You want a thriving, profitable handmade business that allows you to live your dream.
Join the Thriver Circle today and get the education, advice, & support you need to plan, create, & grow YOUR ideal handmade business.
Hey there, maker.
Welcome to the Thriver Circle.
If you’ve ever found yourself thinking…
‘I wish I had a step-by-step guide to everything I need to do to get my handmade business up and running.’
- ‘I really want to be part of a mastermind of makers who are serious about growing their businesses.’
- ‘I want to learn from someone who has done what I am trying to do.’
- ‘My business is doing okay… but I want it to grow faster.’
- ‘I’m willing to work hard – but I’m not quite sure what I should work on next?’
- ‘I want business help and advice that is specific to makers.’
…then you’re in the right place.
"Looking back at what I was doing a year ago, I can see how much I have learned and how you have helped me on my journey.
I am so grateful to have found you. Your kindness and no nonsense approach was just what I needed!
Thank you for giving me the confidence and knowledge to get me this far.
Your teaching has been more than information - it has been formative life-changing guidance.
You have made this past year so fun and exciting.
My business is finally taking shape and I feel like I am living my dream.
It’s all up from here.
Thanks to you for helping me build my brand and my confidence to do what I love!"
Does any of this sound familiar?
You've got limited time...
- You want practical, step-by-step strategies that are proven to actually work – not just theoretical, ‘you can do it’ fluff & motivational ‘ask the universe’ rah-rah.
- You want information that’s relevant to you right now, that you can consume in your own time, and fit in around your existing commitments – because you are already busy, right?
- You want to learn about more than just how to have a successful Etsy shop. Etsy’s awesome, but you know it’s only part of the story. You want a successful business, not just an ‘Etsy business’.
You're not sure what to do next...
- You’ve been trying to make this happen for so long, but keep coming up against your own self-doubt, and this keeps holding you back.
- You’re a bit skeptical about all the expensive courses out there that make big, seemingly unrealistic promises of success. You want help, but you think $2,000 for one course is asking a bit too much (and honestly, so do I)!
- You wish you were part of a genuinely caring community of makers who are supportive, knowledgeable, and uplifting, without the drama and selling you see in so many free Facebook groups.
You're struggling to launch...
- You’ve been wanting to turn your handmade hobby into a business for ages, but just can’t figure out how to get started. What should you do first?
- You feel a bit lost & frustrated with your progress – you just don’t know what do to next to move your business forward. You want someone to give you a roadmap!
- You find the idea of marketing & selling a bit uncomfortable and overwhelming. Is there an easier, better way to share your business with the world?
I hear you.
I know how overwhelming, frustrating, and isolating it can be to grow a handmade business on your own.
I’ve been there!
I want to help you fast-forward your business growth.
I firmly believe that the best way to learn is to tap into the knowledge of mentors and colleagues who have already figured out the what, how, why, and when of what really works.
I created the Circle to share my knowledge with you – and to give you access to other people who are serious about the growth of their handmade businesses.
No matter how you sell your craft, or where you are in the world, the Thriver Circle is for you.
Don’t you deserve to see your dream become reality?
“Joining the Thriver Circle has been a real turning point in the development of my business.
I’ve gained so much insight in the few months I’ve been a member and love the support and encouragement from the group.
I would recommend it to anyone just starting out or who has been in business for a while as there is always something new to learn and a direction to grow in.“
~ Tamsyn Simmonds
“I’m so glad I joined the Thriver Circle.
I figured I’d join and see what it was all about and probably cancel after a month or two.
Once I started getting involved though, I decided it was well worth staying on.
Not only is Jess a wealth of knowledge, the suggestions and support from the other Thrivers is invaluable.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend joining the Circle to anyone running (or wanting to run) their own crafting business.”
~ Sarina Cunningham
The Circle is a community and educational resource for makers – created by a maker.
Meet Your Teacher
I’m Jess Van Den, and in 2015 I created the Thriver Circle – this private membership community for makers – to help you create your own successful handmade business.
I’ve run my own successful handmade business – Epheriell – since 2008.
In that time, I’ve made hundreds of thousands of dollars from selling my craft, and I’ve been fully self-employed since 2010.
