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Parker told Business Insider how she grew Crew Lala and offered insights on how to use the Etsy platform to launch your business idea.Heather Parker was on a walk with her husband and foster dog before heading to her corporate job one morning in 2010. At that point, Parker had never heard of Etsy. But shortly after that, one of her best friends, Jobeth, mentioned the e-commerce platform to her and suggested she sell her handmade dog bow ties on it. Parker decided to give it a try. She opened up an Etsy shop Crew Lala, named after her two dogs, Crew and Ellie.
Many people have that same nagging feeling Parker described on her morning walk. They worry they won't ever be fulfilled within the confines of a corporate career. With platforms like Etsy, it's possible to monetize a side hustle or crafting skill.
To stand out on Etsy, sellers don't just have to be experts in their specific art, they also need to be experts on the platform. When Parker first started listing her products on Etsy, she'd relist her products frequently because that surfaces them at the top of Etsy. Now, Parker spends less time at the sewing machine and more time managing the business. When she does jump into production, often around the holidays when the shop is busiest, she said she has to be reminded of certain measurements.
Though Parker might not be sewing as much these days, her passion for handmade goods is just as strong as it was on day one, despite the fact that it means slower production.