10 Hard Truths I Learned on My Way to a 6-Figure POD Business
When I started my Print-on-Demand journey in July 2022, I was running on three hours of sleep, cold coffee, and pure delusion. Picture this: me, rocking a newborn with one arm, designing listings with the other, and Googling “how to make passive income from home, how to start a Print on Demand Business, and how to make designs in Canva” at 2 a.m. like my life depended on it (because, honestly, and financially, it kinda did).
And let me tell you when I first started my POD and Etsy Business—I failed SO HARD. I launched products that didn’t sell, listings that were so bad they probably made Etsy cry, and spent way too many hours wondering if I was just wasting my time. There were moments I was ready to toss my laptop out the window, throw in the towel, and go back to living “Mom” life of nap schedules and laundry piles and praying that I would somehow make ends meet.
But then something crazy happened... my first bestseller hit.
And everything… and I mean everything changed. 💥
That little taste of success lit a fire under me—and I went from exhausted and constantly doubting myself to POD obsessed and determined to make this work. Since then, it’s been a whirlwind of wins, flops, learning curves, (a few tears) and more than a few happy dances in my kitchen.
So now, three years (and a TON of listings and mistakes) later, I want to share the real lessons that made the biggest difference. Because spoiler alert: this business is not just about cute designs and clever quotes on t-shirts.
Before we dive in and get into the nitty-gritty of this post let me introduce myself!
Hi there! I’m Shay Lynn
If you had told me that a few years ago when I was pregnant that I would be running my own multi 6 figure print on demand business, I would have outright laughed in your face! And then would have asked, “What the heck is Print on Demand?”
I’m a proud Mom, Etsy shop owner, Print on Demand business owner, and POD educator. I help women (and Mom’s like myself) start their own Print on Demand businesses and gain financial freedom so they can ditch their 9 to 5 grinds! Check out my course and blog to learn more!
My sales my first full year running a POD and Etsy business! (this was after my first best seller in Dec 2022) 👇
It’s safe to say I know a thing or two about POD and Etsy. And now that were acquainted, let me spill the hot tea on the hard truths I have learned running a POD and Etsy Business!
10 Things Nobody Tells You About Growing a 6-Figure POD Business
1. This Isn’t a Scratch-Off Ticket, Babe—it’s a Business 💸
Let’s get one thing straight: Print-on-Demand is not a magical ATM. You don’t just upload a few cute designs, pour your coffee, and wake up rich. If only. The truth is, this is a business—and businesses take time, patience, testing, and more persistence than most people are ready for. If you are looking for a get rich scheme, then you might need to sell feet pics or something.
Yes, there’s money to be made (I’m living proof), but it didn’t happen overnight. I opened my shop in July 2022, didn’t make my first sale until September, and didn’t hit my first bestseller until December. Granted, I didn’t know what I was doing, but still. That was five months of crickets, tweaks, and trial-and-error before things really started to move.
If you’re willing to show up consistently, treat this like a real business, and focus on long-term wins instead of instant gratification, the results can be life-changing. But if you’re looking for a quick cash grab? There is the door because POD will eat you alive.
2. Student for Life, CEO for Keeps
The number one trait I’ve seen in successful POD sellers? They never stop learning. You cannot “set it and forget it” in this industry. Etsy updates their policies, SEO shifts, product trends come and go, new products are constantly being uploaded and customer behavior changes like the wind.
Even after years in this game and multiple five-figure months, I still make time every week to educate myself. I’m watching tutorials, testing new products, studying my data, and peeking at what’s working and trending to stay sharp and in the know.
The people who treat POD like a craft they’re always improving? They last. The ones who wing it and expect results without the learning part? They burn out. So moral of the story, be curious, be humble, and keep evolving. That’s the real secret sauce.
3. Spoiler: You Don’t Have to Be Picasso to Get Paid 🎨
This one’s for everyone who’s ever said, “But I’m not creative enough.” Newsflash: neither was I—at least not in the traditional sense. I’m not a professional artist. I didn’t go to design school. I was a teacher, not a trained graphic designer. But guess what? That didn’t stop me.
I built my entire six-figure POD business using tools like Canva, basic fonts, and an eye for what sells. Some of my bestsellers are text-only designs. It’s not about having the fanciest software or the ability to hand-sketch your own clipart—it’s about knowing your customer and creating things that speak to them and your general audience
Creativity isn’t about technical skills. It’s about understanding what people want and presenting it in a way that connects. And that is something you can learn.
4. One Best Seller/Viral Listing Won’t Save You
I remember the first time one of my listings blew up—I felt like I’d made it. I was checking orders every five minutes and doing the happy dance in my kitchen. I was on cloud nine. But within a few weeks, sales slowed down, and I realized: a single viral listing doesn’t build a sustainable business.
Yes, it’s exciting when something takes off (almost like an adrenaline rush), but the real growth happens when you stop chasing virality and start building a catalog of consistent selling products. Think of a viral product like a sugar rush—it’s fun, but it crashes fast.
Sustainable success comes from planning, diversifying, and creating multiple income streams within your shop. One bestseller is momentum. A system of best practices? That’s what builds a 6 figure shop.
5. The Power of Tunnel Vision
When I first started, I made the classic rookie mistake: trying to do everything at once. I had listings across multiple platforms and had multiple shops. I had so many ideas flying around that I couldn’t keep up. Spoiler alert: I got nowhere fast.
