Written In Partnership with Digital Nod
Sometimes successful endeavors find us. This proved to be the case with Kirstie Rickert, the founder and owner of AmourPrints. Kirstie comes from a long line of college graduates with white-collar jobs. When she began her higher education journey in 2013, it was to appease her family.
Realizing this path wasn’t for her, Kirstie dropped out. Kirstie had something else in mind. Leaving college allowed this creative visionary to fulfill her dream of starting a business. In 2013, Kirstie Rickert launched an Etsy shop making customized prints and gifts. Her family had their doubts, but Kirstie had passion and conviction.
Kirstie Rickert realized that paths to success vary, and she was ready to find her own footing rather than someone else’s. She was fueled by making a living doing something she loved. This passion has translated into a trademark customer experience for Amour Prints. Kirstie has put her heart and soul into this business, and it shows. Not to mention her customized gifts are incredibly personal, allowing her to share the significant milestones in her customers’ lives.
Knowing the importance of special moments, combined with an unshakeable belief in herself, has driven Kirstie to deliver superb customer satisfaction. This has been one of the biggest factors of Amour Prints’ stunning success. Kirstie shares that her online shop was accidentally taken down from Etsy not once but twice. After the second time, she and her husband decided to start afresh on Shopify.
Unlike Etsy, Shopify required the couple to start from the ground up. They had to learn the platform essentials such as Web development, SEO practices, and advertising strategies. The efforts were worthwhile, as Amour Prints made $50,000 in its first year on Shopify and $100,000 the next.
The business took a financial blow in 2019. When the pandemic struck the following year and the world went into lockdowns, Kirstie knew she had to take a new leap for her business to survive. She invested all Amour Prints assets into Shopify Plus for greater visibility and more effective business strategies. This, combined with new products and the brand’s signature service, earned Kirstie $3.6 million in 2020. In 2021, Amour Prints was on track to make $6 million
Kirstie Rickert credits this exponential success to being guided by purpose and turning her passion into the heart of Amour Prints’ customer satisfaction approach. As for Kirstie’s once-doubtful family, they are very proud of her for not giving up on her dream.
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