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We’ve been on quite a Zazzle journey over the past 14 years, and in the early days, Elke made quite a jump in terms of income. While she made only $2,300 in 2008 on the platform, in 2009 she ramped it up BIG TIME, taking home $37k. This episode revolves around the changes she made to make that happen. Thanks to Elke’s 5 Strategies™ she was able to take her Zazzle storefront from hobby to business, bringing home a much bigger paycheck and truly understanding how to garner success on the platform. We know that you strive for the same thing, so we wanted to go into greater detail regarding those strategies here. Here are the topics we discuss today: Our General Tips for Zazzle Success  Elke’s Journey to her Five Winning Zazzle Strategies Establish  Create  Announce  Align Analyze We hope that this episode - which is chock full of tips and our knowledge on the platform - helps you understand how you can make your own Zazzle storefront a true business that you can start to rely on for a sustainable income that’s in alignment with what you want out of life and work. To hear the full episode and to learn more about these winning Zazzle strategies, tune in to episode 99 of The Creative and Ambitious Entrepreneur Podcast: Turning A Hobby into a $37,000 Business In One Year: A Case Study. If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag us! @msjenclarke and @elkeclarke Love it? Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast. We would love to hear your key takeaways. Share them with us!   CONNECT WITH JEN & ELKE: Official Website: https://jenandelkeclarke.com/  Jen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msjenclarke/  Elke’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elkeclarke/   EPISODE RESOURCES: Episode 98: Creating Passive Income: How to Make Your First $1,000 on Zazzle  The Profit by Design Academy® Coaching Program

We know that if you’re opening a storefront on Zazzle, it’s to make money! While Zazzle certainly isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme, it’s a great way to build a passive source of income over time. But if you’re just getting started - we’re talking on this episode about how you can work to make your first $1,000 on the platform. The idea of making this money may seem daunting, but we have a host of strategies that can assist in speeding up the process and ensuring that you can work smarter - not harder! After all, we’re all about creating a passive, perceivable, and profitable business. Here are the topics we discuss today: Elke’s Earning History on Zazzle The Numbers Behind Your First $1,000 on Zazzle The Power of Self-Referral We hope that these analytical examples assist you in understanding just how you can generate your first $1k on the platform. More than that, we hope it drives home the fact that using a variety of items at different price points and the self-referral can really help you ramp up your sales, especially when you’re first getting started! To hear the full episode and to learn more about making your first grand on Zazzle, tune in to episode 98 of The Creative and Ambitious Entrepreneur Podcast: Creating Passive Income on Zazzle If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag us! @msjenclarke and @elkeclarke Love it? Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast. We would love to hear your key takeaways. Share them with us!   CONNECT WITH JEN & ELKE: Official Website: https://jenandelkeclarke.com/  Jen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msjenclarke/  Elke’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elkeclarke/   EPISODE RESOURCEEPISODE RESOURCES: Episode 4: How to Make One Million Dollars in Sales on Zazzle: Our Student’s Success Story Episode 38: How to Sell 1 Million Dollars-Worth of Zazzle Products in One Year: with Chrisine Factora Episode 62: How to Scale Your Zazzle Business with a VA: Interview with Gold ProDesigner - Christine The Profit by Design Academy® Coaching Program https://elkeclarke.com/startandscale/ Creative and Ambitious Entrepreneur FB Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/creativeandambitious/

