Being a creative, small business owner can have great benefits, including choosing your own working hours, doing a job that you actually love and being free to pursue whichever creative direction you desire. However, at times it can be very tiring and stressful to the point of burn out during the busy periods. One of the most reoccurring comments that I saw during
Until October 2016 I was working a full time job and running a small business. Between them, they took over my life and I didn’t have time to be sociable. I had my online tribe of designer makers I made good friends with through NOTHS and Facebook groups, but it’s not the same as seeing actual real life people. At the end of September I left my job and moved to a new area where I didn’t have any friends. It was at this point I set up the Somerset Etsy Team. The purpose at the time was to find new people who were local and who I could forge new friendships with. However, it turned out to be a lot more than that...
What is an Etsy Team?
An Etsy Team is a community group who have come together with a common interest, selling on
This is me, the team captain of the Somerset Etsy Team when I was sent to Italy to attend the European Captains Summit. In the background you can see the Bristol team Captain, Ellie, casually photobombing!
Why should you join one?
Etsy teams are little communities in their own right. They are groups of friendly, like-minded people who are all trying to make a living doing what they love to do most. Quite often, these people are all in the same boat, part time, full time, juggling small children and a business etc. Chances are, you are going to have a lot in common with these people.
Selling on Etsy can be frustrating at times, especially if you think you’ve nailed the photography, tags and titles and all that comes with it, but if you can share these frustrations with people who get it then you might just find a solution to your problem. Teams are a fantastic source of help, advice and recommendations.
We don't just sit around drinking tea, we have themed chats, including shop critiques and help with product development.
Teams are also a great place for skill sharing. For example, if you do a lot of work in textiles and don’t use digital design programs like Adobe Photoshop often, then I’m sure you’ll find someone within the group who would be more than happy to help you or swap their skills for a little bit of help with something that you’re a whizz at. Or maybe you want to expand into a new market and need some help making up some samples, or you need a new logo or a graphic designed or maybe you just want a little bit of feedback. Meet ups are another great place to swap skills, advice, and share hints and tips.
Most teams will have meet ups, whether it’s once a month, once a fortnight or every so often. These are a great place to go and actually chat with people who completely get it. I understand that it can be hugely daunting at first, but I can assure you, it’s absolutely worth it. If you’re a really shy person and are worried about attending, please do message your local captain (I’m sure they won’t mind) and ask if they can pair you with someone who can meet you before the event so you’ve made at least one connection and don’t have to walk through the door on your own. It’s important that these meet ups are accessible for everyone. I’ve made solid friendships with a couple of people out of my team and it’s quite possibly one of the best decisions I’ve made.
How do I find a team?
If this sounds like this could be the thing for you the lovely Rachel from the Dorset Etsy Team has put together a list of location based teams and I’ve added in a couple more too.
Aberdeen https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/29661/aberdeen-etsy
Birmingham Ideas https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/24918/ideas-birmingham
Birmingham Originals https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/24044/birmingham-originals
Brighton https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/7247/brighton-sellers-team
Bristol - https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/21210/etsy-sellers-in-bristol
Cambridge https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/21043/etsy-cambridge
Cardiff https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/23581/cardiff-and-valleys
Cornwall https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/29637/etsy-makers-cornwall
Devon https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/15348/made-in-devon
Dorset https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/14319/dorset-etsy-team
Durham https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/28280/etsy-durham
Glasgow https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/8931/glasgow-etsy-team (Glasgow Team
Gloucestershire https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/16017/crafters-of-gloucestershire
Hampshire https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/15233/hampshire-creators
Hereford https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/29599/hereford-etsy-team
Isle of Wight https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/10344/isle-of-wight-hampshire-uk
Lancashire https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/27932/lancashire-etsy-sellers
Leeds - https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/21180/team-leeds
Leicester https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/30227/leicestershire-etsy-team
London Local - https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/23485/london-local-team
Manchester https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/5149/etsy-manchester
Merseyside https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/9694/merseyside-etsy-team
Midlands https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/8815/pretty-midlands
Newcastle https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/27718/etsy-newcastle
New Forest https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/21071/new-forest-etsy
Nottingham https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/24681/nottingham-etsy-team
Oxford https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/14720/oxford-etsy
Portsmouth and Southsea https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/22400/the-portsmouth-southsea-consortium
Rutland https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/29262/etsy-rutland-stamford
Sheffield https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/23910/sheffield-sellers-on-etsy
Somerset https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/30225/somerset-etsy-team
South East England https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/7314/south-east-england
South Cheshire https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/27538/etsy-south-cheshire
UK https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/9218/etsy-uk
UK - Craft Britannia https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/5151/craft-britannia
UK and Ireland https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/7332/etsys-uk-ireland-seller-support-team
York https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/27608/teamyork
Yorkshire https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/9695/etsy-yorkshire
If you’re looking for something that isn’t listed here (this isn’t a complete list of teams!) then it’s really easy to search. Let me tell you how.
1. Go to www.etsy.com and scroll right to the very bottom of the page.
2. There are five columns of links and under the heading of ‘join the community’ is a heading for ‘teams’. Click it.
3. Here you will find any teams that you’re already a part of or where you can search for more. There is a little search box that says ‘search for teams’ inside it. Use this to find the sort of team you're looking for whether it is
4. If you can’t find what you’re looking for then why not create your own team like I did and use Etsy’s product search function to discover sellers near you and invite them to join you in a team. If you find that a team you want to join is inactive, before making a new team, send them a message to see if they want any help in reviving it or to make sure that they aren’t active elsewhere, like on Facebook for example. You don’t want to tread on anyone’s toes.
Don’t just take my word for how great these little communities are. Here are a few comments from the Somerset Etsy Team:
Charlie – Stitchsperation
“I love meeting people in the same boat (or at least a similar one) as me, who understand the struggles of running your own creative business. Having other
Tamsyn – Maid of Glass
“Like Charlie said, it's a brilliant opportunity to meet others who understand what you're doing and have a similar mindset. It's also great to be able to share Etsy tips and tricks with others and be able to help each other out and benefit from each other's strengths.”
Jess – Jessica Scissorhands
“It also brings together people who although have very different businesses are reunited under the 'Etsy' tag if that makes sense! Because of this the advice and tips are so wide and varied from many different points of view.”
"Finding the Somerset Etsy Team is the best thing that could have happened to me. Being new to the county and hardly knowing a soul, I joined thinking it would be nice to chat about running a handmade business and well, to have some people contact. But, it's been so much more than that. Not only have I made some very dear
If you've already found your tribe then amazing, if not, good luck and I really hope that this helped!