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?

This week's installment features the success of Nicole, the baker behind  FatDaddyBakeShop!

How did you first hear about Etsy, and what made you decide to open a shop on the site?
I first heard about Etsy from a good friend of mine who has a store on Etsy, TracyJoy. Etsy provided a great place for me to "test the market" without spending a small fortune. I had no idea if my cupcakes would actually appeal to people outside my friends and family. (good thing she tested us out, right?)

What do you think your key to success for selling on Etsy has been?

I believe my success on Etsy is due to the incredible customers and other Etsy storeowners. The Etsy community really gets the word out and supports one another. I also suggest posting as much and as often as you possibly can. Keeping your products in front of your audience is key. Most importantly though, is that I truly love what I do, and I refuse to compromise when it comes to the ingredients I use and the customer service I provide. I treat each customer as if they were my only customer, I try to make everyone happy in any way that I can.

How do you promote your shop?
I really haven't done any promo work, other than trying to make my Etsy store fun and engaging. Most of my business comes from word of mouth and repeat customers. There have also been several people that were kind enough to add Fat Daddy Bake Shop to their blogs. This has really generated a lot of interest in Fat Daddy.

How do you handle such a large volume of sales in your shop? What systems have you created to manage the orders?
Scaling the business is an ongoing process. Every time I think I've got it down pat, we get another growth spurt, and have to change pieces of the process. I know that as long as we continue to grow we'll need to continually review how we manage the order process. Bottom line, I couldn't do it without the support of my friends, my family and especially the original Fat Daddy, my husband!

Are your orders mostly from repeat buyers or new buyers? What do you do to gain repeat buyers?
Both!  Etsy is like any other business, provide a great product and top notch customer service and your customers will come back.

How do you stay motivated? Does it come naturally?
This is a great question. Sometimes it gets tough to stay motivated. The holiday rush put a strain on everything we do, but you work through it and the sense of accomplishment is worth every bit of the occasional strain. What comes naturally is that I absolutely LOVE to bake, and sharing that passion with my customers, well it's just a great feeling.

Do you "Etsy" full time or do you have another job too?
All Etsy, all the time :-)

If you "Etsy" full time, were you able to quit your day job due to your success selling on Etsy?
I was a stay at home mom and although I bake away from home now, I am able to make my own hours, which is a blessing and a curse at the same time.  With the incredible amount of business we're doing I spend an average of 12-16 hours a day baking, plus 2-3 hours online answering convos and maintaining my shop. It’s a large load to handle but I love every minute! I’ve been known to get up at 3am to start baking so I can make sure I’m home in time for dinner. It still blows my mind that less than seven months ago I started selling on Etsy as just a way to make some extra money and now have stumbled upon an amazing idea and business that has just exploded!

What is your favorite current Etsy Feature?
If I had to pick just one feature it would be the the convos. They let me get to know my customers before, during and after the sale. It gives me a chance to interact with each of my customers, unlike a standard Internet storefront. I've made have great customers and made even greater friends on Etsy.

What features do you use most on Etsy?
The relist button..oh how I love that feature!!!

What goals do you have for your Etsy shop 1 year from now?
One day at a time. Each month is a new surprise.

What piece of advice would you give to a new seller on Etsy who might be feeling discouraged? Do you have a quick tip or trick that you have learned over time you would be willing to share?
Interact with the Etsy Community. This really is a great group of people that shop here or have stores with Etsy. Everyone is so supportive.

Anything else you want to add?
It's a reoccurring theme throughout this whole article: friends, family, customers and community. Without any one of these, I wouldn't have gotten the chance to have had this conversation.

Check out some of Nicole's favorites on Etsy in the Gallery below: