How to step out of your current circumstances and into success with Kendra from Daydream Division

Kendra is the owner of Daydream Division, an affirmation-inspired retro sticker shop in Washington state, a mom of 3 young kids, and wife of a 3rd-year medical student. She started her business in March of 2022 and in the last year she grew her business to almost 600 orders on Etsy, launched her own website, is selling her products on Faire and Abound, PLUS she has her stickers stocked in 2 stores - all while being a mom to 3 young kids and having major responsibilities on her shoulder while her husband is in medical school. If that's not impressive, then I don't know what is!!

Today, you get to hear more of Kendra's story as to how she grew her business - both with the tactical steps she took and the mindset she needed to cultivate to reach the success that she has.

Kendra's special guest appearance is part of the grand prize she won during the Breakthrough of the Year competition: each year, members of my Etsy Algorithm Secrets program share their breakthrough story to show you what's possible, and you have the chance to vote for your favorite & most inspiring Breakthrough of the Year video.... and Kendra is your official 2022 Etsy Breakthrough of the Year award winner!!

I am so excited to introduce you to Kendra so you can hear her story behind how she steps up every single day to show herself and her family what is truly possible.

BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU'LL​ LEARN:

• Kendra's inspiring small business journey from the last year that led to almost 600 sales on Etsy, her own website, selling on Faire and Abound, and being stocked in 2 stores!
• How Kendra broke out of the mindset of "I can't" to "I CAN"
• How Kendra gave herself permission of follow her dreams... even though other people told her she couldn't because of her circumstances

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY'S EPISODE

Follow Kendra on Instagram @daydreamdivision

Shop affirmation-inspired and retro stickers at Kendra's Etsy shopwww.etsy.com/shop/daydreamdivision

Check out Kendra's website atwww.daydreamdivision.com

LEARN MORE FROM MONICA LITTLE
Website: www.monicalittlecoaching.com

Instagram: @monicalittlecoaching

Watch the FREE Etsy training to get started today: How to Get Your Products Seen on Etsy!

Transcript

[00:00:00] Monica Little: Hello, and welcome to this week's episode of the Product-based podcast. My name is Monica Little, and I'm your host, and I am just so excited to introduce you to this week's guest, Kendra Charington from Daydream Division. Kendra is my 2022 Etsy Breakthrough of the Year Award winner. She is inside my Etsy algorithm.

[00:00:20] Program and has done an an absolute amazing job growing her business, investing in herself, showing up for herself, and really building a business that she is so proud of and confident of. The Breakthrough of the Year award is something fun that I do with my members, both for my Etsy algorithm secrets.

[00:00:38] Program and for my Product Base Academy program where my members can submit a video of their breakthrough, their story, their journey, the amazing results that they've seen, and then people get to vote on which story, which video was the most inspirational and the one that really moved them. Kendra won for this year for the 2022 Etsy Breakthrough of the Year Award, [00:01:00] and from the Grand Prize winning that she gets.

[00:01:03] She gets to be a special guest on this podcast for you to learn more about her journey and her story. She also received this super fun trophy that says a Breakthrough of the Year award, which is glitzy and glam and colorful and full of confetti, and she also won $200 cash, which is just a fun little bonus that I love to incentivize my members with.

[00:01:23] By participating and submitting their video for the breakthrough of the year and actually being becoming the winner, which is Kendra, all through and through. A little bit about Kendra. She is the owner of Daydream Division, which is a retro sticker shop. She's gonna talk about her Instagram at her website, but I want you right away to go on Instagram daydream division and check her out.

[00:01:45] Give her a follow. Check out her beautiful website, daydream division.com. Check her out on Etsy Daydream division, and you're gonna learn more about her story. But she is a mom of three kids. Her husband is going through medical school. She has so many [00:02:00] responsibilities, not to mention financial obligations with her family, basically living off of loans.

[00:02:06] And she has been able to turn her mindset around to really focus on herself, her business, her own. In order to become a better business owner, a better mom, to be more present with her kids, a better wife. So you're really gonna hear a very inspirational story of how she is showing up for herself, showing up for others in her family, growing her business, and just becoming this.

[00:02:30] Amazing, beautiful person that she's always been, but it's just beautiful to hear the story unfold and to see it really come into fruition. So with that, I'm just so honored and grateful to introduce to you one of my members of my program, Kendra. Without further ado, let's dive into 

[00:02:46] Kendra from Daydream Division: this week's episode.

[00:02:48] Monica Little: Are you ready to go behind the scenes and learn what it really takes to create consistent sales each and every month with your handmade small? Join me, Monica, little [00:03:00] Self-taught multiple six figure small business owner and your product business coach. As I give you the insight and inspiration on how to better run your business and increase your sales in ways that you may not have even been aware of, so that your business can truly become what you knew it could be back when you first.

[00:03:21] Learn how to let go of perfection, overcome the fear of failure that is holding you back, and finally start taking action so that you walk away feeling like you've cracked the code on how to run a successful small business. You are listening to the Product Biz Podcast. Well, hello Kendra. I am so excited to have you as a guest on a product based podcast here 

[00:03:44] Kendra from Daydream Division: today.

[00:03:45] Yeah, I'm so 

[00:03:46] Monica Little: excited to be here. Yes, and you are the 2022 Breakthrough of the Year Winner from Etsy Algorithm Secrets, which includes the special episode of having you on the guest on the podcast just to talk about you, your [00:04:00] business, all the amazing things that you've done, all the hard work you've put in, and I'm just so grateful to have you here so people can get a little bit of insight into everything that you've been up.

