Nikki Schreiner has at all times had a really busy life, homeschooling her household, shifting round as an Military spouse, and giving again to her group. And thru all of it she’s at all times had a interest she beloved: stitching.
At some point she determined to start out a stitching weblog: Pin Lower Sew Studio. She went on to open an Etsy retailer and begin a YouTube channel, and grew all of them slowly and steadily.
She experimented with completely different methods and realized loads of vital classes alongside the best way, which she shares on this very sincere and provoking interview.
In the present day, Nikki runs her 6-figure/12 months enterprise out of a teeny tiny stitching room in her home.
Preserve studying to seek out out:
- What occurred to her first weblog
- What was the catalyst for creating her stitching weblog
- How she actually began to earn cash
- The place her revenue comes from
- How she views web site visitors
- What number of hours per week she works
- Her ideas on search engine optimization
- Her distinctive strategy to key phrase analysis
- How she finds content material concepts
- How she builds relationships vs. hyperlinks
- How she markets her weblog, YouTube channel, and shops
- Her ideas on listing constructing
- The sources and instruments she swears by
- Her predominant problem thus far
- Her biggest accomplishment
- Her greatest mistake
- Her recommendation for different entrepreneurs
Meet Nikki Schreiner
I’m Nikki, an Military spouse and mother of three teenagers, whom I’ve at all times homeschooled (one has graduated, so solely two left to go)!
We’ve lived in seven states and presently reside in Louisville, KY, which is our favourite up to now and the place we plan to remain if Uncle Sam permits.
Whereas stitching is my high interest and now my enterprise, I additionally love images, studying, home initiatives, visiting cool cities across the US, the humanities, the outside, taking part in tennis, board video games, the New York Instances crossword, and… the listing goes on.
I’ve at all times been an individual of many pursuits and by no means met a interest I didn’t wish to strive. It’s a present and a curse!
Why She Created Her Web site
I began a weblog within the early 2000s, when running a blog was simply turning into a factor. I blogged about household and residential life, with stitching content material sprinkled in.
Quick ahead a number of years and I continued to weblog casually in that method, however didn’t actually have the time or inclination to monetize it, as I used to be busy homeschooling my children and shifting round a bunch.
As soon as all my children had been slightly bit older, I attempted my hand at a multi-level advertising firm. I found that I used to be truly extremely motivated by the incomes potential, however that at the same time as I grew a really massive downline, the revenue I used to be incomes was not rising in any respect.
The construction in place was designed to maintain me striving whereas having no precise management over the expansion of “my” enterprise. This may occasionally appear unrelated to what I’m doing now, however I really feel it’s vital to say it as a result of the expertise was the catalyst for Pin Lower Sew.
In most methods, I’m not tremendous happy with having been concerned with an MLM, however I’m additionally very grateful for that point as a result of it taught me what I used to be able to and helped me to see that I had enterprise potential and that I truly appreciated the educating half and the enterprise features of that complete expertise.
Whereas I used to be nonetheless striving to get someplace in that MLM, I actually wanted a brand new laptop computer.
I made a decision to show a number of children’ stitching camps that summer season as a result of 4 weeks of camp would earn me sufficient to purchase a brand new MacBook.
After these 4 weeks, I not solely had a brand new laptop computer, I had an entire new marketing strategy.
I stop the MLM and set to work. I continued scheduling and educating stitching camps and courses for teenagers out of my residence, whereas concurrently beginning a brand new stitching weblog and, at my husband’s prodding, a YouTube channel, all beneath the title Pin Lower Sew Studio.
Issues didn’t take off for me instantly, however the regular revenue from stitching courses was a good way so as to add some extra cash to our household’s total revenue.
In the meantime, I steadily labored on my weblog and YouTube channel, rising an viewers but additionally studying to stability all of this with three extra strikes, homeschooling, my husband’s deployment, after which Covid.
I had stopped educating courses when my husband deployed and have targeted solely on creating on-line content material since 2019.
Three years in the past, I began creating PDF printable variations of the tutorials I’d been posting on my weblog and YouTube channel and opened an Etsy store.
For a very long time, I had prevented promoting something as a result of I believed that folks wouldn’t pay for what was already elsewhere on the Web without spending a dime. I used to be lifeless flawed.
I made gross sales the very first day and have offered tens of 1000’s of my printable patterns thus far.
How A lot She’s Making
I name myself the poster little one for sluggish and regular progress over time.
