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Story by
marymary
Published on June 29, 2009 in Spotlight |
Photo by |
Torrey and Tessa met in college, inspired each other's creativity, and are now successfully running two Etsy shops, NewDuds and hannapt. Both Torrey and Tessa had regular day jobs out of college and pursued their mutual creative outlets in order to cultivate their own businesses together. They started out small, set consistent achievable goals along the way, and with their last busy Etsy holiday season, Torrey and Tessa were able to move their operation into a separate studio and call it quits with their regular careers. The two of them are now happily co-creating with their dog and cat by their side and are planning their handmade wedding coming this fall.
How did you originally get into the business of making things?
Torrey: Ever since I was little I've made things. I come from a family of builders; growing up, there was always a new tree house in the making. I have been drawing for as long as I could remember. I’ve always been a hands on, visual person.
Tessa: Torrey and I had a similar childhood. My parents were both teachers and stressed the importance of creativity. We always had a craft room and a wood shop at home. In college I painted but wasn’t fully happy with it. I met Torrey at college and he really helped keep my creativity going. However, after college I stopped being hands on and creative, and it really put me in a funk. I worked retail and it took a toll on my attitude. I knew I needed to do something else. I heard about Etsy through our friend Erin, a.k.a. elmbellishments, and I loved the site instantly. When we got a new kitten, it tapped into my long dormant love of sewing and I started making him cat toys. That led to opening our first shop on Etsy, hannapt. The catnip eyeballs were a bigger hit than we could have ever imagined, and the hope of being our own business bloomed from there. Then I finally knew it was the direction I wanted to take my life.
When you first started selling on Etsy, did you have dreams or goals of eventually quitting your day job?
Torrey: Absolutely. Etsy was a great outlet for us to get started and test the water for our products. I have always wanted to be self-employed and Etsy was the first step in proving to myself that it was possible while doing what I love…creating.
Tessa: At first I thought of it as a little extra income. I was barely making enough working retail to scrape by. However, I found myself staying up late and not being able to get Etsy off the brain. Soon I was daydreaming about being a Featured Seller and reading articles and trying to make our Etsy shops into something viable. Once we opened newduds in the winter of '08 I knew quitting my job was nearing.
Did you do anything to prepare ahead of time?
Torrey: Yes, we worked out of our apartment for the first year and a half. I worked for a corporate screen-printer full time during those years. I made sure to really learn the process and equipment needed for screen-printing. I did lots and lots of research before buying any of my equipment or supplies. I got some amazing deals by purchasing refurbished equipment. We also figured out our favorite apparel wholesalers with whom to work.
Tessa: We got all our legal ducks in a row; as art majors, starting a small business was something we knew very little about. However, we have some great friends that pointed us in the right direction and some awesome Etsy blog articles and forums that helped out a ton! I spent about a year re-learning to sew, scrounging thrift stores for fabric, perfecting the catnip eyeballs, taking in as much supplies from friends and family as I could. The success of the holiday sales got us looking into workshop space in the area. Screen-printing the way we wanted to just wasn’t going to fit in our two-bedroom apartment. We got a small loan from a friend to purchase the needed printing equipment and to open our workshop. Finally in January of 2009 I gave my two weeks' notice (I had been just part-time since the summer). Then just about a month ago Torrey left his job fully. We listened to a lot of people telling us to wait a few years and save more before we jumped in. But for us this was the best time. We have very few commitments, no mortgage, no kids, and very few payments. There might not be another time in our lives when we could put 100% into something as we can now.
What are the most effective ways you have promoted and marketed your Etsy business? What's your best marketing tip?
Torrey: Word of mouth, friends and family are the most fantastic (and free) means of marketing. Passing out business cards, and hanging posters is effective and fun!
Tessa: Promoting Etsy has been fun. Etsy is still a very foreign word to many here in Vermont. Explaining ourselves and what we do still gets quite a few confused looks. I find the best way is to just show people the Etsy site. We do some guerrilla marketing like leaving our business cards in bathrooms, posting flyers at local colleges, leaving the Etsy site up at libraries and college computers. The catnip eyeballs get on blogs weekly and that has been awesome. Just having unique products really helps.
What have you found to be an unsuccessful promotion?
We haven’t had too many unsuccessful promotions. We don’t spend money on advertising if we can help it so I haven’t had any financial regrets. I don’t know if anyone actually finds us through our guerrilla advertising, but it sure is fun running around shoving business cards in bathroom stalls. 
