7 Income Streams With One Niche Passion Hobby Turned Brand

Hey everyone, this is Julie, and today, for the first time ever in my podcasting career, I am bringing on a guest. Normally I do just monologues and thoughts and hot takes, but I have some people I wanna introduce you to for very specific reasons. And so I'm excited about today's episode because I think that it will inspire people who are on the sidelines, not going all in with their ideas. And I see this all the time. People think I'm too late to the game, or my niche is too niche, or how could I actually make money with something that I'm passionate about? And Christine is a client and friend, and she is gonna come on here right now and talk about all the way from the beginning until now, which it's been about 3 years, this passion of hers that she turned into a brand, a monetizable brand. And her story has a similar beginning to my story. And this is my sort of pitch, if you will, that digital marketing skills have nearly unlimited potential for you, whether it's copywriting, web design, funnel design, ads, tech, marketing, positioning. You can use these skills in so many ways, whether it's in brick and mortar or whether you're in the service industry and you're actually selling these skills as a service or whether you're creating an online brand, those skills will never go to waste in business ever. And Christine is another example of this. So I hope you enjoy the interview today. Welcome to Million Dollar Grit, the podcast that dives deep into the world of entrepreneurship, where tenacity meets strategy and dreams meet reality. My name is Julie Chenell, and I explore the raw, often overlooked truths of what it takes to succeed in business and in life. It's not just about the glossy success stories. It's about the grit it takes to get there. Hey everyone, this is Julie Chenell and I am here with a dear friend and client, member of Digital Insiders, Christine Lindbeck. She is the force behind Sewing in the City, which is a brand, an account where she sells fashion sewing products and courses and inspiring women and men to sew their own clothes. Christine, thank you so much for joining me today.

Thank you, Julie. I'm so excited to chat. Yeah.

So I, you know, I have to say, I wrote an email to my list and I mentioned something about you, but I kept you anonymous and I just got tons of replies. Who is it? What's her brand? What's her story? And so I thought, you know what, I'm just going to have you on the podcast and have you tell your story all the way from the beginning. So why don't you start with before Sewing in the City? Like, what were you doing before that brand existed?

Yeah, like way, way back I was working in fashion. That was my first career. And right around the same time that I started following you, I had left my corporate job and I was starting to work online. I was building websites for people. So that was how I was able to leave my corporate role and make money from, you know, from anywhere. And then eventually I just learned more about digital marketing and started getting more into helping course creators and starting to really understand not just building a website but actually selling things online. So it was helping all of these other people, brands, companies, you know, by building some of their tech or helping them build new products. And it was shortly after I joined DI, especially in DI, I started to see and started to you know, get to have conversations with people that were actually doing their own, own companies, their own brands from what they love. And it was, it was almost like a switch flipped in my brain of like, why am I, why don't I do this for myself? I'm helping all these other people build their things. And so it was, it really was, or kind of grew organically from that.

It's funny, you tell almost identical to my story, the same, the same thing. Like I was in web design, I was in digital marketing, I was doing for all these other people. And for those of you who are listening, the skills of digital marketing are, are worth it whether you're doing it for other people or doing it for yourself. And it sounds like in your case you had the same epiphany of, here are these skills that I have and I'm helping other people grow their brands. What is something in my world that I'm really passionate about that I could use these skills on myself? And how did you come up with the name Sewing in the City, like, it's such a good name. And I remember you were— came into DI as a digital marketer. You didn't come in as a course creator. And, and so this all happened while, you know, I forget, 2018, 2019, I can't remember.

It was like the end of 2018, and it happened within like the first 3 months of joining DI. It was like, that was the moment where I saw that it was possible. Yeah. Um, in that short amount of time Um, so Sewing in the City was, I started it when I was living in New York way like in 2015 and it was a blog. And so I was just blogging about stuff I was making. Um, so I already kind of had the, the idea that I had set it aside because I didn't know how to make money from it.

Right, right. Okay. So, yeah. So you had this passion, Sewing in the City. And so what was the very first thing that you launched, like product, monetizable product, and you didn't have a big audience. And so what was it that you did to build your audience and then launch that first product?

Yeah, so I started, I think there was like 100 people on that Instagram account and they were like, you know, they were cold, cold, cold. And so I started basically from zero and it was Launch Gorgeous. I joined the Launch Gorgeous cohort that started in January 2019. Yeah. So with that, the first thing I actually created was an opt-in. So just that free opt-in. I still have the same opt-in on my website still because it's still really good.

