How To Be A Handmade Boss

Steph Cole-Lewis
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Weekly

Whether you’re a complete beginner on Etsy, or want to scale your handmade business to multi-6 figures, the “How To Be A Handmade Boss” podcast gives you actionable advice and workshop style full length episodes to grow your handmade business on Etsy and beyond.We get it. Starting or growing a handmade business can be really overwhelming, and sometimes you feel like you have an expensive hobby rather than a profitable business. If you have questions like “How can I make sales in my business?” “How do I start a handmade shop?” “How can I make this passion my full-time gig?” or “How do I sell my crafts online” then you’re in the right place boss!I’m Steph, a multi 6-figure handmade business owner (in the top 0.1% of all shops on Etsy), bestselling author of “How to be a handmade boss”, visionary and coach behind Handmade Bosses. However, It wasn’t always rainbows and unicorns though. Today, my business(es) are bustling, but way back in 2014 when I started, it was HARD. Favourites but no sales, slow sales and low profits seemed in the beginning, like the trajectory of my business. Luckily following the system I’ve now curated, All of that changed and I went full-time in my handmade business in 2016.Let’s focus on turning your passion into profit, because the world really does need these special creations that you only bring to life.

  1. 2d ago

    #122 - Etsy for Beginners: Why Buyers Don’t Trust New Etsy Shops Yet

    Grab the free guide Why Your Etsy Listings Aren’t Selling Yet - and What To Do About It here: www.handmadebosses.com/whynosales 🧡 New to Etsy and getting views but no sales? Your products might not be the problem. Buyers may be finding your shop, looking around, and leaving because they don’t trust it enough yet. In this episode, we’re looking at the trust signals every Etsy beginner needs, including: ✨ How to make your shop look finished ✨ What your listing photos need to prove ✨ Why vague descriptions lose buyers ✨ How delivery info affects trust ✨ How to build confidence without lots of reviews ✨ What to check in your Etsy stats Perfect for handmade sellers who are new to Etsy and want to make their shop feel clearer, safer, and easier to buy from. If social media feels harder than it should, especially when summer routines start getting messy… this is for you. Fix Your Socials Week starts Monday 20th July… it’s a free challenge for handmade business owners who are fed up with overthinking content, disappearing when life gets busy, and still not seeing enough sales from their socials. Because you don’t need to post more for the sake of it. And you definitely don’t need to spend your summer glued to your phone. You need a simpler plan. One that helps you stay visible, show up clearly, and know what to post without it taking over your life. Inside Fix Your Socials Week, I’ll help you work out what to post, what to stop faffing with, and how to make your socials easier to stick with, so you can get back to making. No fluff. No pressure. No trying to keep up with everyone else. Sign up free at www.handmadebosses.com/fixyoursocials The link’s also in the show notes.

    14 min

  2. Jul 1

    #121 - Etsy for Beginners: Build Your First Product Range Without Making 47 Random Things

    👉 Free resource mentioned: Why Your Etsy Listings Aren’t Selling Yet - and What To Do About It - www.handmadebosses.com/whynosales This will help you spot where your listings might be confusing buyers, missing key information, or stopping people from clicking and buying. 💡 Are you new to Etsy and wondering how many products you should start with? In this episode, we’re talking about how to build your first Etsy product range without making 47 random things and confusing every poor buyer who lands in your shop. ☕ Because yes, you might be able to make loads of different handmade products. But that doesn’t mean they all belong in your first Etsy shop range. You’ll learn: ✨ Why random products confuse Etsy buyers ✨ What a beginner product range actually is ✨ How to choose one clear buyer, occasion, theme, use, or product type ✨ How to build variations instead of reinventing everything ✨ Why 5 to 10 focused listings can be stronger than 40 chaotic ones ✨ How to use Etsy stats to decide what to make next ✨ How to make your shop easier for buyers to understand This is perfect for Etsy beginners, handmade sellers, and hobbyists who want to turn their products into a proper business without getting stuck in niche panic. If social media feels harder than it should, especially when summer routines start getting messy… this is for you. Fix Your Socials Week starts Monday 20th July… it’s a free challenge for handmade business owners who are fed up with overthinking content, disappearing when life gets busy, and still not seeing enough sales from their socials. Because you don’t need to post more for the sake of it. And you definitely don’t need to spend your summer glued to your phone. You need a simpler plan. One that helps you stay visible, show up clearly, and know what to post without it taking over your life. Inside Fix Your Socials Week, I’ll help you work out what to post, what to stop faffing with, and how to make your socials easier to stick with, so you can get back to making. No fluff. No pressure. No trying to keep up with everyone else. Sign up free at www.handmadebosses.com/fixyoursocials The link’s also in the show notes.

