Monday Interview with My Retirement Gig!

This week Pat Sadler from myRetirementgig  joins us! 

Please tell us a little bit about yourself?
I’m Pat Sadler and I was born in London a few years after the war; I was raised in Kent, which is located south east of London and houses some historic monuments such as Canterbury Cathedral, and many Oast Houses which were used for drying hops, hence my passion for old English designs and English ale!.
I came to the States in 1979, got married and have called North Tonawanda, New York home ever since.
My wife and I have 2 great adult kids, who are very entrepreneurial. My son owns his own business called Sadler Fence and Straining in North Tonawanda and my daughter is a social media wiz who now lives and works in London.
I have worked in the same industry since 1980 manufacturing PVC fencing, decking and railing products. I am also an avid woodworker with a shed full of machinery and a head full of ideas but a lack of time to put them to work to my advantage. 
 On the wrong side of 50, I decided to start looking ahead to what I want to do when I grow up.
My daughter, who knows of my passion for making and selling my products, suggested that I try Etsy as an outlet. That was in November of 2011. My Etsy site is www.myretirementgig.etsy.com
Etsy is a good site, and it will work for you if you stay on top of it. Once I caught the selling bug I wanted to move more products so that I could invest in machinery and materials and marketing. I wanted to grow!
 I needed another sales fix, so my daughter designed a website for me. www.sadlergardencollections.com a venue for additional exposure.

My first bird house/feeder was build back in 92 and since then I have added a lot more designs.

What do you create? How long have you been working on your craft/art 

I work with 2 very different materials, wood and PVC (rigid vinyl). I make bird house and nesting boxes out of wood. I also have a line of PVC products such as tube feeders, tray feeders, planters, mailbox posts, lawn signs, decorative garden accents and a line of flower boxes that are only sold locally because they are custom made.

I have been designing products for over 30 years, and I am a self taught woodworker.

Where do your ideas come from?

I am always on the lookout for ideas, solutions to a problem or opportunities.

My wife also helps in the business doing all the stenciling work, yes; it is all done by hand.

I love to travel and often find ideas or shapes in foreign places. 

Do you make special request orders?

I will look at every opportunity to grow sales and give customers what they want. I have made special customized products, personalized products, real estate signs, A Woodgrain vinyl mailbox post for Olive Garden. I have also  made special planters for local nurseries. You never know where the next opportunity lies.

 Do you have any upcoming art/craft shows? 

I have signed up and been accepted for 3 shows so far this year

June 30^th The Buffalo Garden Art Show will be my first show in 10 years

July 20^th 21st Canal Fest of the Tonawanda’s

October 12th, 13th, &14th Letchworth Arts & Crafts show.

That’s it for now. Depending on how these first 3 go I may try for a couple more.

Please come out and say Hi.

Do you have any advice or suggestions for new sellers to Etsy?

I have enjoyed my 2 years on Etsy because it has allowed me to sell products without too much effort. There is a nice feeling when you first start up the computer in the morning and find an order that came in overnight, has been paid for in full, and just needs shipping.

I by no means understand all the intricacies of marketing and promoting my products on Etsy, but my advice would be;

Keep the new products coming; they keep you high on the search lists.

Thank all the treasury creators for including your product and follow them. Follow all the people who favorite an item.

Have impeccable customer service.  I always thank the customer for the order, tell them when I am going to ship it and then after it ships let them know when they can expect it to be delivered. The feedback is very important to me and it lets other potential customers know that you are credible.

Follow up with a convo to see how they like the product now it is in their hands. They may offer some idea to improve it that you hadn’t considered. With such a follow up they may even refer you when a friend or family member is looking for something.

Good luck and good selling!!

Thanks so much Pat for sharing your work with us! If you live in Buffalo and would like to be featured on the blog please contact me for more information!