Etsians are what make our world go 'round over here at the Etsy Labs offices. The site has now been up for 3 years and we want to give a shout-out to some of our first sellers.  mmmfiber is member number 113 (and the actual 1st Etsian is 96 since Rob, Chris, and Haim — Etsy's original founders — are numbers 93,94,95 and 1-92 were test data). She creates deliciously cozy woolen items. 

Please introduce yourself and talk a bit about what you make.
My name is Adrienne Shaffer, I live in beautiful Portland, OR and my company is Mmm…Fiber!
I make knit, crocheted and needle felted accessories such as scarves, scarflettes, brooches, hairpins, shawls and more. I love fun fibers and bright colors, which I think definitely comes through when you visit my shop.

Hearken back to the old days of Etsy...Any fond memories?
I joined Etsy the day after it opened. I had begun selling scarflettes in an eBay store a few months before with some success, but felt as though my hard work was getting lost in the sea of inexpensive, mass-produced goods that are the staple there. Not having the capital to build my own website, finding Etsy, for me, was the perfect fit. Being one of the first sellers was fun. All of us were learning and growing together, trying to find our place in the crazy handmade world. I remember obsessively watching the “top sellers” and “top items” lists and was a little sad to see them go, but I think in the long run it was a good thing for me not to worry so much about rankings and just focus on my work. I do really hope that Pounce (or some other app) can feature a purely random items generator, as the “random” page is one of the things I miss the most about Version 1.

How has what you create changed over the past few years, if at all?
I started out selling only basic crocheted scarflettes and they are still one of my top items, but have since branched out with many new scarf and scarflette designs, wraps, shawls and capelets, and also discovered a love for needle felting.

Do you have an anecdote that crystallizes how you feel about the Community on Etsy?
Not really an anecdote, but just a general observation about how really wonderful and amazing the Etsy community, and the general crafting community, has been. I’m a bit of a shy lass, and was very nervous about selling my creations and competing with other more established crafters. What I found was a warm and accepting extended family, best exemplified in our PDX Street Team. Our Etsy shops brought us together, but we have since forged a very strong bond of support, respect and the desire to help each other succeed. It’s incredible.

Do you see yourself on Etsy for the long haul?
Etsy is still the perfect venue for someone like me. I have a full time job and not a lot of time to build, maintain and drive traffic to my own separate site. Etsy’s format has worked well for me and I do see myself sticking around for quite a while.

What have you learned about selling?
I’m not much for market research, trend watching and the like. I tend to make what I enjoy making and hope that others will like it as well. I think if you are confident in your work and believe in what you are doing, that will shine through and is something that buyers of handmade really look for.

Good customer service is the key. Take care of your customers with friendly communication, quality work, reliable shipping and good follow-up and they will keep coming back to you.

It is incredibly important to focus on the business and marketing side of the equation, which I know is hard for some people. Do one little thing to market your shop every day, even if it is something as simple as wearing one of your items to the grocery store or post office.

What do you want for the future of Etsy?
When I opened my shop, I had no idea that Etsy would grow like it has! It’s been an incredible ride. The growing pains have been many, but so have the great leaps forward. I think the Admin team has risen to the challenge and are doing an awesome job taming the wild beast! I’m always amazed at the new things the engineers and others come up with, so I leave the vision and innovation in your capable hands. Everything I could ask for in the way of improvements has happened or is in the works, so, thanks!!