Etsy side hustle generates $220,000 annually with minimal startup costs, proving that making a living is possible.

The Six-Figure Side Hustle series by CNBC Make It features individuals with successful side hustles who share their routines and habits for generating income in addition to their full-time jobs. If you have a story to share, please email us at [email protected].

Emily Odio-Sutton recalls the precise instant she secured her side hustle's inaugural transaction.

At a gymnasium in Melbourne, Florida, she was at a kid's birthday party when her phone pinged. One of her daughters had just taken a bite of Publix birthday cake, and she'd sold a $22 T-shirt with a speech pathology-themed design on Etsy.

Odio-Sutton, 36, recalls thinking, "This can work," as she vividly remembers the cake and balloons.

In 2022, Odio-Sutton began searching for a side hustle after realizing that her 9-to-5 job as an internal operations manager at a teachers' book publishing company would prevent her from picking up her daughter from kindergarten. She started a print-on-demand shop using Canva software to create designs for Etsy-friendly products like T-shirts and candles. Whenever a customer places an order, a manufacturer called Printify prints the design onto the product and ships it out for her.

Last year, her Etsy store generated $220,300 in revenue, according to CNBC Make It. Odio-Sutton estimates that 30% of those sales are profit. She used her side hustle earnings to pay off her $20,000 student loan balance, start investing in the stock market, open college savings accounts for her daughters, and take a cruise with her husband, she says.

In 2024, Odio-Sutton opened a second Etsy shop that has generated $17,200 in sales, and she also began working part-time at a publishing company that pays $40 per hour for 20 hours per week.

She devotes 10 hours weekly to her Etsy shops and frequently works on her laptop while observing her daughters' gymnastics and swimming practice, she states. However, she requests anonymity to avoid inspiring imitators, she mentions.

Odio-Sutton shares her tips for starting a side hustle, including her successful formula for quick-selling designs and the common mistakes beginners make.

Is this side hustle replicable? What are its initial expenses?

Etsy platforms provide a built-in audience for print-on-demand and digital-resource side hustles, making them a low-risk option for experimentation and learning.

You can launch a whole business for under $40 with Canva Pro, which costs $10 per month, Etsy charges $15 to open a shop, and you can download research tools like eRank for $6 per month.

The greatest danger lies in the commitment of time, as it is necessary to invest time in acquiring knowledge and setting up a business in order to generate income.

How much work do you have to manage with print-on-demand as a source of passive income?

I keep my print-on-demand workload light by designing 10 candle labels one day and listing them on Etsy the next.

My digital products shop primarily offers event-related printables, such as schedule templates and invitations, with minimal customer service compared to print-on-demand.

What sets your print-on-demand product on Etsy apart from others, particularly when it comes to a bachelorette party order?

You really can make a very good living by just having simple designs.

I'm not a creative person, nor am I a graphic designer. I follow a template method, which involves creating a lot of black-and-white designs and plain text. If a template sells well, I simply replace the words with new ones.

I'll visit ChatGPT and request a list of the top 100 careers or hobbies in the U.S. Then, I'll conduct design research on Etsy and Pinterest to create items that evoke an emotional connection, such as humor, sentimentality, or relatability, rather than focusing on trends.

I searched for memes related to HR, but I couldn't find anything like my social worker-themed candle with data and reports.

What is the most common mistake made by your clients, who are aspiring Etsy sellers, when working with your business, Gold City Ventures?

While Etsy is oversaturated, it's mainly with generic listings. To stand out, it's better to post a niche item like a "twin mom Halloween" shirt.

To determine what works, you must try and fail many times, even if you initially believe that posting 20 designs is sufficient. I have retired approximately 1,500 designs because they did not sell.

To achieve success, you must devote time, research, experimentation, and persistence.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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