What do you remember? What is it? Well, you know what it is because it's there.

Yeah, the Get Started Fashion Sewing Guide. So it's just like walks you through kind of, you know, choosing a project and getting, getting started. Yeah. Okay, cool.

So you built your list with a lead magnet. You did use Facebook ads, I remember.

Oh yeah, lots. In the beginning it was all Facebook because it it definitely was the fastest way. And so I was running— I ran lead magnet ads for like a good solid 4 months before I sold anything and I was just in the list. And that's also the time period where I started my weekly newsletter, which I still do today. And I've done consistently through all these, these years.

Can I stop you and ask, like, okay, so you were growing your list. I remember you had that lead magnet, you were running Facebook ads, but you hadn't sold anything yet. The, the emotion. You remember the emotion that you felt as you were spending money with nothing coming back in?

Yeah, I, I mean, luckily at that time the ad costs were— I think that they were a little bit better than maybe they would be today. Um, I, I don't remember feeling scared. I think, I think that there are some— I don't know where I got the hope from, but I think, I think at some point you just are so in on the idea that there's no thought of this is not going to work. It's like we're going forward.

Yeah, you had commitment towards the goal and so you had more excitement than nerves, which actually is helpful for people to hear that you were determined to do this. You weren't going to just be like, oh, let's see. You were like, nope, here we go.

It's going. Yeah. And I remember because I still was taking on clients and so there was this issue of how am I going to fit this in. And so I had, you know, taken just slightly, maybe one client less to fill that spot with Sewing in the City. So I was, I was definitely invested in it as well, you know, from a financial perspective.

Okay.

So that—

Oh, sorry. No, go ahead. Go ahead.

Oh, yeah. I do remember the nerves, though, of launching that first course that I did. Those nerves I won't forget.

Yeah. So tell people, what was the very— what was the name? What was the price? And do you remember how big the list was when you first launched that course?

Yeah, it was about 800 people, I think. So, you know, it wasn't huge. I had planned to launch in March, or maybe, yeah, like first part of March, and it was right when COVID was happening. And, and so I delayed it about a month, um, which was— ended up being fine. I remember feeling really stressed about that decision, but everything fine to delay a little bit so I could really be ready. And so it was my— I launched it with a $37 front-end offer with an order bump and an OTO. I launched just to my list. I did ads, but only retargeting ads. Yeah. So, and I had how many? I think that one, I had 49 people in— 49 people join in the week launch that I did. Which was amazing.

Do you remember what was the course called?

It's called Stitch Playbook, and it's a beginning sewing course that I still have today. It still runs, and people love it. They love that it's the way it's organized. I get a lot of people that say, oh, I thought I could just find all of this on YouTube, but the course is so much so much bigger or better.

I'm so glad you said that because I think a lot of people say, well, why should I do a course when you can get stuff on YouTube? And it's all about the curation of, of the material. And so that course, Stitch Playbook, you sold, okay, so you sold 49 students. I always say 10 to 30 students in your first launch is great. It's the size of a classroom. Like imagine you're in front of a classroom in a school or at a college. That's the average size. And so you, you know, exceeded that. Obviously you didn't. Make millions on that. Do you know how many students are in that course today? Do you have any idea?

In total, in all my courses, that's like the biggest course. There's over 6,000 students so far.

So that's crazy. Yeah, I know, that's, that's so cool. Okay, so you launched that, you made, you know, not tons and tons of money. Do you remember what you did next?

What did I do next? So in that course, I decided to— one of the, one of the bonuses, like, you know how you create bonuses based objections. And one of the things was, well, what are they going to make? And so I had created a, just a really basic sweatshirt pattern, um, as a, as a great first project. And that sort of opened the door to creating these, you know, little bite-sized digital products that are downloadable patterns. So I think next I, I did some patterns.

You did some patterns. So these, these weren't gonna this wasn't gonna, you know, make you a gazillionaire either, but you were slowly starting to build this, this brand, this ecosystem of, of education and templates. And I know you were running Facebook ads. When did you decide to get into the organic game? Because your organic game is really good.

Yeah, I love organic. I, I love, I love creating. Um, I think it was It was probably right around the time I met Katie with Strong Brand Social.

Yep.

And went through the Content Strategy Accelerator and just learned the strategy behind it. And that was the first time that then I have— now I have a content calendar. I know, you know, I have content planned out a month in advance and really got serious about it.