The turning point? I stopped the chaos and focused. One platform. One Shop. A Few select product types. And that’s when things started clicking. I was able to actually understand my customer, optimize my SEO, and design products quickly and efficiently. That is when I made real progress.
There’s a lot of power in narrowing your focus. Don’t think of it as limiting yourself, think of it as creating clarity. Once you’ve built traction, then you can branch out. But trying to sprint in five directions at once? That’s a shortcut to burnout and straight up failure
6. If You’re Uploading Holiday Stuff in November... You’re Too Late 📅
Want to crush Q4 (Oct-Dec)? Then you better be thinking about Christmas while you're still in flip-flops and going to the beach. Don’t laugh…I’m serious—Print-on-Demand fulfillment times are slow, especially during peak season, and buyers start shopping months ahead.
I used to upload seasonal listings way too close to the actual holiday—only to find out I missed the bulk of traffic. Now? I prep 3–5 and even 6 months in advance. Halloween listings go up in June. Thanksgiving listings go up in July. And Christmas is peppered in throughout all summer and completed by September.
It feels early, but your future sales and self will thank you. POD is all about staying ahead of demand, not chasing it. So grab your planner and start uploading early. You’ll be so glad you did.
7. Trends Are Cute, But Evergreen Products Pay the Bills
Trending and seasonal designs are exciting because they bring quick traffic, fast wins, and sometimes viral moments. But once that trend fades and the season/holiday is over? So are the sales. And if your entire shop is built on what's hot right now, you’ll be in a constant state of catch-up.
Evergreen products are the backbone of long-term success. They lay the foundation for success. I’m talking designs people want all year long. I’m talking nurse gifts, pet gifts, hobby-related merch, etc. These are your slow burns—the listings that quietly rack up sales week after week.
I still create for trends (because why not?), but my bread and butter? Evergreen products that make money while I sleep, while I travel, while I play with my son. Build a solid evergreen base, and use trends as the cherry on top.
8. Nobody's Coming to Save You— YOU Need to Make Moves
Let’s be real: entrepreneurship looks glamorous online, but behind the scenes? It’s a lot of lonely work and at times, it is VERY stressful. There’s no one to tell you to clock in. No one to remind you to upload that product. No one to say, “Hey, this is due Friday.” No one is lending a helping hand. It’s just you, your goals, and your grind.
And when you’re also juggling life (hello, parenting), the excuses can creep in fast. The only way I built my business while raising a baby was by showing up in the in-between moments—nap time, late nights, early mornings. I stopped watching TV and stopped messing around and dedicated all my spare time to this. It was like having a second baby.
If you want this to work, you have to be the boss you wish you had. Motivation won’t always be there—but discipline and consistency? That’s where your results live.
9. Not Every Platform Deserves Your Energy
It’s tempting to be everywhere: Etsy, Redbubble, Amazon, Shopify. You see sellers killing it on all these platforms and think, “I need to do that too.” But what you don’t see? The systems, teams, and years behind that kind of scale.
Trying to manage multiple platforms out the gate will only lead you to feel overwhelmed. Every site has its own SEO, policies, product types, and customer base. If you’re spread too thin, you can’t master any of them.
The smarter move? Start with one and get really good at it. Learn what works for your audience. Then scale. I started with Etsy, got consistent results, and then started exploring other platforms. You don’t need to be everywhere all at once—you just need to be effective right where you are.
10. The Freedom Is Real But, So Are the Mind Games
Everyone glamorizes the freedom of working for yourself. And yes, there’s a lot to love about calling your own shots, setting your schedule, and not reporting to anyone else. But behind the scenes? It’s not always sunshine, rainbows, and cha-chings.
Some days you’ll feel unstoppable. Other days you’ll stare at your dashboard wondering if anyone even sees your listings. You’ll question yourself, your ideas, your pricing, your sanity… literally everything. And that’s normal.
What I’ve learned is this: the hard days don’t mean you’re not cut out for this. They mean you’re doing it. The key is to keep showing up, even when it’s hard. Because on the other side of those scary moments? That’s where the breakthroughs live and the growth happens.
Conclusion
Building a print-on-demand business isn’t just about uploading pretty designs and waiting for the sales to roll in. It’s a journey—a messy, humbling, growth-filled journey that’ll stretch you in the best ways possible.
I didn’t stumble into success. I FREAKING earned it. With a baby in tow, a janky laptop (I have since upgraded haha), and more failed designs than I can count. It didn’t matter… I kept showing up. I learned. I adapted. And little by little, it paid off.
So if you’re in the trenches right now wondering if it’s worth it—let me tell you: it absolutely is. But you’ve gotta play the long game, be willing to fail forward, and treat this not as a little hobby, but for the real business it is. 😉
I hope this post helps you on your Print on Demand journey! If you are new to print on demand, curious about selling products online, want to make your first best-seller, and want to learn how to start your Etsy business the right way in 2025, then check out my course The Print On Demand Playbook. I have over 30 videos and 8 hours of Print on Demand video tutorials and information on how to start your very own shop, Keywords/ Etsy SEO, product selection, research validation, design tutorials, content calendars, customer service templates, and so much more! 👇👇👇👇
And remember, always conduct market research and Trademark searches to ensure you are not infringing on anyone’s intellectual property before posting your listings 😊
Take care for now my fellow designers! Talk to you soon!
-Shay Lynn ❤️
RELATED:
How to Start a Print On Demand Business With No Money or Experience: The Free Guide