[00:04:10] Yeah. Awesome. So let's level set on some of the basics. Tell us a little bit about yourself. Obviously I know who you are and your business, and I'm like the biggest fan, but for the people who aren't familiar, introduce yourself, your business, what do you make, when did you get started? All that fun stuff.

[00:04:25] Kendra from Daydream Division: Yeah, so I'm Kendra. I am a mother of three kids. My husband is a third year medical student, and um, I started Daydream Division in March of 2022. And, I make retro, uh, affirmation inspired stickers for like water bottles, laptops, and mirror decals, and even some sun catcher window stickers too. 

[00:04:57] Monica Little: Yes. And tell us about some of like your best [00:05:00] sellers.

[00:05:00] Paint the picture of some of your favorite stickers that you sell, or your best sellers that you make. Yeah, 

[00:05:05] Kendra from Daydream Division: so one of my best sellers that like totally knocks out of the bark every time is my flower uterus sticker. And that seems to be a favor of people kind of all across the board because it. So much to people in different ways, and I love just the diversity of that and, and how much, just like my art means to people.

[00:05:26] And so that's a really, really popular one. And then on the other side of it, another popular one is, My drink water sticker, which is like so simple, but people love to put it on their gym water bottles so that they remember to drink water. So total like dichotomy of like something so meaningful and then something just like a simple reminder.

[00:05:48] Monica Little: So, oh my gosh, I love it. And tell me a little bit about how you got started with your business, because I love what you said of some of these are like fun, simple reminders. Some of them actually have like a lot of meaning for the people that are buying it, but. Talk us [00:06:00] through how you got started with your business and where it really began.

[00:06:03] Kendra from Daydream Division: Yeah, so the short answer is like, just for fun, but it was, it was deeper than that. So I got started and like I said, in March of 2022 and before, like I just had my third baby, just a few months. And like in 2019 I was diagnosed with anxiety and then I had some postpartum depression after my third. And I was really just kind of getting lost and not, I honestly wasn't really taking care of myself and my husband like kept like nudging me.

[00:06:43] Like, you need to do the things that you love, like the art that you love to do. And I hadn't done it in a long time. And so, December of 21 came and he got me a cricket for Christmas. 

[00:06:56] Monica Little: Oh. 

[00:06:56] Kendra from Daydream Division: And so then I started like drawing on his [00:07:00] iPad and making stickers and just kind of having fun. But then we had like all these extra stickers just like laying around.

[00:07:05] He's like, you could probably sell these. Like we don't need all of these stickers. And I was like, yeah, we don't. But like I could never do that. And I don't know what kind of just. Change, but I was like, you know what, that 

[00:07:21] Monica Little: would be fun. I think 

[00:07:22] Kendra from Daydream Division: I, I think I should because I was enjoying pouring myself into my art again and, and really filling my cup that way and, and coming out of just the hard time that I was going through.

[00:07:33] And so, I looked up the easiest way to start a business and Etsy was the answer. So that's what I did. 

[00:07:39] Monica Little: Oh my gosh, I love it. So tell me a little bit more. You said, you know, you wanted to get back to the art that you kind of originally loved. So tell me more about your background. Were you like a creative kid?

[00:07:50] Did you like to draw a lot in like high school? Was it a hobby later on in life? Where did that originally come? 

[00:07:57] Kendra from Daydream Division: Yeah, so it actually comes from [00:08:00] my family. So my grandmother is an artist and then my mother is also an artist. And then, so it's something I've kind of grown up around my entire life. I'm just a very artistic family.

[00:08:11] I have cousins who were artists and um, so growing up I took classes in art as a kid, and it's just something that I've always. I really enjoyed, so 

[00:08:23] Monica Little: yeah. Yeah. Oh my gosh. It's beautiful. And specifically with learning how to use a cricket machine and like drawing on the iPad, because for the people who don't follow you on Instagram, like I love the videos that you share.

[00:08:35] We'll make sure that they do follow you after this episode, but I love the reels that you share of how you're. Drawing the stickers, like from step one to step final when it's ready to be printed and actually sold and shipped. Right. So is that everything you learned on your own in terms of using the programs, using the cricket, everything?

[00:08:51] Is that self-taught that you just kind of figured out? Yeah, it is. 

[00:08:55] Kendra from Daydream Division: I remember it was during Covid. My [00:09:00] husband had an iPad from medical school and. I thought it'd be so cool to learn how to draw on it to get into like that kind of art because with little kids having like paint and all this stuff is like so hard because then they like will wanna get into it.

[00:09:16] And so I thought it'd be like a simple way for me to do art. And so I just kind of looked up YouTube videos and. Did all those type of things to teach myself how to do iPad drawing and I use procreate. So how to do that and know how to, I guess. Do all the things that I do in there now. But yeah, it was, it was a long process of self teaching during all that time that we all had.

[00:09:43] Monica Little: Yeah. Well, I love it. I mean, it's really interesting. There's so many businesses, so many hobbies that really came out. From Covid and that's one of the things when I look back of if you try to find the silver lining of what was beneficial during that time, cuz it was a hard time for a lot of people for a lot of reasons.

[00:09:59] But [00:10:00] it's like so much creativity happened during that time cuz we had nothing else to do. And it was kind of like going back to our roots of actually being creative instead of, you know, being at work all day and then going out afterwards because we were at home. I'd love to hear how that really re-sparked your creativity and then it led to you opening your business and then it led to where you are now.