Walk us through your typical workday.
Torrey: Wake up before 8:00 (just about every day). I find that I feel more productive and fresh in the morning and tend to get more work done. I like to eat a good breakfast and have a cup of coffee. I bike three miles to work, which is not only energizing but a great time for me to be alone and think about my day, and what I want to get done. Get to the shop, check emails, check orders, and browse a few things on Etsy. Then from here on out it varies greatly depending on what I have to print for that day. I draw, paint, print, build or clean. My days are usually pretty different from each other, which keeps things refreshing. There is always something to do around here. At some point one of us will go to the post office and drop off the orders from the night before, and grab lunch.
Tessa: I’m a bit of a later riser, and usually I run in the mornings also. This past winter I was training for the Boston Marathon so running was a main focus of my morning. It’s good that our schedules are a bit different. It gives us each alone time to focus and then some good hours together working. I try to sew up something new each day. I spend a day or so each week making cat toys. I don’t make a ton at once because I think nothing beats fresh catnip! We go to a local farmers market Thursday afternoons. We are also going to SOWA in Boston on some Sundays this summer with our friend Jesse, a.k.a. jessedanger. We spend a good chunk of our day with customer relations. We do local custom printing as well as Etsy so there is always an email or convo to get back to. We don’t have cable TV and that has been a great way for us to be creative instead. We love being at our shop and our dog joins us every day. It’s such a welcome and truly treasured part of our lives now.
What do you enjoy most about not having a day job? Is there anything you miss?
Torrey: The best part is the freedom to create as I feel. I remember being at work printing some job, and daydreaming about what I could be doing instead. Now if I get an idea I have the freedom to drop what I’m doing and lay out my ideas. Honestly there isn’t much that I miss about my day job other than the people with whom I worked.
Tessa: Oh my, I love so much. I love being able to say I’m a small business owner, I love working with my hands all day, I love bringing my dog to work, I love taking breaks for walks or just to sit outside, I love writing off business expenses, impromptu dance parties, and print shop parties! Sometimes I miss the structure of a day job, having someone tell you what to do. Sometimes I miss my coworkers also, but now I have more time to hang out with my friends and family. I really missed that when I was working retail.
What's the hardest part about running your own business?
Torrey: Dealing with the trends of customers, being self-disciplined, and not having as structured of a life. Ultimately it’s a good thing, but it's hard not knowing exactly what you have to do each and every day.
Tessa: Right now the hardest thing for me is learning to call it a day. I love having a hand in every part of the business but sometimes that can get overwhelming. I’m learning to make obtainable lists for each day. Set small goals and learn from our mistakes. It’s so different than anything I ever imagined myself doing. But that’s also what makes it awesome!
If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself? What advice would you give someone else?
Torrey: To be patient. As soon as I graduated college I wanted to hop right into having my own shop. Now that I have lived through the last two years I understand that gaining that experience was crucial to my ability to finally quit. If being self-employed is truly what you want to do, then it will happen. You just need to work hard and be patient.
Tessa: As far as advice for someone else I would say if you believe in your products and you really love making them, then go for it. I have found that if something isn’t selling, taking new photos and updating the description is better than lowering the price or putting it on sale. Even with the catnip eyeballs we just started stating bluntly that you get TWO in every order. Sometimes people don’t read the whole description. We had a sale boost after we put that at the top of the description. We recently changed our New Duds shop to have easy to find size categories. This made it easier for customers to find the size they are looking for without reading each listing fully. Sometimes the most simple, easy-to-do changes make the biggest difference.
What goals do you wish to accomplish in the coming year for your Etsy business?
Torrey: Have a good holiday season, promote, and get a following of fans that really enjoy what we make. I love having a customer come back because they loved what they bought so much!
Tessa: I really want to experiment more. Push the limits of screen-printing. There is so much more you can do with a bucket of ink and a screen than I ever thought. I want to make more cohesive lines of products based on a single print. I really want the cat toys to hit 1,000 sales! That will be an awesome day! We are getting married in the fall, so a handmade wedding is a huge goal. We found our caterer by making T-shirts for his business, and we are trading printed apparel for bar service. 
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Torrey: Sometimes being self-employed can be scary. If things aren’t going as you had hoped, don’t get depressed; use that time to fuel your creative side. Make something new, try something else, and just don’t let it get you down.
