Summer Break Replay: How Dylan Jahraus Turned Etsy into a Multi-Six-Figure Business

Speaker A: I'm here today with Dylan Jarris, a mom and a seven figure Etsy seller who helps women make a living on Etsy and other platforms. Today Dylan talks about her road to success and shares how moms can monetize their passions. Hi Dylan, welcome to the show.

Speaker B: Thank you for having me. I'm excited to be here.

Speaker A: Well, I'm excited to have you on. So before we get into the heart of the conversation, why don't you just tell us a little bit more about yourself and your family dynamic.

Speaker B: Absolutely, yes. So I am, first of all I'm a military spouse. Um, my husband is active duty Navy. Um, he's been in about 13, 14 years and we live currently in San Diego and we have two kids, five and one. So we're in the thick of it. But ah, yeah, we've been married seven years. My background, my whole background's corporate e commerce and now I'm m. Fully self employed. No more corporate life. But it's great. We have the full flexibility and we've um, kind of built up the business as a family. So um, yeah, that's kind of my background.

Speaker A: Okay, awesome. What were your passions growing up? Like what were you trying to pursue when you were younger?

Speaker B: Yeah, so I actually grew up in Minnesota, um, so on a farm, a horse farm. And m, you know, hard work, baling hay. Uh, I was very athletic. My passions were I, I thought at first I wanted to be an interior designer. I don't know if you remember Trading Spaces.

Speaker A: Oh yeah, I do.

Speaker B: Yeah, tlc. Um, I thought that's what I wanted to do. Um, but you know, I like the business side. Both my parents were entrepreneurs. My mom had a dental practice, my dad had a construction company. Um, so entrepreneurs their entire lives. Um, so I was really surrounded by that. And um, I thought I actually wanted to go into the medical field because um, I was, I was pre med and my sister had an accident when she was 15. She actually, uh, she's my only sister. She had a heart attack, um, cardiac arrest in gym class. Yeah. Wasn't given cpr, was in a coma and now she has permanent anoxic brain injury. So with, with that happening when I was only 13 and then addiction is running in my family with my dad. So I thought I wanted to go into psychiatry and I was pre med, thought that's what I'm going to do. I wanted to go to Stanford. Um, I, it was like my whole life mission to get into stanford from age 13 to 17. Um, but you know, I was waitlisted. Didn't happen. Ended, um, up studying business at the College of William and Mary. I found that was more, uh, intuitive to me than medicine. And, um. Yeah, so that's kind of, you know, where my passion is. L. I'd always in. In business with some, um, you know, there's an art and a science to it. I really like both sides.

Speaker A: Okay. All right. Awesome. And then when you. Did you graduate from college?

Speaker B: I did, yes. I, um, I went to the business school, studied marketing, international business. Um, went. Did a program in London on buying and product development. So, um, yeah, I graduated, did some interesting internships at Marie Claire, ended up getting my career started at Zappos, which is. They're owned by Amazon. Um, so I was on the buying, uh, pricing, planning side and then moved up to Zulily up in Seattle. Um, still in the. In the corporate e Comm. Space. Um, yeah. So that's kind of what happened right after college.

Speaker A: Okay. And then how long were you on the corporate side before you decided, you know what? I have passions of my own that I want to pursue. Like, what did that transition look like?

Speaker B: Yeah, that was. I mean, it was honestly brutal. So I was, um, I did about two, three years at Zappos, um, a little over a year at Zulily. And then I married someone in the military. And I don't know if you do you know much about military?

Speaker A: A little bit. But I know it's a lot of traveling. Right. And moving.

Speaker B: Yep. Yeah. With. With his, um, role, you know, we're never in one place more than two years. So you. You work really hard to get a job and then you have to move. And it's really common. You know, even college educated people, they'll just be underemployed because they don't have time to build their career up, um, and be one place long enough to do that. So we basically got married and moved, um, moved to San Diego. And I had a hard time getting a job. It was, um, you know, I was up in Seattle, so E Commerce, that's like the E Commerce giant up in Seattle. And, um, I had the hardest time getting a job. I was almost like depressed about it. I was interviewing. I mean, I was applying to probably about 24 places. I interviewed at the zoo, like the San Diego Zoo. Uh, and I was just desperate. Um, so I was dog walking, I was doing all these side hustles, house sitting, um, just trying to find some purpose. And I was really lost. But I was only 26. Like, that's way too early.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker B: To feel like Your career's over.

