The Shopify site took off like I never would have anticipated. I figured only my VIP customers (at this time, only around 500 people) would use my website and I imagined Etsy would be the main source of sales. It was around two years after opening my Etsy store that I decided it would be a good idea to open a Shopify store just as a backup to Etsy. We continued to grow and become busier every month. Many of my customers were actually from overseas taking advantage of the exchange rate. However, I quickly gained many customers and became super busy selling a wide range of printed inserts and also planner dividers and accessories. I am so surprised anyone bought my inserts. I knew what Australian customers were lacking in our local market - colorful inserts, great quality paper and a wide range of different inserts.Īll of these were available overseas in the United States, but the postage and the exchange rate made them financially out of reach for myself and many others. At the time there were only one or two shops in Australia that sold printed inserts. I had been part of the planner community for almost two years before I decided to put my inserts on Etsy - I quickly thought up the name Chasing Planner Peace for my store as it was a bit of a joke in the planner community that “planner peace” is elusive - leading to many online purchases to find (or create) the perfect planner. I wanted a layout similar to the popular Erin Condren planners so I could use planner stickers. Focus on the long-game.Įventually, I decided to design my own inserts. If you can give them a good experience they will come back and tell others too. I would also waste huge amounts of time, money and printer ink trying to print out the printable inserts - as every file was a different format.Ĭustomers are hard to get - each one is an investment in marketing to get them to come to your website and spend money. but I could never find a layout that really worked for me. I would download printable inserts off Etsy for calendar pages, meal planning, etc. I loved the idea of using Filofax type planners where you could really customize your planner by adding in what “inserts” (refill pages) you wanted. There’s actually quite a big community of people (mostly women) who combine organization and creativity and love using their planners as a memory-keeping, scrapbooking tool using stickers and washi tape to decorate. I had always had it drummed into me to find a secure job and stick with it - don’t take risks!Īfter my second child was born I became interested in using a paper planner as a hobby. I never dreamed that starting an Etsy store would lead to growing a company that could become a full-time career. I found my job extremely unrewarding and boring and had a little avenue for creativity. When I started Chasing Planner Peace I was a mum of two very small children, working part-time in a job for the government. What's your backstory and how did you come up with the idea? We have so many more plans for new products in 2020. We also recently started our subscription box service where every two months customers can receive a “Planner Peace Box” which is full of planner and self-care goodies. Over the past few years, we’ve really expanded our range to not only offer planners and inserts, but also planner dashboards (beautiful cover pages), dividers, notepads, stationery items and more. We also offer very niche inserts such as for people using the National Disability Insurance Scheme in Australia - there is literally nothing else like this on the market. For example, a busy mum of three who is trying to make time in her day to exercise is going to need a different planner to a young student who lives alone. We really pride ourselves on having lots and lots of options so people can choose a perfect planner that suits their unique lifestyle and needs. We also sell ready-made bundles for study, wedding planning, teachers and more. We have over 300 “inserts” that cover everything from weekly, monthly and daily layouts to trackers for fitness, meal planning, habits, health, Christmas and birthday party planning. Originally we were based on Etsy and only sold planner inserts, however, we’ve now turned into a one-stop planner shop that caters to seasoned “planner addicts” who want to add to their planners, and also planner newbies who love the fact our shop is the only store in Australia you can custom build your own ring planner style planner.Ĭustomers can choose their planner size, cover pattern, dividers, accessories and hundreds of refill options. I started Chasing Planner Peace back in 2015 when I was pregnant with my third child. I’m 34 years old from Tasmania, Australia. Hello! Who are you and what business did you start?
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