Mary Lynn Schroeder is an entrepreneur with the #1 leather shop on Etsy. Learn how she turned her love of leather into a successful business selling on etsy.

Today we go hell for leather with the founder of In Blue Handmade, an Etsy shop with eight employees and over 300 wholesalers.  If you’re unfamiliar, Etsy is a global online marketplace for handmade goods.

Mary Lynn was failing at fabrics when her dad sent her a piece of leather and told her to give that a try.  She crafted some phone cases and journals, put them on her Etsy site, and they started flying out the door.

But it didn’t come easy.  Mary Lynn was working on her own stuff during the day and working in a restaurant over night.  She can pinpoint the exact moment things took off, December 2, 2009.  She got a mention on Martha Stewart’s blog and woke up to eighty orders.

Part of Mary Lynn’s success is down to not knowing.  Late 2008 was a terrible time to start a business but she didn’t realize that.  If she had, she probably wouldn’t have done it.  Sometimes being naive is an advantage, it means less fear and second-guessing.

We know a lot of our listeners are DIYers and crafters.  Mary Lynn has advice for you.  Sign up for Etsy.  It’s a great platform with low start-up costs.  Also take your stuff to local craft fairs.  There is bound to be one near you and it gives you a lot of information on price points, what people like and don’t like, and if there is a market for what you have to offer.

Remember last episode how we talked about finding your passion?  Mary Lynn is the living embodiment of that.  She tried, she failed, she kept trying and she succeeded in a big way at something she loved to do.  That’s what we want for all of you.

Show Notes

In Blue Handmade:  Mary Lynn’s Etsy shop.

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