[00:10:21] So tell me a little bit more about what your business is like now and kind of the journey, because I know when we first started working together, one of the things that you did is. Kind of rebrand and go more retro and be more specific with those types of customers, your target audience. But maybe talk a little bit about that or just your business journey in general since that March 22 launch day compared to where you are now.

[00:10:45] Yeah, yeah. So 

[00:10:46] Kendra from Daydream Division: when I first started I had like two stickers and um, and what were they, 

[00:10:51] Monica Little: can I ask really quick? What 

[00:10:52] Kendra from Daydream Division: were the two stickers? It was, it was the drink water sticker, but it looked a little bit different. And then it was a pineapple sticker. [00:11:00] Like I said, at first it was just kind of for fun to kind of just fill my cup and have something outside of motherhood to just have purpose in, I guess.

[00:11:10] And then I think it was around. April, I designed the flower uterus sticker and then may it, that flower uterus sticker like popped off and like I was putting out like stacks a day in the mail and I was like, oh my gosh. Like people want my stuff and like they love my stuff. And it was so honestly surprising to me, uh, cuz I, it was totally unexpected and.

[00:11:43] Like it carried on for months like that, but then it started to kind of like slow down come like July and August because I was just putting out stuff that I loved. I had, we didn't really have a strategy. Uh, I didn't really know what I was [00:12:00] doing. I was just swinging it, and so I was like, oh my gosh. I really enjoyed that, like feeling like an actual business instead of just being a hobby, like doing my thing.

[00:12:11] I loved feeling like a legitimate business, but I had no idea how to. Do that. But, so once I started, like your course and everything, so flash forward to now, I rebranded to be retro. Um, and I, I kind of was going that way anyway, but I was too afraid to commit. And so, um, once I committed, I was really able to like, let loose in my style what I really wanted to draw.

[00:12:41] And, uh, now. I have like 550 sales on Etsy. I have 165 star reviews, my own domain website now, and like a legitimate brand that's all niche down. And I've sold to 47 states and I'm on Fair and [00:13:00] Abound, and my stickers are in a small shop in Texas. And I think I've made probably around like 2,500 stickers now.

[00:13:09] So it's, it's wild to me to see the growth and like what started as something that I was just doing for myself and it's now grown into. Like this actual business. It's 

[00:13:21] Monica Little: wild. Yeah. And it's so inspiring and so amazing to hear. I mean, it's been just not even full. Your one year anniversary for your business, I remember you shared about on Instagram was just a couple weeks ago, right?

[00:13:33] Yeah. So to hear all of that amazing progress in one year like that is incredible. And I wanna ask you this question. Do you ever look. Because it kind of sounds like you put yourself on Etsy and then it kind of took off a little bit. Right? So were there any times maybe before or after that that you were kind of struggling?

[00:13:51] Kind of like, what am I doing? Why is this not working? Or were there any moments when you felt that way? And if yes, can you tell us more about it? And then what I [00:14:00] wanna ask you is like, what would you tell yourself looking back on some of those hard. From where you are right now. So first paint the picture of of were you struggling back then?

[00:14:08] Did you ever feel like, what's going on? What am I doing? What, what? How do I work this? Like, tell me more about that. Yeah, I actually 

[00:14:15] Kendra from Daydream Division: remember an exact day in my mind cause I was so, like, I want to make this work so bad, but I have no idea what to do. And I remember I, it was a hot summer day. I was outside mowing the lawn and.

[00:14:32] I'm the type of person that it's hard for me to do chores unless I'm like listening to something, whether it's music or a podcast. And I had sat down that day and I had searched for. Etsy Success podcast, and then I found your podcast. And so I was listening to it as I was mowing the lawn, 

[00:14:49] Monica Little: and I didn't know that part of the story.

[00:14:51] That's so funny. 

[00:14:52] Kendra from Daydream Division: Yeah. And I was like, oh my gosh. And I remember getting so many ideas that I'd never. [00:15:00] Thought of before, because especially I, what I've noticed in the sticker business in general, that everyone's like, to be successful, you have to have like a hundred stickers. And so I was getting trapped and like, oh my gosh, I have to design.

[00:15:13] Like I, I started with two stickers and I was like, I have to design like a hundred stickers to be successful. And like, oh my gosh, how do I do that? And then when I found the podcast, I was like, oh, like I. Necessarily have to do that. And it, it gave me such a different point of view that, um, wasn't overwhelming like other things that I was hearing.

[00:15:34] Mm-hmm. And it made it seem more possible. 

[00:15:36] Monica Little: Mm-hmm. I guess. Yeah. And then you enrolled in Etsy Algorithm Secrets. Mm-hmm. And then you took off from then, and then you enrolled in Productbased Academy. Yeah. And now we're in the midst of Product Bus Academy. And now you've had all this amazing progress, but talk me through the second question that I asked you.

[00:15:54] So if you look back on maybe some of the lows, cuz I mean obviously. As business owners, right? We still have [00:16:00] highs and we still have lows. Mm-hmm. It's kind of like this never ending roller coaster, and sometimes the highs get even higher and then the lows get even lower. So yeah, thinking through where you are now with amazing progress you've had of how you've really been able to niche down to your target audience and you know who you're speaking to, and like you said, it's a legit brand that you feel so confident in.

