If you’ve ever dreamed of making passive income online but felt overwhelmed by the idea of starting a business, you’re not alone. I was in the same boat—no experience, no inventory, and no idea where to begin. But within months, I turned my print-on-demand (POD) side hustle into a $10,000/month business.
The best part? I didn’t need to buy or store products, and I didn’t have any design skills when I started. If I can do it, so can you! In this post, I’ll break down the exact steps I took so you can start and scale your own POD business.
Step 1: Understanding Print-on-Demand (POD)
Print-on-demand is a business model where you sell custom-designed products (like t-shirts, mugs, hoodies, and tote bags) without holding inventory. When a customer places an order, a POD service like Printful, Printify, or Gelato prints and ships the item for you.
This means:
No upfront costs for inventory No packing or shipping No need to manage a warehouse
All you do is create and upload designs, and the POD supplier handles the rest.
Step 2: Choosing a Profitable Niche
The biggest mistake beginners make is trying to sell to everyone. Instead, focus on a specific niche where people are already buying. Here are some winning POD niches:
- Pet Lovers – Funny cat/dog-themed shirts, mugs, and accessories
- Mental Health & Motivation – Uplifting quotes, self-care reminders
- Hobbies & Professions – Nurses, teachers, gamers, entrepreneurs
- Fitness & Gym Life – Workout motivation apparel
- Pop Culture & Trends – Viral sayings and memes
A passionate niche means repeat buyers and higher profits!
Step 3: Creating Designs (Even If You’re Not a Designer)
I had zero design experience when I started, but here’s how I got professional-looking designs:
Use Canva or Kittl – These beginner-friendly tools have templates you can customize. Hire a Freelancer – Websites like Fiverr and Upwork have affordable designers. Buy Ready-Made Designs – Creative Fabrica and Vexels offer pre-made designs with full commercial rights. Use Simple Text-Based Designs – Many best-selling shirts are just catchy phrases in bold fonts!
Don’t overthink it—start simple and improve as you go.
Step 4: Picking the Right POD Platforms
I experimented with different platforms before finding the best ones for making consistent sales:
Etsy – Easy to start, and buyers are already searching for unique products.
Shopify + Printify – If you want full control and brand your own store.
Amazon Merch – High traffic but competitive.
Redbubble & TeeSpring – More passive, but lower profit margins.
If you’re just starting, I highly recommend Etsy + Printify—it’s beginner-friendly and requires no paid ads to get your first sales.
Step 5: Creating High-Converting Listings
Even the best designs won’t sell if your listings aren’t optimized. Here’s how to make them irresistible:
SEO-Optimized Titles & Tags – Use keywords buyers are searching for (e.g., “Funny Dog Lover Shirt – Pet Parent Gift – Cute Puppy Tee”). Eye-Catching Mockups – Use high-quality lifestyle images from Placeit or your POD provider. Engaging Product Descriptions – Highlight benefits, sizing, and unique selling points. Competitive Pricing – Start lower to attract sales, then increase prices as demand grows.
Step 6: Marketing Your Store for More Sales
Once I had a few listings up, I focused on marketing to drive traffic and scale to $10K/month:
Pinterest – Created viral pins linking to my Etsy store (Pinterest is a goldmine for free traffic!). TikTok & Instagram Reels – Showcased my designs on real products. Etsy Ads – Spent $5/day on ads to boost visibility. Email List & Blog – Captured customer emails for repeat sales.
Pinterest was a game changer—many of my designs went viral, bringing in thousands of free visitors to my shop!
Step 7: Scaling to $10,000 Per Month
Here’s how I went from a few hundred dollars a month to a five-figure POD business:
Uploaded More Designs – The more products you have, the higher your chances of making sales. Expanded My Product Range – Added hoodies, mugs, tote bags, and phone cases. Tracked Best-Sellers – Doubled down on designs that were selling well. Hired a Virtual Assistant – Outsourced design and listing creation to scale faster.
With consistency and smart scaling, I hit $10,000/month in just a few months!
Starting a print-on-demand business is one of the best ways to make passive income online. You don’t need inventory, technical skills, or a huge budget to get started. Just follow the steps I outlined, stay consistent, and you’ll start seeing results.