the goals we’re tackling. Sometimes we use financial tools, social media tools, Etsy-specific tools, etc.

The future of SolarasGarden

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

We are currently working on adding 400 and more new listings to the shop. Our goal is to always have 500 or more active listings in our shop. For that reason, we are also expanding our supplier list and working on optimizing every listing. We want each listing to be SEO-optimized as much as possible.

Advice for new sellers

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

If I were to start over, I would make sure to open up my shop with at least two pages full of active listings. I would take my time to include quality photos (with not many props or other distracting factors), research quality titles, tags, and descriptions, and I would learn all about shipping so there is no loss of money in that area. All in all, I would say stay positive and consistent because what you put into your shop is what you will reap. Focus on your own business and improve your own procedures and standards. This varies from shop to shop, so no matter how many courses you take or videos you watch on YouTube, your business is unique, and the logistics are unique to your own shop. So stay focused and have fun learning along the way! Once you fall in love with the process, everything else will be easier.

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

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: Approximately $1,500 - $6,000