Today is kind of a story time :) As many of you know, I run four, almost five businesses, but it’s not like I started them all at once.  Each business is unique, yet interconnected, forming a progression of growth and success. From starting with a simple $3 digital product on Etsy to earning a monthly income of over $65,000 to $75,000 across multiple ventures, I hope this story is inspiring and filled with valuable insights for you in the way that it shows some perspective of where I got to where I am today and how you can replicate my success.

What started everything: The Glitter Resin Tumblers: A Time-Consuming Venture

Before delving into the world of sublimation designs, I actually was creating glitter resin tumblers. (If you want to watch the YT video format of this article for examples of what I’m referring to, then click here:) These tumblers, made with epoxy, glitter, and paint, were very popular about 4 years ago. However, they were labor-intensive and costly to produce, taking an average of one to two weeks per tumbler. Despite the demand, I realized that scaling this business beyond six figures would be challenging due to the extensive time commitment required and the fact that I was pregnant and wouldn’t be able to continue making them due to health reasons. 

Discovering Sublimation Tumblers: A Path to Scalability

So during my pregnancy with my third child, I had to find an alternative to epoxy-based tumblers. That's when I stumbled upon sublimation tumblers, which offered a simpler and faster production process. With sublimation tumblers, it only took about five minutes to create a tumbler by pressing a design onto the cup. This breakthrough allowed me to scale the business rapidly, reaching over six figures in revenue. However, I was really looking for a more passive role in the business, which led them to the next phase.

Transitioning to Digital Designs: A Shift Towards Passive Income

Seeking a less hands-on approach to business, I decided to focus on creating digital designs for the sublimation tumblers. Leveraging my understanding of the target audience, I started selling digital files instead of physical products. This shift meant selling digital designs to other business owners who would then use those designs to create and sell the tumblers. By January 2022, I removed all physical products from their shop and focused solely on digital designs. Within just a few months, I was able to hit the amazing milestone of earning $15,000 in a single month.

Business Breakdown: Five Success Stories

Fast forward to February 2024, I have now successfully (well mostly, the fifth is in progress:) built five interconnected businesses. Let's explore each of these businesses:

1. Bailey Designed Co (the Etsy shop)

I consider Bailey Designed Co my first real online business success, which has been the focus of my YouTube channel. This business revolves around the sale of digital designs for sublimation and has experienced tremendous growth. At the height my shop was making over 45K per month. While it currently generates a monthly income of over $10,000, I do acknowledge a decline in revenue due to my focus on other ventures and only relying on organic sales (so, no more marketing budget as was used before).

2. Bailey Tumbler Designs

Recognizing the importance of diversifying platforms, I created Bailey Tumbler Designs, a website offering a membership subscription model for the same designs on Etsy. This platform allows customers to access a wide range of digital designs for a monthly, yearly, or lifetime membership fee. Similar to Bailey Designed Co, this business generates a monthly income ranging from $15,000 to $20,000. It really just works like Creative Fabrica or Creative Market. I consider this one of my most passive income sources because it is the same designs I sell on Etsy.

3. Digitally Purposed: The Digital Product Profit Blueprint

Digitally Purposed is a “course-community” out of request by many people to teach others how to sell digital products on Etsy. This business model combines course-based training, shop audits, live Q&As and weekly new trainings with a supportive community. While not entirely passive due to the personalized support provided by myself, Digitally Purposed brings in an average monthly income of $20,000 to $25,000.

4. Unpredictable Passive Income

The fourth business category encompasses various streams of income, including AdSense revenue from YouTube videos, TikTok channel earnings, Instagram promotions, affiliate income, and brand sponsorships. While this revenue can be unpredictable, it ranges from $5,000 to $20,000 per month. This source of income, though unpredictable depending on the sponsors or affiliates I’m working with, really does show the  importance of building a loyal audience and leveraging affiliate partnerships to maximize income potential.

5. Physical Products Business

The final business in the entrepreneur's portfolio is a new physical products venture. While the specific product remains undisclosed (most likely not at this point ;),my previous experience with physical products has paved the way for this new endeavor. By utilizing their existing infrastructure and employing family members for fulfillment, I plan to market this product primarily through TikTok. With a goal of reaching $40,000 per month in revenue, this business will play a significant role in achieving my target combined income of $100,000 per month.

Conclusion

I think my journey exemplifies the power of adaptability, resilience, and strategic thinking in building multiple successful businesses on top of each other like building blocks. From the initial challenges of time-consuming production to the realization of passive income opportunities through digital products, my online businesses have continuously evolved and diversified my income streams. As I start another exciting chapter with a physical product brand, the future looks promising and by sharing my experiences and insights, I hope to inspire others to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams and create their unique paths to success.

Looking for Support?

Join my community "Digitally Purposed: The Digital Product Profit Formula" to dive into a comprehensive start-to-finish experience designed to automate your business on Etsy. This course and group coaching/community provide everything you need to succeed with your Etsy digital product or hybrid (POD + digital product) business and reach $10K+ per month, just like I did.

By joining, you'll gain access to in-depth training covering audience understanding, trend-spotting, and AI-driven design. Additionally, you'll benefit from personalized support, weekly training sessions, live Q&A calls, and shop audits.

Selling digital products online requires constant learning, and we'd love to support you!