Speaker A: Yeah. Wait, did you have kids at the time? Dylan?

Speaker B: No kids. No kids. Yeah. Yeah. So I worked really hard, um, on getting a job. And then in the meantime, I just listed something on Etsy that we made for our wedding. Um, I didn't think of anything of it. It was just a little piece of little decoration. And two months later it sold. And it was like right before we left for our honeymoon and I thought, now what? This thing sold. It was just a picture from our wedding. I now I have to figure out how to actually make it and ship it. Um, so that's how Etsy started. It was totally unintentional.

Speaker A: Wow. So one item. You just had one item for sale and that's what started it all.

Speaker B: What started it all? Yeah. And um, then we had listings of that item doing over a hundred thousand dollars per listing. Um, so for the one item we had multiple listings of it.

Speaker A: Oh, okay. Do you mind sharing what that item was or you. If it's confidential. Yeah. What was that?

Speaker B: It's fine. It was a, um, it was a floral, uh, item, um, that was kind of with. Related to our last name, so fake flowers. Um, okay.

Speaker A: Wow.

Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. So that, um, so basically that was right after the wedding we a sale. I'm still doing all these job interviews. I finally get a job offer from Petco headquarters. But by that time I had my first thousand dollar day and I had this job offer. I have this Etsy business that's like kind of taking off the job offer was like, it was like 110 grand. And that time, that was like pretty good.

Speaker A: Um, during that time. That's still good for a lot of people.

Speaker B: Yeah, it is. Um, so I had to make a decision and I was just praying about it. Like, God, give me a sign. Like give me a sign. Because it's my head says I should take this job. Doesn't really want to.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker B: And so that thousand dollar day was my sign. Um, also the same week we found out we were pregnant with our first baby. So.

Speaker A: Wow, big signs. Yeah, that was big. The big signs. Exactly. Wow. So, okay, so you start your Etsy shop with the one with the product there. And when you were getting those now were you just doing it, you and your husband making this item and shipping it out? Like, what did that look like?

Speaker B: Yeah, we were in a one bedroom apartment with, um, with a dog. And we had inventory everywhere. Under the beds, in the closets, in the kitchen cupboards, um, behind the couch, stuffed, you know, behind the couch. And we did $134,000 in revenue that first year. Um.

Speaker A: Oh, yeah. Where did it go from there, Dylan?

Speaker B: Yes. So basically we. We kind of got in trouble actually operating out of that apartment. We. They didn't like our jigsaw on the, uh, patio. Like, the neighbors were not a big fan, so we had to, um. Eventually we moved our operation to along, um, side, actually, the freeway. I know this sounds like I'm making this, um, but it was alongside one of the freeways here on a frontage road. And, um, so we were doing part production there with the jigsaw and then bringing it back to the apartment. And, you know, the Navy then moved us. So we moved into a house in Connecticut, built the business up, finally, uh, got some childcare to help with the baby, and, um, scaled to see about 360,000 in the first three and a half years, um, in annual revenue.

Speaker A: With this still the steal. This one product.

Speaker B: Yeah, we ended in about three more products at that point.

Speaker A: Yeah, well, it was you and your husband making them in your home at that point still.

Speaker B: Yep, it was me, uh, because he was at work. So I had the baby, you know, in the Ergo carrier and, um, the glue gun. I had to be very careful about that. But, um, yeah, what a story.

Speaker A: Yeah, that's amazing.

Speaker B: It was hard and a lot of people thought, you know, you are crazy. Like, just enjoy your baby. And I'm like, I know I can do more. I can do it. I can do both at the same time.

