Man sells THIS item on Etsy; Side hustle earns him Rs 3.8 crore per year

Francisco Rivera, a 26-year-old man previously a part-time tutor, turned his life upside down by creating a lucrative business out of his side hustle of making candles and selling them on Etsy. He worked with the print-on-demand (POD) business model and made neutral-coloured organic candles with witty labels, which gained a lot of traction among the customers on Etsy. His business boomed, and he started making ample money, CNBC reported. 

How did it start?

After COVID, due to the decline in the resumption of in-person activities at school, he wasn't able to make ends meet as a part-time online tutor. In February 2023, Rivera started looking for alternative sources of income to sustain his life. He stumbled upon a YouTube video series on POD side hustles, which sparked an interest in him to start his business.  

After recognizing probable opportunities in the business, he just had to create designs, list them online, outsource production, and sell them. He started his business by figuring out the optics, using Canva as a design platform and Printify for POD services. He had a good business in his hands.

How was the business response?

According to Mr. Rivera, the 'side hustle' Etsy shop made approximately $462,000 (approximately ₹ 3.8 crore) in sales in 2023. Revealed a profit margin of 30%–50% on each sale. Even after spending around Rs 45 lakh on marketing and service costs, the profit margin remained amazing. 

He said that his working hours range from working for 20 minutes to 2 hours. His work includes researching trends and designing. With this, he can devote the majority of his time to his music career.

"I'm making more than I ever have, doing less than I ever have," Mr Rivera told CNBC Make It. 

Why candles?

Mr Rivera chose candles to sell because of their overall appeal and utility during all seasons and occasions, be it birthdays, gifts, festivals, and more. He said the businesses with funny candle shops were going viral on Etsy. The final reason for choosing candles was because it was a newer category in print-on-demand. 

He said that anyone who takes initiative and is consistent can replicate this low-risk business model.