Printavo PrintHustlers Podcast: Recent Episodes
Printavo
Bruce and Steven sit down with Jared from AKT — a 130-person custom merch and entertainment printing company — to talk about what it actually costs to vibe-code your way out of a software bottleneck, how music merch deals really work (advances, recoupment, the $40 tote bag math), and what it's like fulfilling 100,000 shirts in 5 days.
Bruce sits down with Ron Augelli from We Talk Shirty, who built his shop from a college dorm room to a 40-employee operation running almost entirely on contract work. After stepping back from day-to-day operations for over a year to recover from a health setback, Ron returns with a sharper view on what growth actually means, how he vets customers before they ever fill out a contact form, and why he'd pay for outside advice years earlier if he could do it again.
Bruce and Steven sit down for a hosts-only episode to reflect on the first half of the year and build a real plan for Q4 — the quarter that makes or breaks the year for most shops. They break down the "one more order a day" math behind hitting growth targets, why AI-generated graphics are starting to make every shop's marketing look the same, when it's actually worth hiring a brand agency, and the "clone yourself" hire that could be the highest-leverage role in your business.
Lee Stuart (Rogue Lab / Rogue Transfers) joins Bruce and Steven for an update on scaling a 6-person screen print shop into a 60,000+ sq ft, multi-business operation — plus his systemization playbook, his AI tech stack, and the moment being "the best printer in the world" almost broke his business.
SanMar just pulled Bella+Canvas exclusively in-house — 37 days after telling the market nothing would change. Bruce and Steven break down the timeline, why S&S Activewear's private-equity playbook just got disrupted, and whether Gildan is circling S&S next.
Matt Marcotte (Free Gang Sheet Maker, ScreenPrintGPT.com) joins Steven Farag solo (Bruce is out — he just welcomed a baby girl 👶) to talk about what's actually stopping print shop employees from adopting AI — and it's not laziness. They get into the psychology of resistance, how to find and empower an "AI champion" in your shop, and real numbers from tools Matt's built that are being used by thousands of shops.
Most print shops have untapped revenue sitting in their current customer list — and the person to unlock it is already on your payroll. Steven sits down with Kevin Baumgart (Sales Ink, fractional VP of Sales at Campus Ink) to break down exactly how to
Dan Frank of Silver Screen Printing is back — and a LOT has changed since his last appearance on the show. Dan went from a $2.7M print shop to projecting $23M this year with 110 employees, 60,000 sq ft, and facilities that essentially never close. Along the way: a full company restructure, two managers who had to move on, 15% raises across the leadership team, and a deliberate shift from being an operator to being a coach.
Running 210 people, 12 automatic presses, three shifts, and 30,000+ units per day isn't a hustle story — it's a manufacturing story. Rodney McDonald of US ColorWorks built one of the most operationally sophisticated contract decorating shops in the country by bringing private equity turnaround discipline to the apparel industry.
Brett Bowden of Made Lab and Printed Threads joins Steven to talk about the Make Ready open house event happening June 12th in Fort Worth, TX — and what the print industry needs to understand about AI right now.
Coltin Handrahan started Stay Golden Custom in his high school student council office on Prince Edward Island — Canada's smallest province — and he's been proving that geography is no excuse ever since. Fourteen years in, he runs a 12-person operation with a second location now open in Halifax and a third potentially on the way.
Jonathan Ornelas from Success Print Shop has been in the industry long enough to have big revenue years — and still wonder where the money went. In this honest, wide-open conversation, Jonathan walks us through a brutal March 2026, what he's doing differently in April, and the mental toll of riding the shop roller coaster while balancing a young family.
Alex Meiners is the co-founder of Family Industries, one of the most innovative shops in the decorated apparel industry. Based in LA, Family Industries does it all — from live printing experiences at the US Open and Apple Store events to bulk custom orders — and their secret weapon isn't a bigger press or a better supplier. It's the custom technology they've built in-house.
What would you do if you had to double your company in one year — without working more hours?
