What happens when your business starts working?

You’ve got orders coming in. People love your product. You’ve even got a few repeat customers.

But instead of smooth sailing, you feel more…stuck.

That’s what happened for Christina Archila. After taking our Reliable Revenue course last year, she put the strategies into action—tightening up her offers, getting serious about her email list, and showing up more consistently online. Within months, her one-of-a-kind handmade bags were selling steadily, both in-person and online.

But as the orders picked up, so did the pressure. Because when your success starts working against your systems, it’s time to rethink how the business runs.

Here’s what we decided she’ll do instead.

1. Create a shipping system you can afford—even if you're offline

Christina spends part of the year deep in Colombia, working directly with the Wayuu people to source and co-create her handmade bags.

But while she’s there, she’s off-grid. No Wi-Fi. No phone. Definitely no USPS. And right now she doesn’t get enough orders to justify paying someone hourly to do the shipping for her.

And yet—orders keep coming in. Which left her feeling stuck: promote and get sales she couldn’t fulfill, or go dark for weeks at a time?

The fix:

• Switch to once-a-week shipping. No more daily dashes to the post office.
  
• Set expectations: “Ships in 5–7 business days” is perfectly reasonable.
  
• Pay a flat rate for a helper to pack and ship one day a week.
  
• Label each product with a SKU or unique number so your helper can pick and pack with confidence.
  
  

Bonus: Create a short video walking them through the steps, and print out a checklist for your shipping area.

2. Stop photographing every product like you’re building a catalog

Each of Christina’s bags is one-of-a-kind. And she was spending up to an hour photographing, editing, and listing each one.

But guess what? Her bags sell faster when she shows them in a quick video on Instagram.

The fix:

• Stop obsessing over photo perfection.
  
• Create short, authentic video clips showing real people trying on the bags.
  
• Host them on a private, gated “fashion show” page on your site.
  
• Launch 10–15 bags at a time.
  
• Raise the price on one-of-a-kind pieces—because they’re worth it.
  
  

There’s no prize for having the most beautiful website. The goal is to sell the thing.

3. Build a hybrid business that supports your margins

Eventually, Christina wants to offer wholesale and repeatable designs. But she’s starting small: building relationships with ethical production partners who can make small batches.

In the meantime, her one-of-a-kind inventory becomes her premium tier. Higher price point. More storytelling. Limited availability.

The scalable bags become her core line. Easy to stock. Easier to ship.

The magic is in making room for both.

Bottom line:

If you’re growing fast—but feeling stuck—it’s not about working harder.

It’s about solving for how the business runs. Christina didn’t need a new funnel or viral moment. She just needed systems that matched her real life.

You probably do, too.

RELATED LINKS

See Christina’s website here:
https://www.lakachaka.com/

Get on the Reliable Revenue 2026 Waitlist
https://classroom.thesocialsalesgirls.com/reliable-revenue

Make your business run without you. Here’s how.
https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/blog/make-your-business-run-without-you-heres-how-episode-201/