Jen is sharing a story that’s near and dear to her heart on this episode of the podcast. She’s diving into her choice to drop out of business school for a more aligned path. From there, she really ramped up her Zazzle business - with the help of her mom, Elke, and the five strategies she developed for Zazzle success. This is a deeply personal story about Jen pursuing happiness and alignment in her life. While she had always been a great student, after two years of business school, she discovered it simply wasn’t the right path for her. What she was able to create after dropping out has given her so much freedom, joy, and abundance in her life. Here are the topics she and Elke touch upon in the conversation: Jen’s Business School Journey Jen’s Transition to Zazzle An Amazing Journey to Freedom and Happiness  Forging Your Own Online Business Path Everyone has the right to choose their own path, and hopefully this episode reinstills that in you when you listen. While breaking the mold and doing something different than what society dictates as “normal” may be intimidating, sometimes it can be the best choice you can make! To hear the full episode and to learn more about Jen’s major life decision and where it led her, tune in to episode 97 of The Creative and Ambitious Entrepreneur Podcast: From Business School Drop Out to Successful 7-Figure Online Business. If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag us! @msjenclarke and @elkeclarke Love it? Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast. We would love to hear your key takeaways. Share them with us!   CONNECT WITH JEN & ELKE: Official Website: https://jenandelkeclarke.com/  Jen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msjenclarke/  Elke’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elkeclarke/   EPISODE RESOURCES: The Profit by Design Academy® Coaching Program https://elkeclarke.com/startandscale/  The Creative CEO Mastermind™️ https://elkeclarke.com/creative-ceo-mastermind/  Creative and Ambitious Entrepreneur FB Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/creativeandambitious/

This week’s podcast episode is taking you back in time to 2007 - when Elke first started on Zazzle! She’s been on the platform for 14 years, and we’ve both learned a lot about it in that time. But today, we’re talking about the first $100 that Elke ever made on Zazzle. This recollection and reflection is intended to help you understand some key learnings on your own Zazzle journey. The beginning can be tough: there’s a lot of uncertainty along with so much to learn and understand.  Here are the topics we discuss: What is Zazzle? More Than a Website  Making Your First $100 on Zazzle Go In With a Plan Don’t Just Throw Spaghetti Against the Wall  Don’t  Give Up - Believe In Yourself! We want you to know that you’re not alone in your Zazzle journey, whether you’ve earned $0 or $10 million. All that matters is that you continue to believe in yourself and don’t give up. You started on the platform for a reason, so keep at it to meet your goals and achieve your dream life - just like we have. To hear the full episode and to learn more about our Zazzle journey so far, tune in to episode 96 of The Creative and Ambitious Entrepreneur Podcast: Sharing Our Own Journey to Making Our First $100 on Zazzle: A Case Study  If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag us! @msjenclarke and @elkeclarke Love it? Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast. We would love to hear your key takeaways. Share them with us!   CONNECT WITH JEN & ELKE: Official Website: https://jenandelkeclarke.com/  Jen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msjenclarke/  Elke’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elkeclarke/   EPISODE RESOURCES: The Profit by Design Academy®: https://elkeclarke.com/startandscale/ https://www.similarweb.com/website/minted.us/#overview https://www.similarweb.com/website/zazzle.com/#overview

This week’s podcast episode wraps up our comparison of five different print on demand (POD) platforms to Zazzle!  This has been a really fun series, and we hope that you’ve gotten a lot of value out of it.  In this final comparison, we’re diving into the details of Minted compared to Zazzle. Minted is a more prestigious brand that shoppers go to looking for high-end and luxury paper items or art. While there are definitely some big draws to the platform, there are also some serious cons that you should be aware of if you’re considering Minted for your online business journey. Here are the different criteria we touch upon: Ease of Use Cost Number of Potential Customers Earnings Potential Exclusive Rights to Design on Minted  Product Availability Niche or Type of Market Attracted Design Versatility Production Efficiency  We hope that this episode opens you up to the hoops you have to jump through to potentially sell your designs on Minted, and all the red tape that comes along with that. Furthermore, we hope that this series has given you all the facts you need to decide which POD platform is right for you. To hear the full episode and to learn about what typically holds people back from starting their own online business, tune in to episode 95 of The Creative and Ambitious Entrepreneur Podcast: Drilling Down on Two POD Platforms: Zazzle vs. Minted  If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag us! @msjenclarke and @elkeclarke Love it? Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast. We would love to hear your key takeaways. Share them with us!   CONNECT WITH JEN & ELKE: Official Website: https://jenandelkeclarke.com/  Jen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msjenclarke/  Elke’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elkeclarke/   EPISODE RESOURCES: The Profit by Design Academy®: https://elkeclarke.com/startandscale/ https://www.similarweb.com/website/minted.us/#overview https://www.similarweb.com/website/zazzle.com/#overview

