The Three Stages of Business Growth for File Sellers

By: Liz Olson, Bela Collective

After experiencing some initial success selling SVG files on Etsy, I was excited to keep growing but didn’t know who to turn to for advice on how to scale my shop. While there were a handful of courses for laser file design, I couldn’t find anything that taught the strategies needed for someone like me to grow from side hustle to full-time income with file sales. So after a few years of trial and error with my own store, I’d love to pull back the curtain and share what’s worked to help me cross the 6-figure mark–and maybe save you some headache in the process!

Before we get to the good stuff, just a quick disclaimer: there are many ways to scale your file business, and I don’t claim that my way is the best way. But it is a good way and one that doesn’t involve much social media or advertising (great news for my fellow introverts!).

I’m also going to be open about my sales numbers because three-years-ago-Liz would have loved to know what was possible, and I’m all for more industry transparency. So let’s dive into what I see as the three stages of business growth for SVG file sellers:

Stage 1: LAUNCH, $0-$30K

Yay, you did it! Your file store is live on Etsy, and now it’s time to focus on two things that go hand-in-hand: creating lots of files and getting eyes on your store. To help with this, I encourage new shop owners to list 30 files as quickly as possible (and don’t forget to create bundle listings!)

The key in this stage is to identify your ideal customer (ICA) and make sure your products align with what they want to buy. If you can create a strong visual cohesion between your storefront, listings, and photography, you will be set up for so much file-selling success! And then, guess what: Etsy will do the advertising for you! In my first year selling SVGs I made $37K while creating 200 new listings and averaging about 15 hours of design work per week.

Stage 2: NAVIGATE, $30K-$75K

come known as an expert in (aka what community problem do you want to solve). In year two, my Etsy sales were $64K, and in year three, they grew to $77K, all while designing about 10-15 hours per week.

Stage 3: DISCOVER, $75K to $150K

It’s time to embrace your expert role and make your first hire(s)– solopreneurs can only get so far! I have a VA who helps with admin, several artists I license designs from, and a paid support team to help run my course community. Because of my existing email list and website, I have the means to explore other avenues for recurring revenue (like education and memberships).

At this point, you probably have 100-200+ files in your shop, and your signature style has begun to emerge. It’s time to hone in on 1-3 product niches so that you’ll be the shop your customer thinks of when they want to find that particular product. When you find a type of product that sells well and is one you enjoy designing, make SO many versions of that thing!

While you continue to list new files regularly, this stage is also about laying a strong foundation for your future growth. It’s time to start an email list (it’s never too early to do this!), create a website, consider offering a file membership, and begin dreaming about what you might want to be -

While much of my last two quarters have been focused on course creation, I’m still designing behind the scenes and don’t ever want to give that up (I could design all day, every day!). Between file sales and education, my numbers for this year are on track to hit $125K+.

So my laser friends, if I could leave you with one piece of file-related advice, it would be this: there is room for you. Etsy is not oversaturated with SVG files. With the rise in popularity of lasers, our customer base has expanded so much that I would argue it’s actually an ideal time to grow your business with file sales. And when you truly believe that your style and perspective matter just as much as the designer next to you, competition gives way to collaboration and we’re able to scale our file shops together as a community.

Liz Olson is the owner of Bela Collective and creator of the Strategies to Scale with SVG Sales course.

You can get her PDF Roadmap to Scale with SVG Sales You can reach out to her at hello@belacollective.com or visit the website BelaCollective.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/bela.collective

Etsy: belacollective.etsy.com