Speaker A: Uh, yeah, yeah. So from there, so three. That's three and a half years later, how did you go up from there and how did you start streamlining this? So you're not doing all this physical work yourself?

Speaker B: Yes. So I actually, um, we went on to Amazon as well, and we had our own website, Shopify. So we fully expanded. Um, and then we took on our first employee, so my first assistant, um, and she, you know, was doing a lot of the packaging and things. So, you know, when you're a small business owner, like, it's really hard to relinquish control, I find, uh, with, you know, with a lot of things and especially the product. So, um, slowly, bit by bit, kind of giving up some of that control, um, was really helpful. Finally got childcare, we got a nanny. Um, and that way I felt really good about things. You know, kids can be home, I can. I can see them. Everything's, you know, contained and under control, kind of, um. And yeah, just scaling by, kind of getting myself worked out of the day to day. Um, but it was not easy. And I have to be honest, like, we even got to a point. I. I don't really share this with, um, anyone, actually, but we got to a point where I was working so much that I actually developed vascular disease in my legs. Um, so I had to, because I was standing all day making stuff. So I had actually like a four hour surgery to fix my legs. Um.

Speaker A: Wow. And that was standing. I've never been heard of that from. Standing all day.

Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. And pregnancy kind of made it worse. Um.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker B: Yeah. So anyways, it, uh, that was just another reason to, you know. For me to get some help.

Speaker A: Yeah. I mean, but it seemed like at that time you could afford to get help too.

Speaker B: We could. Yes, we could. But one thing, you know, when we grow up business, a lot of small businesses, their revenue goes up, their expenses go up, sometimes even more.

Speaker A: That's true. You're right.

Speaker B: Yeah. So we're very. We run things pretty lean.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker B: But it was worth it to get help.

Speaker A: Yes, absolutely. So, going back, I'm glad you brought up your kids. So, um, during this time, like, how old now? How did you manage this? Because obviously you were working around the clock. You developed a disease in your leg. So we know that you were working very hard, but at the same time, you have a little baby. And then your second one came along too, right? During that time. Yeah.

Speaker B: So with my five year old, you know, my husband was deployed in 2020, uh, February. He left before COVID happened. Um, and then everything happened. And I was alone on a submarine. He was on a submarine. You don't have any communication. So he had no clue for months what had happened here. Yes. Um, so I was totally alone and running this business. And that's when E. Commerce really took off. Everyone's at home spending money. Um, and yeah, business really took off. And my assistant moved at the same time, so I was literally alone. Um, and so the way I managed, I mean, it's kind of like I was drinking water from a fire hose, but, um, make hay while the sun is shining. Right. So the demand was there. Um, and I want. I did not want to miss the opportunity. It would have been easier just to close it down, try to, like, just hang in there. But, uh, I just wanted to see how fast could the car drive.

Speaker A: Yeah. Right.

Speaker B: So, yeah, this little, you know, literally packaging orders. Wow. Like, next to my child while they're in the bathtub. Um, I'm not kidding. So you, you do what you have to do.

Speaker A: Yeah. And then at that time, you had no one helping you because of COVID No one. You couldn't be around people. So you're literally doing everything by yourself.

Speaker B: Yeah, yeah.

Speaker A: And at that point, did you have two kids at that time during COVID or is it just your one?

Speaker B: Just one. Just one.

Speaker A: Okay.

Speaker B: Yeah. All right.

Speaker A: So where did you go from there? Like how did it scale from there?

Speaker B: Yeah. So, um, during all this time, by the way, we are, we're highly, you know, invested in San Diego real estate. So we do like multi family and things. So we're moving quite a bit. So we moved, got a bigger space so that we could have more of a really dedicated workshop for the business and um, full time employee and have our second child. Um, and I'm slowly moving out and giving more ownership over to our employee and she's another military spouse. So we can, we are like fully employing someone else, which is just such an amazing feeling. Yeah, yeah. And so now, now at this point, um, let's say about one year ago, I started fully handing things off and I actually built a different business that was going to be, um, I would say a better return on my time. And that is a coaching business. So now, um, as of a year ago, I've started teaching people how to build multi six figure Etsy shops for themselves, work with a lot of moms, um, and dads and um, people wanting to leave corporate America, replace their income. And so 12 months later, ah, it's almost not even a full year old. We have 13, uh, hundred students from all over the world. Um, and that's another seven figure business for us.