I’ve also helped over 5,000 makers – just like you – to create thriving & profitable handmade businesses since 2013.
In the Thriver Circle, I teach you the exact steps to follow in order to craft the business you’ve dreamed of.
I’ve done it – I want to show you how you can do it, too.
The Circle is about SO much more than ‘how to sell on Etsy’.
Don’t get me wrong – Etsy is a great place to launch and grow a handmade business, and I sell there to this day.
But having a sustainable, long-term business means you need to think beyond just selling on Etsy.
Will I teach you how to sell on Etsy successfully? You betcha!
But I’ll also teach you so many other fundamental business skills that will help you grow a thriving handmade business no matter where or how you want to sell your creations.
The Circle will give you step-by-step education and support that will help your handmade business grow and thrive – starting today.
Inside the Thriver Circle, you'll find...
Your Year to Thrive – an epic year-long course – to super-charge your biz growth and help you to overcome the overwhelm of starting and growing a business.
Monthly live coaching calls with Jess so you can learn from her 17 years in the handmade industry.
Fellow makers in our vibrant private Facebook community so you can get your questions answered and feel supported.
An immediately accessible library of 50+ video workshops worth over $3,500 on all aspects of handmade business that will give you tested and proven tips to help you succeed.
Monthly Themes and Courses covering all aspects of handmade business so you can make step-by-step guided progress towards realising your dream.
Access to Shop Critiques and Business Intensives with Jess, and the chance to have your business highlighted in front of over 40,000 people in the wider Create & Thrive community through our Thriver Circle Member Spotlights!
Here's what's coming up in the next few months...
February 2025
Understanding your Vision and Planning to Make it Happen.
March 2025
How to Understand, Find, and Delight your Ideal Customer.
April 2025
How to Brand your Business so it Stands Out from the Crowd!
May 2025
Designing and Launching New Products.
“Thrivers, I just want to say THANK YOU.
An interview I did last month was published today, and in it I spoke about the importance of finding your tribe. Well: You’re my tribe!
It’s great to be able to duck in and out of this group for insight, inspiration, advice and just to feel like I’m not alone in all of this when some days just feel like I’m in struggletown: population zero!
It’s easier knowing we’re all dealing with variations of the same things, and can offer support, guidance and hope.
It is SO beneficial on this journey.
I’m only 15 months into my business journey but there’s been so much synchronicity, that I know I’m on the right path. Thank you for cocreating this journey.”
~ Suzanne Cleary
I’ve been a member of the Thriver Circle for a few years now and the knowledge I have learnt from the workshops, podcasts and monthly challenges has been pivotal in the growing success of my business.
When running your own business there is always something that can be improved or further developed, and the resources that Jess provides to members are the perfect framework for every handmade business owner’s needs, no matter whether you’re just starting out or have an established business.
Everything is presented in an easy to follow format with clear actionable steps.
I view my membership in the Thriver Circle as an investment in myself, after all the most important part of your business is you!
~ Stacey Howard
You dream of running your own successful, thriving, and profitable handmade business.
Maybe all you have right now is a dream.
Maybe you have a hobby you love and an inkling that you could make money out of this thing.
Or maybe you already have a business up and running, but know you don’t have everything figured out just yet.
You’re passionate. You’re dedicated. You know you want to make this happen.
But you just aren’t sure if you’re doing all the right things, in the right order.
Imagine if someone could guide you through every single step that you need to take in order to turn that dream into a concrete reality?
What would that mean to you? What difference would it make to your life?
I’m offering you exactly that.
Your Year to Thrive is the program you’ve been searching for.
Every member of the Thriver Circle gets access to Your Year to Thrive!
In this course I have pulled together all that I have learned over the last 17 years – it covers everything you need to learn and do to make your business a success.
This program is also deliberately designed to fit into your busy life – with one lesson released on one topic every week for a whole year, it is at a pace you can actually enact, and will help you to make informed, epic progress on building your business. Work on it at your pace, in your time.
You gain access to the first lesson when you start the course, and then get one lesson each week for the remainder of the year.
If you do NOTHING else inside the Circle apart from this course, you will revolutionise your business!
