Here's How You Can Design Your Own Product in Less Than 24 Hours

Over the past few years, I've created more than 1,000 products, all from the comfort of my bedroom. Using internet tools and resources, I've created and fulfilled a broad range of items, from yoga mats to coffee mugs. 

The best part of creating products is that I haven't had to carry any inventory. Each product I sell is fulfilled with print-on-demand technology. Print-on-demand technology is a new kind of fulfillment service that prints products as you need them and then ships the goods directly to your customers. Here's how you can get started with your own store in 24 hours or less. 

1. Browse product catalogs. 

There are a number of print-on-demand services available today, including Gooten, Teelaunch, Printful, Voodoo Manufacturing, and Printify. A quick Google search will pull up dozens more.

The first step in getting started with designing your own product is simple--pick a product you'd like to design. Take a look through the catalogs these suppliers offer and find a product that resonates with you. Perhaps you love yoga--then look to Gooten for printable yoga mats. If you're a hiker looking to design a pack to take to the mountains, turn to Teelaunch for a backpack you can customize.

There are thousands of products available at your fingertips. From Printful mugs, to Voodoo Manufacturing cookie cutters, there are a broad array of products to suit any print-on-demand need. 

2. Find a quality designer. 

I'm not a designer myself and have had help from talented individuals from around the globe to make my product dreams come true. From Upwork to Fiverr to Dribbble, there are a number of freelancer marketplaces available to source great design talent.

What I recommend is contracting three to five designers to see what style and aesthetic best suites the brand you are trying to build. Do a trial project with each of them to get a few different ideas. 

Once you have a design you are happy with, you can upload the PNG files to a print-on-demand site where the product will be printed. Then, using a site like Envato or PlaceIt, you can purchase realistic looking mockups to help you make a product listing. 

3. Set up shop and sell.

Once you have your finished mockups, you're ready to sell. The next step is to choose a storefront. One easy way to get started is to set up an Etsy shop. I recommend this method to get started, as there are no fees and only a commission that the platform takes.

When I was first getting started with my store, I made a number of listings on the marketplace. At 20 cents per listing, it doesn't break the bank if your item doesn't sell.  

Once you have proven traction with your Etsy store, you can then download your listings and move to your own site on a platform like Wix or Shopify. After I had a number of listings, I then moved to my own Shopify store.