In this episode, Steven and Bruce break down exactly how they'd approach doubling a print shop's revenue, and Steven shares the wild behind-the-scenes story of Campus Ink's March Madness hot market printing run — from chasing final four teams across the country to pulling 15-20K in sales out of a trailer in 3 hours.
Dom from Superior Ink is back for Part 2. In this episode, he answers 10 real questions from shop owners — covering what it actually took to grow to $5M in sales, the risks that nearly broke the business, why they turned off $10-15K/month in marketing spend, and how they built a production system that runs without the owner on the floor.
Dominic Rosacci of Superior Ink is back — and this time, the conversation goes deep. After relocating his entire manufacturing operation 90 miles from Denver to Fountain, Colorado, rehiring from scratch, and opening a satellite office to keep the culture intact, Dom sits down with Bruce and Steven to break down what's actually working, what he got wrong, and what he's still figuring out.
Jordan of Fast Threads is back for Part 2, and this one goes deep. After last week's episode on multi-location expansion and the Four Burners Theory, Bruce and Steven invited Jordan back to pull the curtain back even further — on how he actually runs the business day to day, where the gaps are, and what it would take to get to the next level.
Jordan Tollakson built Fast Threads in Montevideo, Minnesota — a town of 6,000 people — and has since expanded to three locations across rural Minnesota and South Dakota. In this episode, he sits down with Bruce and Steven to share how he blew past the ceiling that most small-town shop owners run into, and what it actually took to get there.
After 15+ years of running In the Zone Inc, Deanna and Josh Smith finally did what most print shop owners only dream about — they took a real two-week vacation. No day trips, no long weekends. Two full weeks away from the shop, exploring Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, and glaciers. And it changed everything.
You say you value your team. You say sales is the priority. But if you looked at your calendar from yesterday — does it actually back that up?
In this solo episode, Bruce shares a simple but eye-opening idea from a recent nutritionist podcast that applies directly to running a print shop: you make time for the things you value. The question is, are your actions matching your priorities?
What does it take to build a print shop that survives 40+ years of economic crashes, technological upheaval, and a global pandemic? Jedd Swisher — co-founder of Campus Sportswear and Steven Farag's longtime business partner — sits down with Bruce to share the raw, unfiltered story of how it all started in a basement in 1981 and how it's still standing today.
Nicole from Embellishr joins Steven and Bruce fresh off Impressions Long Beach to discuss the booming used equipment market in the decorated apparel industry. As the founder of the leading pre-owned screen printing equipment marketplace, Nicole shares insider knowledge on buying and selling used presses, dryers, and embroidery machines—plus what's driving the resurgence in analog screen printing equipment sales.
Weston Cotton of Custom Print Graphics joins Steven and Bruce to break down one of the most aggressive acquisition strategies in the decorated apparel industry. In just 9 months since buying his first contract print shop in May 2025, Weston has closed 3 acquisitions and is working on a 4th—building a roll-up strategy that's transforming how print shops consolidate and scale.
Matt McLellan from Apparel Lab joins Steven and Bruce to share his unconventional journey building a thriving DTG (Direct-to-Garment) print shop in Madison, Alabama—without ever touching screen printing equipment. Starting in the back room of his nutrition store in 2016, Matt has grown Apparel Lab into a multi-service operation proving you don't need to follow the traditional decorator path to succeed.
What would it take to grow a print shop from zero to $1 million in revenue? In this episode, Steven from Campus Ink teams up with Kevin Baumgart from Sales Ink to map out the complete playbook for scaling a decorated apparel business from day one.
Steven sits down with Daniel, Senior Product Manager at Roland DGA, for an in-depth conversation about Roland's entry into the DTF (Direct-to-Film) market and an ambitious mobile printing project that's pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the custom apparel industry.
As 2025 wraps up, it's the perfect time to reflect, reorganize, and plan ahead for your print shop. In this episode, Steven and Bruce discuss practical strategies for year-end shop organization, budgeting for 2026, and setting goals that actually stick.
