Seller Handbook

"Life passes quickly. Do what makes you happy now. Don't wake up one day and wonder what could have been — just do it.”

That was Karen and Dana Charbono’s philosophy when they quit their day jobs in 2011 to work on NorthCountryComforts full time.

The husband and wife duo makes rustic home decor, such as burlap pillow covers and their most popular item, grain-sack-style table runners.

Inspired by their New Hampshire rural surroundings, NorthCountryComforts garnered press in Good Housekeeping's July 2012 issue, which led to additional coverage in the November/December 2012 issue of This Old House magazine. “Etsy has been an amazing source of exposure for our items,” Karen says. “Both magazines have given us exposure to an even broader audience. We’ve seen our views and sales increase from both.”

Karen talks here about the art of work-life balance and how quality customer service has driven their company's growth.

Before you started selling on Etsy full time, what did you do?

I worked in the healthcare industry for almost 15 years. After our daughter was born, I wanted a way to stay at home and still earn money. I’ve always painted and sewn things for our home or to give as Christmas gifts, so I decided to try to sell some of my handmade items.

After a few unsuccessful attempts at selling in local shops, I went back to work part time. Then a friend suggested I check out Etsy, and I knew instantly that I wanted to try it. I opened North Country Comforts in March 2011 and listed a few pillows and had my first sale in about two weeks. I was hooked. After seven months, the sales kept coming and I needed more time to keep up with orders, so I made the decision to leave my job. Over the next several months, I found that the more time I put into my business, the more it grew.

After a few more months, it was difficult to keep up with the orders by myself, so Dana began working with me around his regular work hours. He had worked in the printing industry for more than 20 years. During this time we started talking about what could happen if we were both devoted full time to the business. Our daughter was growing up fast, and he wanted to be home more, so we started making plans. In August 2012, Dana went to his job for the last time.

How many hours per week do you work on NorthCountryComforts?

When working from home and for yourself, there is no time clock. We both put in more than 40 hours a week. We try to keep our production and shipping hours to Monday through Friday, and work 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. During the holiday season (our busiest time), we work seven days a week to keep up with orders. I also spend a lot of additional time responding to Convos early in the morning and later in the evening.

Though we work a lot, we’re home and spending more quality time with our daughter. We have the flexibility to take an afternoon off to watch her perform in a chorus concert. We don't ever have to miss anything because we can't take time off from a day job. Even while we're working, our daughter will hang out with us, drawing and chatting away. She even has plans to have her own business one day.

What’s your biggest strength as an Etsy seller?

We strive to make the best handmade items we can using high-quality materials and attention to detail. We also spend a lot of time working with customers on custom requests to make sure we bring their vision to life, just as they picture it. After a sale, I send a convo thanking the buyer and telling them when to expect their item and how we will let them know when their order is finished and shipped. Communication is key to having a business that stands apart. We’ve had a lot of returning customers and hope for even more in the future.

What’s your favorite part in the process of designing home goods?

Seeing an idea come to life. We start with huge bolts of fabric, cutting each item out, then sewing and painting it. Most of our images are created from stencils that we designed and cut by hand. Each design feels very personal to us, and it’s rewarding to see the final product.

What do you enjoy most about not having a day job?

The best part about not having a day job is the freedom. We can work late tonight, or start early tomorrow. We can fill orders or work on new ideas.

Working a day job — no matter how dedicated and ambitious you are — provides very little in the way of satisfaction. There are very few things as satisfying as receiving a convo from a customer expressing how happy they are with something that you made. Working from home is very challenging, and comes with a lot of risks, but every decision you make is for a clear goal. If you make a mistake you learn from it very quickly and can apply what you learned to future decisions.

What are your best marketing tips?

1. Customer service is so important for building a reputable business.

Every interaction with a customer is a chance to leave a lasting impression, and it should always be a good one. I answer all convos as soon as possible and always thank buyers for their purchase. Every interaction with a customer is a chance to leave a lasting impression, and it should always be positive.

2. Work on getting an initial piece of quality press, because it will breed more press.

We haven't paid for any advertising. We’ve been very fortunate and have been featured on many blogs and two magazines, and that’s helped to direct more traffic to our shop.

3. Create search-friendly item descriptions.

Tagging our items well so they're easy to find, using good photos, and descriptions all help draw in potential buyers.

What’s your advice to someone considering a similar path?

Work hard and don't give up. If you have an idea, stick with it and make it happen. Know your potential and live up to it.