It’s been 7 years since I first began my weblog and YouTube channel, and I not train stitching courses however have grown my on-line enterprise to some extent the place it’s a big second revenue for our household.
Since opening my sample store three years in the past, my revenue has greater than doubled every year, and this 12 months, 2024, will likely be my first six-figure 12 months.
My largest supply of revenue is sample gross sales, which I promote on each Etsy and my very own Squarespace website.
I’ve two bodily sample booklets that I mail out, however in any other case, my complete store is of digital gadgets. The 2 retailers collectively earn between $6k and $9k in these summer season months, then these earnings simply double and even triple over This autumn, when individuals are shopping for patterns to make for the vacations.
It is a screenshot of my Etsy sample gross sales, which accounts for two-thirds of my gross sales between each websites.
My different sources of revenue are YouTube AdSense and my weblog advertisements by way of SheMedia. YouTube advertisements fluctuate significantly all year long however appear to have held regular at or round $2k every month this 12 months up to now, then that quantity climbs to $3 to 4k in This autumn.
My weblog advertisements earn $400 to $700 monthly. This quantity is low in comparison with many bloggers, however I’ve opted to pour into YouTube and my sample store, utilizing my web site extra as a hub for my content material, gross sales pages, store, and to develop my e-mail listing, fairly than placing all my consideration on getting visitors from Google and Pinterest.
We’ve most likely all heard the saying that what we water will develop, however I believe we are able to have a look at it from the alternative viewpoint as properly. Discover what’s rising, and select to water that.
In my case, YouTube grew very simply in contrast with weblog visitors, so I shifted my focus to that, utilizing it to drive visitors to my store and web site.
In any other case, I earn a meager quantity from affiliate gross sales and some selective sponsorships.
I’ve chosen to maintain sponsorships to a minimal as a result of I discovered that I don’t prefer to work with deadlines! I believe it’s essential to know your self and never settle for simply any revenue supply if it would make you depressing within the course of.
As for visitors, in accordance with Google Analytics, my web site has had 414k guests within the final 12 months. This isn’t a metric I verify fairly often, actually.
As soon as I shifted my mindset about web site visitors vs. precise true followers that end in gross sales, I used to be capable of detach myself from evaluating this quantity to others who’re solely running a blog for advert revenue, which isn’t what my enterprise is constructed on.
Advert revenue is simply additional for me, however my store gross sales are my bread and butter, so these are extra vital numbers for me to trace.
My YouTube channel performs very properly, at 106k subscribers and over 5,000,000 views!
I’m very happy with what I’ve grown there; it’s such an awesome group of individuals, and it’s been very profitable at driving folks to my web site to buy my patterns and be a part of my e-mail listing.
I work about 20 hours every week, on precise stitching initiatives and sample making, and on filming and laptop work. I do know this as a result of, after I arrange an LLC this 12 months, my accountant had me do a wage examine and I needed to calculate on a regular basis I spend.
Nikki’s Foremost Advertising and marketing Technique
I’ll by no means cease encouraging extra bloggers to take the leap into video content material. I believe including video content material to my technique early on, though it took a number of years for me to start out taking it extra critically, is what has led to a lot of my success.
Video isn’t solely prioritized in Google search outcomes, YouTube is second solely to Google as essentially the most visited web site on the planet.
Greater than that, although, video permits on your character and storytelling to shine by way of. Individuals who watch your movies develop into loyal to you, your content material, and your enterprise, as a result of they really feel like they’ve discovered a pal.
Many bloggers I’ve chatted with about video really feel very nervous about placing their faces on the market for the world to see, however I hope extra will get previous that and provides it a strive.
I struggled to start out, too, however movies are actually the a part of my enterprise that makes me really feel most related to my viewers.
Her Ideas on search engine optimization
search engine optimization has at all times been a secondary consideration for me and in mild of the latest adjustments to Google search, I consider this has labored in my favor! Whereas I do attempt to write weblog articles in a means that they are going to be present in search outcomes, I’ve not prioritized search engine optimization over writing what my viewers will need and revel in.
As a result of my weblog incorporates articles and tutorials that embody accompanying movies and are distinctive concepts, my website didn’t get hit negatively by the latest useful content material replace.
That mentioned, I contemplate my web site extra of a hub for my complete enterprise, and website visitors isn’t one thing I focus massively on presently. I put most of my power into YouTube viewership and store gross sales.
