Glowforge Owner Marissa: From Pillows to Prolific Profits

September 30, 2019

Bailey

It’s fall y’all and for many Glowforge Owners, it’s the start of the busy holiday season. You see, with Glowforge, the small biz owners among us – from Saturday side hustlers to full-time makers – are firing up their 3D laser printers and selling more than ever before. So we thought we’d take time this week to celebrate all their hard work and showcase their amazing creativity – check back here the next couple days for some Glowforge business stories you won’t believe.

First up is Marissa, owner of The Sunny Nest Decor. When we first saw The Sunny Nest Decor, we couldn’t help but gush over the signs for every season. We all want one for our own homes!

We caught up with Marissa to learn more about her Glowforge-powered business – and we’re glad we did.

She’s got some sales numbers that will blow your mind.

Marissa’s story began with a paradox of modern parenting: daycare is really quite expensive. And so, Marissa decided to quit her full-time job and stay home with her two kids. In her spare time she started making handmade pillows – at first, with no intention of starting a business.

But soon, naturally-crafty Marissa started selling her trendy, pop-of-color pillows. She called her newly “hatched” company The Sunny Nest Decor and introduced cheery stenciled signage. For three years, her business provided a modest but important income stream for her growing family.

And then last fall, Marissa got a Glowforge and tripled the money she made during the holiday season.

“I made $7,000 in December. Someone can make their money back in a month. That’s the reality of Glowforge.”

– Marissa

Marissa started out her Glowforge journey with no design software savvy, but that didn’t slow her down.

She even created some YouTube videos to demonstrate her newly-honed design skills for newbies wanting to do the same.

Her followers saw her new Glowforge capabilities and clamored for custom orders, which Marissa estimates make up 75% of her holiday sales. Her favorite thing to print are these popular “handwritten” style signs, which give her a peek into moving customer stories as she brings handwritten notes to life with the Trace feature.

“When I introduced Glowforge, it really took my business to the next level. My customers started requesting more detailed products once they saw I had the capability to make things like that. When you’re working with a Cricut machine and making stencils to paint a sign, there’s only so much you can do.”

“I got my Glowforge a month before this. This is what you can do in a month. This was my Christmas orders from one week.”

Right now, Marissa is pre-printing as much as possible for the 2019 holidays.

She sees endless possibilities for The Sunny Nest Decor – with new offerings like holiday sign box sets for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

We can’t wait to snag a few signs for this holiday season!

Oh, and in case you’re considering getting your own Glowforge, I’ll leave you with some parting words from Marissa:

“I always tell people, you can do as much as you put your mind to. The possibility is there. There are people who are hesitant, which I understand. It’s a big investment and of course you’re going to be thinking about your return. But the possibility is absolutely there.”

Come back tomorrow to get to know another Owner! In the meantime, head here to start imagining what your life might be like with Glowforge.

You can also check out more of Marissa’s marvelous makings over at The Sunny Nest Decor Instagram.

See you soon.

-Bailey