Notes from Chris

Episode 611

The fluorescent lights, grueling schedule, and endless calculations of being a CPA for international tax was sucking the life out of Janet LeBlanc’s soul. She knew something had to change, but at first she didn’t know what it was—or how she would do it.

The first change occurred when she left her job to work for a corporate office where she’d have more free time to explore her interests and be with her husband. As a big fan of handmade jewelry from Etsy, Janet had always wanted to give the craft a try for herself—and now she had the time to.

Towards the end of 2011, she opened her own Etsy store for handmade jewelry: Lazy Owl Boutique. A few months and a couple hundred sales later, she was selling at craft fairs across Houston. It was a pretty good gig, but when Janet had her first child in 2013, its limitations became clear.

Every product required making, taking pictures, posting a listing, and eventually a trip to the post office. It was a lot of work for a small profit, and even though she left her corporate job to be a mother, she still needed something a little less hands-on. That’s when Janet had her next idea.

So many Etsy sellers lamented their struggles with taxes and keeping up with all the money stuff. What if Janet leveraged her accounting knowledge to create spreadsheets that could empower makers and sellers to run their businesses efficiently?

She didn't act on it right away because she thought it might be too boring, but...she just couldn’t let go of the spreadsheet idea. It really was perfect. She had the precise skills and knowledge that so many makers needed to organize their business finances—and she even knew she could monetize it by selling the spreadsheets on Etsy.

Finally, in 2015, Janet succumbed to her inner voice and began crafting tax, sales, and inventory spreadsheets. The name of her new venture? Paper + Spark. She also created some video tutorials that she would send to customers to help them use their products right out of the digital box. By the end of 2015, Janet had earned just over $10,000 from selling spreadsheets. It was working and it got better.

Fast forward to 2018. Paper and Spark has surpassed the six-figure milestone, allowing Janet’s husband to exit his full-time job as well. The family is savoring their newfound freedom by spending lots of time taking their kids on adventures, some across town and some across the country.

But Janet, still on fire as ever, hasn’t stopped looking forward. She’s planning some new courses, some more digital tools, some live teaching events at conferences, and maybe even a book. No matter which direction she goes, she’s just grateful that she’s found a way to mesh her passion with her skills in a way that empowers others.

It’s pretty much a dream come true… perhaps the only good dream to ever come from an Excel spreadsheet.

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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Paper + Spark: Save the money management for the pros. Learn more about Janet's spreadsheets over on her website!
• Wordpress: Janet used Wordpress to setup Paper + Sparks, and here you can learn how to install your own Wordpress site in 5 minutes

SEE ALSO:

• Excel Spreadsheet Guru Earns $3,500/Month: An IBM employee in India creates a series of Microsoft Excel tutorials, earning hundreds of dollars per sale
• Charter Bus Employee Creates PR Service for Bloggers: How a digital marketer created something for himself, then decided to try selling it other people who had the same needs. He now makes more than $2,500 a month from this side project
• Young Analyst Turns College Debt Into $100k Profit: While struggling to pay his student loans, this enterprising graduate finds a way to “round up” his spare change to a six-figure side income

Inspiration is good; inspiration combined with action is better. Now get back to work!

Yours in the revolution,

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