I do suppose understanding search engine optimization and the way it works is vital, however I don’t suppose it ought to develop into a blogger’s complete marketing strategy.
All the time diversifying the place your visitors comes from and the place you’re posting your content material, plus understanding what your viewers needs, is a way more dependable technique.
I’ll add that Google clearly isn’t the one website with an algorithm. YouTube has its personal set of search engine optimization optimization pointers, as does Etsy, as does Pinterest, and so forth. Studying the perfect practices for every platform you’re utilizing is vital as properly.
Key phrase Analysis
My key phrase technique is the reverse of how I’ve seen many bloggers working.
I’ve already defined that search engine optimization optimization isn’t my high precedence. That signifies that, fairly than searching for out the “low-hanging fruit” of matters to cowl in my weblog utilizing instruments and key phrase searches, I first decide what my viewers needs to learn or watch, then I discover the key phrases that pertain to what I’ve created in order that I can ensure I cowl these within the put up, to ensure that it to carry out higher in search outcomes.
I believe others in artistic niches would agree that you need to discover that candy spot between what you wish to create and are naturally engaged on, and turning that into content material that conjures up others and meets their wants.
Considered one of my favourite methods to seek out matters is by taking note of the feedback I obtain in my movies and awaiting peoples’ ache factors.
If there’s a query being requested a number of occasions, or a tutorial folks preserve asking for, that’s my cue to create content material round it. Merely asking your viewers what they’d prefer to see or what they suppose is the toughest a part of (fill-in-the-blank), might be a good way to collect content material concepts as properly.
Hyperlink Constructing
I’ve no fancy technique for hyperlink constructing.
I discover it’s significantly better to permit these items to occur naturally, and by nurturing relationships with different folks in your area of interest, they’ll certainly occur naturally.
Instagram is nice for this, in my expertise.
Somewhat than having a spirit of competitors with others in my area of interest, I like to share their content material in my tales and shout them out once they have one thing new to supply.
On YouTube additionally, I point out and hyperlink to different channels I’ve gotten an concept from. This leads naturally to others reciprocating and once they do, I obtain hyperlinks, then visitors, then gross sales. As an added bonus, I’ve made pals!
Her Content material Creation Course of
I contemplate every new video the start of a circle of content material.
For instance, if I create a video tutorial for YouTube, I point out and hyperlink to the printable model of the sample for the challenge in my store.
My store web page is certain to say that there’s a video tutorial out there, and I additionally create a weblog put up across the tutorial, embedding the video within the put up, writing some details about it, together with supplies and additional suggestions, and in addition linking to the sample there.
So my YouTube channel, my weblog, and my sample store all have lined the identical challenge, and all three are linking to one another in a round trend.
Lastly, I ship an e-mail publication linking to the brand new challenge video, put up, and sample. Ideally, I’ll additionally create a social media put up for numerous platforms, however since these don’t usually drive gross sales for me, I forgive myself if I don’t.
I’m just one particular person, in spite of everything, and I focus most on what strikes my enterprise ahead within the greatest methods.
This technique covers all my bases and serves individuals who devour content material in all types of how.
Some folks choose to observe, some prefer to learn, some like the data of their inbox, some need the printable model. I attempt to cowl the content material so that everybody can devour it of their most popular means.
Her E mail Record
Like many bloggers, I didn’t perceive the worth of an e-mail listing till it was confirmed to me!
I resisted for some time, however I began an e-mail listing earlier than I actually felt like I had a lot to supply and now I’m so glad I did.
I’ve over 10,000 e-mail listing subscribers and I develop this listing in a number of methods.
I do have a pop-up on my web site that performs fairly properly. I even have an choice to affix my e-mail listing when anybody purchases from my Squarespace store, which is an enormous motive why I prefer to have my very own store along with Etsy, the place it’s a lot more durable to get folks over to my website and my e-mail listing.
Lastly, I sometimes make a challenge on YouTube and provide a free printable instruction sheet for it. With a view to get the freebie, folks should jump over to my store, which I hyperlink to within the video description, and once they get the freebie from my store, they virtually at all times choose into my e-mail listing.
I really like my e-mail listing as a result of when I’ve launched a brand new sample, or have one thing to share or announce, it’s such a quick option to make my followers conscious and to make gross sales.
