From Career Burnout To Business Freedom: Elisa’s Journey To Ecommerce Success
Why do people start an online store when they’ve never done ecommerce before? How hard is it to get your first sales? And what changes in everyday life once your business is running?
Today, we’re talking to Elisa Battuello, a 43-year-old psychologist and artist from northern Italy, who opened a Sellvia-powered store in August 2025 and is building it up month by month. Here’s her journey.
Disclaimer: all the success stories published in our blog are the results of interviews with real store owners. Individual results vary and depend on the work you put in.
Hi Elisa! Please introduce yourself.
Hi! I’m Elisa, 43, from northern Italy. I have a psychology degree and worked as a psychologist in a private clinic for 18 years.
I’m also an artist – I love painting landscapes and portraits, experimenting with glass and ceramics, and taking nature photos.
Recently, I started creating Dreamcore videos for social media. I enjoy yoga, meditation, jazz, and spending time outdoors.
How did the idea of starting an online business come up?
I first researched dropshipping back in 2020. It was my dream to open a store, but I felt unsure, and friends told me I wouldn’t manage without marketing experience.
I listened to their doubts and put the idea aside.
What finally pushed you to take the leap?
My job demanded nearly all my time and energy – I worked from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., barely taking a break. The stress was constant, and I had no time left for myself or my passions.
Then, in August 2025, everything stopped. I had an accident that left me stuck at home for weeks, and I had to cancel my long-awaited vacation, the first in years. Lying there, I finally had time to reflect and realized how much my job was draining my energy and happiness.
That’s when I saw a Sellvia ad for a turnkey store. It felt like a sign – a chance to start over. I clicked “Start for free” immediately. No hesitation, no fear – just action.
Tell us about your first sales – how did they happen?
I launched on August 9 and got 4 orders on August 10. A few more came on the 14th. I didn’t have to do anything complicated – the store arrived fully stocked, and the ads were already prepared for me.
I set a small daily budget ($10/day to start) and turned the ads on. That was it.
Did ads really make a difference for you?
Absolutely. Very quickly, I learned a simple rule for my store: when the ads ran, the orders came. Whenever I paused the ads, the orders slowed down immediately.
When I resumed, orders returned – often the very next day. Later, I kept the budget around $12.80/day and still saw steady results.
What results have you achieved so far?
Since launch, I’ve had 227 orders and $3,100.87 in total revenue. 198 orders came through Sellvia ads for about $2K in revenue.
For a brand-new store run by a beginner recovering at home, I’m very happy with that start.
*This is Elisa’s personal experience. These are revenue figures, achieved with a daily ad budget of $10–12.80 over this period. Individual results vary and depend on the work you put in.
What do you sell? Why that direction?
I like variety and wanted to reach different types of customers, so I built a multi-niche store.
I started with the product pack that came with my turnkey shop, then added curated packs – US best-sellers with fast shipping, branded denim, back-to-school items, a designer shoes pack, and some digital guides.
After two months, I had a very wide product range. It lets me test many ideas and later focus on what works.
You mentioned “turnkey.” How did Sellvia help in practice?
From day one, I felt supported. The store came with ready-to-sell products, pre-made ad creatives, and a clear setup. I also activated Automated Email Marketing and an SEO boost to grow long-term traffic.
Plus, I had a growth manager who answered questions and guided me step by step – even with the time-zone difference.
What does your daily routine look like now?
I enjoy staying close to the numbers. Each day I:
- Check ad reports and visits
- Process orders (for now, I do this manually because I like it)
- Track gross vs. net, ad spend, and product performance in a simple spreadsheet
As I grow, I plan to increase the ad budget gradually and lean more on automation for order processing.
Speaking of automation: how “automatic” can this business be?
Very. I choose to process orders myself right now, but Sellvia supports automated order processing and payouts.
That means when the volume goes up, I can put more things on autopilot and keep my workload light. The ad system is also simple – you set a budget and let campaigns run with ready-made creatives.
