Cassiy Johnson found that her side hustles enabled her to earn a substantial income without the need for a college degree, far exceeding her initial expectations.
In March 2020, Johnson faced a furlough from her position in daycare sales. It was during this time that she stumbled upon a YouTube video, which introduced her to the concept of “print-on-demand” as a seemingly straightforward and lucrative way to generate income. Inspired by this idea, she began crafting unique T-shirt designs using her smartphone and listing them on Etsy.
In the realm of print-on-demand selling, individuals create designs on blank templates, such as T-shirts, mugs, and tote bags, and await customer orders. Once orders are placed, these designs are forwarded to manufacturers, who then print and deliver each item as per the request.
Over the course of a year and a half, Johnson’s side gig proved to be financially rewarding enough for her to make the decision to leave her full-time sales job. At the age of 31, she managed to expand her entrepreneurial ventures into three distinct revenue streams: her print-on-demand shop, another Etsy store she named “StopMockAndRoll,” and a YouTube channel boasting 126,000 subscribers, where she imparts her expertise to teach others how to replicate her success.
Currently, Cassiy Johnson reveals that her YouTube channel stands as the most financially rewarding of her ventures. Her print-on-demand store, as per documents scrutinized by CNBC Make It, has generated over $766,000 in revenue since 2020. During its peak performance, she achieved a remarkable monthly sales figure of $100,900 through the sale of T-shirts and mugs on Etsy.
Johnson approximates that about a third of her store’s revenue translated into profit until she made the decision to close the shop earlier this month. A surge in views resulting from publicity had the unintended consequence of reducing her store’s sales conversion rate, thereby jeopardizing its visibility in Etsy’s search algorithms. She notes that Etsy did not respond to CNBC Make It’s request for comment on the matter.
Undeterred, Johnson has already embarked on establishing a new print-on-demand store. This represents a significant transformation from her pre-pandemic life when she once harbored doubts about her financial prospects, believing she would be left with very little without a college degree.
Cassiy Johnson’s upbringing was rooted in Howell, Michigan, a rural community nestled alongside Thompson Lake, approximately an hour’s drive northwest of Detroit. Her life took an unexpected turn when she became pregnant at the age of 16, leading her to drop out of high school and take on a series of various jobs—working in fast-food restaurants, movie theaters, and roller rinks—just to make ends meet.
However, at the age of 19, her journey began to change course when she obtained her GED. A pivotal moment arrived when she secured her first job where she tasted success: a position as a salesperson at Art Van, a now-defunct furniture store chain prominent in the Midwest. This job, in her own words, had a transformative effect on her life.
Crucially, Johnson had the support of a manager who believed in her capabilities. She discovered a sense of purpose in this role, efficiently assisting customers in finding what they sought, and she felt that she was genuinely making a positive impact on people’s lives. Within a couple of years, she consistently ranked as the top salesperson in her store.
Reflecting on her journey, Johnson emphasizes the importance of recognizing one’s strengths in building self-confidence. She noted the contrast between her path and those of her high school peers, many of whom had pursued college education and established careers while she navigated life as a single mother, striving to make ends meet.
When Cassiy Johnson launched her Etsy store, she was already earning an annual income of $70,000 as a salesperson. Although she regarded it as the “worst job” she had ever held, it provided enough financial stability to support her family, she recalls.
In search of alternative employment options that offered better pay, Johnson contemplated transitioning to a traditional 9-to-5 job. However, she soon realized that opportunities were limited for individuals without college degrees. This realization ultimately steered her in a different direction, leading her to discover something else she excelled at. As a result, she was able to make a successful departure from the world of sales altogether.
Confidence, as emphasized by leadership experts, holds the power to significantly enhance one’s success in various professional roles.
Bonnie Low-Kramen, the author of the 2023 book “Staff Matters” and a noted workplace expert and CEO coach, asserted that confidence is the linchpin for making impactful decisions, whether you occupy a managerial position or are an entry-level employee. In her book, she underscores the paramount importance of confidence in the workplace, asserting that it stands as the single most crucial factor distinguishing individuals. Low-Kramen even contends that in many cases, a person with high confidence but lower abilities can secure a job over someone with greater skills but lower confidence.
Cassiy Johnson epitomizes the significance of confidence in her approach to running her three businesses. She dispels the notion of being a “magical unicorn” and attributes her success to her background and the insights gained from self-help books she began reading at the age of 19. These resources equipped her with the tools to cultivate a “winning mindset,” effectively establish and accomplish her goals, and assist customers in finding what they desire.
Johnson’s perspective embodies an unwavering determination and resilience, rooted in her belief that her past experiences have instilled in her a tenacious spirit. She harbors no fear of dedicating extensive hours to her pursuits and carries no expectation of failure as a paralyzing outcome. Instead, she possesses the mindset that failure, if it were to occur, would serve as an opportunity for growth and learning, demonstrating her unwavering commitment to her endeavors.
Source: cnbc.com
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