Today, I have an interview about something that might be a great side hustle for you. I am happy to interview Jenn of Drink Coffee and Prosper about making money with an e-commerce store. She earns around $19,000 per month from her online store and teaches others how to do it with her course.
Let’s find out how she did it.
Please tell us about yourself and how you got started in the e-commerce business.
I’m an Army brat, wife to a Navy vet, and mama to a special needs preschooler. I always dreamed of owning my own business one day, but it wasn’t until I was in my twenties working in a corporate job that I hated, that I knew it was time to get serious about this entrepreneurship thing.
I was working in a high stress job, 10–12 hour days. I used to collapse when I got home, sometimes missing important quality time with my family because I was so exhausted.
During my last year in that job, I decided to start an online retail store. I started selling in a marketplace called Storenvy. I was surprised that I got around 25 sales pretty fast. I kept at it and eventually moved to Shopify.
One year after my start, I was making enough to quit my day job and so I did! It was the best decision ever, and I feel really blessed that I’m able to work from home and spend more time with my family.
How much do you earn with your online stores? How much can a beginner earn?
I averaged around $19K per month. It took about two years to get there, and the results definitely vary from store to store. A beginner can earn up to $2K–$3K per month starting out, maybe more. With a marketing budget, even more!
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Do you need any technical knowledge to start an online store?
No. I taught myself everything with very little knowledge of retail or running a business. If you can answer emails and use a computer, you can start an online store. The tools available today make it very easy for a beginner to learn the ropes and operate a successful e-commerce store.
What is the process to start an online store?
It all starts with an idea. Once you decide on your niche, the major things to think about are
- What platform will you use? Storenvy, Shopify, WordPress, etc.
- Where will you source products? China, US, etc.
- What model will you use? Inventory held, dropshipping, etc.
- Promotion/marketing? Free or paid marketing.
- Employees? Owner only, employees, freelancers, etc.
Pro Tip: Once your store is up and running, even if you don’t get sales daily, you want to try to “touch” your store everyday. This means make a change/update to your website, add or remove products, update inventory, post on social media, send a newsletter to subscribers, etc.
How do you find products and reach your customers?
Product sourcing is the process of finding products for your store. If you are selling kidswear, this means finding wholesale kids clothing items to carry in your shop. There are various ways to source:
Online: Wholesalers private websites, wholesale marketplaces, etc.
In person: Going on buying trips, trade shows, etc.
Manufacturing yourself: Producing products yourself (e.g., Etsy)
To reach customers, a great place to turn to is social media. You can see where your audience hangs out and target those channels. Some social channels even let you sell on the platform, like Pinterest and Wanelo.
What are the costs involved in running this business?
The typical month-to-month costs include
- Inventory
- Packaging/shipping supplies
- Postage/shipping fees
- Store platform monthly fees
- Payroll
Please tell us about your e-commerce course?
Ecommerce & Prosper is a course that teaches students how to launch and successfully operate an online store.
Some of the things students will learn include
- How to create an e-commerce business
- Winning e-commerce success tools
- How to turbocharge your e-commerce success
- How to start making money in three days
It’s a six-module, easy-to-digest course that teaches the ins and outs of e-commerce. It’s great for anyone interested in starting an online business, earning money from a side hustle, and working from home. Plus there are bonuses including: access to the Facebook mastermind + three free eBooks: Website Flipping, Instagram Growth, and Pinterest Practical.
What is your advice to anyone who wants to start an e-commerce business?
Dive in! It’s the best advice I can give. My only regret for myself is that I didn’t start sooner. When I finally did start the online store, I dove in with both feet, and I’ve been so happy with my decision.
I thank Jenn for the interview and sharing all the details about her awesome course. If you are looking for a side hustle that is super flexible, then you need this course.
Jenn is currently blogging over at Best of Budgets where she shares her work-from-home journey and writes about earning money from a side hustle, working from home, budgeting, and personal finance. Follow her on Pinterest!
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