My Apps Recommendations for Etsy Shop Owners

As a creative business owner, I cannot tell you how much I rely on my phone. Not only can I manage my Etsy shop on-the-go, I have instant access to coupons or I can update my shop's Facebook page at my finger tips.

My phone of choice is the iPhone 5s so I'm not sure if all of the apps listed below are available to Android users.

1. Sell on Etsy. Last April, Etsy finally released an app specifically geared for its sellers. Hallejuah! You could access your shop in a round-about way using the standard Etsy app, but Sell on Etsy let's you do even more. You can do everything on it from answering conversations to managing orders to even creating and listing items.

2. Facebook Pages. Social media continues to be a fantastic means of advertising and branding. Personally, I've had more success with Facebook (although Instagram has been a close second). With Facebook Pages, you can post directly to your shop Facebook page from your phone. I can also respond quickly to any comments on my posts.

3. Hobby Lobby. I know. I just stinks so bad that my job requires semi-weekly trips to my favorite craft store. Darn. Ha! Anyway, I love Hobby Lobby's app for two reasons. First, it's a quick way to see what they have marked down for the week. Second, you've got that golden 40% off any regular priced item coupon right in the palm of your hand!

4. Retail Me Not. I use this app for coupons from Michaels. Personally, I find the Michael's app frustrating and a little cumbersome to use. The coupons are super easy to find with Retail Me Not. In my opinion, this is a must-have app for any store. If you want to save space on your phone, you can find coupons to Hobby Lobby and JoAnn's on this app - just not their weekly ads.

5. JoAnn's. Once again, thou shalt never pay full price for a regular priced item. Use that coupon!

6. Craft Gawker. Every once and a while, you need a little inspiration to get the creative juices flowing. Craft Gawker is perfect for browsing DIY eye candy.

7. Pinterest. Need even more inspiration? Feed your Pinterest addiction. No judgement here!

8. Blogger or WordPress. If you have a shop blog like I do here, having the platform app is a valuable tool. If I'm out of my office and away from a computer, it never fails that I get an idea for a blog post. I actually got the idea for this one yesterday while shopping at Hobby Lobby (surprise, surprise) for supplies for my next craft show. I whipped out my phone, created a new post and wrote the idea in the post to go back to in the future.

9. Instagram. It's the best for posting pictures of your latest and greatest products to get feedback. I also love it because it gives your followers a unique behind-the-scenes look into your shop and you can link it up directly to your shop Facebook Page account. Genius! Of course, it's also good for stalking some of your fellow Etsy shops that you love.

10. Rhonna Designs. For professional and pretty looking pictures that will stand out from the rest, I suggest this app. I love it. I've also noticed I get more interactions with pictures I've edited using this app.

Picture using Rhonna Designs app

What other apps do you utilize to run your Etsy shop?

Miranda

Monday Memoirs /// Craft Show Craziness

It's official. I will be a vendor at Newnan Market Day on the first Saturday April through December! Needless to say, I am pumped and trying not to stress out over it. However, the non-stressing part is not going so well. Ha!

I feel like I've read every blog post ever written about craft shows. There is so much to put together - inventory, pricing, canopy tents, designing my display, etc. 

Even though, it's been relatively stressful, it hasn't been anything short of fun. I will have all next week off at the daycare to focus solely on this craft show. 

I've already created some inventory I'm quite proud of. Want a peek? 

If you are in the Newnan/Peachtree City/Fayetteville or general south metro Atlanta area, I hope to see you on April 5th!

Anyone have any craft show advice or any awesome resources? Share the love below!

Miranda

Monday Memoirs /// Bookkeeping + COUPON

Last week, I talked about the "fun" I had filing my business taxes and what I learned. I thought I'd share my new method of bookkeeping which should be more tax friendly for next year.

When it comes to record keeping, I follow a month-by-month basis. To keep track of my income and expenses, I use the Work At Home Kit from Clean Mama Printables. I would highly recommend it, because it's easy to use (and really cute).

MONTHLY

Having your income and expenses on one piece of paper will help you to get a good idea of what you are making each month. I like to refer to my monthly income/expense sheet as my Master Breakdown.

What do you need on your monthly Master Breakdown?

• Income
• Expenses
• Total monthly profit/loss
• Estimated taxes to set back

I have also started to make a special breakdown of my expenses on the side of my monthly Master Breakdown.

For example, instead of leaving the sum of $300 in my total expenses box, I wrote on the side that $50 of that was for office supplies and $250 of it was for printing and shipping costs. This will help me to quickly add up expenses to put in the correct box on my Schedule C next year. 

After I add up and record my profit/loss for the month, I look back at what I did the previous month. I don't just reflect on the numbers, but evaluate how I feel like I am doing. What seems to be working/selling? What isn't working/selling? Did I try something new this month? Do I need to try something new next month?

