MasonOelsch — A 7-Year Entrepreneurial Design Journey
Entrepreneurship, Systems Design, Creative Direction
From 3D-printed terrain to globally shipped posters, and now toward faith-centered design — this is the story of how a teenage side-hustle became a 1,500+ sale global creative business.
01 — Overview
I started my business at 14 because I didn’t have many ways to earn money. I couldn’t get a job, but I could create. After saving for a 3D printer I barely knew how to use, I launched an Etsy shop selling whatever I could dream up — 3D-printed Nerf mods, experimental props, and eventually hand-crafted Dungeons & Dragons terrain under the name MythikBros.
Seven years later, that experiment has transformed into MasonOelsch, a global small business with:
1,500+ total sales
390+ 5-star reviews
customers across 50+ countries
$60,000+ lifetime revenue
The business has gone through three major evolutions — each one teaching me more about design, entrepreneurship, users, and myself.
02 — The Evolution of the Business
Era 1 — MythikBros (2018–2021)
Handcrafted fantasy terrain, 3D-printed modular buildings, and custom-painted Nerf blasters
This era was all about hands-on making and discovering what it means to bring an idea to life.
I learned:
foam carving, texturing, and painting
3D modeling + slicing workflows
production systems, drying times, finishing methods
packaging handmade art without damaging it
how to price labor-intensive work
how to manage customers, expectations, timelines, and quality
I made about $10k in revenue during this phase — the majority during 2020 when the store unexpectedly took off.
But the real value wasn’t the revenue.
It was this realization:
“People are willing to pay for something I made with my own hands.”
As a teenager, that was paradigm-shifting.
This era taught me craft, courage, resilience, and how to operate every part of a small business from end to end.
Era 2 — MasonOelsch Posters (2021–2025)
A pivot to global digital art — scalable production, modern design, and serving niche fandoms
When I moved from Northern California, I lost access to my workshop — no more foam cutters, painting setup, or 3D printers. I needed a new approach.
So I pivoted.
Using my growing graphic design skills, I created Breath of the Wild, One Piece, and Minecraft posters — art that connected to things I personally loved. I introduced a print-on-demand partnership with Gelato, which enabled:
worldwide printing
faster shipping
lower costs for customers
zero physical inventory
fully remote operations
This pivot transformed the business into something scalable.
Over three years:
$50k+ revenue
1,200+ poster sales
years hitting $11–17k annually
40% margin
customers from Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and beyond
This era taught me:
how to identify underserved niches
how to use Etsy SEO + analytics strategically
how to measure product performance and iterate
how to build automated workflows
how to adapt quickly when Etsy policies killed my best-selling products
It was my first taste of global design impact — creating something in my bedroom that would hang on walls around the world.
Era 3 — Faith-Based Creative Experiments (2025–Present)
Integrating spiritual purpose with design craft
After years of working in fan-art markets, I realized I was hitting a ceiling — creatively and directionally. Etsy policy changes also wiped out some of my top posters, forcing another pivot.
This time, I wanted to pursue something more meaningful:
Design that encourages Christians, glorifies God, and brings truth + beauty into people’s homes.
Right now, I’m in an experimental phase:
combining scripture with painting and photography
exploring new aesthetics
prototyping prints, shirts, and paper goods
exploring what a faith-centered brand feels like
learning how to market authentically without being performative
designing from a place of calling, not profit
This era is still forming, but it might be my most personal and purpose-driven yet.
03 — The Core Challenge
Although each era looked different, they shared the same underlying question:
How do I create something meaningful, sustainable, and valuable — with the tools, time, and resources I have right now?
This drove every pivot:
From physical props → digital art
From local production → global print-on-demand
From fan art → faith-centered design
04 — Research & Market Insight
Era 1: Handcrafted Products
I found a gap in the tabletop gaming market:
Beautiful terrain existed
Pre-painted, affordable terrain did not
By offering fully finished terrain pieces, I captured a need that wasn’t being served.
Era 2: Digital Posters
My research here was more analytical:
SEO data showed BOTW/One Piece had huge demand
Pinterest confirmed style and content trends
Competitor analysis showed gaps in quality and composition
Customer lists helped decide which locations/islands to design next
One customer even sent me a complete list of One Piece islands so I could create posters for the entire world map — a sign that my products were part of people’s passion and community.
Era 3: Faith-Based Direction
I’m studying:
what Christian consumers actually want
how to avoid cliché or “cheesy” religious merch aesthetics
the line between authentic Christian art vs. profit-driven branding
how to communicate Scripture beautifully and truthfully
what materials (paper, fabric, wood) best match this visual identity
This research is purpose-heavy and heart-heavy — and deeply motivating.
05 — Process
1. Exploration & Vision
Every era began with curiosity:
“Can I make this?”
“Can I learn this tool?”
“Is there a market for this?”
Prototyping
Physical or digital, I prototyped constantly:
foam ruins
modular 3D buildings
Nerf blaster paint jobs
digital posters
typography + scripture layouts
color palettes inspired by worship music & nature
3. Iteration
I iterated based on:
customer reviews
Etsy analytics
ad performance
community conversations
personal conviction
Production Systems
The business forced me to learn:
3D printer setup, slicing, maintenance
painting workflows with sprays, washes, dry brushing
digital file prep for POD
color proofing
shipping logistics + packaging
financial tracking with spreadsheets
creating customer messaging templates
Etsy backend setup + storefront optimization
Scaling
When posters took off:
I ran targeted Etsy ads
expanded product lines
used Pinterest as organic marketing
enabled global fulfillment
streamlined operations for near-passive income
06 — Results
Quantitative Impact
1,500+ total sales
390+ five-star reviews
$60,000+ lifetime revenue
50+ countries reached
7 years of continuous operation
80% → 40% margin depending on the era
My designs used on a film set in LA
Customers returning to complete collections
Qualitative Impact
What customers are saying:
"I adore these posters. I bought the 12 poster set before this one was out, and I love how well they go together." - Maranda
"Perfection! This art work is incredible! The details of each piece are beautiful and it is the tie that puts the rest of the room together. I am very impressed with this artist!" - LadyLuna
"Arrived quickly and great quality! I have it in my office and it looks really good." - Michael Jade
"This is our second group purchase and we love the designs! Clear quality, great concept and perfect size" - Declan
07 — Challenges and Turning Points
1. High-labor production burnout
→ Pivoted from physical to digital products.
2. Losing access to my workshop after moving
→ Reinvented the entire brand with scalable POD.
3. Etsy policy violations deleted my top sellers
→ Motivated the move into faith-based design.
4. Growing pressure to create “Christian merch”
→ Navigated the tension between authenticity and commercialization.
5. Learning every skill myself
→ From tool mastery to finances to design to analytics.
08 — What I Learned
This business is one of my greatest teachers.
It showed me:
how to design end-to-end products
how to find and validate markets
how to pivot with integrity
how to tell stories through design
how to create systems that scale
how to operate a business ethically and thoughtfully
how to keep creating even when things break, flop, or fail
Most of all, it taught me:
Design is ultimately about serving people — bringing joy, beauty, and meaning into their lives.
09 — What's Next
I’m stepping into a new era that blends:
design
storytelling
faith
beauty
human-centered craft
I want to create products that uplift, encourage, and speak truth — not for profit, but for purpose.
And I don’t fully know what this new brand will be yet.
But for the first time in my business journey, that uncertainty feels like an invitation.
