PiBurner Spotlight: Alexandra Altshuller, aka The Yeti Chick from MyCup.io
The Yeti Chick: How Engraved Tumblers Bought an $83,000 Tesla Cybertruck
A year ago, nobody knew about the Yeti Chick. And now she runs the largest Yeti Marketplace on Facebook and is the engraver most people turn to for the best customized Yeti products in the world. AND she purchased a little battery-powered something just from her tumbler earnings this past December. How did she do that in just one year?!
Alexandra, aka The Yeti Chick, has built a thriving business out of customizing full-wrap Yeti tumblers and exceptional customer service. What’s incredible is that she did this in just one year. She is married to Stan (that’s me!) from LensDigital and often helps us beta-test brand our new PiBurn products. We have three beautiful boys and live in New Jersey.
She’s the driving force behind the boutique customization business mycup.io and leads a Facebook community (www.facebook.com/groups/bstmarket/) of 90,000 members. But her story goes far beyond the numbers—this mom of three boys once worked in the corporate world as an actuary at MetLife and Pacific Life before deciding to focus on family and her creative energy. Now she’s turning her passion for the art of laser engraving into a profitable enterprise, all while sharing her knowledge with fellow makers.
How did she start this business?
By the Numbers: $18 Profit Per Tumbler Add up to Cybertruck in Eight Months of Hustle
When you do the math, it’s pretty mind-blowing. Alexandra charges, on average, $18 of profit per full-wrap engraved tumbler. It took roughly 4,611 of these tumblers to reach the $83,000 needed for her brand-new Tesla Cybertruck (83,000 ÷ 18 ≈ 4,611). She did this over eight months in 2024, including the Holiday Season, which was big for her. That’s a lot of Yetis – around 575 full wraps each month, or 20 per day. It’s a huge testament to her dedication, hustle, and customer service. Took two more months for taxes 😉
Sometimes she engraves larger, more unique items like the Yeti Beverage Bucket. She often charges double the price of retail for those unique items. While these items are very profitable, they do not command the same volume and demand as the standard 20, 30oz tumblers. Also, a bucket is tricky to get right. A full wrap that does not meet perfect at the ends will not go out to customer. Instead it will be either auctioned off at a discount or given away to a friend, or husband who could really use one (hint hint).
This incredible full-wrap Yeti Bucket is only possible on the PiBurn Grip2 with the double extender jaws. It takes almost two hours to run at 300mm/sec.
But it’s worth it. This item will sell for about double price of retail:
From Actuary to Engraver Extraordinaire
Before she was The Yeti Chick, Alexandra spent her days crunching numbers in the insurance industry. She worked as an actuary at MetLife and Pacific Life, a role that demanded precision and analytical thinking. Though the corporate career was stable and lucrative, it left little room for family time and creative freedom. Ultimately, she decided to pivot to a lifestyle that allowed her to be more present for her three boys—and she hasn’t looked back since.
How to Approach Customer Service.
When I asked her about her order flow and how she thinks about customer service, this is what she shared:
The PiBurn Grip2 Advantage
A major part of Alexandra’s success lies in the tools she uses—specifically, the PiBurn Grip2 rotary attachment. LensDigital has relied on Alexandra to Beta-test the Grip 2 and provide feedback on possible improvements. The rotary proved reliable and its user-friendly design lets her engrave tumblers quickly and consistently. If you’ve followed our PiBurner of the Week blog series, you’ll know the PiBurn has been essential for many entrepreneurs looking to scale their custom engraving operations.
Building a Supportive Community
Alexandra doesn’t keep her methods to herself. She actively shares tips, tricks, and tutorials with other makers in the community. Whether it’s a first-time engraver wondering if expensive tumblers are worth the risk, or a seasoned pro looking to streamline their process, Alexandra offers guidance with an open heart. It’s this generosity that helps her community thrive—and it’s one reason she’s so admired in the laser engraving community. She even welcomes other engravers to share in her HUGE market – the demand for tumblers is too great for any one engraver to handle. So, other makers and engravers are welcome to participate through her online marketplace – EverCrafter.shop.
A Lifestyle of Family, Creativity, and Freedom
One of the biggest draws to this business model for Alexandra is time. She gets to spend more of it with her three boys—something her former corporate career didn’t allow as much. Now, she can create, earn an income, and be a present mom all at once. The Tesla Cybertruck purchase is just icing on the cake—proof that a passionate side hustle can become a life-changing venture.
What’s Next for The Yeti Chick?
With the Cybertruck acquired, Alexandra’s looking ahead to even bigger possibilities. But for now, she is taking our youngest on a road trip down to Disney World! (Also fully financed by her engraved cups!) Check out her shop at mycup.io and on Etsy.
If you need help getting started or have any questions on the PiBurn and the tricks she has learned, reach out to her at [email protected], or find her on the PiBurn Labs group on Facebook.
