So.. as the title says, its been 2 years since my last visit here.
Hope your all well!
I've just revisited My only hot post that shared my journey from zero to 60k in 6 months...knowing nothing at all, I thought I'd drop in with an update!
We continued in growth - however...
My partner fell desperately ill and hospitalised for a few weeks, the events sector (my original business) was just opening back up, the world fell apart and we had to close.
Life was a complete mess.
BUT.. we recovered.
Despite me completely despising the industry after receiving so much hate and slander from competitors, we reopened an online store again. (We started with cupcake toppers originally).
We actually opened as online gifts but our cake customers soon came back to purchase and requested cake products.
We reopened in April 2022.
I was never really able to utilise the instagram furthermore. We had built it with with zero ads to 18k following. Its now at 14k and I barely use it. We just reshare and post a few bits. It gains zero traction at all and accounts for 1% of custom.
Here's the figures.
Sadly but not - we hit the uk VAT threshold. Luckily we are classed as manufacturers so that allows us pay just 8.5% VAT then 9% after 12 months.
We are only just sat on the threshold. It eats my money away. A bit like my self employed tax bill. I see no positive whatsoever.
SHOPIFY
ETSY STORE 1 (CAKE TOPPERS)
The last 12 months sees this stores sales at 68k. So as sales go, they are doing 'ok'. Still, Etsy is now our main income source which i kNOW is absolutely dangerous but as our events company fades away in the background (mainly because our core product is now dying out and competitors undercut by 50% on most occasions) its all we have in the meantime.
I'm now working 9:30pm - 2:30 pm, Mon - friday. Im basically a factory and customer services operative. Boring, packing, customer service and genuinely just meh.
The income is supporting both my partner and I and our family,
We have the added bonus of a few events jobs per months but its nothing more than an extra 1-2k pcm.
I have been trialling and opening a variety of businesses on the side. To see how insane our journey was and to say really, im a part timer earning approx £3-4k at least pcm, I shouldn't moan but its not enough. Not in a materialistic way, in a freedom of time way.
I feel trapped.
We branched out our laser cutting skills and have another store which has seen us turnover 12k in the last 12 months. A top up income with higher cost products but less of.
Ive launched digital products, gift products, marketing agencies you name it, I've researched and gave it a go in the background.
Current status at the moment is - I still have no savings, now riddled with 20k of debt (due to a variety of family problems) plus keeping on top of the VAT bill and an unexpected tax bill wiping out any excess money, I am stuck!
Focus at the moment is new products and niche on the new store. I've started back on tiktok and instagram and am trying to feel excited but am deflated. Worn out maybe.
No point in going to retrain or get a job - I'll earn less, still.
I need to refocus.
All ive learnt over these past couple of years is that majority of successful similar companies are pumping huge amounts into FB ads and getting a good ROAS.
Similar to that are the dodgy accounts of Etsy. Selling 100's of the same product we offer but PER DAY and etsy bots somehow push their unlegimate stores in front of the eyes of customers and we miss out.
Its like a banging my head against a wall.
Any advice, comments, jokes would be much appreciated.
I need direction and fast!
Thanks for reading!
Hope your all well!
I've just revisited My only hot post that shared my journey from zero to 60k in 6 months...knowing nothing at all, I thought I'd drop in with an update!
We continued in growth - however...
My partner fell desperately ill and hospitalised for a few weeks, the events sector (my original business) was just opening back up, the world fell apart and we had to close.
Life was a complete mess.
BUT.. we recovered.
Despite me completely despising the industry after receiving so much hate and slander from competitors, we reopened an online store again. (We started with cupcake toppers originally).
We actually opened as online gifts but our cake customers soon came back to purchase and requested cake products.
We reopened in April 2022.
I was never really able to utilise the instagram furthermore. We had built it with with zero ads to 18k following. Its now at 14k and I barely use it. We just reshare and post a few bits. It gains zero traction at all and accounts for 1% of custom.
Here's the figures.
Sadly but not - we hit the uk VAT threshold. Luckily we are classed as manufacturers so that allows us pay just 8.5% VAT then 9% after 12 months.
We are only just sat on the threshold. It eats my money away. A bit like my self employed tax bill. I see no positive whatsoever.
SHOPIFY
ETSY STORE 1 (CAKE TOPPERS)
The last 12 months sees this stores sales at 68k. So as sales go, they are doing 'ok'. Still, Etsy is now our main income source which i kNOW is absolutely dangerous but as our events company fades away in the background (mainly because our core product is now dying out and competitors undercut by 50% on most occasions) its all we have in the meantime.
I'm now working 9:30pm - 2:30 pm, Mon - friday. Im basically a factory and customer services operative. Boring, packing, customer service and genuinely just meh.
The income is supporting both my partner and I and our family,
We have the added bonus of a few events jobs per months but its nothing more than an extra 1-2k pcm.
I have been trialling and opening a variety of businesses on the side. To see how insane our journey was and to say really, im a part timer earning approx £3-4k at least pcm, I shouldn't moan but its not enough. Not in a materialistic way, in a freedom of time way.
I feel trapped.
We branched out our laser cutting skills and have another store which has seen us turnover 12k in the last 12 months. A top up income with higher cost products but less of.
Ive launched digital products, gift products, marketing agencies you name it, I've researched and gave it a go in the background.
Current status at the moment is - I still have no savings, now riddled with 20k of debt (due to a variety of family problems) plus keeping on top of the VAT bill and an unexpected tax bill wiping out any excess money, I am stuck!
Focus at the moment is new products and niche on the new store. I've started back on tiktok and instagram and am trying to feel excited but am deflated. Worn out maybe.
No point in going to retrain or get a job - I'll earn less, still.
I need to refocus.
All ive learnt over these past couple of years is that majority of successful similar companies are pumping huge amounts into FB ads and getting a good ROAS.
Similar to that are the dodgy accounts of Etsy. Selling 100's of the same product we offer but PER DAY and etsy bots somehow push their unlegimate stores in front of the eyes of customers and we miss out.
Its like a banging my head against a wall.
Any advice, comments, jokes would be much appreciated.
I need direction and fast!
Thanks for reading!
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