And how long— I mean, your Reels, if you guys go to Instagram.com/sewinginthecity, I mean, your content is good. Content. It is not, you know, I feel like some of that must take you a little bit of time to make.

It's, it takes planning. Planning is the biggest part, and then, and then it's pretty easy just coming up with the concept. Um, yeah, I think, I think I kind of know, I've done enough experimentation back, you know, way back that I kind of know what works. I know what I can film easily, and, um, and I, I like it. I, so I think that, that genuinely kind of helps because I, I really like the editing process. I like choosing music. So yeah, that part is fun.

Okay, so, you know, you got started and now today, I mean, I think when I checked your Instagram account before this call, you have somewhere around 20,000 followers on Instagram. What other platforms are you on?

Yeah, so my email list is, is probably at like the, the top of the hierarchy, I would say. I still do that weekly newsletter. We just crossed 10,000 email subscribers, so that was a good milestone. Yeah, I then I have YouTube, and that I just started about a year and a half ago. And it was a girl that was working for me was like, you have to get on YouTube, you have to get on YouTube. And I was really hesitant because it felt like something else to add to the to-do list, and it felt like I just didn't have the time. But I started, and she started helping editing, so it was a little more manageable. And now I absolutely love YouTube. I wish I would have started way earlier. I see direct sales from it.

And this is great because I have a client, Trina, and she's always like, YouTube's where it's at. The content lasts forever. So you can attribute direct sales to products from your YouTube videos?

Yeah, I have now. Um, now YouTube will allow you to connect a Shopify store directly to your, your channel. And so I can put products below the video, and I— that's the only place I have the Shopify active. So even just from that, I know, oh, okay, Shopify is only from YouTube.

Um, and the, the thing is You also were able to monetize YouTube in a different way with your content, were you not? Am I remembering that correctly?

Yeah, yeah. I, so it's, it, I'm, I kind of giggle when I share that I'm monetized on YouTube because it feels like it just is kind of something that was so unexpected. But, um, I did reach the, you know, the level to be monetized and, you know, it's a good, it's been building. Like I remember the first Voxer I sent you was like, I made, you know, whatever it was, like $100 and it's been just slowly growing every month because the videos, like, one of my videos that gets the most views every day is over a year old. And so it just keeps growing and growing. And so that just brings in over $300 at this point, and I just see it grow incrementally every day.

And that is the case for YouTube, is that the content lasts a long time. You're saying that it's a video you made a year ago and it's still churning out views you, which then, you know, if that video continues to do well, and then they go to your channel and watch your other stuff and then buy products. And so, you know, you started Sewing in the City in a launch model, but now you're making sales every day. So I think if you launch during the pandemic, that was early 2020, so we're like through about 3 years in, and you're seeing organic sales whether you're showing up live or not, correct? Every single day.

Every single day. Yeah. I'm also on Etsy, so I should add that in as well, that that, that's another source of sales, even though it's not my favorite because I don't, I don't get them as a customer. But like we've talked about, I have optimized it as much as, as much as I can in the delivery of the product so that they are hopefully coming either to my Instagram or my email list.

Yeah. So, okay, so you are on Instagram, you're on YouTube, you're on Etsy, you have a Shopify store, you have a website with courses and templates. Are you— did you ever get on TikTok?

I was like, I kind of got on TikTok and then it was just too much. And so I— yeah, I, I haven't, haven't done anything with it.

It's funny because, I mean, I'm sure your stuff would do well there, and it's— you do it on Instagram, but some— for some reason it doesn't translate as well to put the Instagram Reels on TikTok.

Yeah, you know, I probably just need to add it to the repurposing calendar because I, I do that with Shorts. Like I just take the same video and I put it on YouTube Shorts. Um, so it's probably just one more step that we could add to the content calendar.

Yeah.

Yeah.

What, what is your highest product, paid product? Did you ever do any more courses again after, uh, Stitch Playbook?

Yeah. So several months after that, I launched a $97 product. And I did a full launch with that. The, you know, the launch, gorgeous launch. Also did it as a beta and I can't remember how many I had. It was, it was, it was good. It was— people loved it. It was also in the pandemic, so it was geared towards loungewear. So like that was kind of the marketing argument was the way we dress has changed. We're at home now, so you need home clothes. And so that one still sells today. It's not my bestseller because I think it is very— it's more— it's a little bit more of a narrow focus niche. Yeah. Yeah.