What were your biggest early lessons?
- Start small, but start. A tiny ad budget can still bring orders.
- Keep ads consistent. Turning them off breaks the momentum.
- Use the tools. Pre-made creatives, product packs, email automation, and SEO save a lot of time.
- Track everything. Even a basic spreadsheet gives clarity and confidence.
- Trust your instincts. Don’t let other people’s fears decide your future.
How has your life changed since launching your store?
My stress level dropped. I can work from my phone or tablet, at any time, from anywhere.
I have more time for painting, photography, yoga, and learning English (which I started from scratch to talk to the team).
The biggest change is emotional: I feel in control. I turned a difficult moment into a new beginning.
What surprised you most about running your store?
How quickly my first sales came in, and how easy the learning curve can be when the platform does the heavy lifting.
Also, how much confidence you get from seeing your own numbers improve week by week.
Would you consider selling your business one day?
Not right now – I’m enjoying it too much! But I like that the option exists.
If one day I want to sell, Sellvia can help with setup, make sure everything runs smoothly, and even connect me with interested buyers. It’s nice to have that flexibility.
What role did content and social media play for you?
I post product videos to Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, Facebook, and YouTube – often using ready-made creatives from Sellvia.
It helps with discovery and building an audience, and it doesn’t take much time because the materials are already there.
I currently have more than 700 followers on Instagram and over 1,000 on TikTok, and my audience keeps growing as I share more videos and engage with people interested in my products.
What would you say to someone who’s afraid to start?
I waited five years because I listened to doubts – my own and other people’s. My advice: begin anyway.
Choose a simple setup, use a small daily ad budget, and let the system work. Learn a little every day, and don’t chase perfection before you start.
Please tell us about your experience with Sellvia
I’m truly grateful to the entire Sellvia team for their support and kindness. From the first day, they guided me through every step with patience and professionalism.
I love how simple and intuitive it is to manage my store – everything is clear, automated, and easy to track.
My growth manager has been amazing, always ready to help and encourage me.
Thanks to Sellvia, I feel confident running my business even without previous ecommerce experience. It really feels like being part of a supportive team.
What’s next for you?
I want to keep growing this store – adding products, improving ads, and strengthening performance in the niches that work best for me.
Later, I might open additional stores. Most of all, I want to keep my lifestyle: calm, creative, and flexible.
Here are the tools Elisa used along the way:
- Multi-Niche Store: Elisa built a flexible, multi-niche store that let her test different categories and attract a wider range of customers.
- Automated Ads: She promoted her products across five major platforms by activating Sellvia’s full automated Ads system – the main source of traffic to her store.
- Email Marketing: Elisa worked on engagement and repeat orders with Sellvia’s Automated Email Marketing tool.
- Social Store Growth: She used the Instagram & TikTok Store tool to turn her social accounts into shopping platforms and grow her audience.
- Smart Ad Tool: With Sellvia’s FB, Instagram & TikTok Ads tool, she saved time by using ready-made video ads instead of producing her own.
- SEO Boosters: She activated SEO boosters for her product packages to increase visibility and attract more organic visitors.
Final Thoughts
Elisa’s story shows how a beginner can launch quickly, get early traction, and build confidence with a turnkey setup, automated ads, and supportive guidance.
For Elisa, it’s all about small budgets, easy-to-use tools, steady learning… and the freedom to run her store on her own terms.
Elisa’s three takeaways for new owners:
- “Turn the ads on and keep them on.”
- “Track your numbers, even in a simple sheet.”
- “Don’t let fear – or other people’s doubts – decide your future.”
Start building something of your own with a fully done-for-you ecommerce business. We handle the setup, you focus on growing – plus enjoy a $100 voucher to begin.
DISCOVER MOREFree for 14 days. After your trial, $39/month. Cancel anytime – no charge. *Individual results vary and depend on the work you put in.