Say goodbye to wondering ‘am I missing something’? Or ‘am I doing this right’? Or even ‘is this even possible’?
Yes. It is possible. I did it, and so have many, many others. You can, too.
This is the course I wish existed during my first few years in business.
Here's what it covers:
> Module 1 – Vision
Get clear on exactly what you want your handmade business to be. This crucial step is often overlooked by those transitioning from a hobby to a business.
> Module 2 – Foundation
From a clear vision, you will determine exactly what your business direction and Brand Personality will be, and who your Ideal Customers are.
> Module 3 – Plan it Out
In this module you will create a simple, actionable business plan, and you will also decide how you are going to incorporate ongoing planning and goal-setting into your business so you stay on-track to realise your vision.
> Module 4 – Product Development
You will take a hard look at your current products and determine if you need to re-calibrate your product line so that it reflects your vision, brand identity, and is unique enough to stand out in a crowded marketplace.
> Module 5 – Pricing
This is a crucial module. You’re now clear on your vision, your mission, your brand, your products and who you are selling to. It’s now time to clarify your value and charge accordingly.
> Module 6 – Online Presence
Every handmade business needs an online presence – in this module, you’ll make sure yours is telling the right story and enticing people to fall in love with your brand.
> Module 7 – Nuts & Bolts
Are you saying the right things and using the right tools? This month we’ll focus on things like product photography, your voice, your tools & equipment, and how your packaging reflects your brand.
> Module 8 – Sales Avenues
You will consider the different ways you can sell your products (wholesale, markets, online etc.) and determine which venue or combination of venues is right for your business.
> Module 9 – Marketing
How are you getting the word out? It’s time to put together a marketing plan and decide what marketing avenues will work best for you. Do you want to use PR? Social media? An email newsletter? Or a combination?
> Module 10 – Social Media
This module will help you get savvy with social media such as Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram, and plan how you are going to use these tools to tell the story of your business.
> Module 11 – Time Management & Self-Care
How are you going to fit it all in? To work smart instead of hard? To avoid burnout and make sure your business doesn’t take over your life? In this module you’ll learn a stack of strategies to ensure your business and the rest of your life integrate in a healthy way.
> Module 12 – Community & Communication
How can you work with others to grow your business? You’ll learn about the power of collaboration, and you’ll also take a close look at your customer communication strategies to ensure you’re helping people to become raving fans!
> Module 13 – Review & Celebrate!
Our final module is dedicated to helping you to step back from the details and take an overview of your business as it is now, and celebrate how far you’ve come since you started the program a year ago. What changes will you have made? What growth will your business have achieved? What wins will you have to share and celebrate?!
I've been teaching handmade business skills for over a decade,
and I want to help you succeed!
Before I was a maker, I was a qualified teacher, and I worked in education for a number of years.
I started my handmade business – Epheriell – as a hobby, and through years of intense study and experimentation, I worked out how to make my business a success – so much so that I not only support myself, but also employ my husband full-time.
I’ve been helping makers just like you navigate the waters of handmade business for years via my website Create & Thrive – which features a blog, podcast, e-books, and courses.
I have spoken at numerous conferences and events on the topic of building a successful handmade business – and I was invited by Etsy Australia to teach new sellers the fundamentals of selling online through their Etsy Resolution program in both 2015 and 2016.
I've also taught as part of the Etsy U program numerous times - after being invited by Etsy to apply as one of their teachers.
In January 2015 I started the Thriver Circle – this membership community for makers – which has grown into a vibrant community of hundreds of people from all over the world who have just one thing in common – the desire to turn their handmade hobby into a thriving business.
I have not only taught myself everything I needed to know about running a successful business, I’ve been helping others do the same for many years.
Over 5,000 makers from all over the world have taken my courses and workshops, and my mission is to reach as many makers as possible and help them grow thriving businesses.
I want to help you to make your business dreams a reality.
That is why I’ve created the content and community available in the Circle - to teach you the things I wish I'd known when I was starting and growing my own business.
My goal is to help you build a handmade business that fits you, your life, and helps you find the success you’ve been searching for – whatever that means to you.
You don't need to go it alone any more.