By thinking critically about the past, I feel like I'm better prepared to make educated plans for the future of my business. On that note, I make sure to list my profit goal for the next month. 

WEEKLY

At the end of every week, I fill out my income and expenses being sure to have all receipts accounted for. 

I staple my receipts to their respective orders and stick them in my trusty pink folder. At the end of the month, I pull out all of my order forms from that month and put them in my file folder with my Master Breakdown.

Another thing I do weekly? Mileage Tracker! (The one picture is also included in the Work at Home Kit.)

I learned this lesson the hard way at tax time - track your mileage all year long even if it's just a quick trip to craft store. Mileage adds up fast and if you don't keep up with it, you'll be calculating a convoluted mass of numbers like I did.

To avoid this for next year, I've added this to my weekly to-do list. 

Without a doubt, bookkeeping is not the most glamorous part of owning your own Etsy shop, but it is so important. Not only will it prepare you for tax time (and maybe an audit), but it'll help you grow your shop. Knowledge is power! Is it just me or am I sensing a theme here?

Becky from Clean Mama Printables was kind enough to partner up with me for a coupon. At checkout, simply enter 20PAPERLARK to receive 20% off your order! (Expires 3/31/14)

What is your bookkeeping method?

Miranda

Monday Memoirs: Death and Taxes

I did it! I finally did it! 

I filed our taxes. 

Holy crap. Taxes can be a pain to file as it is, but throw in a business and you're in a whole different ball game in a completely crazy league. To top that off, I found out the hard way that the day job hadn't been taking federal taxes out of my paycheck all year. Lovely. That'll teach me to check my pay stub, huh?

Any way you cut it, it was less than a pleasant experience. However, in the very least, it was an excellent learning experience. I learned all about what expenses I can write off and which deductions I can take. I've even calculated how much estimated quarterly tax to pay for this year.

While it may have been less frustrating to take my 50 million papers to a tax professional, it was worth it to learn. With that knowledge, I can make better business decisions and really choose where my money goes. 

From an Etsy shop/small business owner who has conquered her taxes (and a migraine or two), here are some tips and helpful resources:

Keep all of your receipts. No matter how little or much it is. Also, don't forget those receipts you get via the Internet like where you paid online to ship that package! Lastly, order them chronologically.

Keep a record of your mileage. You get ~56 cents for every business-related mile traveled. 

Keep a record of your profit and expenses. I do this on a monthly basis. Do what works best for your business. At the end of every week, I fill out my profit and expense sheet until the month is over. Then, I take it and my receipts and file them away.

Find Your Closing Papers. Figure out the square footage of your office in your home and the total square footage of your home. Write it off!

Don't wait until the last minute. <--- especially if this is your first time! I definitely allowed myself plenty of time to get our taxes filed. There is no way of sugar-coating it - taxes suck! I'd work on them a little at a time. When I would start getting frustrated, I knew it was time to put it down. I quickly learned that working frustrated just led to careless mistakes which only get you more frustrated. 

Lastly, educate yourself. Taxes are not sexy, but knowledge is. I read a lot about small business taxes and write offs once I dove in. I wish I had done it before I started, because I would've understood more. 

Here are some superb resources to help:

Organize Small Business Taxes (with free printables)

Top Tax Write-offs for the Self Employed

Schedule C Line-by-Line Guide

Good luck!

Miranda

Monday Memoirs

Welcome to Monday Memoirs! You may have noticed things look a little different around here. As my business, PaperLark Studio, has grown, I've realized more and more the need to connect this blog to my shop. Therefore, it's goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Winslett and hello to PaperLark Studio: The Blog. 

What does this mean? Really just a facelift and a name change. The content will not vary greatly. I'm still planning crafty tutorials and Project Life posts. However, you may see a few more posts related to business - focused namely on Etsy and running a creative business. 

What is Monday Memoirs? I'm planning to dedicate Monday's post to share the journey of being an Etsy shop owner. When I first opened my shop, I was always curious about other successful shop owners. What was their daily routine? How did they formulate their business plans? Where did they draw inspiration from? What were some struggles they faced? 

I've always strived to be real and bluntly honest in my writings on this blog. I thought it would be a nice to open a dialogue and share my journey through Monday Memoirs.

That said, I'll be short and sweet this week and share this:

My husband would completely agree that I do this way too much. I'm constantly underestimating my ability to create an outstanding product. While it can be good to question yourself and the products you are putting out there, I do it to my detriment sometimes. My goal for this week is to STOP UNDERESTIMATING MYSELF and embrace the awesomeness. 

What is your journey memoir this week?

Have a great week!

Miranda