[00:16:18] Your Instagram is on brand with, with that too. Your amazing progress on Etsy, your fair, abound your website, you are in a store. So thinking through, looking back when there were some lows, is there any advice that you would give yourself? Or if you think of it this way, if there's another small business owner right now who's maybe potentially struggling, what advice would you give them on how to really like keep going and how to persevere through it?

[00:16:45] That's 

[00:16:45] Kendra from Daydream Division: a great question. I think one of the biggest things, and this is totally an ongoing thing, like I deal with this even now, is not allowing fear to dictate. Business decisions or even a scratch that, [00:17:00] any decisions, don't let fear dictate that. Cause I remember back in December, um, I was starting to invest more in my business and I was really scared because, um, as a medical family, we're just living off of student loans and so I don't necessarily just have like a savings to just do whatever I want with.

[00:17:19] And so I was so scared to invest in getting a, a computer. And, but I needed, I knew I needed it because I needed that to make my website. And so, um, I remember I sat on it for weeks. I found a computer was a great deal, but I was so scared to just make that leap. And then I was like, you know what? Like, I need to do this because I want to grow.

[00:17:41] And so I got the computer and then within a week I got the biggest sale I'd ever gotten it. It was the biggest month ever. And it was a January. I was like, oh my gosh. Like I can't believe I allowed my fear to get in [00:18:00] the way of me having what I have now. And that's something that I, that's still ongoing because I'm making bigger leaps and bigger bounds and still having to break down that fear.

[00:18:13] I'm like, if I had done that, like I cannot believe. Let that fear get in the way because it was keeping me from what I could be. Yeah. Kind of reminds me of, this is something I, I heard from a friend recently actually, who was like a life coach, so I can't like coin it or anything, but she said, your problems aren't in the way of you getting what you want.

[00:18:39] Your problems are the way of getting what you want because. Like when you make goals, you're not making those goals just to like get the goals. You're making goals to become the person to get those goals. And so like those problems, these obstacles that I have, they [00:19:00] are the way, and it like totally blew my mind.

[00:19:02] I was like, you're so right. Mm-hmm. To get where I wanna be, to be the business owner that I want to become and have the business that I want, I need to go through these obstacles. To have that or else I won't be that. Yeah. So that was something that totally like changed everything for 

[00:19:20] Monica Little: me a hundred percent.

[00:19:21] And I think there's so many good things that you said as you were chatting. Like I love hearing and I love for everyone else to hear about like how your husband's in medical school, right? And that's extremely expensive. And you have three kids and like you said, like. You're still going after your dreams, and I think a lot of people will put a pause on their dreams because of their current circumstances, but to really see you like going all in, like I believe in myself, I believe in my business.

[00:19:51] I'm gonna get this new laptop, I'm gonna invest in this program. I'm going to keep making my products and keep investing it and invest in like [00:20:00] a domain and your own website to see you just. Do that over and over and over is so inspiring and I know so many people will see that as inspiring for their own journeys too.

[00:20:11] But I love what you said of like this fear, it still comes up and, and that comes up. All the time for everyone, like even myself, what I'm doing now. Like I still feel that. Right. And and I think that's an important thing to talk about too, cuz a lot of people are like, oh, when that fear goes away, when I feel more comfortable, when I feel more ready, when I feel like now is the time, then I'm gonna do it.

[00:20:33] But no matter where you are in your business, if you're in the beginning stages, if you're in the middle, if you are further along, if you are 10 years from now, like that fear still exists. Yeah. But it's truly how you look at it. And it's tru. How you approach it. And I know we've talked about this in product-based academy too, about like problems truly are like an obstacle to your growth, and it's just that next step of what you have to overcome and what you have to accomplish in order to get [00:21:00] to that next level.

[00:21:01] And it's just been so great to see you do that week after week after week. Doesn't mean it's always easy, but we all have these road bump. And we all work through them. So I love having your perspective and sharing that so other people who are going through a similar situation, you know, um, maybe like the financial aspect of it, or just wanting to feel and believe in themselves and feel like it's a real business.

[00:21:22] Well, truly, that's in the power. It's in your hands, right? You just gotta make those moves and say, okay, fear is here, but I'm going to believe that it's going to work. So I think yeah, absolutely. Um, this really goes into the next question that I wanna ask you in terms of your mindset. So tell me a little bit more of how you broke out of the mindset of I can't to, I can.

[00:21:46] Kendra from Daydream Division: Yeah. So I. I, I mean, I said before I lived in a place kind of, of a lot of fear and because of my husband being in medical school as a family of five, [00:22:00] we all kind of have to sacrifice for him cuz it's, you know, financially demanding. It's emotionally demanding. I allowed that circumstance to kind of ruin my life.

[00:22:10] Like, I can't because I can't afford it or I can't because I'm a mom. I can't because like, I don't have the energy or because my anxiety and depress. And it just got to the point where like, I just kind of hit a wall and I was like, I'm kind of done living like that. And I, I truly believe that people will do, they'll do it when they're ready, like fully ready, like they're done living the way they are.

[00:22:37] They're not gonna do it unless they're like done. And I was so done and I was like, I'm gonna make, I'm gonna make it happen like I want to do. I wanna go out and like, go on vacation with my husband and I, I wanna take my kids out and do something fun and, and like, I want to provide a life for my family and, and not [00:23:00] wait for my husband to be done with his education because we're not even halfway through his education because of all the steps he has to take.

