Published: Feb 22, 2023
by Gabrielle Pickard-Whitehead
In Small Business News
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An E.R. nurse has managed to turn her Etsy side hustle into a full-time job that has earned her millions of dollars in profits.
As reported by Fox Business, Stephanee Beggs started selling her own study sheets from nurse school on her ‘RNExplained’ shop on the Etsy platform in 2020. After going viral, the success of what started as a simple side hustle saw her profits hit over $2 million in 2021 alone.
Nurse Makes Millions with Etsy Side Business
Also working as a TikTok creator, Beggs sold her study sheets at a inexpensive rate of $2 per sheet, along with bundles of class-specific sheets for $30 to $40. She also had a special deal for $150 where buyers could acquire a giant bundle which covered the majority of nursing school subjects.
Nurse’s ‘Unintentional’ Success
Joining Varney & Co for a an interview with guest host Ashley Webster recently, Beggs explained how her success has been entirely unintentional. As transcribed by Fox Business, Beggs said: “I fell right into it. It was very unintentional. I got started selling my notes when I graduated from nursing school. I was studying for the boards exam, what we call the N.C.L.E.X. [National Council Licensure Examination] for nursing. And it was right when the pandemic happened, so I had nobody to study with. I would teach myself to the wall and I would record it. And then I posted that onto social media and people loved it.
“They asked to buy my study sheets. So then, I created a shop that eventually became viral. And yeah, and so now I sell study sheets. I passed the boards a long time ago, and now I sell them for students who are approaching the board’s exam and taking tests in nursing school.”
Identifying a Business Opportunity
The success of the study sheet Etsy shop may have been unintentional, but it demonstrates the importance of identifying a need and providing people with a solution when it comes to starting a business.
Beggs still works as a nurse despite the success, and has also started an instructing gig at a university.
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Image: Depositphotos
Gabrielle Pickard-Whitehead is a professional freelance writer and journalist based in the United Kingdom. Since 2006, Gabrielle has been writing articles, blogs and news pieces for a diverse range of publications and sites. You can read “Gabrielle’s blog here.”.
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If you are looking for inspiration to launch your own business, then meet Christina McLarty, a nurse in Omaha, Nebraska, who has found incredible success with her Etsy store.
Christina McLarty spent years as a registered nurse working with pregnant women, but outside of her regular job, she was passionate about creating custom shirts and apparel as a hobby. In 2013, when she first launched her business, she used Etsy to reach a larger customer base.
Christina thought Etsy would be a great platform to showcase her products, as well as spread the word about her designs. She started her Etsy store with just a handful of designs, which were a hit with customers. Since then, her business has grown exponentially and she now has over 150 T-shirt and apparel designs.
What has made Christina’s business so successful is her ability to adapt her products to fit customer demands. She listens to customer feedback, keeps up with the latest trends, and offers a wide variety of sizes and styles for her customers.
Despite her success, Christina still works as a nurse, but views Etsy as her main focus. Her business generates a six-figure salary, but that doesn’t stop Christina from continuing to volunteer at local nonprofit organizations to give back to her community.
With a combination of hard work, dedication and an entrepreneurial spirit, Christina McLarty demonstrates that steadily growing your business on Etsy can quite literally be a life-changing experience. In the words of Christina, “It really is possible to make a living off of Etsy if you work hard and stay focussed, and I’m living proof!”
