You've seen those big sellers on Etsy who seem to be making sales left and right. You have to wonder how they've made it to where they are: can they actually be FOR REAL? What's their recipe for success? And just how do they do it?

I've made it my mission to shine the Storque spotlight and bring these sellers to you. I'll be asking them all those questions you're just dying to know about their success on Etsy. They have been generous enough to share their secrets with us and we want to spread their personal success stories to everyone so they can learn from their business practice.

This week's Etsy success story spotlights Jean-Marie, the bath and body making powerhouse behind Daisycakessoap. In just over two years of selling on Etsy, Daisycakessoap has carved out a distinct brand for herself with just over 4,700 sales! She started her business in Louisiana back in 1999 and is now selling from her location in Miami, while still hand-stirring her products in small batches with the freshest, simplest ingredients to ensure quality. Now that's what I call a successful microbrand!

How did you first hear about Etsy, and what made you decide to open a shop on the site?
I found Etsy in the fall of 2005.  I had recently relocated and my new local markets paled in comparison to the ones I had been doing regularly in New Orleans.  I needed to add new revenue streams to keep moving forward. I did searches online and came across traditional venues: craft malls, consignment, nothing that really excited me. When I found Etsy in a Google Search, it was love at first sight.

What do you think your key to success for selling on Etsy has been?
If I had to choose one thing, I would say loving what you do is the key, but I really don’t subscribe to the idea that there is one key or secret. It takes a long time and it’s a ton of work. For example: it’s 3:30 am and I’m writing this, just cut 200 bars of soap, finished leaving feedback, and boxed a big wholesale order. That’s all since 10 pm when my kids went to sleep, but there is nothing I’d rather be doing.  Listing frequently is important, but I think constancy is equally or more important. Buyers need to know they can rely on you to consistently provide a quality product at a fair price with excellent customer service. Every time.

How do you promote your shop?

• I have a mailing list
• I re-list an item immediately when it sells
• I cross promote with other Etsy sellers
• I have a blog, and often pay for ads or get reviews on other blogs.
• I search for blogs that I think are a good match for my business—for example—I recently contacted a popular coffee blog to review my coffee soaps
• I pay to be part of an “indie coupon book.” 
• I participate with FEST (Florida Etsy Street Team)
• I send out a free sample with every order
• I have always done lots of shows and farmer’s markets
• I experiment with all kinds of print material, cards, postcards, etc.

Most importantly, I think any time we, as sellers, send out a great package and treat customers with care and respect, that’s the best kind of promotion there is.

How do you handle such a large volume of sales in your shop?
It’s a challenge. I get a ton of help from my family. I read books about small business, and try to incorporate the best practices from others that make sense for my business

What systems have you created to manage the orders?
I use a hand-written log for cross-referencing. Paypal has become very valuable to me because of its shipping and tracking tools.  I try to put in place systems that will streamline repetitive processes. For example cutting & wrapping soap, and packing & labeling out going boxes in large batches rather than piece by piece.

How do you stay motivated? Does it come naturally?
I listen to the Miami traffic report and get a HUGE wave of gratitude that I don’t have to sit in traffic to go to a 9-5 job.

Do you "Etsy" full time or do you have another job too?
I do Daisycakes fulltime, and Etsy is a huge part of that. I was a social worker prior to that.

What is your favorite current Etsy Feature?
Are our shops a feature? I had my own website for a few years and it was very difficult for me to navigate how to update it. I love how simple Etsy’s design is.

What goals do you have for your Etsy shop one year from now?
Next year at this time, I’d like my production systems to be more streamlined than they are now. Hopefully my family will be in a new space, and I will have a workshop to create distinct, compartmentalized workspaces for soap cutting, shipping, etc.  I hope to find creative new ways to collaborate and cross-promote with other sellers.  I’d like to sell 50% more than I did in the past year.  I’d like to partner with a great sales rep to help manage wholesale accounts.

Anything else you want to add?
At the risk of being repetitive, I have copied the “tips” paragraph I wrote for my Etsy featured seller interview last April, because I had a bunch of people convo me to tell me it inspired them:

Celebrate the small milestones, but don’t be afraid to think big. Don’t get bogged down with the cost of that ad or that show or that material….Decide what you want your business to become in the big picture and then make the choices you have to make now to get there. There will be income gaps, huge Visa bills, downtimes with technology, and gigantic investments of time with little immediate results. Count on it, so you don’t lose sight of the big picture when they happen.

Thanks, Etsy, for the opportunity to share.