The online buying and selling hub, Etsy, has submerged itself almost seamlessly into modern American culture. Its ingenious concept is now not foreign to the average household: buying and selling products through an online mediator. The creation and nature of Etsy is a prime example of the thought concept entrepreneurial mind. It makes possible and encourages the individual’s ability to sell simply. As a new Etsy seller myself, I’ve firsthand experienced the ease behind listing and growing a store’s presence.
The start of Etsy is riddled with the essence of entrepreneurship. It began with a frustrated entrepreneur, struggling to sell his creations successfully and consistently online. Rob Kalin was a woodworker at 25 years old when his frustrations led him to the engineering of Etsy. He founded it in 2005 and served as its CEO until 2008. He told Reader’s Digest during this period that “the industrial revolution and consolidation of corporations are making it hard for independent artisans to distribute their goods”.
I love how his story is inspired by real problems he noticed in the American economy and his own life. This points to the reassuring concept that problems in business and otherwise are usually relatable. Solutions can be widespread and shared to create something of an empire that can bring people together for common betterment.
Hi! Great job on your post. I really enjoyed reading it and learning some new things. I had never heard of the story behind the founding of Etsy, and I didn’t even know who originally created the idea. It is interesting that the idea bloomed because Rob Kalin responded to the frustration of the difficult problem of struggling to sell his creations to online customers. His story shows the importance of giving attention to real problems that affect a lot of people.
Etsy does offers a lot of flexibility for local artisans. For many it pays for their passion, but others can turn it into a life long venture.