Sponsor Hello: The Heyday Shop's Lessons on Being Successful Yet Sane

Katie Yang defies the norm for a creative professional. While the rest of lose in the battle against chaos, she succeeds while staying organized and balanced! Her vintage-inspired online store The Heyday shop has it all: flawless design, user-friendly features, quality photos and ample merchandise! (Plus a beautifully edited blog, Curating Cuteness.)

She consistently makes sales and simply kicks ass so I had to know, how does she do it all? Keep reading for her online retail success tips:

Tell us a little bit about yourself and The Heyday Shop, Katie!

Hi everyone! My name Katie and I run the The Heyday Shop, a craft supplies and handmade studio based in Taipei, Taiwan. I never was the crafty type growing up but something just clicked in me when I was introduced to the world of fabrics and handmade in the summer of 2008. I found out about Etsy on a blog, decided to set up shop in my junior year in college and never looked back since!

The Heyday Shop's Packing Supply section is perfect for resellers and crafters. I ordered Large and Small Clear Pockets, perfect for selling small antique odds and ends like buttons, cards,and jewelry.

What is your daily/weekly schedule like? I'm in awe of how you keep your blog and shop well-curated and updated!

I do not have designated work hours and my days involve a good mix of reading and replying [to] emails, blogging, packing orders, post office runs and creating. Sometimes when I'm on a roll, all I do is create - which is one of the best things about being in this business. I make it a point to not work during weekends (not always a success) to give myself time to enjoy things other than sewing and my computer!

How did you transition to working on The Heyday Shop full time?

I'm lucky in the sense that I realized that The Heyday Shop is what I want to do with my life before I graduated from college and with my parents' loving support, this has been my full-time job since graduation!

What advice for success can you offer to online shop owners?

While I wouldn't claim myself successful enough to offer advice, one of my strongest beliefs is to offer your customers the best (product and service) that you can. It does take a certain kind of courage to purchase from someone something you've never seen with your own eyes, I like my customers to be blown away by how well-made our products are or how seriously we take our business.

What are your top 3 tips for making sales on Etsy?

1. Great product photography and description (I can't emphasize this enough!)
2. List and renew generously for better exposure.
3. Have a sales occasionally, customers with smaller budgets who look forward to sales!

 One corner of Katie's colorful and organized apartment. 

You have a lot of stock in your shops, but live in a small apartment. How do you keep your stock organized?

That's how I stop myself from excess shopping! I try to keep the apartment as sparse as possible to give my stock a clean space.

What is the main inspiration for what you stock in The Heyday Shop?

I must admit, I follow my own aesthetics very closely when it comes to stocking the shop, handmade or commercial. I aspire to be a crafter and a curator, not so much a businesswoman, which definitely has its pitfalls at times!

Goodies I ordered from The Heyday Shop: Ocean Blue Seaside Tote (pictured) perfect for toting your sketchbook and art supplies.. and a Cloud Card Hugger for my business cards. Next, I'll get a Zipper Pouch! And maybe some fabric...

How do you stay motivated through the tough times of being a freelancer?

Take a break and enjoy life! When I started The Heyday Shop, I knew that while I have the luxury of my own time and passion, I had to work extra hard to make it work. I promised myself that the hard work must pay off in terms of happiness. When I find myself uninspired and lethargic, I don't force myself to work (like one would if you had a normal day job) until I feel inspired again!

Sponsor Discount: Use the code "THRIFTCORE" to get 15% off your order in The Heyday Shop! I love shopping the Sale and Packing Supply sections.

Photo from The Heyday Shop About page: "What first began as fascination as we strolled along the old markets full of beautiful fabrics and sewing supplies turned into a little hobby when we found Etsy."

Practical, yet difficult... Katie has provided us with a road map for being successful and sane as creative business owners. Don't buy too much to stay organized, don't work too much or you'll burn out, and provide the best quality service and products to keep customers coming back. Now I have to work on applying her lessons, especially the tip on taking breaks (and not beating myself up for it!)

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