10 Handmade Goods Business Success Stories [2024]
A handmade craft business entails selling own-crafted products on online platforms like Alibaba, Etsy, an independent website, or social media.
To succeed in selling handmade goods, you'll need solid creative skills. Your creativity can help you build a strong brand.
And with online marketplaces, handmade shopping has become a popular trend.
In recent years, consumers worldwide have shown their support of independent businesses and entrepreneurs, especially those venturing into the handmade goods business.
Here are some real life success stories of starting a handmade goods business:
1. PortraitFlip LLC ($540K/year)
Sunny Choudhary, along with his co-founders Lavdeep Chahal and Shubhanshu Maheshwari, came up with the idea for PortraitFlip while searching for a platform that could deliver handmade portraits. They realized there were only a few companies providing such a service and saw it as a great opportunity. With a college side hustle, an initial investment of Rs. 23,000, and hard work, they were able to turn PortraitFlip into a successful startup yielding 3.5crs.
How much they make: $540K/year
How much did it cost to start: $60
Current team size: 15
PortraitFlip is a successful startup that delivers handmade portraits globally with a clientele base in the USA and yields 3.5crs through their 100% customer satisfaction guarantee, and they started with an initial investment of only Rs.23,000.
2. Batch ($1.8M/year)
Sam Davidson, the co-founder and CEO of Batch, and his co-founders came up with the idea for their business during a conversation about the lack of a one-stop shop for small-batch, handmade gifts in Nashville. They decided to start with a subscription box concept called Batch, offering four Nashville-made items each month. Their goal was to reach 200 monthly subscribers, but they exceeded expectations by hitting that mark in their first month and saw sales increase to 1,000 by month three.
How much they make: $1.8M/year
Current team size: 6
Regional gift and retail company Batch has grown its annual revenue to almost $1.8m by honing its operating model, targeting other cities such as its home base Nashville, and relying on repeat business by keeping purchase percentages for gifts at approximately 90%.
So... can you actually make money with a handmade goods business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
3. With Love From T To You ($12K/year)
Theresa, the owner of the blog DIY Lifestyle, started her blog as a way to share useful information about gluten-free, vegan, and healthy recipes, crafts, and travel tips. Over time, she realized she could monetize her blog by selling handmade products through her small business called "With Love From T to You." With her blog and Etsy shop combined, Theresa now makes an average income of $700 a month.
How much they make: $12K/year
How much did it cost to start: $200
Current team size: 1
DIY Lifestyle blog owner, Theresa, turned her passion for crafting and writing into a side income source, attracting hundreds of thousands of global visitors, with her blog generating $400-$500 a month and her online Etsy store bringing in an additional $200-$300 a month, showcasing her unique, all-natural, one-of-a-kind polymer clay earrings, home decor, and huts inspired by Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, reading and home decorating.
4. Humble Blades ($24K/year)
In a bold and risky move, Chris Sofia decided to start a custom knife business with no prior knowledge or experience in the industry. Armed with only his passion for knives and a desire to break free from the corporate world, Chris invested his last unemployment check into purchasing materials and embarked on a journey of trial and error. Through perseverance and dedication, he honed his skills and turned his passion into a successful handmade knife brand, attracting customers through authenticity and personalized customer service. As he looks towards the future, Chris aims to scale his business and become a true leader in the industry.
How much they make: $24K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
Current team size: 1
Chris Sofia shares how he turned his passion for knives and his marketing and design background into a bespoke knife-making business with a focus on authenticity and customer service, using social media as his primary marketing tool.
So... can you actually make money with a handmade goods business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
5. Just Artisan ($120K/year)
Just Artisan, a handmade-only marketplace founded by Marcello De Lio, has seen impressive growth since its launch in 2020. With $15,000 in sales during December 2020 and a strong customer base, the platform is on track for continued growth in 2021. De Lio's personal experience selling handmade goods and observing the frustrations of artists competing against drop shippers and facing rising fees inspired him to create a platform that supports artists and provides them with a true handmade marketplace.
How much they make: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $25K
Current team size: 2
Just Artisan is a handmade-only marketplace that has achieved over $15,000 in sales during December and is on track to expand with 400 vendors and 2,000 products since launching fully in June 2020.
6. Cherrico Pottery ($1.32M/year)
How much they make: $1.32M/year
Current team size:
One potter went from selling zero to 100 cups per day, earning six figures and now has a team of four, all in just five years.
So... can you actually make money with a handmade goods business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
- 4,818 founder case studies
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- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
