Many successful businesses start with a great idea and a willingness to use the skills you already have. That's what happened to Ana Colak-Fustin. She used to work in recruiting and career coaching, and that background led her to start a side business that ended up completely changing her career and her life.
By taking her expertise in human resources and applying it to creating digital products, Ana built a thriving business selling CV templates on Etsy. Her business ended up bringing in over $70,000 in sales.
In this detailed article, we're going to look at Ana's journey. We'll follow her path from being a corporate career coach to becoming a successful Etsy entrepreneur. We'll explore the strategies she used, the challenges she faced, and the valuable lessons she learned along the way.
Ana
From HR professional to Etsy shop owner
Ana's journey as an entrepreneur started while she was working as a career coach for a company in Krakow, Poland. Because of her background in human resources and recruiting, Ana noticed that professionals at all different levels were in need of guidance and support when searching for jobs.
At first, Ana thought about offering one-on-one coaching services. But then she discovered the world of selling digital products on Etsy, which opened up a whole new set of possibilities for her.
Realizing she could run a digital product business on the side while keeping her regular 9-to-5 job, Ana decided to create CV templates and job search toolkits. This allowed her to use her HR skills to provide helpful solutions to a common problem that a lot of people were facing.
In 2018, Ana launched her Etsy shop called ByRecruiters, and that marked the beginning of her entrepreneurial side hustle.
Building a financial safety net
One of Ana's main goals in starting her Etsy shop was to create a financial safety net for herself. She knew it was important to have a reliable source of income before she made any big changes to her career.
With that in mind, Ana dedicated as much of her free time as possible to working on her Etsy shop. On top of putting in 40 hours a week at her regular HR job, she would spend an additional 25-35 hours a week creating products, learning about SEO, and optimizing her shop.
As her Etsy business started to grow, Ana set a clear goal for herself - she wouldn't quit her HR job until her Etsy shop was consistently earning an average of $2,000 per month. This careful, strategic approach allowed her to gradually build up her Etsy business while still having the security of her full-time job.
Standing out from the competition
One of the things that really made Ana's CV templates stand out from the competition was her focus on functionality and expertise. Instead of just relying on nice designs, Ana made sure to infuse her products with strategic tips and coaching elements.
Her templates didn't just have generic "lorem ipsum" text - they actually provided guidance to customers throughout the whole CV writing process.
By tapping into her HR experience and making that a key part of her products, Ana was able to differentiate herself in the crowded Etsy marketplace. Her templates didn't just look good, they also provided real, tangible value to customers by helping them with their job searches.
Diversifying traffic sources
Despite the initial success of her Etsy shop, Ana realized that relying solely on the platform's algorithm was not enough to achieve significant growth. In the first 15 months, her shop generated a modest $4,000 in revenue, prompting her to explore new avenues for driving traffic and sales.
This realization led Ana to incorporate Pinterest into her marketing strategy, a move that proved to be a game-changer for her business. By leveraging Pinterest to drive traffic to her Etsy shop, Ana significantly expanded her reach and boosted sales. Today, Pinterest accounts for an impressive 35% of her traffic, with pins created years ago continuing to attract potential customers.
Views on pinterest, 2024
Embracing the power of SEO
One of the most important things Ana learned on her entrepreneurial journey was just how crucial search engine optimization (SEO) is. She quickly realized that SEO is the foundation for any successful online business, because it helps make your shop easier for people to find through the use of relevant keywords.
Ana's advice to people who want to start their own businesses is to make SEO a priority right from the beginning. By really understanding and putting effective SEO strategies into practice, entrepreneurs can increase their visibility online, attract the right kind of customers, and ultimately drive more sales to their online stores.
The rewards of entrepreneurship
For Ana, the most fulfilling aspect of her Etsy business is witnessing the profound impact her products have on her customers' lives. Through her CV templates and job search toolkits, she has played a small but significant role in the career journeys of thousands of individuals. Regularly receiving messages from customers about the interviews they've secured and the job offers they've received is a testament to the value Ana's products provide.
This sense of purpose and the ability to make a difference in people's lives is what drives Ana to continue growing and refining her business. It serves as a constant reminder that her entrepreneurial journey is not just about financial success, but also about the positive change she can effect in the world.
From side hustle to full-time entrepreneur
As Ana's Etsy shop kept growing and doing really well, she made the big decision to take a 12-month break from her HR job so she could focus entirely on her business. This dedicated time allowed her to further develop her products, fine-tune her marketing, and explore new ways to grow her company.
A year later, with her Etsy shop consistently bringing in substantial income, Ana took the leap and quit her regular 9-to-5 job to become a full-time Etsy seller. This transition not only gave her the freedom to work from anywhere, but it also let her fully dive into her entrepreneurial dreams without having to split her time.
Expanding beyond Etsy
While Etsy served as the launchpad for Ana's business, she recognized the importance of diversifying her sales channels. In addition to her Etsy shop, Ana now sells her CV templates directly on her website, giving her greater control over her brand and customer experience.
Byrecruiter’s website
Moreover, Ana's Etsy shop has opened doors to numerous opportunities beyond the platform. Her expertise and the quality of her products have attracted potential clients, leading to four- and five-figure projects in areas such as job search consulting, HR consulting, recruitment for small businesses, and creating customized HR and career-related digital products for other professionals in the field.
Lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs
Ana's journey from a corporate career coach to successful Etsy entrepreneur offers valuable insights for aspiring business owners. Her main advice is to start with the skills you already possess and use them as the foundation for your venture. By leveraging your existing expertise, you can create a unique selling proposition and stand out in a competitive market.
Another critical lesson Ana emphasizes is the importance of continuous learning. As an entrepreneur, you'll inevitably encounter new challenges and opportunities along the way. Embracing a growth mindset and being willing to acquire new skills, such as SEO, can be the key to unlocking your business's full potential.
Conclusion
By turning her HR experience into a unique selling point and diversifying her traffic sources, Ana was able to build a successful CV template business that has generated over $70,000 in revenue.
As Ana continues to grow her business, expand her reach, and impact the lives of countless job seekers, she stands as an inspiration to those who dream of breaking free from the 9-5 grind and pursuing their entrepreneurial aspirations.
