La vie est belle

​Six thousand visitors in a single weekend! The historic Technopole was bustling, its rustic metal pillars decked out with festive banners, and the space between them filled by local artisans, their unique creations and a constant stream of shoppers who came to celebrate all things Made in Québec. The community definitely showed up on that September weekend, and participating vendors were buzzing with excitement and pride. 

This was the third annual Etsy Fait au Québec Montréal show. It was the second time that I participated as a vendor, but the first time I was part of the organization committee with the Etsy Montréal team. I thoroughly loved both of those roles and the energy of the team. In a previous blog post, I explained why I have an Etsy shop and why I love this online marketplace so much. Events like these are incredible fun for me, mostly because of the immediate feedback you have on your product. The reactions and interactions are impossible to experience to the same extent online or when someone else is selling your creations. The ability to share stories and anecdotes behind your products, explain why they are special, or answer questions that are spontaneously asked makes participating in these shows an invaluable experience. 

And I am so so SO grateful for the Montreal community who is always so passionate about shopping local and sustaining local entrepreneurs. You rock! 

 When I do these shows, I am always torn about what photographs to print and take with me. If you know me and my shop well, you know that I have hundreds of photographs that really vary a lot in theme and style. It’s hard to get into the heads of thousands of shoppers and try to tug on their heart! It’s also tricky to demand that kind of patience from shoppers – the very committed ones make it through the basket(s) of prints without feeling overwhelmed! Those are the shoppers I get to spend the most time with at my booth, as they hold up individual prints and react to them.

One of those lovely individuals wanted me to tell her a little bit more about my business, certain photographs, their locations, etc. When I told her about how I had taken the photographs mostly over the course of the last 4 years, while pursuing a scientific research career at the same time, she looked up from the prints (her finger safely keeping her spot open) and said, in French:

“Vous faites ce que vous aimez dans la vie”.

This roughly translates as, “You do what you love in your life”. I smiled and paused for a moment before answering, because her comment caught me off-guard but also made my day, because it made me realize just that. Yes, I have been so blessed to do exactly what I have wanted to do in my life so far, to chase my dreams without overthinking them or putting them on hold, to combine my diverse interests and create an unconventional but exciting life. I felt so encouraged by her comment, and if it hadn’t been for the Etsy show and our interaction, that supportive, empowering feedback may not have gotten back to me. 

Our ears were buzzing that weekend. Our backs were sore, our voices were strained, but our hearts were full.

Thank you to ALL those who came out to the Etsy show in their nearest city (across Canada!) and who believe that the Etsy community offers something of value. Independent entrepreneurs really thrive off your support and the community feeling that you help create and maintain.

Thank you from our hearts!

P.S. How to know whether there is an Etsy event close to you? Check out the “Etsy Local” section.

P.P.S. If you’re a small business owner or *thinking* of starting a business, what are you waiting for? There are a ton of resources on Etsy and you can join a team for extra support!

P.P.P.S. If you haven’t seen Veni Etiam Photography’s Etsy shop (where you could mostly find small-sized items), check it out here:

Stay in touch on Instagram!