Four years ago, I found myself at an audition for a college dance team. Another girl who had moved to Florida from the mountains of Colorado was also at the audition, and after we both were accepted into the team our friendship began! I quickly learned that Anastasia was talented in many more areas than just the dance studio.
It has been four years since we met, and though we have both graduated, we continue to keep in touch. She is now working as a dance teacher, has a job as a graphic designer, and continues to make adorable handmade lanyards among many other things. She was kind enough to agree to be interviewed about her lanyard business, SHIO Lanyards &Co.
Below, read about the creation of her small business, and her advice for those who are considering starting their own online business.
What is the name of your business and what products do you provide?
My business is SHIO Lanyards & Co. and we provide handmade lanyards.
What was the source of inspiration for the business?
Artistry is at the core of my personality and I’ve always loved creating accessories! My best friend, Rinnah Perez, and I are both creative spirits and decided to sell our handmade goods at markets in Colorado Springs in 2014. I created our name, Rinnah created our logo, we both created the Etsy shop, and we sold at craft fairs. We only did one season of markets, but continued SHIO Lanyards & Co. online through Etsy.
Lanyards are my personal best seller, so they became my niche. When Rinnah began working a full-time career, I took over SHIO Lanyards & Co. and currently manage the shop. I absolutely love designing lanyards and am so thankful to earn extra income in doing so!
How did you come up with the name?
SHIO is, literally, the center of fashion. SHIO Lanyards & Co. is, figuratively, at the center of fashion.
What are three tips for people that are on the fence about starting an online business?
Keep an open mind, stay organized, and be persistent in your work!
What is your most popular product?
My best sellers are blue floral lanyards and blue anchor lanyards.
What mistake have you made that you want to warn others about?
Recently, I made an inventory error and sold a lanyard that was no longer in stock. I reached out to the customer and gave a full refund, but was disappointed that I lost a sale due to my mistake. I completely reorganized my inventory method to prevent the same mistake from happening again!
How long did it take you to get your first sale?
Through Etsy, my first online sale took several months! Listing products entailed trial-and-error work in photography, SEO, and tagging to learn how to best showcase products to increase consumer traffic and shop visibility. After a first few brave customers, SHIO Lanyards & Co. gained credibility on Etsy through happy customers and good reviews.
Listing products entailed trial-and-error work in photography, SEO, and tagging to learn how to best showcase products to increase consumer traffic and shop visibility.
What is your marketing strategy?
SHIO Lanyards & Co. follows a differentiation strategy. Our lanyards stand out because they are handmade, lightweight, and spunky! I love creating new lanyards based on the season and add charms to fit the mood.
Our lanyards stand out because they are handmade, lightweight, and spunky!
Are you doing this full time or as a side venture?
SHIO Lanyards & Co. has been a side venture for 6 years and will always be a side venture.
What is your vision for the future of your brand?
Since SHIO Lanyards & Co. is online, the business stays with me wherever I go! My vision for SHIO Lanyards & Co. is to always sell on Etsy but to also sell in local retailers. Last spring, I completed my first business-to-business transaction and sold several beach-themed lanyards to a coastal surf shop. I would love to expand storefront opportunities and tailor lanyards to the business. For example, I might approach a coffee shop with coffee cup lanyards or a pet store with paw print lanyards.
If you would like to see Anastasia’s online store, visit this link: SHIOlanyards.etsy.com
To follow Anastasia’s business journey on Instagram, follow: @SHIOlanyards
Visit this Instagram post to learn how you can have a chance to win one of Anastasia’s beautiful handmade lanyards!
7 Comments
Tiffany Lei
June 21, 2020 at 5:22 pmAWWW your lanyard are so beautiful and I love reading your answers!
Maria
June 21, 2020 at 11:09 pmLovely interview and so inspiring. I own an Etsy shop and I try to support handmade businesses as much as I can because I know how much work goes when crating products from scratch.
Lauren Sumner
June 22, 2020 at 6:21 pmHandmade products are so special and of such high quality! I agree, those types of businesses are so important to support!
Emily
June 22, 2020 at 12:55 amThanks for doing this interview! It contained a lot of amazing insights to Etsy and a side business. I appreciate this 🙂
Lauren Sumner
June 22, 2020 at 6:19 pmOf course, so glad it was useful for you!
Karletta Marie
June 22, 2020 at 5:45 amReally enjoyed this article …. There’s a lot to be learned from Anastasia’s comment … “first online sale took several months! Listing products entailed trial-and-error work in photography, SEO, and tagging to learn how to best showcase products to increase consumer traffic and shop visibility.”
My take-away … don’t give up. Keep going with tweaking and changing until it works!
Thank you.
Lauren Sumner
June 22, 2020 at 6:23 pmAbsolutely! I firmly believe that if at first we don’t succeed we simply must try again. Thank you for your insightful comment!