How To Be A Handmade Boss cover art

How To Be A Handmade Boss

How To Be A Handmade Boss

By: Steph Cole-Lewis
Listen for free

Whether you’re a complete beginner on Etsy, or want to scale your handmade business to multi-6 figures, the “How To Be A Handmade Boss” podcast gives you actionable advice and workshop style full length episodes to grow your handmade business on Etsy and beyond.

We get it. Starting or growing a handmade business can be really overwhelming, and sometimes you feel like you have an expensive hobby rather than a profitable business. If you have questions like “How can I make sales in my business?” “How do I start a handmade shop?” “How can I make this passion my full-time gig?” or “How do I sell my crafts online” then you’re in the right place boss!

I’m Steph, a multi 6-figure handmade business owner (in the top 0.1% of all shops on Etsy), bestselling author of “How to be a handmade boss”, visionary and coach behind Handmade Bosses.

However, It wasn’t always rainbows and unicorns though. Today, my business(es) are bustling, but way back in 2014 when I started, it was HARD. Favourites but no sales, slow sales and low profits seemed in the beginning, like the trajectory of my business. Luckily following the system I’ve now curated, All of that changed and I went full-time in my handmade business in 2016.

Let’s focus on turning your passion into profit, because the world really does need these special creations that you only bring to life.

© 2026 How To Be A Handmade Boss
Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Marketing Marketing & Sales
Episodes
  • #121 - Etsy for Beginners: Build Your First Product Range Without Making 47 Random Things
    Jul 1 2026

    👉 Free resource mentioned: Why Your Etsy Listings Aren’t Selling Yet - and What To Do About It - www.handmadebosses.com/whynosales

    This will help you spot where your listings might be confusing buyers, missing key information, or stopping people from clicking and buying.

    💡 Are you new to Etsy and wondering how many products you should start with?
    In this episode, we’re talking about how to build your first Etsy product range without making 47 random things and confusing every poor buyer who lands in your shop. ☕

    Because yes, you might be able to make loads of different handmade products.

    But that doesn’t mean they all belong in your first Etsy shop range.


    You’ll learn:
    ✨ Why random products confuse Etsy buyers
    ✨ What a beginner product range actually is
    ✨ How to choose one clear buyer, occasion, theme, use, or product type
    ✨ How to build variations instead of reinventing everything
    ✨ Why 5 to 10 focused listings can be stronger than 40 chaotic ones
    ✨ How to use Etsy stats to decide what to make next
    ✨ How to make your shop easier for buyers to understand

    This is perfect for Etsy beginners, handmade sellers, and hobbyists who want to turn their products into a proper business without getting stuck in niche panic.

    If social media feels harder than it should, especially when summer routines start getting messy… this is for you.

    Fix Your Socials Week starts Monday 20th July… it’s a free challenge for handmade business owners who are fed up with overthinking content, disappearing when life gets busy, and still not seeing enough sales from their socials.

    Because you don’t need to post more for the sake of it.

    And you definitely don’t need to spend your summer glued to your phone.

    You need a simpler plan.

    One that helps you stay visible, show up clearly, and know what to post without it taking over your life.

    Inside Fix Your Socials Week, I’ll help you work out what to post, what to stop faffing with, and how to make your socials easier to stick with, so you can get back to making.

    No fluff.

    No pressure.

    No trying to keep up with everyone else.

    Sign up free at www.handmadebosses.com/fixyoursocials

    The link’s also in the show notes.


    Show More Show Less
    9 mins
  • #120 - Etsy for Beginners: How to Know If Your Handmade Product Is Ready to Sell
    Jun 24 2026

    👉 Free resource: Why Your Etsy Listings Aren’t Selling Yet - and What To Do About It - www.handmadebosses.com/whynosales

    This will help you spot what might be stopping buyers from clicking, trusting, and buying from your listings.

    💡Thinking about starting an Etsy shop, but not sure if your handmade product is actually ready to sell?

    In this episode, we’re talking about one of the biggest mistakes Etsy beginners make: opening a shop before checking whether their product is clear, sellable, repeatable, profitable, and easy for buyers to understand.

    Because a product can be beautiful and still not be ready for Etsy yet. Slightly rude, but very useful to know. ☕

    You’ll learn:
    ✨ How to tell if a stranger would understand your product quickly
    ✨ Why “I like making this” is not the same as “buyers want this”
    ✨ How to check if your product has a clear buyer, occasion, or purpose
    ✨ Why repeatability matters for handmade sellers
    ✨ How to think about pricing and profit before you list
    ✨ What to look for on Etsy to check buyer demand
    ✨ How to explain why your product is the right choice

    This is perfect if you’re brand new to Etsy, turning your hobby into a handmade business, or feeling overwhelmed by what to sell first.

    Mentioned in this episode:
    🎧 #116 - Etsy For Beginners: Why Your Listings Aren’t Selling Yet

    If social media feels harder than it should, especially when summer routines start getting messy… this is for you.

    Fix Your Socials Week starts Monday 20th July… it’s a free challenge for handmade business owners who are fed up with overthinking content, disappearing when life gets busy, and still not seeing enough sales from their socials.

    Because you don’t need to post more for the sake of it.

    And you definitely don’t need to spend your summer glued to your phone.

    You need a simpler plan.

    One that helps you stay visible, show up clearly, and know what to post without it taking over your life.

    Inside Fix Your Socials Week, I’ll help you work out what to post, what to stop faffing with, and how to make your socials easier to stick with, so you can get back to making.

    No fluff.

    No pressure.

    No trying to keep up with everyone else.

    Sign up free at www.handmadebosses.com/fixyoursocials

    The link’s also in the show notes.


    Show More Show Less
    11 mins
  • #119 - How To Get Your First Etsy Sales Without Posting Everywhere
    Jun 17 2026

    👉 Grab the free guide here: https://www.handmadebosses.com/whynosales

    ❓ Trying to get your first Etsy sales can feel like you need to be everywhere at once.

    Instagram. TikTok. Pinterest. Facebook. Email. Carrier pigeon. Absolutely not.

    This Etsy for beginners video shows you what to focus on first when you’re new to

    Etsy and want actual sales, not just endless content faff.

    What you’ll learn:
    ✅ Why your Etsy shop needs fixing before you drive traffic
    ✅ How to get your first Etsy sales without posting everywhere
    ✅ What simple traffic actually looks like for handmade sellers
    ✅ Why one platform is enough to start
    ✅ How to turn views into buyers, not just nosy browsers

    If social media feels harder than it should, especially when summer routines start getting messy… this is for you.

    Fix Your Socials Week starts Monday 20th July… it’s a free challenge for handmade business owners who are fed up with overthinking content, disappearing when life gets busy, and still not seeing enough sales from their socials.

    Because you don’t need to post more for the sake of it.

    And you definitely don’t need to spend your summer glued to your phone.

    You need a simpler plan.

    One that helps you stay visible, show up clearly, and know what to post without it taking over your life.

    Inside Fix Your Socials Week, I’ll help you work out what to post, what to stop faffing with, and how to make your socials easier to stick with, so you can get back to making.

    No fluff.

    No pressure.

    No trying to keep up with everyone else.

    Sign up free at www.handmadebosses.com/fixyoursocials

    The link’s also in the show notes.


    Show More Show Less
    11 mins
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
All stars
Most relevant
Steph is so down to earth and honest plus a joy to listen to. Her aim is to get you started in your handmade business journey.

Great help in these podcasts

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.