[00:23:08] And I don't wanna have to wait for. And so when I first started, I was like, you know what? I can do this. I can start this for myself and take care of myself and I, and later on, down their own, down the road, it became like I can make this a business and I can grow and I can maybe even someday provide for my family while we're waiting for my husband to make an income for us.

[00:23:34] But I was done waiting for him. To provide that, and I was ready to provide it instead. 

[00:23:41] Monica Little: Oh my gosh, I love it. And it goes along with a conversation of like, don't wait for your dreams. Right? Or don't wait to like live life. Don't wait to enjoy life because I know, yeah. I mean, in your situation, hearing you saying the things that you do, I think about, and obviously this isn't apples to apples comparison, but I think about when I was in college and I was.

[00:23:59] [00:24:00] Paying my own way through college. Nothing close to medical school, but like I didn't enjoy college. I worked so much and all I did was work because all I could think about was the loans and think about paying them off. That I literally like postponed my life and postponed my enjoyment for like four years.

[00:24:18] And then it's funny because then that happens and then you're like still paying it off. So I'm like still postponing life and I kind of had a same situation as you. It's like I can't keep postponing life, right? Like mm-hmm. At the end of the day, I mean, it kind of sucks to say this, but the bills are gonna be there.

[00:24:31] We have to find a way to like live life and enjoy life now no matter what our circumstances are. And like we were talking about on Monday, and product based academy doesn't mean like blow a million dollars and go on a fancy private jet to Italy once a month. Right. It means like, Find the joy in your day-to-day life and find what makes you happy and, and cherish, cherish the memories and do things that scare you and do things that show you what you're truly possible of.

[00:24:58] So I, I, I love hearing your [00:25:00] story of how you came to that realization. I think I wanna segue a little bit into this question too, about like the permission you had to give yourself to really follow your dreams, cuz I know. You know, with medical school and three kids and everything that's going on that maybe there would've been some people potentially that are like, don't follow your dreams of your business right now, or, it doesn't make sense.

[00:25:21] So tell me a little bit more about that dynamic too. 

[00:25:25] Kendra from Daydream Division: Yeah. And there were people telling me not to because I didn't think it was a smart idea. Um, and so it kind of even took through breaking through that too. But I think what it really came down to was, I knew that the best way to give my husband and my kids the best life was to take care of myself and if I was going to take care of myself, and I had to allow myself to do things that I enjoyed and go after the things that [00:26:00] I wanted because I also deserved that as much as my husband did and as much as I believe my kids will.

[00:26:07] When it came down to that, I was like, I need to show my kids like what's possible and what I want them to feel like can be done. Like I didn't wanna feel trapped in like I'm just a mom and I'm just like here to take care of the home and my children. I, I really wanted to have a purpose outside myself, and I had been looking for that for so long and praying it for, for so long.

[00:26:35] And so then when I kind of fell into this business, it was like, this is it. This is what I was meant to do. And I've been more active and more like just in life, more than I've ever had my entire life because I've, I've taken the time to actually fill my cup and I've. I used to live in a place of being like burnt out [00:27:00] constantly and like I wasn't even really do I, I was doing way less than I am now and it was cuz I just wasn't taking care of myself.

[00:27:10] And now that I am, I'm just, I, I'm looking back. Even now, I'm just so proud of, of how far I've come in that moment because I'm, I'm so much in myself now, more than I've ever been. 

[00:27:25] Monica Little: Yeah, and tell me more about that. When you say take care of yourself, I think a big component of it is like following your dreams and nourishing your passion.

[00:27:32] Like that's a huge component of actually, I think, I think that correlates so well of people maybe are burnt out because they don't have like that passion or purpose, right? It's kind of hard. When I think back to my full-time job, it's kind of hard to wake up every day, go to a job you don't really like, come home, sleep, and do it over and over.

[00:27:49] Like you get kind of burnt out. More from what you're doing versus like the extent of how hard it is, right? So it's like a different type of burnout. But talk me [00:28:00] through, you've said, you know, taking care of yourself. So one component is following your dreams, but what else does that mean? What else has kind of shifted for you over the last couple of months?

[00:28:08] Kendra from Daydream Division: Yeah, so I focused more on my health. Like I, I go out to classes once a week with some friends and just like do a dance workout and, and doing that, like I've noticed like those Tuesdays like make my entire week because I'm able to like get out of the house and just have fun with my girlfriends and just have a good time.

[00:28:27] Um, also getting more. And then because my business is like, it's revolving around my artwork and, and how much I just love doing that, that like it fills my cups so much. And so just doing things and obviously that's gonna be different for everybody, but for me, like it's those things of making sure I get that time like away from home.

[00:28:49] Dancing and music, cuz that's like my, like big things is if I need to hot myself up, I need to like dance around my house or something and, and then doing art. Like [00:29:00] those things just really. They really get me going. So yes, 

[00:29:04] Monica Little: I love it. And I know you mentioned playing the guitar is something that you do too for fun, right?

[00:29:09] Yeah, I do love it. Oh my gosh, that's so amazing. I love it. And I think this is a conversation we have in product based academy all the time. It's like this, it's not just about your business, right? It's about. It's like personal development, you know? Because when you take care of yourself, now you're able to show up for your business.

[00:29:27] Now you're able to show up more for your family. You're in like a better, grounded head space, right? Mm-hmm. So it's not just like doing the things, it's not just building the website. It's not just updating the Etsy. It's like, am I taking care of myself? Am I taking care of myself to show up for the people around me, to show up for my business, to like build what I wanna build?