Tessa: Quitting our day job was right for us; this is the career that makes us happy. Even if your Etsy shop is no more than a hobby, enjoy it fully. As far as my generation is considered, I am shocked at how many people don’t have any "making things" skills. I am very thankful to my parents for letting me be creative and giving me the tools growing up to make things. I really lost a lot of it in college and thought I had to get a job that was already mapped out by someone else. You never know until you try. I am so happy, and I know I will look back with no regrets. Thanks Etsy!
Thanks to Torrey and Tessa for sharing their stories. Have your own questions to ask? Come on by and chat with them Wednesday, July 1, 2009 at 7 p.m. in Etsy's Virtual Labs.
You can see some of their product lines in the related items. Check out previous Quit Your Day Job posts here.
| Tags | business, catnip, Clothing, couples, eyeballs, full-time, NewDuds, Pets, pet toys, Quit Your Day Job, screenprinting, sellers, selling, Vermont, workflow, working |
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135 comments Login to add your own!
maiziedesigns
Such and inspiring and motivating tale. Thanks for sharing and good luck to you!
KOALACaddie
Thank you both for sharing your experience - there is a wealth of information that lowers tuition at the school of hard knocks. Mary asked great questions! AND Ya just GOTTA love the Catnip Eyeballs!!!
cthings
Congratulations to the both of you!! I like the pics of both you with your shirts!! To cool! Many more success!!
scarletbloom
Two thumbs way up! Inspiring story and congrats on your accomplishments.
aimeesarmoire
YES!!! Congratulations to you both! My cats AND elderly poodles love their hannahpt catnip Eyeballs and kickin' stick. And another Vermont seller -- super-awesome-bonus!
beautifulbridget
mybirch
Congrats on your success Torrey and Tessa! You two are probably the cutest couple ever.
AkumuInk
Good job guys! I just quit my dayjob too last week doing something similar with my lady. Keep up the good work.
JesseDanger
MissMinoes
That is so funny, I never realized there was another designer also making catnip eyeballs! =^x^=
Congrats on your success story!
redyellowandblueink
stubborndog
Congratulations! I loved reading your story and you have wonderful shops.
SybilStyle
Yes! Cutest couple ever. Soooooo encouraging! Live your dreams.
HarrietsHaven
I am so happy for the two of you. I think it's wonderful that you work so well with each other. Thanks for the inspiration, you have wonderful products!
stitchknitsew
Great article. Both of your shops are excellent, and I love your Catnip Kicken Stitcks.
alphabettispaghetti
dreamerchar
4TheSparrowsNest
Love it!!! Great teamwork you two, it's inspiring!! My own cats are my sidekicks for all things fun and crazy around the house. I think they deserve some fun cat toys. :o)
thingsbuilt
thanks for the info. we're hoping to start doing some of our own silk screening, so this was cool to read. nice work.
CarolineCreates
So inspiring! I too dream of working with my pets by my side!
injeanuity
Thanks for sharing your Etsy experience....very inspiring. Good luck and God bless! :)
piddix
Okay, you two get my nomination for the cutest etsy couple ever. Best of luck.
BlueTerracotta
LoveLeeSoaps
softboiled
ModFarmgirl
Awesome!! Congratulations on going full-time and on the wedding!!! Thank you so much for sharing your story, it is very inspiring! Best wishes to you both!!!
caoimhamarie
congratulations what an inspiring story i hope your success continues and you're happy!! x
chandistreasurechest
starshinecompany
Congrats on quitting your day job! Wishing you both continued success. :)
20BucksorLess
Congratulations! And kudos to you for the upcoming hand-made wedding plans. The two of you look so down to earth, real and happy. Good Luck to you and remember...the best is yet to come.
eveartdesign
Very valuable story to me!
Thanks for the inspiration, and good luck to you!
classicc11
jamesmartin
Congrats to the happy couple. I'm glad you have a good thing going. I still have to wonder about the "quit your day job" thing though. Looking at the 2 shops sales for 1 year, I pay more than that for my son's rent & health insurance & car insurance (lucky college boy). I'm just not seeing how this adds up to quitting the day job, unless you have a wonderful website & wholesale business going also. But best of luck to you, and I hope you expand and develop that business into one that actually supports you in the future.
VintageJamie
missindie
Oh my word, these two are just the cutest!!
