We were lucky to catch up with Sarah Sewell recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sarah, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

In starting my handmade business on Etsy in 2008, I was thrilled to find a platform that allowed me to showcase my creations to a wide audience. At first, it was a small-scale operation, with me working from home while my husband stayed home with our children. But as my business grew, so did the demand for my products. The revenue was great, but the workload became overwhelming, leaving me feeling like I was on an assembly line, churning out the same products over and over. I was earning multiple 6 figures a year but not filling fulfilled or passionate about what I was making.

The stress of managing a growing business was starting to take a toll on me, both mentally and physically. Even though I was working from home, I felt like I was missing out on precious moments with my family. I longed to spend more time with my kids and rediscover the joy of creating without the burden of production schedules and deadlines.

During this time, I began to mentor others on how to set up their own Etsy shops, and I found this work to be incredibly fulfilling. I loved sharing my knowledge with others and helping them achieve their own successes in the world of online entrepreneurship. The idea of selling services instead of products started to become more appealing as I saw the impact I could make through consulting. But it was scary to think about closing my product based business to start something new. How would my family stay afloat? My husband was a stay at home dad, I was the breadwinner and they all depended on me.

The decision to close my handmade business and start a consultancy was not an easy one. It meant walking away from a steady income source that had taken years to build. However, I knew in my heart that it was the right move. I was excited to use my skills and knowledge to help others grow their own businesses, and I looked forward to the freedom of not having to manage inventory, production hours, or employees. At the start of 2015 I decided to go for it. It was a risk, but I knew if I followed my heart everything would work out in the end.

The leap of faith paid off. Within six months of starting my consulting agency, I was outearning my previous business. I was able to help thousands of other entrepreneurs achieve success, and I found the work to be incredibly fulfilling. I was finally able to spend more time with my family, rediscover my love of creating, and make a difference in the lives of others.

Taking risks can be scary, but it can also lead to incredible rewards. I am grateful for the opportunity to have taken a chance on myself and my abilities, and I encourage others to do the same. Sometimes the biggest risks can bring the biggest success.

Sarah, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Sarah Sewell and I am an e-commerce educator and the CEO & Founder of Make & Flourish, an online membership learning community that provides support and guidance for crafty entrepreneurs. With over 25 years of experience selling in an online environment, I have designed shops on most e-commerce platforms and have a wealth of experience in sales, marketing, design, sourcing, logistics, communications, and online shop management.

Having built multiple successful 6-figure handmade businesses selling on Etsy and Amazon, I know firsthand the challenges and opportunities that come with running e-commerce businesses. I have leveraged this experience to build Make & Flourish into a thriving 7-figure e-commerce consultant agency and maker community. My mission is to help other handmade businesses find similar success and thrive in the ever-changing online commerce landscape.

My expertise in sales and marketing has earned me recognition in the media and as a motivational educational speaker. I am a committed advocate for the craft commerce industry and passionately promote the idea that shopping small can create a positive impact on local economies and communities around the globe. My ultimate goal is to speak on the TED stage to share this vision with a wider audience.

What sets me apart from others is my wealth of commerce experience and my commitment to providing guidance and support for handmade businesses. My extensive knowledge of e-commerce platforms, sales, marketing, and logistics allows me to help my clients navigate the challenges of running an online business and find success. My dedication to my clients and my passion for the craft commerce industry are what makes my Make & Flourish membership community stand out in a crowded market.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Yes, to empower women to create the life they’ve always wanted. I have had the pleasure of working with many women who have the drive and the talent to build their own businesses but may lack the support or resources to do so. By helping them achieve financial success through their own ventures, I hope to enable them to find the freedom they have always dreamed of.

Seeing women earn as much or more than their partners and achieve financial independence is incredibly rewarding. It not only benefits them as individuals but also creates a ripple effect that can benefit their families and communities. Through my work, I hope to inspire more women to pursue their passions and build successful businesses that allow them to achieve their dreams.

Empowering women to build their own wealth is not just a mission for me; it’s a personal passion. I believe that every woman has the potential to achieve great things, and it’s my honor to help them along their journey.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the most important lessons I had to unlearn was that you have to have a college education to be successful. As a young single mother, I wasn’t able to finish college, and I thought that I would never be able to achieve the level of success I dreamed of without a degree or working up the ladder at the same job for many years. As a creative, I never stayed at one job very long, and caring for a child made it almost impossible for me to do anything other than work multiple jobs to keep the bills paid.

However, I started on a path of self discovery and learned about the law of attraction, positive thinking, and realizing that I control my own destiny. I discovered that there were many false beliefs out there about how things are “supposed to be”, and that I could steer my own ship wherever I wanted it to go. All I had to do was believe in myself and my abilities to create abundance in my life, take action on that, and keep moving forward to make it happen.

Through this journey, I learned that a college education is not the only path to success, and that there are many other factors that can contribute to a successful career. By focusing on my strengths and talents, and taking the time to develop my skills, I was able to achieve my goals and create a fulfilling and successful career path for myself.

In the end, I discovered that the only thing that truly mattered was believing in myself and my abilities to create the life I wanted. By unlearning the false belief that college was the only path to success, I was able to open up new opportunities and find success in my own way. I hope my story can inspire others to believe in themselves and find their own unique path to success no matter their circumstance.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.makeandflourish.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/flourishwithsarah
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/flourishwithsarah