Speaker A: That is awesome, Dylan. That's amazing. So you do the coaching yourself or is it through? Because I think you have courses and things like that. How do you do it yourself? Because that's a lot of your time too, right? Having to coach someone one on one. How do you make that work?

Speaker B: Yeah. So, um, our team's about 15 right now. We're hiring like uh, crazy though. We're building the infrastructure to scale this further. And um, so the, you get the course with lifetime access and then our coaching is six weeks to 15 months and you get myself and then my entire team of coaches. So I have six subject matter expert coaches that work alongside me. So you have a full team behind you. Um, daily coaching, weekly zoom calls, uh, full support and um. Yeah. So it's not just me.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker B: Yeah.

Speaker A: Wow, that's amazing. Your story is amazing. I feel like you should write a book. I don't know if you're already starting one, but oh, man. You have a book in there somewhere if you have time to write it.

Speaker B: I know I could. Yeah. I feel like there's so much more that's going to happen though, so I don't want to write it too soon.

Speaker A: Uh, yeah, because you're still so young too, and you've done all this.

Speaker B: Yeah, so I'm, I'll be 33, uh, this month.

Speaker A: Oh, my goodness, that. And how old are your kids today?

Speaker B: Um, today they're one in five. They're almost two and six, though.

Speaker A: Okay, yeah, you did mention that. Okay, so today, what does your time look like today versus when you just start at the business? Like, how does, what is the difference there?

Speaker B: Yeah, so the time. My days look completely different now. So. I mean, with the coaching business, we're probably making, I don't know, 30 times more than what the Etsy side makes. So I don't really touch Etsy anymore. It's completely outsourced. Um, but with the coaching business, I am now just meetings all day, 12 hours of meetings every day right now at this moment, um, and seven days a week. But it's worth it. It's so worth it. It's short term pain for like building a long term sustainable business. So basically we have our little one in Montessori kind of preschool. I don't know, I feel better thinking about it as Montessori. So, um, you know, it's like it's bilingual too, so that's kind of good. Yeah. Um, and then our older one, he's in a Christian school just down the street. Um, so they're, they have five days. I have five days of child care, um, and then my assistant at the house, um, every day. And I'm just, you know, I hit the ground running. First thing I do when I wake up, I look at my phone and I put out the fires. That's like 6, 6am um, yeah. And I don't stop until about 11:30 at night.

Speaker A: Now there's some moms out there. They're, they have passions and they want to do what you're doing, um, or even just skim the surface of what you're doing. But they feel like they can't. They're overwhelmed. Maybe they're in a regular job, but they have these passions that they want to pursue. Um, well, let's start with you first. Like now, where you're at right now, like, how do you, and I don't want to say balance because it's never a real balance or like, maybe manage. Like, how do you Manage your passions and your career with your little ones. Like, let's say when they get home or, you know, how do you just manage that?

Speaker B: It's tough. I mean, I am very reliant on my husband. Um, because the kids get home at 4 o', clock, I still have a few hours of meetings here and there. Anytime I get off a meeting 15 minutes early, I am with them. I'm playing catch, I am holding them, like, you know, contact. Right. Um, but I. A lot of times, you know, I feel like you can't be perfect. You know, I don't believe in balance at all. Um, one thing. I don't cook. I don't even. I have never, never turned on our stove.

Speaker A: Wait, how did you manage that? I want to get that off of my plate. You don't cook?

Speaker B: I mean, honestly, it's the phase of life we're in. And I mean, say, oh, that's so terrible. But we wrote. We literally rotate between Panda Express, Chick Fil, A Domino's, and then. And then my husband cooks the rest of the nights. I have to be honest. Um, and so I don't cook, I don't clean, I don't do laundry.

