Working from a studio apartment offers a unique set of challenges and no one understands that better than Nicole Dotto, owner of the Etsy shop Dotto – Vintage Clothing for a Good Cause. For over seven years, Nicole has run her Etsy shop from the comfort of her home in a variety of locations across the United States. You may remember my interview with Nicole back in August, where she shared her story on how she got started on Etsy over 7 years ago and how she promoted her products as a new seller. Today, she rejoins me to dive a little deeper into what it’s really like running her business from her studio apartment, her fascination with the risks – and rewards – of being a small business owner, and how she has grown her business over the last several years to become her primary source of income. In March 2014, Nicole was featured on the Etsy blog and today, she explains how she believes she attracted their attention, what other sellers can do to increase their chances of being selected as a featured guest on the Etsy blog, and how it has helped her gain more traction for her business. She also explains why she considers her shop a “means to an end” and how she uses that mindset to consistently work on her business to make it a success. We take a deep dive into why she feels that the flexibility of running her own online shop is like a double-edged sword and why she believes setting small and large goals for her business helps drive her out of a “lazy slump.” Nicole strongly believes that her targeted focus on activities that will generate income is one of the factors that has helped her grow her business successfully. She shares what activities she has focused on in the past, as well as what she is currently focusing on to push her business forward in the future. Tune in to hear a ton of valuable information, resources, and advice for new Etsy sellers that Nicole shares, as well as tips on how to determine your price points when you’re unsure. [bctt tweet="When you put a value on something, other people will see it and appreciate it more @Dotto" username="ConvoMePodcast"] Dotto Vintage – Topics Discussed How Nicole got started and why she became an Etsy seller Why she decided not to specialize or niche down her shop into one vintage style The struggles she faces with sourcing her products in a relatively small town How selling on Etsy has allowed her more time to follow other passions – like volunteering for several organizations Why setting goals is so important to the success of her business Product promotion and how Nicole's promotion methods have evolved over the years Why focusing on activities that will increase your ROI and letting go of other activities is important for your Etsy shop to continually grow We discuss organization and storage techniques and how she stores the products she sells Nicole explains how she photographs her products – while modeling them Nicole’s Etsy Shop Shoutouts Vera Vague - sells antique vintage clothing Her friend Joseph's Etsy shop - Carnival of the Maniac – for uniquely amazing men’s clothing The Original Cat Cult – for cute, whimsical cat collages Rodion Creative Dotto – Resources Mentioned Heart-o-Matic on Craft Cult – for a quick snapshot of your Etsy shop stats, hearts, and clicks. Etsy Teams Podcasts like Etsy Conversations (aww – thanks, Nicole!) and TedTalks Contact Nicole Etsy Shop: Dotto – Vintage Clothing for a Good Cause Email: nicoledotto [at] yahoo [dot] com etsy shop dotto Please take a minute to subscribe and leave an honest review of the podcast in iTunes and Stitcher. That really helps to get the word out about the show. Connect With Me: Twitter: Follow @ConvoMePodcast Facebook Group: Etsy Conversations - This is where I'm connecting with you after the podcast. Lots of fun convos here too! Facebook: Like the Etsy Conversations Podcast Facebook Page Pinterest: Etsy Conversations Podcast Instagram: @EtsyConvo Google+: Etsy Conversations Podcast Email: Use the Contact Form O