This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
Digital sticker sales skyrocket to 500k. That would be $500,000. $500,000 in sales, pretty good amount in profit, multiple six-figure profit as well. That's what we're talking about today, a pretty incredible side hustle case study. So I should say welcome to Side Hustle School. Welcome as well to Throwback Thursday. In this segment, we take a look at someone whose
story has evolved considerably since we first featured them. Last week we heard from a side hustler who built a thriving print on demand business by tapping into niches like retired paramedic, mugs, mugs and t-shirts, retired paramedic, what else was their geocaching grandma, all these fun phrases that people happen to be searching for on search engines, not in huge numbers, but in numbers enough to come and buy t-shirts and mugs from this guy. Today in our latest feature, another big success, a designer who turns her digital sticker packs for note-taking apps like Notion and probably some others, she'll tell us about them. She goes from making a small amount of money to expanding on multi-platforms, creating physical products as well. And as noted, she's up to $500,000, half a million dollars in sales from this little e-commerce business, little e-commerce empire. How about that? I love little empires.
What's happened since we first heard from Carson? That's her name. Let's hear an update, a detailed update and some tips hopefully from Carson. I'll be back at the end with a quick wrap up. I started making digital planner stickers almost by accident. As a graphic designer,
I love doodling and creating whimsical icons. When iPads and note-taking apps like Goodnotes became popular, I listed a few sticker packs on Etsy. I earned a few hundred dollars almost instantly and saw the potential in digital downloads. Back then I worked for my living room designing stickers on weekends. Today I've earned over $500,000 in total revenue.
The growth didn't happen overnight, but it came faster than I imagined once I saw how huge the planner and journaling market really is. I now have two part-time assistants. One handles customer support for Etsy, Shopify, and Gumroad. The other manages social media and marketing. No more staying up until midnight responding to DMs. Alongside digital files,
I've expanded into printed sticker sheets for analog planner fans. It took time to find a reliable print-on-demand partner, but once I did, sales grew fast. I originally sold only on Etsy. It gave me built-in traffic and quick sales, but once I hit $2,000-$3,000 in monthly revenue, I realized I was too reliant on it. Now I've diversified. One, Shopify
gives me control and keeps more profits in my pocket. Two, Gumroad is great for bundles and niche products. Three, Creative Market connects me with professionals who buy in bulk. This mix ensures I'm protected if one channel slows down. Digital stickers still thrive even in an era of AI-generated art. More people are switching from paper to iPad
planning, meaning there's always a new audience. And digital downloads come with low overhead, no inventory, no shipping, just design time. My margins are often as high as 90%. That said, physical products have been a game changer. Many digital fans also use paper planners and offering both formats doubled my potential customer base. After trying a few print-on-demand
services with color issues, I found a US-based partner who prints my colors accurately. I also have my assistant handle packaging and shipping for high-end limited edition releases. To avoid burnout, I've streamlined my marketing. Scheduled launches? I plan monthly releases and tease them on social, rather than cranking out new designs weekly. Email list? I collect
emails during checkout and send monthly newsletters, with 40% open rates these reliably drive launch day sales. Minimalist social strategy? I focus on Instagram and Pinterest, where my audience is most active. Scaling up came with challenges. As my brand grew, so did customer expectations.
My assistant now filters routine messages, but I still respond to design questions. I've also dealt with color matching issues that required refunds to protect my brand. And staying creative is tough. I use themed months and customer ideas to keep designs fresh. When I crossed $500,000 in revenue, it felt surreal. I now earn $10,000 to $15,000 a month
with 40% profit after expenses. It's more than enough to call this a full-time creative business. Looking ahead, I'm exploring collabs, licensing deals, and co-branded collections, while still designing every sticker myself. That's the part I really love. Carson, thank you so much for coming back to share your story. Listeners, there's so
much out there that is possible. There's so many opportunities. There's something you can do as well. That's the whole point of the podcast, to give you motivation, inspiration, and some practical guidance. Let me know what you think, who you'd like to see featured from our archives of thousands of episodes. We're also looking at new ideas all the time
as well. Just trying to keep it fresh, new episode every day, seven days a week, always completely free. The entire archives are available for download at the website, sidehustleschool.com. You can listen and subscribe and follow wherever you choose to get your podcasts. All right.
That's it for now. My name's Chris Guillebeau. You're listening to Side Hustle School. From The Onward Project.
