In this episode, Julie and Sasha of Gold City Ventures and Kennedy of Our Friendly World discuss growing a business off of Etsy. They talk about competitor analysis and the importance of understanding your customers and competitors. They specifically discuss what to do when your competitor is a bigger brand than you and was on Shark Tank!   They also discuss the potential for collaborations and sponsorships, as well as the role of video content in driving traffic and engagement. The...

In this episode, Julie Berninger and Sasha Hutchison of Gold City Ventures interview Jenny, an Etsy seller who sells printables. They discuss Jenny's journey from selling physical products to focusing on printables, specifically in the golf niche. They explore the potential for Jenny to expand her business beyond Etsy by creating a lifestyle brand and leveraging social media. They also discuss the importance of custom and personalized products and the potential for affiliate marketing. The...

Amber sells metaphysical and celestial-inspired jewelry on Etsy. She wants to grow her business so she can leave her full-time job. This episode is a casual live coaching call for the Crickets to Cha-Chings podcast with Julie Berninger and Sasha Hutchison of Gold City Ventures. They discuss what they each outsource both in their business and their home, how to create social media content if you don't have the time, keywords that are hot in the metaphysical space, building your personal...

Julie Berninger of Gold City Ventures chats with Kennedy of Our Friendly World Etsy shop. Kennedy sells crochet kits, crochet patterns, and finished crochet products. This episode is in a casual live coaching call style for the Crickets to Cha-Chings podcast. They discuss how to interpret keyword research from tools such as eRank, ideas for monetizing a blog with display advertising, Etsy ads, & more! Resources: Our Friendly World: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ourfriendlyworld Our...

Etsy Gift Mode presents a huge opportunity for Etsy sellers. Julie Berninger of Gold City Ventures explains this new shopping experience and how to change your shop sections, pictures, and tags to take advantage of it. She also covers the Etsy email marketing policy change and TikTok shop. Topics covered in this episode: 1 - Etsy Gift Mode 2 - Etsy Email Marketing policy change 3 - Tik Tok Shop Resources: Gift mode...

This is the Etsy SEO help you need in 2024! Julie Berninger of Gold City Ventures reviewed articles in the Etsy seller handbook and YouTube videos from the team at Etsy for hours to determine exactly how to improve your Etsy SEO search algorithm ranking in 2024.  Learn more at: https://goldcityventures.com/ Resources in the video: https://www.etsy.com/legal/policy/search-advertisement-ranking-disclosures/899478564529 ...

Gold City Ventures puts together an annual Black Friday deals roundup for Etsy sellers. Find it here: https://goldcityventures.com/etsy-seller-resources/ These deals apply for handmade, POD, or digital product sellers. Some require using the special Gold City Ventures links or coupon code. 🌟 For More Insider Tips & Strategies on E-Commerce Success! 🌟 Follow along on IG for business insider savvy and connection -- https://www.instagram.com/goldcityventures Learn more about Gold City...

What titles, tags, and keywords should you add to your Etsy listings this year for the holidays?  Can you package your existing listings in a different way to capitalize on what holiday shoppers want? Julie Berninger of Gold City Ventures presents her best ideas for Etsy sellers this holiday season based on the following Resources: Etsy Holiday Merchanding Guide Etsy Marketplace Insights: Holiday Trends Our Link for eRank: https://go.goldcityventures.com/erank Share & Save Program ...

Julie and her business partner Cody from Gold City Ventures discuss what's been going on with some POD sellers and the future of mockups. They also cover the current Etsy listing image requirements and other best practices and how they think the POD manufacturers will respond. For those outside of the POD space, they also talk about interesting opportunities for handmade sellers to expand their revenue sources (including a cool story with the woman who runs Happy Rugs). And of course,...

Julie and Cody of Gold City Ventures are continuing on with the podcast. I am happy since I know so many of you were disappointed that all of the old episodes would disappear. That issue is solved - and we have a better plan. The ​team at Gold City Ventures​ will be producing new episodes for you going forward. We recorded one final episode for you today as my truly final goodbye. I'll be stepping away from the business and letting Cody & Julie run the podcast from here on out. The...

My plan was to shut down the business and move on. But after I sent the last goodbye email, my friend Julie from Gold City Ventures reached out to me. She proposed an interesting opportunity. It allows me to keep the podcast and all prior episodes live for you ..and for Julie and her business partner, Cody, to take over the responsibilities that I need to offload. I'm excited to announce that their business, Gold City Ventures, will continue on with my podcast, Crickets to Cha-Chings. ...

It’s great to be back and talk about all things Etsy and e-commerce with you (and thanks for so many DMs about last week's episode!) This week is all about what we would do differently if we could go back in time and start our Etsy businesses all over again -- and there's a laundry list of things that I would do differently. When I first started on Etsy back in 2012, the internet was a vastly different landscape. I was completely lost and trying to figure everything out all on my own. I...

