I left my 35+ year career in property management to care for my mom after she was diagnosed with dementia. I had no plan and was going through my savings pretty quickly. When Christmas came around, I couldn’t afford to buy gifts, so my mom and I made something I had originally made for myself over 30 years ago. We gave them to family and friends, and they were such a hit that a friend’s son invited us to sell at a pop-up at his art gallery. From that very first event, we met people who invited us to sell at their events, and that’s when I realized this was just what my mom & I needed. It became a way to keep my mom active, spend our days together, and give us both a new purpose. I started an Etsy shop after I fell and broke my hand and wrist. I had to slow down on markets to heal but I still had my left hand, so I spent a month listing 100 items on Etsy with my thumb. 🤦🏻♀️ Until now, I’ve mostly listed items that aren’t our biggest sellers at markets, so I’ve just been happy whenever something sold. After joining Jodi’s group, though, I’m starting to look at Etsy differently. I know there will eventually come a time when I won’t be able to do pop-up events the way we do now, and I’d love to build an online business that’s there when that day comes. For now, I’m just incredibly grateful that I get to do this alongside my mom. My biggest challenge is finding enough hours in the day… but I know I’m not alone in that. 😊