    9 min

  3. Jun 24

    #120 - Etsy for Beginners: How to Know If Your Handmade Product Is Ready to Sell

    👉 Free resource: Why Your Etsy Listings Aren’t Selling Yet - and What To Do About It - www.handmadebosses.com/whynosales This will help you spot what might be stopping buyers from clicking, trusting, and buying from your listings. 💡Thinking about starting an Etsy shop, but not sure if your handmade product is actually ready to sell? In this episode, we’re talking about one of the biggest mistakes Etsy beginners make: opening a shop before checking whether their product is clear, sellable, repeatable, profitable, and easy for buyers to understand. Because a product can be beautiful and still not be ready for Etsy yet. Slightly rude, but very useful to know. ☕ You’ll learn: ✨ How to tell if a stranger would understand your product quickly ✨ Why “I like making this” is not the same as “buyers want this” ✨ How to check if your product has a clear buyer, occasion, or purpose ✨ Why repeatability matters for handmade sellers ✨ How to think about pricing and profit before you list ✨ What to look for on Etsy to check buyer demand ✨ How to explain why your product is the right choice This is perfect if you’re brand new to Etsy, turning your hobby into a handmade business, or feeling overwhelmed by what to sell first. Mentioned in this episode: 🎧 #116 - Etsy For Beginners: Why Your Listings Aren’t Selling Yet If social media feels harder than it should, especially when summer routines start getting messy… this is for you. Fix Your Socials Week starts Monday 20th July… it’s a free challenge for handmade business owners who are fed up with overthinking content, disappearing when life gets busy, and still not seeing enough sales from their socials. Because you don’t need to post more for the sake of it. And you definitely don’t need to spend your summer glued to your phone. You need a simpler plan. One that helps you stay visible, show up clearly, and know what to post without it taking over your life. Inside Fix Your Socials Week, I’ll help you work out what to post, what to stop faffing with, and how to make your socials easier to stick with, so you can get back to making. No fluff. No pressure. No trying to keep up with everyone else. Sign up free at www.handmadebosses.com/fixyoursocials The link’s also in the show notes.

    11 min

  4. Jun 17

    #119 - How To Get Your First Etsy Sales Without Posting Everywhere

    👉 Grab the free guide here: https://www.handmadebosses.com/whynosales ❓ Trying to get your first Etsy sales can feel like you need to be everywhere at once. Instagram. TikTok. Pinterest. Facebook. Email. Carrier pigeon. Absolutely not. This Etsy for beginners video shows you what to focus on first when you’re new to  Etsy and want actual sales, not just endless content faff. What you’ll learn: ✅ Why your Etsy shop needs fixing before you drive traffic ✅ How to get your first Etsy sales without posting everywhere ✅ What simple traffic actually looks like for handmade sellers ✅ Why one platform is enough to start ✅ How to turn views into buyers, not just nosy browsers If social media feels harder than it should, especially when summer routines start getting messy… this is for you. Fix Your Socials Week starts Monday 20th July… it’s a free challenge for handmade business owners who are fed up with overthinking content, disappearing when life gets busy, and still not seeing enough sales from their socials. Because you don’t need to post more for the sake of it. And you definitely don’t need to spend your summer glued to your phone. You need a simpler plan. One that helps you stay visible, show up clearly, and know what to post without it taking over your life. Inside Fix Your Socials Week, I’ll help you work out what to post, what to stop faffing with, and how to make your socials easier to stick with, so you can get back to making. No fluff. No pressure. No trying to keep up with everyone else. Sign up free at www.handmadebosses.com/fixyoursocials The link’s also in the show notes.