Congrats to you both on being able to quit your day jobs AND to your upcoming wedding! Very cool! :] xo.
hazelandhunter
dbabcock
breadandroses2
Torrey: Sometimes being self-employed can be scary. If things aren’t going as you had hoped, don’t get depressed; use that time to fuel your creative side. Make something new, try something else, and just don’t let it get you down.
********
Absolutely! Look at those breathers to try out new ideas & make prototypes. If you've managed income from the good times well, slower times can be immensely productive in other ways.
BeadinBabe
ClutchThat
CouchPotatoes
1AEON
baconsquarefarm
Great shops with a wonderful story and congrats on quiting your day jobs to continue to follow your creative juices where ever they may lead.
Nice bartering or trading for some of the expenses of your wedding as well. We did that with our friend doctor who was our dentist, he called it the barter system.
JustLiv
Such a great article! I think they hit the nail on the head when they said that self-discipline is an important, yet difficult part of being self-employed......does anyone know where I can get some of that discipline they speak of?!?!?!
Tidepools
So encouraging for a new etsier! One day I hope to accomplish something just as wonderful...
(You two are so adorable!)
Goobeetsa
lovelygifts
silverblayze
I live for the "Quit your day job" stories, and yours does not disappoint. Thank you for the inspiration and congratulations on quitting your day jobs as well as the upcoming wedding.
karinec
Wow !! what a nice story, it's very nice to read this story and I hope to quit my job one day too !
JAdamsDesigns
Awesome story! Love the screen printing! I know how hard it can be at times because I have been screen printing a lot lately and sometimes I want to pull the hair out of my head! Good job realizing your dreams! And Congrats on getting married!
That70sShoppe
Great story and inspiration. Best of luck to both of you in business and your marriage.
lzubal01
Cute stuff and very inpirational! I'll have to try leaving my business card at random places :-)
BROOKLYNrehab
yay truly an inspiration. congratz on the up coming wedding. i hope etsy covers the event! i'd love to see these creative minds at work.
lucky0girl0racer
evihan
kidacollective
Great article. How cute are you both! I hope we get an article on your handmade wedding to. :)
zeropumpkin
sandali
AWESOME article -- congratulations on the good work ;) You guys both have great shops with really trigger happy items ;)
masaoms
Iammie
spacejam
spottedcowsoaps
Awesome! Congrats on a job well done! Great seeing a fellow Vermonter in the headlines!
MoonTrail
floria
Morado
jenniferlynnstudio
Thanks for sharing this motivating story! Good luck to you both! Happy wedding!!
GorgeousKarma
very motivating story! It's great that you followed your heart and are working at your dreams. The two of you look so beautiful and in love together...
fotogenic
bungalowmarketplace
klacustomcreations
how great that you can create your work together and very cool items!
tldgrainwear
I love Newduds! I hearted them a few days ago and now it's a surprise to see'em here! Great tees, cheers!
PawPawsWorkshop
stoutwoodworks
LuttrellStudio
Great article!! Congrats on your success and good luck with your handmade wedding!!
SimpleTraditions
Very cool. I love stories where a couple works together and achieves their goals, especially when that's what me and my husband are trying to do. Thanks so much for sharing!
babook
beachhouseblues
That's a great business story. Thank you so much for sharing!
bettyw00
Very inspiring and motivating. It definitely makes me want to reach my goals and actually LOVE what your doing every day ie. job. Thanks so much! Good luck to you both;)
contempojewels
TheNightjar
catnip eyeball- how great is that!
and i like the guerrilla marketing techniques of leaving cards in bathrooms/ leaving Etsy on at college libraries- sneaky in a good way
RomanceCatsAndWhimsy
Love the cat eyeballs -- looks like I'm going to have to order some! :) Thanks for sharing your story - it was very uplifting and inspiring. I appreciated the tip on not lower prices but instead to take new photo's and change the description a bit -- good advice.
Congratulations on quitting your day jobs and making your dream come true.
rntn
SweetwaterGifts
Don't have a cat, but LOVE the eyeballs!
Inspiring story. You're right about one thing - it's very unlikely that most people will ever follow their dreams if they wait for the perfect moment to do it! Congratulations on taking that big step!
StudioCherie
What a great variety of items. Keep up the good work you two. And congratulations on your upcoming wedding. I hope it is a dream come true for you.
prendasbyenid
This is the type of stories I need to read!!! Thanks! Congratulations on your wedding!
bellecamicie
This story is so inspiring! I love that doing what they love paid off and they still enjoy it. Not everyone is that lucky in life.
megalunostudio
What an inspiring story! I love to read how other sellers are making full-time work for them. Good for you, Torrey and Tessa! And congrats on the upcoming wedding!
