This week Mom Ink had the opportunity to speak to Erin Green, the newly appointed Canadian Country Lead at Etsy. There were a lot of reasons we were keen to chat with Erin. Etsy is an online marketplace for independent creative businesses—something we have a lot of interest in from our days making handmade blankets at Admiral Road. Plus, Erin’s professional pedigree is enviable: She launched her career as an entrepreneur in her early twenties with her vintage clothing shop. From there she’s honed her marketing and communications chops with a long stint at Lululemon and, most recently, eLuxe, Canada’s premier online retailer. Erin is also a mom to two young boys.
Mom Ink (MI): What lessons did you learn as an entrepreneur that you’ve carried with you throughout your career?
Erin Green (EG): The overarching lesson is that as an entrepreneur, you get to wear so many hats. Owning your own company, being involved in its activities day-to-day gives you a holistic view. You don’t become a subject matter expert, rather you get to be involved in all aspects of the business.
MI: You’ve said that you are working to create key partnerships with like-minded businesses to increase Etsy’s visibility in unconventional and innovative ways. These collaborations will exist both digitally and physically. What will these partnerships look like?
EG: Our main focus is growing our seller community by providing opportunities: media exposure, blogger events. We’ve just launched an affiliate program that we’re really proud of. We’ll do more shows focused on taking the Etsy brand ‘beyond the booth.’
MI: What trends are you seeing in the digital space?
EG: Etsy tends to stay away from anything trendy. We stay close to our original intent: We value craftsmanship and entrepreneurship. We’re mindful and transparent. It’s one of the reasons I love the brand.
MI: Do you have any online marketing tips for small businesses?
EG: You need to have a clear plan and objective for your business. Whenever you’re thinking about adding bells and whistles, you should always be coming back to your objective. Make sure your goals are clear.
MI: Your sons are six and four years old. How do you manage work and family?
EG: We made a conscious decision to jam-pack our weekends with fun activities. Basically, if it’s fun for the kids, we’ll do it. I established a few non-negotiables early in my career. I decided that I would be home for dinner with my family, and around for my kids in the morning. It’s important for me to go to work. I wouldn’t do it otherwise.
With the Pinterest-ification of the internet, beautiful handmade crafts like those available on Etsy have never been hotter. With Erin Green on the team, we’re excited to see what’s next for Etsy in Canada.
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