Speaker A: Wow. No cleaning or laundry. That is awesome.

Speaker B: No, I don't do dishes.

Speaker A: Um, I know.

Speaker B: Here comes the haters.

Speaker A: No, I think that's great that you manage that. But, you know, you're. You're providing a lot for your family right now, and this is a season. Do you know what I mean? So another season may look different, but this is how it is right now. You're bringing great wealth for your family. You're setting your kids up for success. Do you know what I mean? Like, you're providing a lot for your family. So. Yeah, that's a great trade off.

Speaker B: It is. And you know, sometimes you have to think about, like, prioritization. Okay, Family, but also, like, where is my time? Where do I have the most leverage? Yeah, it's probably not worth my time to, like, spend 45 minutes doing the laundry. Um, instead of. Instead, I can spend 45 minutes coaching someone where the rate is, you know, very high. Um, or I could be, you know, creating content for the YouTube channel, um, which is going to bring in just so, just so much impact for people. So it's just where you have the most leverage. And right now it's not with. It's not with things. Honestly, things I don't want to do, I just move off my plate. Yeah, but if you're in a position, like, for moms who are like, how do you even get from today to like that? I can't, I don't even have time to start a business. I mean, I would say it's really short term pain. You have got to be willing to go through things that other people won't.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker B: Because it's not easy. And anyone who starts a business for the purpose of working less, they're never going to last.

Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. I remember when, um, I was working in corporate America and I was working on my passions, my brand, Tinseltown, mom building that up. And I remember like trying to manage that. Like I would, you would have to be creative. Like sometimes, like we had a stove at one of my sales jobs. We had a stove at work. I would literally during my lunchtime, cook at work during my lunch. So when I got home, the food was already ready so I could take that off my plate.

Speaker B: Good.

Speaker A: Also during lunch I'd be interviewing people. Like, I try, I made it work. But you find ways to make it work. Like if you have these passions, which I want to encourage moms listening because there's so many who do have passions. And then once the kids are gone, they're empty nesters. It's like, okay, I wish I would have pursued it. So I want to encourage the moms listening to find a way, like even if it's just something small, working on 30 minutes or an hour a day to do that. Yeah. Now, in general, I know Etsy is a great platform for, and this is not a plug for Etsy, Um, this is not a sponsored show or anything like that. But, um, would you say that that's a relatively easy way for a mom who has maybe crafts or some passions to kind of get some sales or get some of their passions out there?

Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. So like I do Shopify, uh, and Amazon. And um, with Amazon, like some of my students started with Amazon, they went like 30 grand into debt because you need to be, you need to have just high capital going into that if you want to be really successful. Um, so if you're not, you know, if you're not cash heavy, I wouldn't do Amazon. Um, with Shopify, you're not going to have traffic unless you pay for it or it's going to take years to build that up. So I wouldn't even start there. Etsy is like the lowest, I would say, barrier to entry, which is why there's a lot of mediocre stuff on Etsy. Yeah, there's a lot of trash. Right.

Speaker A: But you were mediocre trash. Yeah. Let's just say real, but at least it's on there. At least they got it there, right.

Speaker B: Exactly. Someone put in some effort. Some effort, yeah. Um, but, you know, it's a low barrier to entry, and if. Even if you have no design skills or if you're not artistic, you can hire someone. You can. I have some students with VAs in the Philippines. They pay them like $4 an hour, and their whole shop is filled with great designs they didn't even make. Um, so you have team member. A team member. Um, so you don't have to do it all yourself. Um, so if it's not intuitive to you or you don't have artistic, you know, abilities according to yourself, you can still do this.

Speaker A: Uh, yeah. Yeah. I actually opened an Etsy shop during COVID It was just something that I wanted to do. But, um, yes, it's. I feel like, like, that's the way to go. Like for moms who are just trying to get something out there. Like, there's so many gifts that moms have that they could share with people, and I don't think they even realize it, you know, um, just going back to Amazon also now, isn't there an Amazon program where someone can sell print on demand and that's a low barrier of entry? Is that something that people can do as well? What are your thoughts on that?