"The Circle inspires a more relaxed path to success without making me feel like I've gotta reach to the top in one day.
And doesn't make me feel bad because my shop is still small.
In other words: you offer a more pragmatic picture of what it takes to become successful as an Etsy seller - in comparison to other resources that claim overnight success."
~ Evanthia Kaimaklioti
"I can't tell you how much your teaching has helped me develop my business and get clear what I'm trying to achieve."
~ Sylvia Chesterman
"I have just finished the YYTT course and I have found it invaluable.
You share so much knowledge and wisdom, which has really helped me in learning how I should try to develop my business, and the correct order and processes of what is involved.
It is something I'll keep referring back to."
~ Louisa Bess
Ready to grow a thriving and profitable handmade business?
Join the Thriver Circle now and get the step-by-step guidance and support that will help you craft a successful handmade business - faster.
Included in your membership:
- Your Year to Thrive - an epic year-long course - to super-charge your biz growth and help you to overcome the overwhelm of starting and growing a business.
- Monthly live coaching calls with Jess so you can learn from her 17 years in the handmade industry.
- Fellow makers in our vibrant private community so you can get your questions answered and feel supported.
- Monthly Themes and Courses covering all aspects of handmade business so you can make step-by-step guided progress towards realising your dream.
- Access to Shop Critiques and Business Intensives with Jess, and the chance to have your business highlighted in front of over 40,000 people in the wider Create & Thrive community through our Thriver Circle Member Spotlights!
- An immediately accessible library of 50+ video workshops worth over $3,750 on all aspects of handmade business that will give you tested and proven tips to help you succeed.
Monthly
Pay by the month - no lock-in.
Recurring payment - cancel anytime.
Hassle-free 14 day money back guarantee.
Yearly
Get 1 month FREE by paying for a year up-front.
Recurring payment - will be charged yearly.
Hassle-free 14 day money back guarantee.
All prices in US Dollars.
GST is inclusive for Australian residents.
TERMS: By joining the Thriver Circle, you agree to abide by the terms laid out in our Community Charter.
If you decide in your first 14 days of membership that the Circle isn't for you, get your money back, no questions asked.
Not sure if the Circle is right for you?
The Circle IS for you if...
✔️ You love creating products and want to start or grow your handmade business...
...but you're feeling lost, overwhelmed, and are looking for a guided path that will clarify exactly how you can improve your business to get more traffic, sales, and happier customers.
✔️ You know success takes time and dedication.
There's no such thing as a 'quick fix' when it comes to business - it takes patience and persistence to be successful - and it helps to surround yourself with other positive, proactive people!
✔️ You believe in collaboration, not competition.
You know that by helping each other out, we can all be successful - there's enough pie for everyone.
✔️ You've been yearning for a safe space, full of people who 'get' you, to share your frustrations, successes, and 'aha' moments.
We're all in this together!
The Circle is NOT for you if...
❌ You aren't running a handmade product-based business.
If you are drop-shipping, manufacturing, or selling a service, this isn't the right place for you.
❌ You're looking for a course specifically about 'how to succeed on Etsy'.
I do teach a lot about Etsy inside the Circle, but the aim is to create a handmade business where you happen to sell on Etsy, not an 'Etsy business'.
❌ You want a 'quick fix' or 'magic solution' or 'secret' that will 'skyrocket your sales overnight'.
None of those things work. You need to be willing to put in the time and dedication (and patience!) in order to build a genuinely successful handmade business.
❌ You're looking for guaranteed results.
The truth is - nothing is guaranteed. I know what I teach works, but no-one can promise that your business will be a success - that's up to you.
When members were asked 'what's your favourite thing about the Circle' here's what they said...
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it matter where I am in the world?
Not at all! We have people in the Thriver Circle from all over the world. It doesn’t matter where you live, or what timezone you’re in, you can take part in the program.
How will I access everything, and what format is it in?
To access the Workshops, you will simply log into the member portion of this site.
They are all available on a ‘Workshops’ page, immediately upon completing your signup. Each workshop is available as a video to view, and pdf slides you can download.
Your courses – including the Your Year to Thrive course – are available inside the members-only portion of the site, on a dedicated Courses hub.