Another week, another POD platform comparison! This episode continues to give you the chance to learn more about online business platforms to help decide which is right for you. Today, we (Jen and Elke) are doing something a bit different, since Etsy is not as straightforward of a POD (Print on Demand). Nonetheless, we’re bringing you a comparison between two popular online selling platforms: Zazzle and Etsy.  Etsy is a majorly popular platform in today’s world - for both buyers and sellers alike! It’s a household name, but even so, you may not have all the relevant information about selling on the platform. There’s a lot to know, so we do our best to break it down here! Here are the different criteria we touch upon: What is Etsy? Ease of Use Number of Customers  Passive POD Business Model Cost of Operation Earnings Potential Product Availability Customization Options Type of Market Design Versatility After hearing this episode, we hope that you can make a more informed decision on which platform you can best run your online business. While it’s about making a great profit, it’s also important to examine where you can have the best work/life balance, which we address in this comparison. To hear the full episode and to learn about what typically holds people back from starting their own online business, tune in to episode 94 of The Creative and Ambitious Entrepreneur Podcast: Where Can You Be More Profitable? Zazzle vs Etsy If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag us! @msjenclarke and @elkeclarke Love it? Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast. We would love to hear your key takeaways. Share them with us!   CONNECT WITH JEN & ELKE: Official Website: https://jenandelkeclarke.com/  Jen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msjenclarke/  Elke’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elkeclarke/   EPISODE RESOURCES: The Profit by Design Academy®: https://elkeclarke.com/startandscale/   Etsy Traffic Analytics and Market Share: https://www.similarweb.com/website/etsy.com/#overview Gearment Fulfillment: https://gearment.com/ Etsy Fees and Payments Policy: https://www.etsy.com/ca/legal/fees/ Zazzle Traffic Analytics and Market Share: https://www.similarweb.com/website/zazzle.com/#overview

And so our comparison series continues! Another podcast episode means another chance for us to compare Print on Demand (POD) platforms to help you decide which is right for you for your online business. Today, we (Jen and Elke) are diving into a comparison between two popular print on demand platforms: Zazzle and Society6.  It’s important to us that you make an informed decision when it comes to your business, so we’re spilling all the details on these platforms here. There are certainly ups and downs to each of these platforms, so hopefully this deep dive spells it out in clear terms. Here are the different criteria we touch upon: Cost Ease of Use Customer Reach Earnings Potential Product Availability & Opportunity to Curate  Customization Type of Market & Niche It’s our hope that this comparison gets you one step closer to your online business goals. Selling online can seem intimidating, but choosing the right POD platform is really the first step in an exciting journey! To hear the full episode and to learn about what typically holds people back from starting their own online business, tune in to episode 93 of The Creative and Ambitious Entrepreneur Podcast: Which Platform Can You Be More Successful On? Zazzle vs Society6 If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag us! @msjenclarke and @elkeclarke Love it? Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast. We would love to hear your key takeaways. Share them with us!   CONNECT WITH JEN & ELKE: Official Website: https://jenandelkeclarke.com/  Jen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msjenclarke/  Elke’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elkeclarke/   EPISODE RESOURCES: The Profit by Design Academy®: https://elkeclarke.com/startandscale/   E-commerce as Percentage of Total Retail Sales Worldwide from 2015 to 2025: https://www.statista.com/statistics/534123/e-commerce-share-of-retail-sales-worldwide/  Society6 Traffic Analytics & Marketshare: https://www.similarweb.com/website/society6.com/#overview  Zazzle Traffic Analytics & Marketshare: https://www.similarweb.com/website/zazzle.com/#overview