Speaker B: I would still do Etsy. Um, just because the fees and everything are so different. Um, the level of control you have over your business on Etsy is so different. You have your own policies with Amazon, you're using their policies. You have, like, no control.

Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. And it's actually your own business on Etsy. It's just on their platform.

Speaker B: Exactly.

Speaker A: But there's also a way on Etsy to not have the dot Etsy. And it could be like a Shopify. Is that correct? Is that something that they offer as

Speaker B: well on Etsy, their pattern?

Speaker A: Uh.

Speaker B: Uh, yeah, it's called pattern. I think you're talking about that. I wouldn't. I think that's just a program they're pushing. Maybe they get a kickback. I would not do that for anyone who was considering it. Yeah.

Speaker A: Okay. Um, and just going back to you and how you manage everything, how do you stay organized? Like, what are some tips or strategies you use to stay organized? Like your days, because you are doing so much.

Speaker B: Yeah. So I, um, mean, I really have. I don't do.

Speaker A: I.

Speaker B: Honestly, there's people who spend a whole day planning their week that is not profitable time to. For me to be spending A day of planning. I'm, um, really, you know, a lot of what I do is just I know where the fires are and I focus on first. Um, I delegate everything that I can, and then I just. I literally just use my. What is it, the Apple calendar? Um, it's not even a Google calendar. I just use the one on my MacBook and just, you know, if there's, like, a big thing I cannot forget to do tomorrow, it's like, you know, maybe there's four things and I just add them to tomorrow's calendar, and then my whole day is booked out through Calendly, um, which is where people schedule appointments with me. So honestly, some days I have no idea what I'm doing that day or what's on my calendar until I look at my phone.

Speaker A: Oh, wow. Okay. Now, is that how it was back when you were at the apartment doing everything yourself, too, or did you have a different strategy?

Speaker B: Different strategy then. Um, because I didn't have people who needed me. Just Etsy customers. Yeah. So, you know, I. I was. I, um, don't want to say punished, but with a baby that didn't sleep, but I was. I. I received a baby that did not sleep, and I. I literally almost lost my mind, um, with the sleep deprivation. It was 20 minute increments all night long. And I don't know how we pulled off over a hundred grand that year with Etsy, but it was 20 minute chunks. You could not. You cannot predict a newborn. Like, no, I could not figure it out.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker B: So 20 minutes here and there, um, while they were awake, I was planning what I would do as soon as they fell asleep, because I knew I only had 20 minutes, so I can't waste 20 minutes. That's. That was my thing then. Yeah.

Speaker A: Yeah. Wow. Well, as we wind down the conversation, what are some, um, things that you think that moms can monetize that they may not even be thinking about?

Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, you know, think about what you did before you were a mom. Like, what. What is your strength? What is your skill set? Um, did you used to work in spreadsheets? You can literally sell spreadsheets. I have a student who made $7,000 in his first two months selling two spreadsheets. Um, so what were you doing before kids? What is your. What are your strengths? Um, because there's something, you're good at, something. And even if it's not something on Etsy, like selling something on Etsy, you could build a. Right. I took a $6,000 course to learn how to build this seven figure business, I now have $6,000 turn into seven figures within a year. Um, so, you know what, what are you good at? Because there are people who will pay you. Um, and if you can teach people how to save time or make money, you've got something.

Speaker A: Wow, that's so awesome. Thank you so much for being here, Dylan. Where can people find you if they want to know about you, more about you and the services that you provide?

Speaker B: Yeah, well, my, um, my website's dylanjaras.com or check out the YouTube channel. Also Dylan Jarris. Or Instagram is also Dylan Jarris. Um, I'm all over the place and we put out content, like, multiple times a week. So, um, there's always something new to watch and learn from. Hey, moms.

Speaker A: Thanks for listening today. If you enjoy this show, I would love to hear from you. By way of an encouraging review, this podcast is meant to be a blessing to mothers, so I appreciate any support for this platform. Until next time.