Etsy Seller Interview with Danielle of urbanwalls

How urbanwalls 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 started Urbanwalls as a mom of two small boys. After leaving my previous career in graphic and web design to be a stay-at-home mom, I soon realised I needed a creative outlet. Decorating my boys' room was proving to be a challenge, as I wanted decor that wasn't cheesy but also fit within our budget. I wanted to create a space that they wouldn't outgrow in just a few years.

Luckily, my husband had a vinyl cutter in our garage, and I started experimenting with design ideas that inspired me for my own home. Back then, starting an e-commerce site was expensive, but I stumbled upon a new platform called Etsy. It allowed me to showcase my mock-ups on stock photos with little to no investment. So, with my creative juices flowing, I listed a few different decal designs.

To my surprise, when I woke up the next morning, I found a sale in my inbox. That's when I knew I was onto something special. Urbanwalls was born out of a desire for unique and affordable decor, and it all started with a simple idea and a lot of hard work.

From those modest beginnings, Urbanwalls has expanded its horizons and opened two locations: one in Langley, British Columbia, and another in Scottsdale, Arizona. It's incredible to see how far we've come!

Favorite items

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

The pieces within our Saguaro Collection hold a distinct and sentimental place in my heart. Amidst the backdrop of the pandemic, I relocated to Arizona, a move that kindled a deep well of inspiration through the captivating desert landscape. During the weeks of lockdown that followed, I seized the opportunity to curate a home environment that resonated with my personal aesthetic. This collection symbolises a phase marked by challenges, an experience shared by many. Despite the trials, we managed to imbue our living space with beauty and grace. Looking back, it stands as a testament to a period of substantial transformation and remarkable personal development.

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?

One of the most unexpected and exciting moments occurred when I least anticipated it. I took the plunge and listed my initial five items on Etsy. After wrapping up my work around midnight and calling it a day, I woke up the following morning to check my inbox, only to find out that my very first order had already been sold. That instant served as a resounding confirmation that I was indeed onto something promising and exciting.

Managing urbanwalls

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?

Ever since the inception of my small business, our team has steadily expanded to encompass a group of six dynamic and empowered women. Together, we cover a diverse range of roles, spanning from production and marketing to shipping and social media management. Despite the geographical divide, we maintain seamless connectivity and open lines of communication across two countries. This cohesion is facilitated by fantastic tools like Slack, enabling us to collaboratively operate within the Google Suite ecosystem. Our synergy is the driving force behind our accomplishments.

The future of urbanwalls

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

I am genuinely committed to expanding our footprint within the realm of home decor. Our aim goes beyond merely providing wall decor; we aspire to curate a comprehensive room and home experience. Our vision encompasses offering expert interior design advice that elevates the overall ambiance.

Advice for new sellers

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

One of the most valuable lessons I've embraced, and it's a lesson that continues to guide me through any situation that seems enormous and overwhelming, is to reconnect with the very beginning—where it all began. Whenever things start feeling like a colossal mountain, I remind myself to take it step by step, decision by decision, task by task, with an eye on the next in line.

If I had sat down at the outset of this business and let my mind run wild with the thought of creating a whole website, stocking up on countless vinyl colors, figuring out international shipping, and purchasing a fleet of machines, I might have been paralyzed by the enormity of it all. Instead, I simply fired up my laptop, designed a mockup, worked with the machine I had on hand, and listed just three products. It was all about that steady, one-foot-in-front-of-the-other approach.

From that point on, things flowed naturally. An order came in, and I bought the exact vinyl I needed. The truth is, when I started out, I was pretty clueless about a lot of things. Maybe not everyone's journey begins that way, but the core principle is universal. It's all about asking yourself, "What's something I can tackle right now? "What small decision or task can I check off with what I have at this moment? Instead of getting caught up in the enormity of the grand plan or doubting whether it'll work out, the focus shifts to using the resources at hand to move forward, inching ever closer to your goal.

This principle, this mindset, has been my compass through all these years. When I look back at everything we've learned and all the milestones we've reached, it all traces back to taking countless small steps forward. It's a journey of progress rooted in simplicity—one decision, one action, one step at a time.