In part 2 of our year-end conversation, Justin Lawrence and Steven Farag get deeply honest about the hardest parts of business ownership—from the loneliness of financial struggle to making tough decisions that saved their companies. They discuss the Thunder championship impact, 30% workforce reductions, knowing when to step back from trade shows, and why both are working to build businesses they could sell (but may not).
Join us for part 1 of our year-end conversation with Justin Lawrence (Oklahoma Shirt Company) and Stephen as they share their annual planning rituals, team bonus strategies, and the business metrics that transformed their shops. From implementing Traction EOS to discovering that 30% of revenue comes from email marketing, this episode is packed with actionable insights for print shop owners.
n this episode, we explore how print shop owners can apply "Unreasonable Hospitality" principles from Will Guidara's acclaimed book to transform ordinary transactions into extraordinary customer experiences. Learn why emotional connection matters as much as perfect execution, and discover practical ways to stand out in a competitive industry.
Looking to close out this year strong and set your print shop up for success in 2025? This comprehensive annual checklist covers everything you need to review, plan, and optimize your custom apparel business for the year ahead.
Nathan from Relentless Merch shares the complete journey of launching Atonal Headwear - from investing in inventory before making a single sale, to losing 4,000 hats to mold, to building a headwear brand while simultaneously running an print shop with 48 employees.
n this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, Bruce and Steven sit down with Miles from Miles T-Shirts (Springfield, IL) — a 25-year print shop owner who built a wildly successful niche business serving disc golf, apparel brands, and national clients.
This week on the Print Hustlers Podcast, Bruce and Steven break down every major moment from PrintHustlers Conf 2025 — live from Chicago. From AI tools that are reshaping production workflows, to Alex the Economist’s data-driven outlook for apparel decorators, to social media advertising insights that every shop needs… this episode is packed with takeaways you can apply immediately.
In this episode of the PrintHustlers Podcast, Kyle Robinson from Print My Threads shares how his shop transitioned from traditional screen printing to a DTF-powered hybrid model — and why that move led to record profits with a lean 9-person crew.
In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, we sit down with Kevin Oakley, co-founder of Stoked on Printing and MerchLoop, to unpack a story every print shop owner should hear.
This week on the Print Hustlers Podcast, Bruce Ackerman and Steven Farag break down the biggest news in the branded merchandise industry — the Inktavo and OrderMyGear merger.
In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, Bruce and Steven take a new approach — cold-calling three shop owners in the middle of their day-to-day hustle.
Steven shares insights from his visit to AS Colour’s New Zealand HQ, diving deep into their culture, automation, and leadership approach. Learn how founder Larry and CEO Clive transformed AS Colour into one of the most respected blank apparel brands worldwide — from automated warehouses to customer obsession.
In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, Bruce, Steven, and Brett visit Stahls’ HQ in Michigan for an exclusive look inside the brand-new SF1 Fulfillment Facility — powered by Fulfill Engine.
In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, Stevenand Bruce sit down with Brett Bowden—founder of Printed Threads and programming lead for the 2025 Print Hustlers Conference—to talk shop.
What if your shop could do the same volume of work with fewer employees—and you didn’t have to answer every customer email yourself?
In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, we sit down with John from The Graphic Hive in South Williamsport, PA to talk about implementing lean manufacturing, using AI to streamline front-office tasks, and how his real estate strategy helps the business thrive.
In this solo episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, Bruce introduces a powerful mindset shift for business owners: the Signal vs Noise framework.
If you’ve been feeling burnt out, overwhelmed, or stretched too thin in your shop, this episode is for you. Bruce breaks down how identifying your “signal” tasks—the high-impact activities that actually move your business forward—and eliminating “noise” can help you reclaim your time, boost productivity, and avoid burnout.
What does it take to grow a print shop 4X in just four years? Matt Pasut, owner of Team Outfitters in Sarnia, Ontario, shares how he went from running a marketing agency to scaling a decorated apparel business by blending smart systems, Printavo, AI tools like ChatGPT, and deeply rooted community branding.