Let’s continue our comparison series! We’re on a mission to help you choose the print on demand (POD) platform that’s right for you as an online business. Today, we (Jen and Elke) are diving into a comparison between two popular print on demand platforms: Zazzle and Spoonflower.  Both Zazzle and Spoonflower have benefits and drawbacks associated with them, but which wins out in the end for someone looking to make a passive income in the online space? Well, we’re giving you all the details so that you can make an informed decision! Here are the different criteria we touch upon: Ease of Use Overall Cost Number of Potential Customers Earnings Potential Product Availability Customization Type of Market Design Versatility We hope that this analysis helps you understand where you can make a living best within the print on demand space. We know it’s a tough decision and you’re looking to support yourself in the best and most efficient way possible, which is why we did the research for you on this one! To hear the full episode and to learn about what typically holds people back from starting their own online business, tune in to episode 92 of The Creative and Ambitious Entrepreneur Podcast: Which Print on Demand Platform Suits Your Needs? A Look at Zazzle vs. Spoonflower  If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag us! @msjenclarke and @elkeclarke Love it? Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast. We would love to hear your key takeaways. Share them with us!   CONNECT WITH JEN & ELKE: Official Website: https://jenandelkeclarke.com/  Jen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msjenclarke/  Elke’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elkeclarke/   EPISODE RESOURCES: The Profit by Design Academy® - Learn how to get started and scale your ideas: https://elkeclarke.com/startandscale/   Webstats for Spoonflower: https://www.similarweb.com/website/spoonflower.com/#overview  Webstats for Zazzle: https://www.similarweb.com/website/zazzle.com/#overview

Today, we (Jen and Elke) are diving into a comparison between two popular print-on-demand platforms: Zazzle and RedBubble. These each have their own advantages and disadvantages, and we’re using our own distinct set of criteria to help you decipher which of them may be right for you from an online business standpoint. We have a lot of expertise on the Zazzle platform, having sold there for the past 14 years. With that being said, we have a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with you and we also have done tons of research on comparable platforms so that we can help you make an informed decision. Here are the different criteria we touch upon: Ease of Use Number of Potential Clients  Type of Market Searchability  Design Versatility Product Availability Work Once, Sell Many Times Over Many Years Hopefully, this breakdown is useful for you if you’re considering taking the plunge and starting your own print-on-demand online business. It’s an exciting journey, and we certainly want to help you choose the platform that’s most aligned with your vision. To hear the full episode and to learn about what typically holds people back from starting their own online business, tune in to episode 91 of The Creative and Ambitious Entrepreneur Podcast: Zazzle vs Redbubble: Which is the Best Online Business? If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag us! @msjenclarke and @elkeclarke Love it? Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast. We would love to hear your key takeaways. Share them with us!   CONNECT WITH JEN & ELKE: Official Website: https://jenandelkeclarke.com/ Jen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msjenclarke/ Elke’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elkeclarke/   EPISODE RESOURCES: Creative and Ambitious Entrepreneur FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/creativeandambitious/ The Profit by Design Academy® Coaching Program: https://elkeclarke.com/startandscale/

When we (Jen and Elke) think back to when we started on Zazzle in 2008, there are a lot of similarities between the world then and the world now. Back then, there was a housing recession and it was the start of e-commerce. Now, we have a lot of uncertainty with COVID-19 and there’s a recession looming. With that being said, a lot of people are looking for a job that can give them some kind of career and income security.  Online businesses are a great way to achieve that, but still, a lot of people are hesitant to start one. Why is that? Well, that’s what we’re addressing in this podcast episode. Here are the five different objections that we talk about: People Don’t Know About Zazzle and How It Can Be  A Great Option Overwhelm by What Business to Choose Fear of Delving Into the Unknown Doubts Whether the Business Will Succeed Experiencing Imposter Syndrome We understand these fears, but we also want to help you overcome them so you can tap into an amazing business model that can bring so much to your life. We’ve experienced that with Zazzle, and we help aspiring entrepreneurs achieve their own Zazzle success every day.  To hear the full episode and to learn about what typically holds people back from starting their own online business, tune in to episode 90 of The Creative and Ambitious Entrepreneur Podcast: 5 Reasons Why People Don't Start an Online Business If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag us! @msjenclarke and @elkeclarke Love it? Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast. We would love to hear your key takeaways. Share them with us!   CONNECT WITH JEN & ELKE: Official Website: https://jenandelkeclarke.com/  Jen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msjenclarke/  Elke’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elkeclarke/   EPISODE RESOURCES: Creative and Ambitious Entrepreneur FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/creativeandambitious/  The Profit by Design Academy® Coaching Program: https://elkeclarke.com/startandscale/

