The Hustle & The Heart: 10 Lessons from My First Year Selling Coastal Charm in Surf City
One year ago, I diverted from a life of government service and lots of other random jobs to launching my own business, specializing in handcrafted coastal home goods, local Topsail Island art, and customized beach decor, was an act of insanity, fueled by the resilience I learned as a single mother and a combat veteran.
That first year? It was a blur of early mornings, late-night inventory counts, and endless weekends at pop-up events. I've sold my work at local festivals, negotiated with consignment shops, and, most importantly, wrestled with the world of online sales and my own website.
If you’ve seen my unique blue and white doodle prints or the custom framed Pray for Surf gifts at a market near Surf City or Topsail Beach, you know my mission: to bring authentic, high-quality North Carolina coastal charm to your home. But getting the business to you taught me some tough, invaluable lessons.
The biggest lesson from year one is that for a local business like mine, success isn't just about the website; it's about building a multi-channel presence right here in the community.
Lesson 1: The Power of the Pop-Up Event
What I Learned: Festival and pop-up events (like the ones in downtown Surf City or Wilmington N.C.) are your absolute best source of customized product orders. People need to feel the quality of a handcrafted item and talk through their personalization ideas.
SEO Action: I now use my website and social media to heavily promote where I will be, optimizing posts with hyper-local, high-intent keywords like: "Handcrafted coastal gifts at Surf City festival this weekend" or "Topsail Island Art Market dates." This drives physical traffic that converts to online sales later.
Lesson 2: Consignment is Your Coastal Showroom
What I Learned: Consignment shops and local boutiques are essential for brand visibility. They act as year-round showrooms, especially during the off-season. Tourists often search for "local artisan consignment shops near Topsail Beach"—you have to be on their radar.
SEO Action: I ensure my online store's product descriptions clearly state the quality and local origin to attract shoppers who saw the item in a store and are now searching online for the best price or to see my full collection.
I use Social media to promote my brand being available at multiple boutiques, online and in person.
Lesson 3: The Online/Website Hustle is a Marathon
What I Learned: Online sales are the key to scale, but they don't happen magically. The military taught me discipline, and the website taught me patience. My website is my storefront 24/7, but it needs constant work.
SEO Action: This is where AI has become my right-hand (wo)man. I use it to brainstorm long-tail keywords based on my pop-up feedback (e.g., “Custom wood sign for Topsail Beach house rental address”). AI helps me generate product descriptions that are both engaging and SEO-rich, directly addressing the questions a customer is typing into Google.