About a year ago, I decided to try something different. I spend most of my time building software, but I’ve always had a creative streak. That creative side pushed me to open an Etsy shop. It felt like the perfect outlet—a way to blend my technical skills with my artistic curiosity.
With AI tools becoming more accessible, I was able to generate digital artwork that looked professional and unique. The act of creating felt energizing. Each new piece gave me the spark to imagine what my shop could become.
But excitement alone doesn’t carry a shop. Once I started preparing actual listings, I hit a wall.
The Struggle of Selling
Creating the art was fun. Turning it into Etsy listings was not. Every product needed the same checklist:
- Add a watermark to protect the design.
- Package the files into a ZIP for backups and buyers.
- Upload everything to Google Drive.
- Make a short video preview, since listings with video perform better.
- Write titles, tags, and descriptions that would stand out.
None of this required creativity, yet it ate up hours. After repeating it a few times, the process felt like a chore. Slowly, I found myself avoiding Etsy altogether.
I wasn’t burned out on creating. I was burned out on the busywork. And deep down I knew: these repetitive steps could be automated.
The Turning Point
When a hackathon came around, I thought about the projects I could take on. My mind kept coming back to Etsy.
Why should repetitive tasks discourage people from sharing their work? Why should I (or anyone) give up on creativity because of admin steps?
That’s when the idea for ListGenie clicked.
Meet ListGenie
ListGenie is a web app that automates the repetitive parts of creating Etsy listings. It’s especially useful for digital sellers right now—printables, templates, AI art—but the vision is broader.
Here’s what it does today:
- Image processing: Add watermarks, create collages, and polish visuals.
- Smart packaging: Bundle files into ZIPs and upload them to Google Drive.
- AI-powered writing: Generate product titles, tags, and descriptions using Google Gemini.
- Listing automation: Push drafts directly into Etsy.
- Modern interface: Clean, responsive UI built with Tailwind CSS.
Beyond Digital Products
ListGenie’s first release focuses on digital goods. But it can grow. With mockup capabilities, sellers of physical products could upload a design and instantly see it placed on mugs, T-shirts, posters, or framed prints. That kind of automation would cut down on photo shoots and manual editing, making it just as valuable for non-digital sellers.
How Kiro Helped
A big part of building ListGenie was experimenting with Kiro, an AI-powered development companion. It wasn’t just about writing code, it supported the workflow itself.
Agent hook: I used this to track ticket status and update progress automatically as tasks were completed. It gave me a clear picture of what was done and what was left.
MCP servers: GitHub integration allowed me to create and update issues directly. It kept project management tight and tied into the repo.
Steering: I set rules for the tech stack, design expectations, coding standards, and even architecture guidelines. This kept the project consistent and reduced second-guessing.
Kiro made the process smoother, but it also taught me a lot about how AI can assist in the structure of building software, not just the code.
Kiro: A Tool Developers Shouldn’t Ignore
After using Kiro in this project, I walked away convinced it’s more than a hackathon helper. It’s the kind of tool that can reshape the way developers build.
Why? Because it brings value at every layer:
- Project management: No more juggling sticky notes or forgetting which issue is linked to which task. Agent hooks keep everything in sync.
- Code quality: With steering rules for stack, standards, and architecture, you’re not just shipping fast - you’re shipping clean and consistent code.
- Integration: Out-of-the-box support for GitHub, APIs, and workflows means less setup overhead and more actual building.
- Learning curve: Instead of just coding or fixing errors, Kiro explains the why, turning mistakes into lessons.
For me, Kiro felt less like a coding assistant and more like a teammate -one that keeps track of the big picture while you focus on problem solving. For developers looking to move faster without cutting corners, it’s a tool worth having in the toolkit.
Under the Hood
For the technically curious, ListGenie uses:
- Backend: Node.js with Express.
- Frontend: Tailwind CSS.
- Image tools: Sharp and Jimp.
- AI: Google Gemini.
- APIs: OAuth-secured connections with Etsy and Google Drive.
The repo is organized with clear separation between client, server, and scripts, making it approachable for contributors.
Why I Built It
ListGenie is more than a hackathon project. It’s personal. I know the feeling of watching your creative spark fade because the admin work stacks too high. Building this tool gave me a way to protect that creative energy— for myself and for other sellers like me.
What I Learned
This project wasn’t just about solving a problem—it was about learning along the way. Some key takeaways:
Creativity needs protection: If the repetitive work piles up, even something you love can start to feel like a burden.
Automation amplifies motivation: Small tasks like watermarking or writing tags don’t need human energy. Automating them frees space for creativity.
Kiro is more than code: Agent hooks, MCP servers, and steering showed me how AI can track progress, enforce standards, and manage tasks all at once.
Blending skills matters: My ability to build software gave me a way to support my creative side, instead of letting it fade. That balance felt powerful.
Final Thoughts
When I first started selling on Etsy, the repetitive work almost pushed me to give up.
ListGenie is the tool I wish I had then. Now, it’s a way for me to keep my creativity alive and help other sellers do the same. And along the way, I discovered how AI can shape not only what we create, but how we build the tools to support it.
If you’ve ever felt stuck juggling watermarks, ZIP files, or endless tags, ListGenie is here to help. Free up your time. Protect your creativity. Let the tool handle the rest.
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