Everyone likes to have a little extra money in their bank account, right? Whether you’re trying to meet a savings goal or looking to fund a big purchase, bringing in an extra $1,000 a month is definitely possible thanks to an array of different side hustle options. In this episode, we (Jen and Elke) are diving into six side gigs that are ideal for creatives.  Along with explaining what these side gigs are, we’re talking through the possible pitfalls of each as well as tips and tricks about best matching yourself to the right side hustle. Just because this won’t be your main job doesn’t mean you shouldn’t align it with your strengths and interests. Here are the six different side hustle options we explain: Affiliate Marketing/Blogger Facebook or Instagram Influencer  Freelancer Drop Shipping Business  Etsy Maker Print on Demand Business There’s no shortage of side hustle options out there, and finding the one that is best suited for you can make a big difference in your bottom line. Now, all that’s left for you to do is decipher which side gig is best for you, your skills, and your preferences. To hear the full episode and to learn about possible side gigs to rake in extra cash, tune into episode 89 of The Creative and Ambitious Entrepreneur Podcast: 6 Best Side Hustles to Make an Extra $1,000 Monthly If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag us! @msjenclarke and @elkeclarke Love it? Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast. We would love to hear your key takeaways. Share them with us!   CONNECT WITH JEN & ELKE: Official Website: https://jenandelkeclarke.com/  Jen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msjenclarke/  Elke’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elkeclarke/   EPISODE RESOURCES: Influencer Marketing Costs: https://www.businessofapps.com/marketplace/influencer-marketing/research/influencer-marketing-costs/  Episode #85 - Zazzle vs. Etsy: How to Avoid the Etsy Struggles and Sell Digitally on Zazzle with Ease: https://elkeclarke.com/zazzle-vs-etsy-85/ The Profit by Design Academy® Coaching Program: https://elkeclarke.com/startandscale/

Working from home has so many benefits associated with it, but there are also some downsides to note. It can be hard to focus and there is no shortage of distractions when working from your own space. But, work still must get done! That’s why, in this episode, we (Jen and Elke) are sharing six tips for productivity while ensuring you practise self care too. Besides just sharing efficiency tips and tricks, we’re also noting ways to get your mindset in a good place. Your mental health plays a huge role in how productive and efficient you are, so these tips should definitely not be overlooked! Here are the tips we go into deeper detail on: Tip #1: Take Regular Breaks Tip #2: Create a To-Do List in Advance Tip #3: Cut Down on Time Wasters  Tip #4: Schedule Time for Self-Care Tip #5: Set Boundaries  Tip #6: Communicate Clear Expectations to Those Around You The more you can work smarter instead of harder, the more you’ll be able to get done, and - in turn - the more success you’ll have. Running an online business is tough work, so every way that helps conserve energy and allows you to cross more off of your list is a huge help. We know that because we’ve been in your shoes! To hear the full episode and to learn how to hack your productivity, tune into episode 88 of The Creative and Ambitious Entrepreneur Podcast: 6 Tips to Maximize Work-From-Home Productivity and Mindset If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag us! @msjenclarke and @elkeclarke Love it? Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast. We would love to hear your key takeaways. Share them with us!   CONNECT WITH JEN & ELKE: Official Website: https://jenandelkeclarke.com/  Jen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msjenclarke/  Elke’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elkeclarke/   EPISODE RESOURCES: Pomodoro Technique: https://francescocirillo.com/pages/pomodoro-technique Tomato Timer free option: https://www.focusboosterapp.com/ Christine’s insight on using a VA: https://youtu.be/17Gh5hkhlqc Episode #62 - Scale your Zazzle business with a VA: Interview with a Gold ProDesigner - Christine: https://elkeclarke.com/how-to-scale-your-zazzle-business-62/  The Profit by Design Academy® Coaching Program: https://elkeclarke.com/startandscale/