This episode is jam-packed with valuable insights to help you grow and succeed in your Etsy shop (and, more importantly, in your e-commerce business as a whole.) Here's what you can expect: The state of Etsy sales: Discover the reasons behind the decrease in Etsy sales in 2023 and what it means for sellers. Where Etsy is growing and what it means for an individual seller's business Insights into Etsy's revenue model and how it affects your bottom line as a seller (it's not as clear as...

In today's world, buyers are more conscious about the impact their purchasing decisions can have on the businesses they support. They want to align themselves with brands that share their values. And you know what? This trend is especially true for small businesses, creatives, and artisans like us... Now, I know what you're thinking..."No way, I'm not going there..." But the thing is, brand values don't have to be controversial or political, my friend. They can be centered on authenticity...

Are you tired of spending countless hours managing your handmade business and you're looking for some tools and tricks to streamline and improve your efficiency? In this episode, we reveal the top productivity tools and apps to streamline your business and save you time -- making you able to get more out of the limited time you have available! From email marketing automation to print-on-demand service, social media scheduling and analytics and more, these resources will revolutionize the...

Are you tired of spending countless hours managing your handmade business and you're looking for some tools and tricks to streamline and improve your efficiency? In this episode, we reveal the top productivity tools and apps to streamline your business and save you time -- making you able to get more out of the limited time you have available! From email marketing automation to print-on-demand service, social media scheduling and analytics and more, these resources will revolutionize the...

Have you heard about Etsy's new affiliate program, which allows content creators and sellers to earn a commission for promoting Etsy products on their website or social media, including your own products? Let's talk about the good, the bad, and the reason that I think Etsy is rolling out this new program so you can get a full picture about whether or not this is beneficial to you as the business owner! 🌟 For More Insider Tips & Strategies on E-Commerce Success! 🌟 Shop workshops and...

In the world of handmade eCommerce businesses, there's often a misconception that creativity alone is enough to guarantee success. In reality, finding the perfect balance between creativity, data that gives you information about next steps, and business strategy is crucial to truly thrive in the online marketplace. In this episode, we'll explore the importance of each piece of the e-commerce puzzle, and how they work together to create a flourishing handmade business. ------- 🌟 For More...

In this week's myth busting episode, we're tackling the common misconception that you can simply sell anything online without considering market demand and competition. We'll cover things like why having a defined target audience and offering unique products that cater to their needs and preferences is crucial, especially in today's world of e-commerce. These days, it's not so much about niching down your store but having a specific segment in mind who the product works for, and that...

Have you been blasted with Facebook ads over the past several years selling you on the idea of starting an online shop and creating a digital asset that you can sell for "passive income" while you frocklic into the sunset to spend your millions? Yeah, me too. And I'm here to tell you as someone who has a physical product shop, a digital product shop, a podcast, blog, and many digital courses -- passive income is the biggest lie the internet is out to sell you. Let's talk about it on this...

While starting an online business is significantly cheaper than starting a brick and mortar business, it’s not free. At the very least you have material or equipment expenses, and some costs to create some basic branding, listing fees on Etsy, etc, and it’s important to be prepared for these expenses, otherwise the efficiency of how you run your business is going to majorly suffer. Being prepared for business related expenses and then being able to take some of your revenue and reinvest it...

When you started thinking about building a business online, what was your expectation for success for that business? A month? 6 months? A year? Well I'm here to tell you: whatever that timeline was, it will probably take you longer than that. In the age of internet smoke and mirrors where everyone is telling you that you can grow a six figure business in 2.5 seconds flat, I'm going to be the outlier and call BS.  And don't worry, it doesn't have anything to do with your products. It has do...

Do you ever feel like selling online is a constant rat race to keep up with everyone else in your industry? Or you feel like you don't even want to try out a new project or new style that you see because there are already so many people doing it, how can you even compete with them? Or you worry that your business is in a downward death spiral because your competitors keep taking your ideas and designs, and you don't know how to keep up? If you've had those feelings before, this episode is...

I'm baaaaack! After a long hiatus while I dealt with my personal life/house fire, I'm back with a new episode, and I can't wait for you all to hear.  This week on Crickets to Cha-Chings, I'm talking with Jon Lincoln, founder and CEO of GoImagine. GoImagine believes that by creating a handmade marketplace that donates 100% of profits to charity, there's an opportunity to transform the online economy into an engine for social good. And I, as a longtime e-commerce seller, believe that...

Kerrie Fitzgerald created a multi six figure subscription box by leveraging the power of a raving fan base and repeat customers -- and she think it's the cornerstone of any brand that is going to have long term success in today's online selling environment. Tune in to this week's episode to hear how Kerrie built a cult like following for her business, why repeat customers are so important to your bottom line, and how you can use Etsy to introduce your customers to your brand while also...