We often hear Etsy sellers talk about how those around them may not be very supportive of their Etsy business. But, what should you do if you’re currently dealing with unsupportive friends or family in your own life? What if they don’t support your Etsy shop? More than anything, we want to encourage you that your goals are worthwhile, and you too, can find Etsy shop success in your own business.
Facing your fears to find support in your Etsy shop
Taking a leap of faith and doing something way different than what you’ve done in the past takes SO much courage and strength! It doesn’t matter if you’re a brand new Etsy seller or a seasoned seller who is pursuing a new goal in your shop. Both stages bring different fears and concerns you will have to work through and push beyond in order to find success.
If you’re in this stage now, don’t back down or get discouraged by anyone. Be fierce and put your heart and soul into your work. You can do this.
Find support in your Etsy shop from a good place
Often, it’s those around us that bring the fears to our door that are the most terrifying. If you’re already dealing with your own fears around a new pursuit or goal, it can seem truly overwhelming to then try and deal with someone you care about who is voicing their fears for you as well. It’s important to understand that often, the fears your loved ones are voicing are truly coming from a place of concern for you.
Maybe they’re fearful of what might happen if you don’t succeed. Or it might be that they feel your goal is just too big and starting smaller would be more responsible. Whatever it may be, those that love us feel the right to voice their concern if they’re worried we might get hurt. This in and of itself isn’t a bad thing.
Talk it through
It’s important to hear out the concerns of your loved ones, especially if this is someone whom you respect and whose opinion has meant a lot to you in the past. Listening and not just shutting them down, may be all they need to move past their concerns for you. Openly communicating that you have thought through what you’re about to do and feel this is the best decision for you and your life will help to keep an open line of communication. If they learn that you’ve thought about your decision carefully, they may change their tune and start to support your Etsy shop and business initiatives.
But if this person still doesn’t agree with you once you’ve chatted through everything, agreeing to disagree can be done in an adult way. This is also where it might be time to place some healthy boundaries in your own life if needed. But that’s another topic for another day.
Related: Here’s everything you need to know BEFORE you open an Etsy shop
Take their lack of support for your Etsy shop with a grain of salt
At the end of the day, you are an adult and you must weigh in the balance the goals you have set for either starting an Etsy shop or pursuing larger dreams for your shop. Will this be scary? More than likely. Is there a possibility you could fail? Yes. But does that mean you shouldn’t try? No! If you have taken a responsible look at the positives and negatives of what you’re going to pursue and feel like now is the time, then go for it! And just in case you need it, we have an entire episode of The Jam that deals with what to do with failure and how it can actually be a positive thing in the end.
Active discouragement
So, if you still have someone actively and openly trying to discourage you, remember that their discouragement can serve as a motivator for reaching your goals. Taking the negative and turning it positive is the ultimate key here! Whenever someone is seriously trying to dissuade you from going after something you know you need to go after, it can often mean there is great value hidden within that goal. Remember, the wind blows hardest at the top of the mountain. So once you’ve reached that goal in starting your shop or pursuing that new and more difficult goal for your shop, you’re going to reap some AMAZING views, but there will be challenges!
Related: Achieve the goals that matter the MOST by creating your own vision board
Take the resistance and run with it
If you’re facing resistance from all sides, don’t let it daunt you! Let the resistance serve to inspire you to achieve the goal you’ve set, even more than before. Pour all your energy into focusing on what it will feel like when you succeed! And when you reach your goals, it will prove to all the naysayers around you that you CAN absolutely achieve anything you set your mind to.
A reflection in the mirror when you lack support for your Etsy shop
Another thing to keep in mind is that, if you really have someone speaking negativity and disbelief into your life, it’s often a reflection of their own inners struggles. If their own fears of setting goals and not reaching them are preventing them from trying, the easiest way to express this can often be to discourage others from trying as well. This is an inner battle that many of us have probably faced from time to time. Keep in mind that we all have inner battles we are constantly facing and remember to be kind because we do not know the inner struggles of those around us.
Practical solutions
So what can you do practically when someone you love is opposing your dreams and goals?
01. Remember to address what they’re concerned about and talk it through. They care about you and probably don’t want to see you get hurt.
02. Stay open to constructive feedback. Hear them through and stay open to what they have to say. If they have some great constructive feedback that can help you in your journey of pursuing your goal, take that openly, and thankfully, then do your best to apply it!
03. Discard unconstructive feedback. Remember, at the end of the day, if you have openly communicated and listened, and you still feel your goals are best, then discard any advice that is discouraging you from achieving those goals.
04. Focus your energy on your goals. Do all you can to run hard after the goal you’ve set. One step at a time is the best place to start. We have lots of blogs that address goal setting and how to reach those goals! Stay focused. Try and keep a positive attitude and envision your success!
Final Thoughts
While it is important to have the support of those you love, at the end of the day you must learn to trust yourself and what you know to be best for you. You can love the people you care about while not agreeing with their vision for your life.
Be an open communicator and don’t shut out those you love while pursuing your goals. But, if there are those who only bring negativity, remember that you must know when it is best to listen and when it is best to drown out the negativity with a big ole positivity party.
Are you currently dealing with family and friends who are being less than supportive? How do you handle this in your own life? If you have wisdom and first hand advice for what you’ve done, let us know below!
Happy goal reaching, everyone!
6 replies on “Staying Positive When Friends & Family Don’t Support Your Etsy Shop”
Honestly I disregard it. Fortunately I have a small business that is successful and I profit from. My husband is my biggest downer. His thing is you can’t make money from Art. I should have never listened to him 10 years ago and now I have to play catch up on a passion that I’ve always had. Word to the wise, listen to no one but yourself. If you’re truly passionate about your Etsy shop you will make it work.
Minnie, you can absolutely catch up and more! As a community of artists and creatives, we are showing the world that this is possible🧡 Thank you for your comment and for being part of our community, we cannot wait to see how your shop continues to grow🍊🧡
My family said you’ll never make money selling jewelry! LOL, I just let them keep thinking that! Here’s the kicker. I LOVE WHAT I DO! Ignore the naysayers, better yet,let them think they are right!
Kathy, we’re thrilled to hear that you love what you do and that you are succeeding at it! This is the dream! Thank you for your comment and for being part of our community, we are cheering you on🧡🍊
Was just having this conversation
I Stumbled upon my niche market by chance. Making hats, I was using some vintage wool yarn. At a point, I thought it looked like a yarmulke. After a little research, I listed it in my shop and it sold in ten days! I made several more, then received a convo from a gentleman wanting a large kippah, a frik kippah, just like the one his zeide had worn. Trial & error, it worked. I made a few more in the same pattern and size and got sales and more requests.
Then I went to a local knitting night.
As soon as they saw and heard what I was making and for who, the folks went ugly. Small town, small minds. My local art/craft shows won’t let me sell my other hats because “she’s crazy” to sell to “then”. It’s 2020, a democracy. Why does it matter?
I keep to myself. The knitting groups were an attempt to be around people and not in my shell. The only place that welcomes seeing what I do is the local yarn shop, as I buy their best yarns, altho even there, it was a bit of a joke for several months.