Progress Over Perfection: Why It’s the Key to Success for Handmade Sellers

Letting Go of Perfectionism to Keep Your Business Moving Forward

As a handmade seller, it’s easy to get caught up in making everything perfect. Every detail of your product, packaging, and customer experience feels like it needs to be flawless. But here’s the truth: perfection is impossible. Striving for it can hold you back from making progress. That’s why embracing “progress over perfection” can be a game-changer for your business—and your sanity.

I’ve struggled with perfectionism, too, especially when I started landing larger wholesale deals and felt like everything needed to be just right. But I learned that focusing on progress is what truly moves your business forward, not obsessing over the small stuff.

Tip 1: Get Comfortable With Imperfection

Perfectionism can stop you from even getting started. If you’re waiting until every detail is flawless, you’ll never launch that new product, send that email, or land that wholesale deal. Sometimes, you need to embrace the imperfections and just take action.

Real-World Example: When I first started offering wholesale, I was terrified that my pricing sheet or product packaging wasn’t “perfect” enough. But instead of waiting until it was flawless, I put it out there and adapted as I went. Turns out, the retailers loved my products, and I was able to tweak things over time based on their feedback.

Tip 2: Focus on Getting Things Done

Instead of spending hours fine-tuning minor details, focus on getting things done. Whether it’s packing orders, designing new products, or marketing, prioritize finishing tasks over making them perfect. Remember, progress means you're moving forward, even if things aren’t 100% perfect.

Action Tip: Set a timer and give yourself a deadline to complete tasks. Once the time is up, move on to the next thing. You’ll be surprised at how much more you accomplish when you let go of perfectionism.

Tip 3: Learn from Doing

The reality is, no amount of planning or perfecting will compare to the lessons you learn from actually doing something. Even if your launch or new product line isn’t perfect, you’ll learn more from taking action and making adjustments along the way.

Real-World Example: When I launched a new fragrance line, it wasn’t exactly how I envisioned it. There were little things I wanted to tweak, but instead of waiting, I went ahead and launched it. I quickly received feedback from customers, which helped me improve the product. If I had waited for perfection, I’d still be tweaking instead of learning from real-world experience.

Tip 4: Customers Appreciate Authenticity, Not Perfection

Here’s something I’ve learned: customers appreciate the authenticity of handmade products. They don’t expect you to be a big, polished corporation—they love that your products are real, unique, and made with care. Trying to achieve perfection takes away from that authenticity. Let your personality shine through, imperfections and all.

Tip 5: Celebrate the Progress

Recognize how far you’ve come. Whether it’s fulfilling more orders than last month or getting closer to your goals, celebrate the progress. It’s easy to get stuck in what’s not done or what needs fixing, but acknowledging how much you’ve achieved keeps you motivated and moving forward.

Real-World Example: There were times I’d look at a day’s work and focus on what I didn’t get done, but then I’d take a step back and realize how much progress I’d made—launching a new product, fulfilling 50 orders, or landing a wholesale deal. Progress, no matter how small, is still progress.

Conclusion: Keep Moving Forward

Progress over perfection is about accepting that imperfections are part of the process. The most successful handmade sellers aren’t perfect—they’re persistent. They keep taking steps forward, learning as they go, and focusing on the bigger picture. Let go of the pressure to be perfect, and you’ll find that you achieve more, grow faster, and enjoy the journey much more.

Question: What can you do today to embrace progress over perfection in your handmade business?