And you, uh, what's in the works for the future for Sewing in the City? Do you have any projects you're working on now?

Yeah, so I, um, I launched a line of physical, uh, products, like actual physical patterns that I sell wholesale. So I sell them to stores sewing, sewing stores, craft stores all around the globe. Australia, Europe, UK, US, Canada. And so I'm continuing to build. I did my first 4 styles. I took my bestsellers digitally and then produced them in physical form. And now I see that it's working. So I want to make more styles available and grow that side of the business. Um, because it's— I don't— I, I just make the sales to the wholesale account, right? And my patterns are distributed all around, so it's kind of cool.

That is cool. Do you have like a someday dream for Sewing in the City?

Um, well, my— I would say my someday dream is kind of a sister project to Sewing in the City, which is in the works. So it just moves a little, little more slowly than I would like it to, but, um, it's a, an actual line of ready wear. So, um, ready-made clothes, um, made from recycled antique linens. So, yeah, yeah, but it's really, it's really, um, it's a little bit of a trend just because people— there's a sustainability and like a one-of-a-kind kind of factor in it. Um, but I can use the patterns that I've worked so hard to, you know, develop and get fit right um, to just produce ready-to-wear clothes.

So yeah, so if someone is listening to this and they have passions or hobbies and they're thinking to themselves, gosh, it's such a long road to get there, to get where I want to go, you know, you've had other sources of revenue besides just sewing in the city. You've used your digital marketing skills in other ways, I know, with clients and consulting and things like that. What advice or what pep talk would you give to someone who is, for whatever reason, not stepping in the water to do this?

Yeah, gosh, it— I mean, on one hand, it's like it's going to happen when, when you're ready. You know, there's that kind of that feeling of like, don't push it too much. But on the other hand, you know, the clock is ticking and you've got to start, you know, and if maybe starting looks like just creating a free lead magnet lead magnet and, you know, running $10 a day of ads to it or something, whatever you can budget, or just starting organically with that lead magnet and just growing something. Um, I think, you know, whatever you feel, whatever action you could take today that feels doable and exciting to you, I would do that. And like, if, if you would have told me in 2019 that growing that email list, that first action I did, would now— I would be where I'm at now like one of the things that I want to do is build a media kit and start getting advertisers that want to advertise in my weekly newsletter.

Newsletter. Yeah.

As another source of income. I, I would not have even— that would have like blown my mind, you know? And the only way I could get there was through starting just with that free lead magnet, a little bit of ads. And I wouldn't have even known where I would get. And I still don't even know what's ahead of me because I'm just every day doing a little bit of work.

So, well, and you said, you know, when you finally kind of got, got the bug for YouTube, you wish you had started earlier. And so that's another reason to say, okay, what can I take action on now? And you did, you know, from day one, to your credit, you, you took action with money behind it from day one. I mean, that lead magnet, and you were spending money, you were, you were believing in your dream enough to make an investment on it.

Yeah. And from the beginning, like getting, getting support through DI, I really dove in that first round of Launch Gorgeous. Like I was, I like grabbed onto it, you know, that was my container that I needed just to get, to get it created and have some kind of like guide to follow of like how to do the thing. Right. So I think that, yeah, definitely it takes an investment to get it off the ground.

Yeah. And now I was trying to count as you were talking all the little sources of revenue that are starting to stack up because you've got, you know, YouTube monetization, you've got your Shopify, you've got your courses, you've got your patterns, you've got your Etsy, maybe some sponsors for your newsletter. What did you say?

Oh, your wholesale. Wholesale. The pattern, the printed patterns.

Printed patterns, right? So you get 7 income streams that you're slowly growing around this, this passion. It's fantastic.

Yeah, it's fun.

So where should people go if they want to check you out or they want to learn fashion sewing? Where should they go?

Yeah, you can definitely follow me on Instagram, Sewing in the City. Also YouTube. Everything is under the same handle. And of course my website, sewinginthecity.com.

Yeah. Awesome. Christine, thank you so much for taking us on that journey.

Yes. Thank you, Julie. Thanks for having me.

All right. Talk soon. Bye. And there you have it, folks. Another dose of Million Dollar Grit. I hope today's episode has left you feeling inspired, equipped, and ready to face your own entrepreneurial journey with resolve. Remember, until next time, embrace the struggle, harness your grit, and keep pushing forward. You're stronger than any challenge you face. I'm Julie Chenell, and this has been Million Dollar Grit.