[00:29:45] And I know a lot of people struggle with that a lot. I think people don't notice a connection, first of all, but then like taking care of yourself is hard, you know? Mm-hmm. I think looking back to my own story too, I can feel, I can see myself being very [00:30:00] comfortable in like the victim mindset that I used to be in and like the negative mindset that I used to be in.

[00:30:06] So tell me a little bit more about that. Like was that transition for you? Was it easy? I know you said something, you were just done and it was like, something's gotta change. But for you to get to where you are, is it like, Practice every day. Is it like journaling? Is it like gratitude? How do you continue to grow and evolve in that way, day after 

[00:30:26] Kendra from Daydream Division: day?

[00:30:27] Yeah, that's a really good question. I totally agree with you that being a business owner is like the best way to, uh, self-improve yourself. Because if you wanna be successful, you definitely have to do that. Um, but I think. In retrospect, it wasn't like a flip of the switch. Like, yes, my decision was then made.

[00:30:54] Um, but it was a process of catching [00:31:00] myself in the, in those moments of how I felt like being really aware of what I was feeling. And if I was feeling like, oh, I can't do this, like a lot of self-doubt, then I had to catch myself. I can do this and I can figure it out. Mm-hmm. And so it was a lot of active knowing where my thoughts were and then catching myself in them.

[00:31:22] And that's actually why I started doing affirmations, was because I noticed my, what's the word? I, I wanted to revert to like negative thoughts. Mm-hmm. And. And so when I started doing affirmations, like I, I would put them on sticky notes and I'd write them, put 'em on my mirror, and every day I was getting ready, I'd, I'd read them so that I would do that every morning.

[00:31:47] And it was something that like day after day after day I would do. And like obviously it wasn't. Like the next day I was a new person. It was over like [00:32:00] months. Mm-hmm. That, um, I had to do that to kind of reprogram myself into thinking more positively and to stop going to like those dark negative spaces that my mind would just like, Go to on its own.

[00:32:14] Monica Little: Yep. A hundred percent. I agree with that completely. I think the awareness, like to be able to follow your thoughts and to be able to see where they go, and then to be able to catch it and be like, Nope, we're not, we're not going down there right now. Or, you know, sometimes we do go down there, which is fine.

[00:32:31] And it doesn't mean like, you know, it doesn't mean ignore your emotions, ignore your feelings, but it's like, okay, maybe I'm having a little bit of an emotional day, but I'm gonna acknowledge that I can. To read my affirmation, I can choose to believe in this affirmation. I can choose to acknowledge it and remind myself that everything is going to be just fine and everything's happening for me.

[00:32:53] So talk me through two questions. Um, what affirmations were you using back then just to help you? And then are these the [00:33:00] affirmations that you currently sell in your shop, or tell us more about the ones that you have in your shop. Yeah, 

[00:33:04] Kendra from Daydream Division: so honestly, I, I can't remember what I. I put on my mirror back then cuz they, I feel like they're ever changing just based off of, um, where my pain points are at the moment.

[00:33:20] And so because of that, they constantly change. So I don't, I think one that I had was, I am more than who, who, what I looked like on the outside. That was one I remember. Oh. Yeah, that's the only one I remember right now. But that's Beautifuls. 

[00:33:41] Monica Little: Thank you. Yeah. Okay. And then tell us about the mirror details that you have.

[00:33:45] Yes. 

[00:33:45] Kendra from Daydream Division: Yeah. So I have, I'm divine and I have, I am powerful. And then I have, you look good. Mm-hmm. And um, and then you are made of magic. Yes. And so those four kind of were inspired of [00:34:00] the I'm Divine one. It was kind of inspired by a. That I loved and I just love because we are like divine beings and we carry so much power and we, we are capable of so many things.

[00:34:16] And so that was, that was something that I wanted to remind myself and other people that who buy my products as well and, um, I'm powerful. We are, like I said, we're capable of so many things that we can't even fathom, that we're capable of. I don't think, I don't think we understand what we are capable of fully, and so that's a really important one for me too, because I don't, I don't think I always understand what I'm capable of and then you are made of magic.

[00:34:44] I made that one for like my kids in mind. Oh, to remind them that. They're just magical and they bring so much magic and and love into my life. And then you look good because I think we all need a reminder. [00:35:00] That we are beautiful. 

[00:35:02] Monica Little: So yeah, I have the, you are made of magic one right here that I'm looking at behind me and I love it.

[00:35:08] Mm-hmm. I think it's such a perfect reminder. I mean, all of them and how you explained it, cuz it kind of gets a little bit to like the woowoo sign of things a little bit, right? Like, we're made of magic and we're divine and we're so powerful and we're capable. But those are the affirmations that truly are like soul life changing.

[00:35:24] It's start to say 'em every day and believe 'em. Yeah. And a couple months later it's like, oh, I haven't had one of those negative thoughts in a while about like, I'm not capable of doing this, or it's not possible for me. I, they've just kind of gone away and, and then it's like this amazing realization that you've kind of upgraded from some of those thoughts to some newer thoughts.

[00:35:41] So I love that. So much of your story relates to what you sell in your business too. Mm-hmm. So I do wanna kind of segue into another topic. So you are the Etsy 2022 Breakthrough of the Year winner. So let's talk a little bit specifically about Etsy. I know you shared with us that you now have like [00:36:00] 550 sales, a hundred and sixty five, five star reviews, I think is what you said.

