🎧 Listen to this blog post as a Podcast instead #93 - “Your niche is your flag - plant it, own it, and never deviate.”

Right. Meet Gemma from Wild & Gem – archaeologist-turned-jeweller capturing real bits of the outdoors and turning them into wearable moments. 🌿✨

In this chat we get practical, not precious:
• 📸 iPhone photos that actually sell – no fancy kit, just light and intention
• 🎯 Your niche is your flag – plant it, own it, stick to it
• 💬 Shout your standout on every listing and post
• 🧭 Use envy like a compass to find what you really want
• 🐢 The tortoise strategy – small, steady moves that stack
• 🛍️ From first markets to gallery stock – visibility without the ick
• 🤝 Why community turns lonely building into confident action

If you’ve been hiding behind your products, second-guessing your prices, or waiting for “perfect” photos, this episode is your nudge. Listen in, take one idea, implement it today, and let it snowball. ☕️🚀

Insta @ wildandgem - https://www.instagram.com/wildandgem/ 
Etsy 'wildandgem' https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/WildandGem 
SMS - www.handmadebosses.com/sms 

Tea With Gemma: Nature, Niche, and A Little Nerve

Grab a cuppa. I sat down with Gemma from Wild & Gem and within two minutes we were laughing about her “studio” setup: window light, an iPhone, and a stack of books pretending to be a tripod. No fancy kit. Just knowing her product and the light. Which, honestly, is the point.

Gem’s jewellery lives in three little worlds: things found in nature, things cast from nature, and things inspired by nature. Think real shells turned into charms, tiny botanicals preserved forever, Northern Lights colours bottled into pieces you actually want to wear. It’s outdoors energy, done with care.

We chatted about where ideas really come from. She keeps a sketchbook. Snaps photos of colours and textures on walks. Then she does the smart bit most makers skip: she builds from what already sells. If forget-me-nots are flying, that’s a clue. Can it become a bracelet, a lighter everyday necklace, a giftable set? She grows sideways from one winner instead of starting 12 brand new ideas on a tired Tuesday. Sensible. Sustainable. Very tortoise-beats-hare.

We also spoke about the moment she niched for real. Not a vague “I kinda do nature”. I mean a proper flag in the ground: this is my theme, these are my materials, I don’t deviate. Customers feel that certainty. It reads as quality. It makes decisions easier. And it stops the late-night “maybe I should try resin keyrings?” spiral. If it’s your hobby, it’s allowed to be your hobby. Your shop can stay focused.

Photos? She keeps it simple there too. Natural light. One prop if it helps with scale. Close-ups so buyers can see the detail. And because she isn’t drowning in backdrops and faff, the jewellery leads. Funny how that works.

Then came the scary bit she did anyway: showing up in real life. Markets. People. Eyes on you. She worried about seeing folks she knew. She went. Someone she knew did see her… and now her work is stocked in their gallery. That’s the kind of thing that rarely happens from the sofa. You don’t have to be loud to be visible. You just have to be there.

My favourite line from Gem? “Use envy as a compass.” Not the toxic kind. The little twinge when you see a stall that looks put together or an Instagram grid that’s coherent. Instead of spiralling, ask what the envy is pointing at. Consistent colour? Clear messaging? A tighter product range? Name it, then do one small action that moves you towards it. Twenty minutes. Done.

We touched on confidence too. Not the shouty kind. The steady, quiet kind that comes from a plan, a niche, and some wins under your belt. Gem calls HBSA her business buddy because she dips in when she needs a tool, then gets back to making. No rush. No guilt. Just next step energy.

Her next year is simple: sharpen socials, keep stretching the bestsellers, hold the line on materials and standards. Slow, steady, repeatable. While the hare naps, the tortoise moves.

If you take one thing from our chat, let it be this: clarity sells. Clarity in your photos. Clarity in your niche. Clarity in your words. Write your one-liner and put it everywhere buyers see you. Made from what. Inspired by what. For who. If it’s hidden, it doesn’t exist.

If you want the full conversation, it’s on the podcast and YouTube. Have a listen while you reshoot that one listing you’ve been avoiding. Then tell me what small step you took today. I’ll cheer loudly.

And if the sticking point is the posting part…

Make the posting bit lighter

If showing up on socials feels heavy, that’s exactly why I built Social Media Sidekick (SMS). You’ll get weekly plug-and-play captions, hooks and story prompts, photo ideas that sell the meaning not just the item, and a 20-minute posting plan so you can market and get back to making. It keeps you consistent without the mental load, boosts reach with buyer-friendly messaging, and turns browsers into buyers by repeating your standout everywhere.

It’s £34.99 per month. Gift buyers are searching now and algorithms reward consistency now, so don’t wait for “perfect”.

Join SMS: https://www.handmadebosses.com/sms 

Love Steph & Team HB xox

👋 Welcome everyone! My name is Steph, I've been running my handmade business full time on Etsy since 2016, and I'm here to help you! 

🧡 I'll help you to start an Etsy shop, Etsy ads, show you how to sell more on Etsy, get to grips with Etsy SEO, Etsy branding, Etsy product ideas, finding your target market, identifying your niche and many many more.

🛍️ If you have an Etsy shop or your own website selling handmade products, or want to start one, this is THE channel you need to be subscribed to!

💰 I help makers start, run and scale their handmade businesses. Turning them from an expensive hobby to profitable businesses making 4 and 5 figure months on Etsy and your own website.

✨ Join the HBSA waitlist

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✨ Work with us for deeper transformative results

✨I go live most Mondays on YouTube and in my Facebook group for mini workshops to help you make more money from your handmade business! You can see our upcoming events here

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