    11 min

  5. Jun 10

    #118 - Etsy SEO For Beginners: Stop Using Random Keywords

    Etsy SEO sounds fancy, but honestly? It’s mostly about using the words your buyers are already typing into Etsy. This Etsy for beginners video is for handmade sellers who are new to Etsy and feel like keywords are some sort of secret code guarded by a very smug algorithm. They’re not. Promise. What you’ll learn: What Etsy SEO actually means Why vague keywords hurt your listings How to find buyer-friendly Etsy keywords Where to use keywords in your listing How to start your Etsy shop with clearer, searchable listings And if your Etsy listings still aren’t selling yet, grab the free guide here: https://www.handmadebosses.com/whynosales If social media feels harder than it should, especially when summer routines start getting messy… this is for you. Fix Your Socials Week starts Monday 20th July… it’s a free challenge for handmade business owners who are fed up with overthinking content, disappearing when life gets busy, and still not seeing enough sales from their socials. Because you don’t need to post more for the sake of it. And you definitely don’t need to spend your summer glued to your phone. You need a simpler plan. One that helps you stay visible, show up clearly, and know what to post without it taking over your life. Inside Fix Your Socials Week, I’ll help you work out what to post, what to stop faffing with, and how to make your socials easier to stick with, so you can get back to making. No fluff. No pressure. No trying to keep up with everyone else. Sign up free at www.handmadebosses.com/fixyoursocials The link’s also in the show notes.

    10 min

  6. Jun 3

    #117 - How To Start Your Etsy Shop Without Overthinking Everything

    Starting your Etsy shop does not need to become a full-blown personality crisis. If you’re new to Etsy and trying to get everything perfect before you list anything, this Etsy for beginners video will help you focus on what actually matters first. The free guide, Why Your Etsy Listings Aren’t Selling Yet - and What To Do About It, will help you avoid the listing mistakes that stop new shops getting sales. What you’ll learn: What you actually need before you start your Etsy shop What to stop wasting time on Why your first listings matter more than your branding How to get your Etsy shop live without overthinking What to focus on if you want your first Etsy sales Start your Etsy shop simply. Fix the basics. Then improve as you go, like a normal human, not a frazzled craft goblin with 19 tabs open. Grab the free guide here: https://www.handmadebosses.com/whynosales If social media feels harder than it should, especially when summer routines start getting messy… this is for you. Fix Your Socials Week starts Monday 20th July… it’s a free challenge for handmade business owners who are fed up with overthinking content, disappearing when life gets busy, and still not seeing enough sales from their socials. Because you don’t need to post more for the sake of it. And you definitely don’t need to spend your summer glued to your phone. You need a simpler plan. One that helps you stay visible, show up clearly, and know what to post without it taking over your life. Inside Fix Your Socials Week, I’ll help you work out what to post, what to stop faffing with, and how to make your socials easier to stick with, so you can get back to making. No fluff. No pressure. No trying to keep up with everyone else. Sign up free at www.handmadebosses.com/fixyoursocials The link’s also in the show notes.

    9 min

  7. May 27

    #116 - Etsy For Beginners: Why Your Listings Aren’t Selling Yet

    If your Etsy listings aren’t selling yet, don’t panic and don’t start dramatically deleting your entire shop at midnight. Start here. This free guide, Why Your Etsy Listings Aren’t Selling Yet - and What To Do About It, will help you spot what’s actually stopping shoppers from buying, without the faff. This Etsy for beginners video is for handmade sellers who are new to Etsy, have listed their products, and are now wondering why the sales are not exactly rolling in like a craft fair stampede. What you’ll learn: Why “no sales” does not automatically mean your product is bad The listing mistakes that put buyers off Why your title, photos and description need to work together What to fix before you panic about Etsy SEO How to start selling on Etsy with a clearer, calmer plan New to Etsy? Start your Etsy shop with the basics done properly. No fluff. No dramatic spiralling. Just fix the bit that’s actually broken. Grab the free guide here: https://www.handmadebosses.com/whynosales If social media feels harder than it should, especially when summer routines start getting messy… this is for you. Fix Your Socials Week starts Monday 20th July… it’s a free challenge for handmade business owners who are fed up with overthinking content, disappearing when life gets busy, and still not seeing enough sales from their socials. Because you don’t need to post more for the sake of it. And you definitely don’t need to spend your summer glued to your phone. You need a simpler plan. One that helps you stay visible, show up clearly, and know what to post without it taking over your life. Inside Fix Your Socials Week, I’ll help you work out what to post, what to stop faffing with, and how to make your socials easier to stick with, so you can get back to making. No fluff. No pressure. No trying to keep up with everyone else. Sign up free at www.handmadebosses.com/fixyoursocials The link’s also in the show notes.