[00:36:04] But I would love for you to share a little bit. I heard you say that you originally joined Etsy Algorithm Secrets specifically because you were hearing from a lot of sticker makers, you had to do a lot of stickers to be successful, and you listened to one of my podcasts and there was a little bit of a different perspective on there, but were there any other particular reasons of why you joined Etsy?

[00:36:24] Algorithm Secrets? Yeah, 

[00:36:28] Kendra from Daydream Division: I remember. So when I ha, oh my gosh.

[00:36:34] Monica Little: When you were mowing the lawn? 

[00:36:36] Kendra from Daydream Division: Yes, I was mowing the lawn. Um, I remember, I just loved your ideas on like getting out of the chronic creative mindset. Mm-hmm. Because that was something that I was definitely stuck in, especially because I was convinced that I had to. Like a hundred [00:37:00] different sticker designs to be successful.

[00:37:03] And so it was honestly, the, the ideas of yours that were so different than what I'd been hearing from other sellers, um, that intrigued me the most was just the, the difference. And then actually seeing, um, like your success with your shop based on your ideas. Mm-hmm. And so that was what intrigued me the most, and.

[00:37:26] Honestly, when I had heard your podcast and what I had found you, I just felt so drawn like to you and your energy and just felt like instantly connected to you specifically. And so that was something that really drew me to you in your course too, just kind of just feeling like. This is what I needed to do, and it just kind of felt right to me.

[00:37:47] Monica Little: Yeah. I love hearing that. And obviously this was your first time investing in a course, right? So were there some fears, was this one of those moments when you're like, okay, I acknowledge fear, but I'm gonna do it, or what, what was some of the thoughts going on in your head [00:38:00] before you signed up for Etsy?

[00:38:01] Algorithm Secret? Yeah, I 

[00:38:03] Kendra from Daydream Division: remember I turned to my husband and I was like, oh my gosh, I have to do this. And he's like, you can't do this. Like, we can't do this when you're thinking. And I'm like, no, like you don't understand. Like, I need to do this. And, and like I just, just had the feeling of like, this is something that I really need to do and invest in, even though like it felt impossible at the moment and it took me, A few days and cuz my husband was like, I fully support you.

[00:38:37] Like whatever you decide. He's like, but I just want you to know that I don't think it's a smart decision. 

[00:38:44] Monica Little: I support you, but do like, just so you know, 

[00:38:47] Kendra from Daydream Division: this is what I think. And I'm like, okay. And I decided to do it. And he was like fully supportive. Like, okay, but like, I want you to make sure that you like really do this.

[00:38:59] And I was like, [00:39:00] no, I'm, I'm doing this because I really, really want. And yes, there was, even after I had signed up, I remember like messaging you, like, did I just make the worst decision in my entire life? I was so 

[00:39:12] Monica Little: scared. And you're like, it's gonna be okay. Like, just 

[00:39:14] Kendra from Daydream Division: go through everything. It's gonna be fine.

[00:39:16] It's gonna take time. Like, okay, you're right. I trust you. And it's been like the best decision I ever made, so it was great. Oh my gosh, I love it. That's such 

[00:39:26] Monica Little: a fun story. Um, so hilarious though. I know. It's so funny. I remember when, when you joined and you kind of popped in and I found you on Instagram, and I'm like, oh, this is gonna be so much fun.

[00:39:36] But yeah, I remember that message too, and I'm like, okay, we gotta make sure, make sure we're, we're doing what we gotta do and, and make sure that we're seeing the results. Yeah. Which, which I just so appreciate everything about what you just said. So talk to me a little bit about inside Etsy algorithm secrets.

[00:39:50] Like what were some of the changes that you made to your shop? So I've heard you mention, you know, um, not having to do a hundred stickers. Perfect. Any other main changes that you made [00:40:00] in from Etsy, algorithm secrets to your Etsy shop? 

[00:40:02] Kendra from Daydream Division: Yeah, I mean, so many things. Um, so when I had first started, I. I kind of had a brand, like, it was very, like very simple and like kind of like dipped my toe into like the retro thing.

[00:40:19] I was like too scared to commit. But then, um, I like fully rebranded into like the retro, fully dubbed into like, okay, this is where I'm settling and I really like it here. So I did that and. Made just kind of made it more customer friendly. Like the description is everything a customer would want to know.

[00:40:42] And it really helped me, um, kind of look at it through like a customer's point of view instead of a seller's point of view. Mm-hmm. And so getting better, like photos that customer customers would wanna see. So you can see like the size a little bit better with my hand and then seeing it on like a [00:41:00] laptop and on a cup, and then having.

[00:41:03] Like, because a, oh my gosh, a lot of sticker um, sellers just kind of have like one mockup photo. But um, I was like, oh, like I can just do that. And I did at first, but then in the course I have like, I have a lot of photos now so that people can kind of get the experience, the experience of that. 

[00:41:27] Monica Little: Yeah.

[00:41:28] Beautiful. I love it. Photos, description, really targeting your audience and getting super specific, and I love what you said of really. Taking it from a customer point of view instead of a seller. Cause I think that's the biggest thing that small business owners, you know, struggle with. On Etsy. It's like we know our products and we think that we've provided all the information that people need to purchase, but actually, like, customers need a lot more reassurance.

[00:41:53] They need reviews, they need specific photos, they need specific description. So I'm so happy that that was super helpful for [00:42:00] you. And then tell me just a little bit more about your Etsy shop. I heard you say you had an amazing January, which, which I know we've talked about just one-on-one before that.