I believe bloggers usually draw back from utilizing e-mail as a result of they don’t wish to be “salesy,” and I perceive, nevertheless it helps to do not forget that these folks need to be in your listing. They selected it, they anticipate your emails, and individuals are sensible sufficient to grasp that they are going to be offered to by way of e-mail. It’s actually what they signed up for!
In fact, it is best to fluctuate your emails and never promote one thing in each one, however don’t let the concern of annoying folks preserve you from utilizing your listing to its full benefit.
I resisted for a very long time, however now I’ve realized that if I’m having a sluggish week and must up my revenue actual quick, sending a easy e-mail is my first and best choice.
Nikki’s Favourite Sources
I do have some podcast and channel suggestions, however first I wish to say that so as to be a great content material creator, you need to be a content material shopper.
Should you had been becoming a member of a jazz band however by no means listened to jazz music in any respect, you wouldn’t be anticipated to develop or develop into an professional. You’d be a poser and would most likely make a idiot of your self.
The identical is true for content material creation.
If you wish to be a great blogger, learn blogs. If you wish to be a great YouTuber, watch good YouTube channels in all types of niches.
Discover their storytelling strategies, their pacing, their B-roll, their tone, and ask your self how one can enhance your content material with the concepts you collect. Consuming content material after which utilizing that to enhance your individual is one of the simplest ways to get good at it.
For running a blog, I really like The Blogger Genius Podcast, Pat Flynn, and naturally Area of interest Pursuits!
It’s so inspiring to listen to about different bloggers’ journeys as a result of I’ve usually felt like my path to success was very sluggish in contrast with others. Listening to the large number of tales out there may be at all times so encouraging.
For YouTube, I like Assume Media for normal YouTube how-to-succeed recommendation, and Ali Abdal for productiveness. There are a lot of channels I watch and am impressed by although, in many alternative niches.
First, I couldn’t dwell with out Canva Professional, and I’m certain many entrepreneurs agree. It’s virtually too good to be true. It has every thing I want for graphics of all types. I take advantage of it for weblog graphics, YouTube thumbnails, and I even create all my stitching patterns in Canva Professional.
Second, I’m an enormous fan of Squarespace.
I do know many bloggers sing the praises of WordPress, however I’ve been a Squarespace consumer for eight years and haven’t had a single problem with it. I don’t should cope with fussy plugins or pay for exterior instruments.
It hosts my web site, weblog, sample store, and my e-mail listing multi function place. It’s user-friendly and trendy, and so they’re at all times including new options that sustain with web site wants and tendencies.
So for individuals who wrestle with the educational curve of WordPress or discover it overwhelming, I hope you’ll give Squarespace a strive.
Third, I’ve realized to make use of Procreate on my iPad up to now 12 months and was capable of create some bodily stitching how-to booklets, drawing all of the graphics and illustrations myself utilizing Procreate.
I’ve even turned some authentic, niche-specific paintings into stickers to promote in my store and postcards to ship with my bodily sample booklets. In order that’s been a enjoyable instrument to study and I’m excited to see what else I can do with that.
Her Largest Problem
I believe I’ve had two huge challenges, the primary being my restricted time.
It’s been actually exhausting at occasions to verify I’m prioritizing the best issues in my life, and in addition giving my enterprise the time it wanted to take off, particularly within the earlier years when it wasn’t incomes a lot of an revenue.
I’ve a really full life outdoors of running a blog, so I’ve to verify I’m not getting pissed off after I don’t really feel like I’m capable of work as a lot as I’d prefer to.
It’s been useful to study to make use of the pockets of time I’m granted between my different commitments, although.
By my children’ teen years, I’ve spent a lot time sitting within the automobile whereas they’re at numerous actions (the factor nobody mentions once you develop into a mother or father is how a lot time you spend within the automobile throughout their teen years), and I realized to make use of these occasions to write down weblog content material or edit YouTube movies.
And I nonetheless homeschool my final two teenagers, so we frequently do faculty at espresso retailers so I can do laptop work whereas they do faculty. Becoming my work into my life, fairly than the opposite means round, is what’s stored it sustainable for me.
The second problem I’ve to say is that of comparability.
We knew after I began this complete factor that it couldn’t value our household cash, as a result of we didn’t have additional to spend on it. I didn’t take running a blog programs or purchase additional instruments or subscriptions that so many had been touting because the keys to running a blog success.
And I additionally knew that I couldn’t go full-on boss babe, as a result of my greater dedication was to my household and group.
