Seller Handbook

Between raising two daughters, managing two successful Etsy shops, and coaching other small business owners, it’s safe to say that Cat Hutchings knows how to get things done. In this seller case study, we asked Cat for her candid thoughts on what inspired her entrepreneurial journey, along with some of the unique challenges, learnings, and opportunities that come with running a creative business built from the ground up. Read on to learn more about her experience.

Name: Cat Hutchings
Shop names: MoonLight Supplies and WonderLight Jewelry
On Etsy since: 2010
Based in: Bentonville, Arkansas

When did you start your Etsy shops and why?

I was taking an entrepreneurship class in college and had to write a business plan. I thought, "Well, if I’m going to spend the time on this, it might as well be for something I might actually do someday!" That’s when I started designing jewelry and listing them for sale on Etsy. I had so much fun shopping for supplies for my own creations that I decided to open a jewelry supply shop as well. Before I knew it, I had thousands and thousands of jewelry supplies in my inventory, and fell just as much in love with selling the supplies as I did with selling my finished products.

The Challenge

It’s easy to feel like we can't do or try things because we don't know how. For example, one of the first big hurdles I remember overcoming years ago was hiring my first employee. That was a huge unknown step in allowing my business the chance to really start to scale.

The reality is that in business, no one ever actually knows what the "right" answers are going to be. The answers only reveal themselves through experimentation, learning from those experiments, and consistently not giving up just because some of the first results might not have been as favorable as we thought they should be.

The Solution

Learn to love, embrace, and expect "failure."

One of the best ways I have found to navigate challenges is to embrace and expect failure. Sometimes new products don't seem to sell; revenue will go up and down; technology, trends, and platforms will continuously change and evolve. 90% of business is making educated guesses, having those ideas fail, learning from them, and improving on them over and over again. The trick is to spend less time being upset about it and more time being grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow.

Incorporate personal touches that celebrate what’s unique about your small business.

We love including a special return-customer coupon code for our supply shop, especially since we know that some of our buyers are other small businesses who use the supplies to create their own designs. When their designs sell and they need to restock, having a return-customer discount is really appreciated. On the other hand, in my jewelry shop, we like to send a free surprise pair of earrings as a thank you.

Those personal touches are so special on Etsy—you can really tailor them to your shop and what will be meaningful to your specific customers. Don't be afraid to get creative with it!

Practice “radical empathy” in your approach to customer service.

Customer service has always been a huge part of our business strategy. We value our customers and the community around Etsy, and try to incorporate radical empathy in all our touch points with our customers. In any given situation, we try to put ourselves in our customer's position and respond accordingly.

My favorite reviews are from people thanking us for our speedy shipping and how, because we were able to ship so fast, they were able to put together special creations for a specific party or event.

I also think my genuine gratitude for each of my customers helps in being able to show up in a kind and authentic way. I know there are a thousand other shops and places they could have bought their supplies from, but they chose my shop and that means the world to me.

The Impact

Over the years, by following this concept of building, measuring, and learning, we’ve discovered more about who our target market is, what problems our products solve for them, and how to convey that better in our marketing. It’s never a "set it and forget it" model—the learning and improving never stops. I feel like, as an entrepreneur, that’s the bit you have to really fall in love with.

Running a business is not about an end destination, it's about the journey. If you can learn to love the entrepreneurial journey, you can never actually lose.

Shop the MoonLight Supplies and WonderLight Jewelry collection

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