[00:42:09] Mm-hmm. Like January was what your best month ever, which is absolutely insane. I also heard you say by like end of February you already did 50% of your total revenue from the year prior. Something crazy like that. Yeah. Mm-hmm. So tell us more about some of these milestones that you've hit. And I probably.

[00:42:27] Name the two big ones, but tell us in your words what that was like. 

[00:42:31] Kendra from Daydream Division: Yeah, um, like, so wild, um, especially because knowing that the beginning of the year is like the slowest, it was definitely so wild to me to hit those milestones so early on in the year. But also some other things too is, uh, my traffic is up.

[00:42:57] So much. Definitely like [00:43:00] SEO is like my best friend. Um, but some other things also is, I've been getting a lot of reviews coming in these act these last couple of weeks, and I think it's because of I've been reaching out to. Two people, two leave reviews. And so that's, that's a big milestone of all. And then I hit 500 sales like just a couple weeks ago, and now I'm already halfway to 600.

[00:43:31] So things are like exponentially picking up. And so that's really cool to see. Yes. 

[00:43:39] Monica Little: I love it. And tell me a little bit more just about like confidence with, with your business. Do you feel more confident? Does this feel like a real business? Does it feel like, you know what, what are those emotions like that are coming up?

[00:43:51] Yeah, so 

[00:43:52] Kendra from Daydream Division: I remember when I kind of first started the course, it still felt like. Like a little Etsy [00:44:00] shop to me. And, and people would ask me like, oh, like what I did? And I'd be like, oh, you know, I just have a little Etsy shop and it's just, you know, for fun. And, and now somebody asked me there, she was like, oh, like do you just like, do like an Etsy thing?

[00:44:16] And I'm like, no. Like I have a business. I have my own website. And like, and I was like, but I do also have an Etsy. And so it's really cool to feel like. Yeah. Like, no, it's, it's an actual business now. It's not just a little Etsy shop. It's, it's an Etsy shop too, and it's a business for me. And so it's really cool to like have that confidence just myself, like I'm not just doing a little side gig anymore.

[00:44:40] This is like taking up all of my time and it's, it's really, really cool to, to feel that way and, and to. To see that growth. So 

[00:44:50] Monica Little: yes, I love it. Okay. I got two more questions for you. So you joined Etsy Algorithm Secrets, made these amazing changes to your Etsy page, have seen some great results, [00:45:00] but then you also joined Product based Academy, which is an even bigger investment.

[00:45:04] So just talk me through train of thoughts. Um, what was that like? What was that decision like and how you came. 

[00:45:12] Kendra from Daydream Division: Seeing the improvement from the Etsy course, I knew that the only way that personally I would be able to keep that momentum was if I signed up for P B A. And I remember I had called my brother-in-law who's a successful entrepreneur, and I was like, I know that like it's important to invest in like my business.

[00:45:35] I was like, but do you think this is a smart. Like business decision. And he was like, in all honesty, like education is always a smart business decision. Like in any case. Mm-hmm. And I was explaining to him like everything that I was getting out of the course and he's like, that's amazing. Like do it like hands down, that's the best thing I've ever heard of.

[00:45:57] And I was like, you know what? Fine, I'm gonna do it. It's gonna be [00:46:00] great. And so I decided to do it. And. It was, it was nice to have that person to go to cuz like not everybody has somebody who has like the experience of that. And so it was nice to just hear my brother-in-law say like, this is. Actually something that would be a really smart business investment for you to do and Yeah.

[00:46:23] Yeah. That was, I think that's kinda what helped me push me over the edge was, yeah, the 

[00:46:27] Monica Little: confidence. And what has your experience been like so far inside Productbased Academy with the community and extra content and the one-on-one support? What has, what has it been like? 

[00:46:36] Kendra from Daydream Division: It's been amazing. I mean, I can't, I can't say anything.

[00:46:43] I have no words. Just the community of having other small business owners like who totally get it is so amazing. Just, just to like, just to have somebody you feel like understands you and it, it just like, I can't, I have no words for it. It feels [00:47:00] so good to have that and then to have. Actionable things to implement that are like step by step laid out for me is so needed because yeah, maybe I might be able to figure it out by myself, but it would take so much longer and so much trial and error and to have those steps laid out for me.

[00:47:23] I know that I've gotten to where I want it to be a lot faster than if I had done it by myself. It's been, it's been night and day. 

[00:47:33] Monica Little: Oh, well that makes me so happy to hear. I'm just so grateful to have you as part of Product Booth Academy. So grateful to have you here telling us all about your business and your experience and your amazing progress.

[00:47:45] Um, so what I wanna just end with is, For you to share your Instagram, your website, where people can find you, connect with you, where they can buy all your stickers and affirmations and mirror decals and all that fun stuff. So where can people find [00:48:00] you? 

[00:48:00] Kendra from Daydream Division: Yeah, so you can find me on my website@daydreamdivision.com, and then we can connect on my Instagram at Daydream.

[00:48:09] Hey. Yay. 

[00:48:11] Monica Little: Awesome. Well, thank you so much, Kendra. It's been so good to chat with you and have you on the podcast to hear more about your story. I know it's gonna inspire so many people, so thank you for showing up for yourself and doing what you do and, and really going all in with your business. And you're just such an inspiration to me and to so many other people.

[00:48:29] So thank you for, for being here. I am so grateful for you. Yeah, thank you for having 

[00:48:35] Kendra from Daydream Division: me. It's been awesome.