Mindset is everything, friends. Around here, I chat a lot about running a hobby vs. a business. You can read my article on the IRS’ opinion on this matter here for some official guidance and legal definitions and such. If you’re here on my site, you...
SELLING ON ETSY VS. SHOPIFY - HOW SALES TAX IS HANDLED If you’re selling on Etsy and thinking about setting up shop on your own Shopify site, you might have some questions about how to deal with sales tax. (Or maybe not? Maybe that’s some boring topic you think about...
Today I’m thrilled to have Roxy Burg from Beads of Cambay sharing her wealth of knowledge about the business of jewelry-making with us! Roxy loves the multifaceted world of gemstones, beaded jewelry making, and crafting in general. When she isn’t blogging for Beads of...
In this guide, I’m walking through the various fees Etsy charges sellers. I’m not trying to express any *judgement* on these fees (there’s enough of that elsewhere on the interwebs). As a financial educator that works with many Etsy sellers, I see a lot of shop owners...
All information on this site is provided for general education purposes only and may not reflect changes in federal or state laws. It is not intended to be relied upon as legal, accounting, or tax advice. Please read my full disclaimer regarding this topic. Alright...
I’ve been talking a lot lately around here about getting ready for taxes. We’ve discussed how to get your numbers caught up for the year, doing your year end inventory count, and organizing your documents. Once you’ve got your numbers ready to go, you might be...
This article is my attempt at rounding up ALL the issues & changes & questions surrounding online sales tax lately. There have been a lot of changes within the past few years. I will do my best to answer your questions and address your concerns in plain...
Let’s discuss how to price your handmade goods and my recommended “Etsy pricing formula”. Pricing your handcrafted products or designs can be one of the most challenging tasks for a creative entrepreneur or artist (that’s why I eventually created a spreadsheet and an...
I get a LOT of questions each and every week about how to get started as a maker who wants to open a business. What’s the best path forward? Do I have to get a sales tax permit? Can I wait to open a biz bank account until I have steady sales? How is this going to...
Understanding how to start a new creative business can be a daunting task, especially if you don’t have a background in accounting or business. We have so many questions when we first set up shop – what do I need to take care of on the legal side of things? How do I...
Last week I answered a question I get a lot – how do I pay myself? What’s the right way to do it? If you missed that post, catch up here. That post was all about the rules & logistics of paying yourself as a sole proprietor, and how it affects your bookkeeping...
Today let’s address a question I see quite often: How do I pay myself? As a shop owner who also happens to be an accountant, sometimes I lose touch of the questions my non-accountant friends have about running a biz. This one happens to be one of them, and it’s high...
As a CPA, maker, and Etsy seller myself, I’m well-versed in the financial mistakes that many Etsy sellers make. I’ve been helping makers and creative entrepreneurs get their finances in gear since 2015. So today, I’d like to briefly walk through the top five financial...
Right around the end of the year, you may start hearing a lot about counting your inventory. Today I’m hosting an Inventory Crash Course Workshop, which is my fancy way of saying I filmed a video answering the big questions I see about year-end inventory. This is my...
Today’s post comes to you from my friend and fellow creative Danielle Spurge from Merriweather Council. Danielle is a maker maven known for helping turn others’ crafty tendencies into profits. Today Danielle shares a bit of tough love with us when it comes to pricing...
Today I am excited to host Steph from Zero to Biz. Steph founded Zero to Biz as a passion project after seeing her own dreams come true. It all started with a few invitation designs and an Etsy shop. She used the platform to turn her hobby into a money-making business...
Let's discuss something I’ve seen lots of confusion about on the Etsy forums and out on the inter webs – your tax ID number…and what exactly it is. Going into business and being a small biz owner opens up the door to a whole new confusing world. There are taxes. There...
All information on this site is provided for general education purposes only and may not reflect changes in federal or state laws. It is not intended to be relied upon as legal, accounting, or tax advice. Please read my full disclaimer regarding this topic. If you’re...
I recently discussed how to tackle your finances and bookkeeping if you’ve fallen behind this year. Today, I’m talking more in depth about getting your financial paperwork organized for year-end so that you’re ready for tax prep. This applies whether you plan to do...
Hola! I hope you’ve read part one of my Inventory 101 series, which covers all the ins and outs of inventory. Click over here to see what should be included in inventory, how to properly track & record inventory, and whether you as a maker even need to deal with...
Inventory and cost of goods sold are probably the most complex accounting concepts that makers and crafters have to tackle. Today I’m going to attempt an overview of some important inventory concepts in simple, plain English. In part 2, I’ll delve into dealing...
Let’s talk about SHIPPING! Shipping can be a complicated topic for a creative biz owner because there are many facets to the “shipping” question. This comprehensive guide to shipping will address all the different “types” of shipping your business probably deals with:...
I recently discussed income taxes and how they relate to your creative biz. Today, let’s talk about that other tax biggie – sales taxes. Getting sales tax set up for your shop is one of the first “must dos” of setting up your biz. For a free step-by-step checklist on...
As a creative business owner, it can be so hard to know all the different financial requirements and responsibilities that apply to you (that’s why I’ve got a free step-by-step checklist right here!). You might hear a lot about your “tax” requirements and get the two...
The holidays are fast approaching, and we’ve got a great idea for a unique travel gift basket for the traveler on your gift list this year. Our travel gift basket is also a great “bon voyage” present anytime of year. This creatively-themed gift basket is great for a...
If you’re a business owner of even the most tiny business, you should be practicing good bookkeeping skills, which basically means keeping track of your financial records. Don’t let the funny term “bookkeeping” confuse you. I’m just talking about recording, in written...