BabyNest
what a fun shop. Congrats you two on your success and your upcoming wedding.
TheCraftyRagamuffin
It's tough to ignore negative feedback and naysayers. Good for you guys for forging ahead to make your dreams your life!
worksandfinds
How I love these articles. Congratulation to both of you. Many many happy creative years.
girltuesdayjewelry
Best wishes for continued success! AND good luck with your upcoming wedding. Be each other's best friend. That's what I think is the secret of a good marriage. (I'm married 11 yrs to my BFF!!!)
amyshade
Very inspiring; thanks and a big congratulations to you both! May your lives be happy and blessed.
CityChicCountryMouse
Love your shops! I hope we get to see some wedding photos when the big day comes!
desertsoapstone
I love hearing stories like these. Nice work folks. I think you will go far!
PAINTINGSBYSAM
Orangeheat
Great to read about people who quit there jobs! I never get tired of that theme...
BeeDazzlesGifts
Congrats to two very deserving sellers!! And can't wait to hear all about the wedding this fall! :)
jodieflowers
ArtworkbyKD
capitalcitycrafts
It's so wonderful to hear about people who can make a living being creative!
magpyi
steinschmuckdesign
Congrats to both of you and
I wish you many more success!
JoDyer
littlemoandfriends
oh such a good read! so inspiring to all small business owners! congratulations guys!
bunnyboutique
Catnip eyeballs...love them!!! I want some bloodshot ones too.
Papatya
What a great couple! I wish you many years of happiness together, and much success on etsy. Thanks so much for taking the time to inspire the rest of us! Your products are incredible....
LaraLeighDesigns
mgilinfo
CutieDynamite
EJPcreations
jitaplana
fantasticbeasts
Wow, nothing recently has inspired me so much as Tessa's attitude and insights. Like a direct link into my own experiences and fears and wonderings and brightest hopes. More of the world should take notes from Etsy's structure. I'm not sure what that means, but maybe it's about freedom and creativity mixed with self-employment and self-empowerment while supporting those around you. Yeah.
Awesome article and sellers!
clothpaperstitches
Great piece, Tessa and Torey. I will be at SOWA on the 19th. I look forward to seeing your stuff in person, again! Congratulations and continued success to you!
DetailsMatter
Wow, y'all are really inspiring! I'm just getting started and it was great to read about your success. Thank you.
MyJunkyTrunk
Now this was super helpful and really inspiring! These are my absolute favorite articles on Etsy. Continued success!
AchAchLiebling
Your studio looks lovely. Congrats on your successes and good luck with your journey.
prettylittlethieves
galstudio
Thank you for the inspiration! ...
It really puts things in perspective and helps me stay on track with my home business.
amber84
so awesome! My dream one day is to 'quit my day job' but as for now... I'll just dream while I work a 9-5 and then come home to freelance from 7-whenever I can no longer hold open my eyes! Congrats!
enjoleuse
perfectsixtynine
cool-6969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969696969
ChristopherBoswell
nightcloud
great teamwork, you convince because you are convinced! thanks for sharing
LydiaRener
You honesty describe the process so nice and optimist!! Good luck.
goinsewin1230
Go for the gusto guys! You are living the American Dream!! Sorry, read this on 4th of July Weekend and got all "USA" on you. The truth is tho..."only in the USA". Keep it up!!!!!!
JanaPark
I'm a new Etsy seller and am so glad I found this article! I hope to be as successful on Etsy as these two some day!
congcongdesign
oh great.
i wanna quit my job.starting my own business. be a new Etsy seller.
KnitTwits
jclange
The catnip eyeballs are the best! Thanks for all of the inspiring info!
LilBlossoms
What a great story! I'm of course uber jealous, and would love to quit my day job and stay at home with my little peanut, Annabel. You two are an inspiration!
gilstrapdesigns
That is so good what a cute couple and congrats on your future wedding and marriage this fall and please share your wedding pictures with us.
Debra
paperandstitch
Torrey - It was great to meet you today at the Winooski Farmer's Market. Thanks for my awesome shirt! So glad you and Tessa have had such success! Best of luck with the wedding. Go Vermont handmade! :-)
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