    10 min

  8. May 20

    #115 - Etsy for Beginners: How Hannah Turned Her Hobby Into a Real Handmade Business

    Are you new to Etsy? Or maybe you’ve started selling your handmade products but still feel like you’re winging it with a cup of tea in one hand and mild panic in the other? In this episode of How to Be a Handmade Boss, I’m chatting with Hannah Kinchin, a ceramicist and potter based in Cornwall, about how she went from making pottery as a hobby to building a real handmade business. This is a brilliant watch if you’re looking for Etsy for beginners advice, handmade business inspiration, or a proper peek behind the scenes of what it actually takes to turn your creativity into something that makes money. In this video, you’ll learn: • How Hannah started selling on Etsy  • Why getting your foundations right matters so much  • How branding, product photography and Etsy listings helped her grow  • Why knowing your target market makes selling easier  • How she moved from hobby maker to business owner  • What changed when she started treating her handmade business seriously  • Why creative people absolutely can make money from what they love  • Hannah’s advice for anyone just starting out on Etsy By the end of this episode, you’ll see what’s possible when you stop faffing, start properly, and build your handmade business with intention. Because yes, you can be financially comfortable doing what you love. Even if right now your business plan is mostly vibes, clay dust and “I’ll sort that later.” ✨ Connect with Hannah:  Instagram: @hannahkinchin  Website: hannahkinchinceramics.com If social media feels harder than it should, especially when summer routines start getting messy… this is for you. Fix Your Socials Week starts Monday 20th July… it’s a free challenge for handmade business owners who are fed up with overthinking content, disappearing when life gets busy, and still not seeing enough sales from their socials. Because you don’t need to post more for the sake of it. And you definitely don’t need to spend your summer glued to your phone. You need a simpler plan. One that helps you stay visible, show up clearly, and know what to post without it taking over your life. Inside Fix Your Socials Week, I’ll help you work out what to post, what to stop faffing with, and how to make your socials easier to stick with, so you can get back to making. No fluff. No pressure. No trying to keep up with everyone else. Sign up free at www.handmadebosses.com/fixyoursocials The link’s also in the show notes.

    29 min
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5
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3 Ratings

About

Whether you’re a complete beginner on Etsy, or want to scale your handmade business to multi-6 figures, the “How To Be A Handmade Boss” podcast gives you actionable advice and workshop style full length episodes to grow your handmade business on Etsy and beyond.We get it. Starting or growing a handmade business can be really overwhelming, and sometimes you feel like you have an expensive hobby rather than a profitable business. If you have questions like “How can I make sales in my business?” “How do I start a handmade shop?” “How can I make this passion my full-time gig?” or “How do I sell my crafts online” then you’re in the right place boss!I’m Steph, a multi 6-figure handmade business owner (in the top 0.1% of all shops on Etsy), bestselling author of “How to be a handmade boss”, visionary and coach behind Handmade Bosses. However, It wasn’t always rainbows and unicorns though. Today, my business(es) are bustling, but way back in 2014 when I started, it was HARD. Favourites but no sales, slow sales and low profits seemed in the beginning, like the trajectory of my business. Luckily following the system I’ve now curated, All of that changed and I went full-time in my handmade business in 2016.Let’s focus on turning your passion into profit, because the world really does need these special creations that you only bring to life.

Information

  • Creator
    Steph Cole-Lewis
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    123
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 How To Be A Handmade Boss
  • Show Website
    How To Be A Handmade Boss

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