Toy Bricks for Pet Lovers
Melanie Pracas from Madora Bay, Western Australia
What do you like most about Madora Bay?
It is so close to the beach, which has been amazing for both life and business. I walk there often with the dogs (I am also a pit sitter), it's where I clear my head and come up with ideas.
What’s your backstory?
I started my first online store selling scrapbooking supplies (mainly to support my hobby) and that kicked off my interest in turning creative ideas into a business. Later, I began pet sitting as a way to spend more time around dogs, which I love.
I eventually opened an Etsy shop selling gifts for pet owners and tried print-on-demand, but nothing stuck until I found the idea of custom mini brick figures.
I launched Brick-You in early 2023, on Etsy. Now I’m focused on growing my own website for Brick-You and turning it into a brand people come to for fun, personal and meaningful gifts.
What are your income streams?
Etsy where I sell the custom brick mini figures as well as print on demand products and my website which just sells custom brick mini figures.
How have you attracted new customers?
A lot of my growth has come from PR and reaching out to journalists who are looking for fun and unique products to feature. Getting included in gift guides has really helped get my brand in front of the right people.
Etsy has also been a huge part of the journey, it’s where I first launched the custom mini brick figures. Its search tools and built-in audience made it much easier for people to find my products. It helped me prove the concept, build momentum and reach thousands of customers.
What is your favorite product?
My favourite is the Pet Owner & Pet Sets – probably because it combines two things I love: creating meaningful gifts and anything to do with dogs. It’s also one of my most popular products. People often include their pets in such a fun and thoughtful way, and I love seeing the photos they send in.
If you could go back, would you do anything differently?
I wish I had started earlier with a clearer focus. In the beginning, I tried too many things; from print-on-demand to random gift ideas, without a real niche.
I would have launched my Shopify website sooner too, instead of relying so much on Etsy. Once I committed to brick figures and realized how much people connected with them, everything started to fall into place.
What are your goals?
One of my main goals is to grow my website sales beyond Etsy for more freedom to shape the brand. I’d also love to do craft fairs to meet customers and share the story behind Brick-You.
I’m working on getting more organized so I can focus on what really moves the business forward and keep things growing in the right direction.
What platform and tools do you use?
Shopify – for my website
Etsy – additional marketplace
Airtable – keeps everything organized
Canva – for graphics and marketing
ChatGPT – I have setup custom GPTs as assistants for different tasks
Do you have a favorite book?
I’m currently reading The 12 Week Year by Brian P. Moran. It’s been really helpful for staying focused and organized by breaking down goals into shorter, more manageable timeframes, which is exactly what I need right now.
Do you have a pet?
I have a dog, Kirby, who is very much part of the team! He's a constant companion, model for some of our custom sets, and part of the reason I started out in pet gifts.
Where can we find you online?
Website: www.brick-you.com
Instagram: @brickyoucustom
TikTok: @brickyou