The YYTT course is released one lesson a week for 52 weeks (even if you pay for a year up-front). All other courses are available on-demand.
All the past calls are available for download on a ‘Calls’ page. All future calls will be hosted on Zoom.
The Circle discussion happens in a private Facebook Group. This is where you can connect with your fellow Circle members; where the monthly theme discussion happens; and where you can ask me questions any weekday.
What is $27 USD in My Currency?
The currency conversion will always vary, but as I write this (January 2025), $27 USD is approximately:
$43 AUD | 26 Euros | 22 Pounds | $39 CAD | $48 NZD
To check the current conversion to your currency, visit xe.com.
What if I join, but decide it just isn't for me? Will I get a refund?
You can leave the Circle at any time – no hassle, no problems.
If you choose to leave in your first 14 days of membership, we’ll give you a full refund, no questions asked.
Does the content in the Circle overlap with your other courses and guides?
There is some overlap with the other courses I offer (such as Set Up Shop).
However, if you’ve done any of my other courses, there will still be tons of content that you haven’t yet covered in this program – and, vice versa, if you complete YYTT and then go on to do any of my other courses, you won’t find yourself repeating much content.
My other courses are all very niche – meant to take you deeply into a particular topic, whereas YYTT is more over-arching and aims to cover everything – and therefore doesn’t dive as deeply into those topics.
The workshops, of course, are not available anywhere else.
What happens if I leave the Thriver Circle before I finish the YYTT program?
If you cancel your Thriver Circle membership before you finish the program, you’ll retain access to the lessons until your current month of membership runs out.
How do the Calls work - will I miss out if I'm not in your timezone, Jess?
No, you won’t. I’m going to be changing the times of the calls each month so people in different timezones will all have the opportunity to join in.
It might not work for you every call, but it will every few calls or so (unless you like getting up at 3am!). Because we’re a global community, I’m doing my best to ensure no-one misses out.
If you can’t make a call, you can submit a question to be answered during it (or just leave it in the Circle group on FB and tag me).
Every call will be recorded for you to listen to afterward if you can’t make it.
Why are the YYTT modules in that order? Surely things like marketing and pricing should come earlier in the program?
I have put all of my experience and a lot of thought into the sequence of this program. Every single module builds upon the last.
For example – all the excellent marketing in the world won’t help your business grow if your products aren’t right, or your photography is sub-par.
You can’t work out your pricing without understanding your vision for your business – its position in the marketplace – or what your products are and who your ideal customer is.
Imagine your business like a skyscraper. You can’t skip over the planning, the foundations, or any of the floors. They need to be built – and built properly! – in the right order for the building to be completed with integrity.
If you want to reach the sky, you have to start with the foundations, and build from there. There are no shortcuts.
Jess, do I get one-on-one time with you as part of my Circle membership?
The short answer is no. If you are chosen to be on one of the Business Intensive or Critique calls, then yes, you will, but that isn’t something that everyone will have the opportunity to do.
I will be hanging out in the Facebook group whenever I can to give my input (just like everyone else), but as honoured as I am that you would like my personal advice, I simply won’t be able to help everyone directly with their biz outside of these 2 avenues.
You can ask me questions in the Facebook group whenever you like, and I will always respond (on a workday).
Is all of this REALLY only $27 per month?
Yes! ALL the amazing benefits of being a member of the Thriver Circle are yours for just $27 USD per month.
You get access to thousands of dollars worth of education for this affordable monthly sum – and if you use the lessons available to grow your business, the investment will pay off many times over.
Join today and get instant access to the Thriver Circle!
Monthly
Pay by the month - no lock-in.
Recurring payment - cancel anytime.
Hassle-free 14 day money back guarantee.
Yearly
Get 1 month FREE by paying for a year up-front.
Recurring payment - will be charged yearly.
Hassle-free 14 day money back guarantee.
All prices in US Dollars.
GST is inclusive for Australian residents.
TERMS: By joining the Thriver Circle, you agree to abide by the terms laid out in our Community Charter.
If you decide in your first 14 days of membership that the Circle isn't for you, get your money back, no questions asked.