Once upon a time, my boyfriend Mitchell and I wanted to go on a date without watching a movie, a very strange concept to the both of us. We asked ourselves, “What do normal people do when they go out?” Parties? Nooo. Restaurant? We wanted this to be a casual thing. Suddenly we were both out of our comfort zones. After careful analysis and debate, we decided to haunt our local mall and walk around till we couldn’t move our feet anymore. We were going go clothes shopping, but who can comfortably look for clothes while their significant other is also looking for clothes? That’s… just weird. For us, anyway. So, we walked to neutral ground: Gamestop. And Mitch, being the observant person that he is, zoomed straight toward the Fallout merch.

                “Are these pins?!” He exclaimed, taking down a package of Nuka Coka bottle caps (the currency in Fallout) from the shelf. He flipped the package over, and to his disappointment, they were magnets.

                Something about his saddened expression gave me an idea: I could make the pins for him. I had a couple bottle caps lying around, all I had to do was paint them and order some pinbacks! And I did. A year later, after I’d experimented and painted other designs on my bottle-cap pins, I decided to do what many people do: make money off of my newfound passion. Today, I write to you, dear readers, on how to set up a successful Etsy Shop.

                For those of you who don’t know what Etsy is, it’s a website much like Amazon in that thousands of sellers conduct their business through a centralized marketplace (though unlike Amazon, Etsy itself does not sell anything. It does take a cut of your sales though). Etsy is known for selling unique, often handmade, items. This is where you come in.

                Step 1: Plan what you’re going to sell by delving deep into who you are. Who are you? What are your passions? Would you rather go to a rummage sale and sell your findings or make something yourself? Maybe decorating has always fascinated you, but you’ve never figured out how to use that skill. Do you like woodworking? Jewelry-making? Do you enjoy knitting hats in mass bundles? Perhaps you enjoy shirt printing funny puns your friends hate. Step 1 is about finding new ways to express yourself and your passions. What about you makes you unique, and how can you make money through those aspects of yourself?

                Step 2: Experiment. Use what you love to start brainstorming ideas for your shop, especially if you plan on selling something handmade. Between the time I made my boyfriend’s pins and the time I opened my shop, I experimented with loads of materials (different kinds of glue, protective varnish, even different bottle caps). Find out what’s best for you and your future customers, and if anything in that area doesn’t agree, go with what’s best for your customers. They’re the ones who are going to either spread the word about your genius or spread the words about your incompetence. But don’t worry! This period of time can last however long you want– give yourself time to perfect what you’re doing.

                Step 3: Promote, Promote, PROMOTE!! Tell your friends about your idea! Ask them what they look for in handmade jewelry or woodworking or puns on shirts! Brainstorm ideas for your shop name together– what sounds cool, memorable, and relevant to what you’re selling? When I was trying to come up for a name for my shop, I asked my friends on Facebook and took a poll of what name my friends most liked. The name we came up became “RedPopPins,” because my nickname is Red and I planned on setting pop-culture-themed pins.

                Now, after careful planning and analysis, you’re ready to delve into the most fun part about all this: Step 4. Step 4 involves sitting in a comfy chair with your laptop, listening to your favorite music, and launching a business that reflects your passions in a way that makes people realize they’ve been wanting your item their whole lives but now it’s finally here- in the big, beautiful world of the internet! First, you do some logistics, such as the best price for your items given how much work you spent on them, the cost of materials, and the cost of shipping. Then, after finishing that, you get to the really fun stuff, like writing in the name of your shop, uploading the photos you’ve taken of your item (or items) from every angle, and entering a creative description for your item that will make all the Etsy browsers go “Wow, a bottle cap pin for that obscure book series I’ve loved since I was in middle school! Imma order that right now and tell ALL MY FRIENDS!”

                Step 5, my friends, is even more exciting. This is the time you go to all your friends and say, “Hey remember that online shop I was going to make? Well, I actually made it!” You go to all your social media pages and get the word out that you, a unique individual, have created something awesome.

                Creating an Etsy shop is more than just making extra money. It’s about discovering something new about yourself, celebrating your individuality and sharing your God-given talents with the world. Plus, when Christmas comes around– you know what you’re going to give your friends and family. Something creative, special, and from the bottom of your heart, because sometimes that’s as far as you have to leap to realize a new, beautiful part of yourself.