Additional Coverage:
- As a busy mom, I started an online T-shirt business expecting to make passive income. I lasted only 3 months. (businessinsider.com)
My “Passive” Income T-Shirt Business: More Hustle Than Passive
The lure of passive income is strong, especially for busy moms like me. So, when a friend sent me a video about effortlessly setting up an online T-shirt business, I was hooked.
Visions of easy money danced in my head as I dove into research, joining online groups and watching countless videos. Everyone claimed it was a simple way to rake in the cash.
Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.
The reality of running an online business, even a seemingly simple T-shirt shop, quickly hit me. As a freelance writer and mom of four, with a chronic illness to boot, I already had a full plate.
A traditional 9-to-5 wasn’t feasible, so this venture seemed perfect. Turns out, “passive” income is anything but.
Building the business consumed hours each day. From setting up bank accounts and navigating taxes to designing (the fun part!)
and photographing shirts, the workload was intense. SEO, product listings, ordering samples, pricing – I became a one-woman show juggling multiple roles.
And I’m no accountant, photographer, or designer, which added even more time to my already packed schedule.
The rosy picture painted by those online gurus conveniently left out the constant troubleshooting. Shipping snafus, payment issues, design hiccups – I spent countless hours wrangling with customer service reps.
The stress was relentless. I was determined to make my customers happy while balancing family life and my freelance work, but it was a constant struggle.
My business did have moderate success. Thanks to a decent social media following, selling shirts wasn’t the problem.
It was everything else. Lost shipments, website updates, and the sheer volume of small issues became overwhelming.
I created some popular designs, including breast cancer awareness and racial equity tees, and had more ideas brewing. But getting those shirts made and delivered was anything but passive.
In three months, I made just under $1,000. Some might say I quit too soon, but the promised “passive” income never materialized.
The workload only intensified, demanding more and more of my time and energy. Eventually, I had to close up shop.
While I’m disappointed, I’m also proud of what I accomplished. I still have tons of T-shirt ideas, but the effort simply outweighed the financial reward. My time is precious, and this venture just wasn’t worth the cost.