Francisco Rivera, a former online tutor, found success selling candles on Etsy, bringing in six figures last year through his print-on-demand business. Rivera chose organic candles with witty labels as his product of choice, creating designs on Canva and using Printify to manufacture and ship the products. Despite his lack of passion for candles, Rivera was able to quit his tutoring job in December 2023 due to the success of his Etsy shop, which brought in approximately $462,000 in sales. About 30% to 50% of each sale is profit, allowing Rivera to work only 20 minutes per day on average.
Working only a few minutes per day on his business, Rivera is able to dedicate the rest of his time to pursuing a music career. He believes that the print-on-demand model is replicable and low-risk, requiring minimal financial investment upfront. Rivera emphasizes the value of consistency and hard work in building a successful side hustle, noting that it is important to channel the same dedication put into a 9-to-5 job into a passion project or additional source of income. While the print-on-demand market is competitive, Rivera believes there is always room for new sellers offering unique products.
Despite having little interest in candles personally, Rivera chose to sell them as they were a newer category in the print-on-demand market at the time. He noticed an opportunity to create witty phrases for candles, as many people were already selling apparel and mugs. Rivera found that candles made great gifts, with many buyers on Etsy specifically searching for them. The concept of coming up with humorous or clever sayings to put on candles appealed to Rivera, as he saw it as a unique marketing angle compared to other products in the market.
One of the biggest challenges Rivera faces in his side hustle is dealing with copycats who replicate his popular designs and skip to the top of search results. This forces him to continuously monitor his listings for copyright infringement and focus on developing new candle designs to stay ahead of the competition. While some recommend using sales analytics tools to track demand versus competition, Rivera believes it is more important to be flexible with creativity. He advises other sellers to not become attached to designs that are not performing well and to research and adapt to what is selling successfully in the market.
Rivera’s success with his side hustle demonstrates the potential to earn a substantial income outside of a traditional job through innovative business models and creative marketing. By leveraging platforms like Etsy and tools like Printify, individuals can tap into the burgeoning market of print-on-demand products and capitalize on consumer trends. Rivera’s story serves as inspiration for those looking to diversify their income streams and pursue entrepreneurial ventures, even in industries they may not have a personal interest in. His dedication to consistency and hard work underscores the value of persistence and adaptability in building a successful side hustle.
