The Handcrafted Podcast: The Business of making things

Office Hours: Scaling Beyond Etsy, Holding the Line on Price, and Making Time for Systems

Paul Mencel

In this Office Hours edition, Paul answers four thoughtful listener questions covering key transitions in growing a handcrafted business. He dives into why he chose to scale beyond Etsy and the personal turning point that pushed him to hire and systematize. He shares his mindset around luxury pricing—why negotiating can erode brand value and how to communicate your worth clearly to clients. Paul also offers practical advice on carving out time to build systems while still buried in day-to-day production, including how he slowly stepped out of the shop by empowering his team and setting up Trello, SOPs, and home office days.

Whether you're a solo operator trying to grow sustainably or someone refining your client process, there’s plenty of real-world insight here to help you think bigger while staying grounded.

Join the Network