We were lucky to catch up with Khatia Pipia recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Khatia , thanks for joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
My name is Khatia, and I am a happy woman, wife, and mother of two amazing boys. I am also the founder of Khatia’s Crafteria. Crafting has always been a passion of mine since I was a child. The feeling of transforming old things and creating something new with my own hands is truly amazing.
In November 2022, I started sharing my creations on social media, and Khatia’s Crafteria quickly became popular with the audience. One of my Instagram posts, featuring a Christmas village tree, went viral and has since gained over 85 million views. This success inspired me to pursue my dream of turning my hobby into a small business, and that’s how Khatia’s Crafteria was born.
Being a successful mompreneur is not an easy feat, as I have come to realize. There are daily challenges that I have to face. However, I find the journey both pleasant and interesting. I strive to adapt to everyday life, keep myself updated with the latest news, and be ready for the market. I am still in the learning and adjustment phase. In recent months, Khatia Crafteria has changed its direction and moved to digital art. I have big plans and goals ahead, and I believe that if you can dream it, you can do it. Therefore, I will pursue my dream of owning it.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
From my journey, I have learned that the most important thing is to walk towards fulfilling your dream and do everything in your power to achieve it. Is it easy? Of course not. However, this is what makes you a strong and competitive business owner. In today’s market, there is high demand and competition, making it crucial to be different and have your own niche. Offering customers high-quality products and services while keeping up with market requirements and news is also vital for survival.
Initially, Khatia Crafteria sold handicrafts, including personalized mugs, tumblers, t-shirts, onesies, matching couple shirts, and matching parent and child tops. The creation process gave me immense pleasure because everything from designing to the final product was made with love.
Due to the fluctuating economic market and difficulty in adjusting prices, I decided to shift the direction of my business. Now, I offer digital art to customers that they can use for various purposes.
In the beginning, I mentioned the Christmas village tree post that went viral on Instagram. Currently, a very popular digital download listing on my Etsy shop is detailed instructions on how to build your own kind of tree.
We’d love to hear your thoughts about selling platforms like Amazon/Etsy vs selling on your own site.
Starting a business is a complex process that involves several crucial steps that one may not have thought of before. Conducting extensive research is necessary to determine the right direction and platform for your business. After thorough consideration, I decided to use Etsy. Although there are several things I like about the platform, there are also some aspects that I would like to improve. For instance, business owners should have access to their clients’ emails to communicate more efficiently and build a strong relationship with them, which is crucial for business growth. I also expected quick and efficient customer service for both buyers and sellers. However, I had a case where a customer, who was unhappy with Etsy’s service in general, was unable to contact me directly, and Etsy support was unable to assist them. As a result, the customer gave my store a low rating, which was unfair since every rating has a significant impact on the store’s development. I raised this issue with Suforth, but unfortunately, I didn’t receive any response.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
I am a self-taught individual in this field of work. My interest and desire to learn led me to explore the path of e-commerce, and I learned to create and prepare designs on my own. I searched for all the necessary information on the internet and utilized various resources such as YouTube videos and training courses to enhance my skills. Although motivational books helped me. I could sell my work at this stage, and the buyer could use it for its intended purpose, I was able to do all this by myself. The internet has a lot of material, and the key is to find it and use it effectively. My children are my greatest motivation and source of strength. Being a mother is a true blessing and my kids inspire and encourage me every day. I strive to lead by example and the unwavering support I receive from them makes everything possible.
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