As a consequence of these limitations, my path to success felt a lot slower than others’. Whereas others had been climbing the ranks to the nice advert networks in 12-18 months, I labored for five years earlier than incomes a part-time revenue on-line, and 6 years earlier than my revenue reached full-time, life-altering numbers.
There have been some large setbacks thrown in there too, as is typical with on-line enterprise, however wanting again, I’m most glad that I didn’t stop when it appeared prefer it was going nowhere.
My husband inspired me to maintain going so long as I used to be having fun with it, and to not fixate on the numbers, and it might succeed finally.
It wasn’t costing us extra to keep up it than it was incomes, in spite of everything, and it additionally gave me such a artistic and mental outlet when a lot of my life revolved round my children, so why not preserve going?
I’m completely satisfied to say he was proper.
Her Biggest Accomplishment
I’m most proud that I’ve reached this level with my integrity intact and my work/life stability beneath management.
I really attempt to counteract a lot of the buy-this-now influencer tradition and as an alternative promote frugality, creativity, utilizing what you’ve, and making what you’re keen on, by way of my movies and content material.
I’ve accepted just one sponsored video provide and rapidly determined that form of content material isn’t for me. I actually really feel that consumerism within the US is uncontrolled in each aspect of our lives and I actually don’t wish to add to that chaos.
So to have constructed a enterprise that earns an revenue from one thing I actually created, in a means that feels very sincere, is particular to me.
It’s no small factor for a stay-at-home, homeschooling mother to have the ability to contribute a second full-time revenue for her household, whereas working solely within the margins of life.
The truth that I’m working at one thing I completely love doing is icing on the cake, and it isn’t misplaced on me what a present that is.
It’s more durable and more durable in America for households to dwell on one revenue, and my household and I are simply so grateful for what this enterprise has offered for us.
What She Needs She Knew When She Began
I want I’d have recognized that it’s okay to filter out the gurus and the boss babes and do issues my very own means.
search engine optimization and sure different issues are vital, sure, however they’re not as vital as your individual uniqueness.
Storytelling, character, and actually caring about what you’re placing on the market can get you simply so far as these issues, and by specializing in these first, you possibly can construct a group of true followers, who then flip into prospects.
There was a couple of 12 months after I tried to weblog the rote means, with key phrases and excellent search engine optimization, and never solely did it really feel inauthentic and boring to me, it didn’t outcome within the progress that I skilled when I discovered extra of a stability between what I wished to write down and movie for my viewers, and ensuring it acquired seen by mentioned viewers by way of search engine optimization and advertising.
“Be your self,” is what I’d say to myself again then.
Nikki’s Foremost Mistake
My greatest mistake was not promoting digital patterns earlier!
Individuals like to spend cash. As a frugal particular person myself, I didn’t know this straightforward truth about human nature. I assumed for means too lengthy that folks wouldn’t purchase what I’d make, or that they’d suppose I used to be money-hungry, or that the best way I knew the way to make patterns wouldn’t be skilled sufficient.
Oh, if solely I’d began sooner!
Worry of what folks would suppose and say to me held me again for a very long time. As soon as I jumped in, I instantly kicked myself for not beginning this a part of my enterprise years earlier.
Her Recommendation for Different Entrepreneurs
On-line content material creation is an ever altering subject, as everyone knows. In case your sole supply of revenue is advertisements or associates, or in case you’re simply beginning out and that’s your plan, I’d urge you to suppose once more.
The times of simply incomes a full-time revenue from advertisements alone are over for most individuals, and affiliate applications are usually not what they was.
Bloggers have realized over the previous 12 months, we’ve got zero management over Google and different algorithms and in case your complete enterprise is banking on these platforms, you would lose every thing with one little algorithm replace.
So, my finest recommendation is to determine what you possibly can promote. Construct an viewers of true followers by way of your character, study storytelling, make distinctive content material that’s interesting, develop into your model, take note of what the wants of your viewers are, after which make them a suggestion.
Create an awesome digital product for them. Your viewers gained’t even should be very massive earlier than you can begin incomes an revenue.
And, because it goes hand in hand with the above recommendation, you will need to begin constructing an e-mail listing as early as doable.
Even in case you don’t have a lot to say to them within the early days, begin constructing it anyway and also you’ll thank your self later.
Your merchandise and your e-mail listing are two issues you’ve management over, so if every thing else adjustments tomorrow, your enterprise will likely be simply tremendous.