Thinking about selling your shop one day? This episode is for you. Steven and Bruce sit down with Professor Jeffrey Kurtz — their former business school instructor and now a seasoned business broker — to unpack what it really takes to sell a small business like a print shop.
Are you using AI in your print shop… or are you about to get left behind?
In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, Steven Farag sits down with Matt Marcotte (ScreenPrintGPT, Sound & Fury) to break down how AI is transforming every department in your shop — from sales and marketing to artwork and operations.
In this solo episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, Bruce shares 15 hard-hitting business lessons inspired by the book Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson (the founders of Basecamp/37signals).
In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, we sit down with Kevin Watson of Good Ink and Michigan Awesome to talk about one of the boldest moves a shop can make — scaling down to grow smarter.
What happens when a dream merger turns into a business nightmare? In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, Leeah Calvert of 918 Design Co. shares her incredible story of merging with another print shop — only to discover that their CFO wasn't telling the full story!
In this episode of Behind the Signs, we’re joined once again by Lee Stuart — screen printer, content creator, and now the founder of Rogue Transfers. Lee opens up about the mental health struggles he’s faced while growing his business, how he’s building systems to run his shop without him, and why he changed his mind about Direct-to-Film printing.
In this Print Hustlers Podcast episode, Justin Lawrence of Oklahoma Shirt Company reveals the human-first systems that helped grow his shop.
From humble beginnings printing in a hallway to running a massive operation, Justin shares how emotional intelligence, team empathy, and dialed-in systems were the real growth levers—not just marketing or machinery.
In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, we sit down with Justin Moore of Barrel Maker Printing and LivePrinting.com. Justin shares the raw, behind-the-scenes journey of building a powerhouse print shop—including how live printing became a massive revenue stream, why Profit First has guided his daily financial habits for 8 years, and the reality of launching side projects like Second Chance Totes.
DGI Apparel—the “Expedia of blanks”—just got shut down. So what happened… and what does it mean for your shop?
In this solo Print Hustlers Podcast, Bruce and Steven break down the surprising shutdown of DGI Apparel, a software that allowed decorators to compare prices across major garment manufacturers. The platform had to close its doors—leaving shops with fewer sourcing tools and big questions about the future of tech in the industry.
Steven also shares a detailed, honest guide to starting a screen printing shop in 2025 with just $10,000—what gear to buy, what to avoid, and how to actually build momentum without overextending.
ThreadX just wrapped—and Steven’s back with a full recap of what went down.
Hosted at Robert Redford’s Sundance Resort, ThreadX 2025 brought together shop owners, CEOs, and thought leaders for an intimate and powerful weekend.
Is your screen printing shop running you… or are you running it?
In this episode, we sit down with Michael Richman, certified EOS implementer and Fabric.Ink coach, to talk about why so many shop owners feel stuck—and how the right systems can help them get unstuck. Michael shares lessons from building and selling a custom manufacturing business, the real-world application of EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System), and how to stop working in your business and start working on it.
What if the secret to business success isn’t hustle—but calm?In Part 2 of our conversation with Andy Rudman of Shirt Kong, we dive deep into the emotional and practical evolution of running a shop for 16+ years. From legacy and burnout to customer service as marketing, Andy shares raw, honest lessons that every print shop owner needs to hear.🎧 Topics Covered: • What Andy wishes he knew on day one • The power of “We’ll do better next time” • Marketing budgets vs. customer experience • Identity and burnout as a business owner • The difference between sprinting and resting seasons • Building a calmer company (and why it matters)Whether you’re just starting or deep in the grind, this episode is a blueprint for building longevity in business—with less stress and more purpose.
What’s holding your shop back from the next level?In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, we sit down with Andy Rudman, owner of Shirt Kong, to talk candidly about the real challenges screen print shops face when trying to grow—from leadership mindset to hiring strategies and building sustainable systems.Andy shares: • Why most owners wait too long to let go • What he learned from merging with another company • How to think about exits and partnerships • Lessons from managing 50+ employees • Why trusting your team isn’t optional—it’s essentialThis isn’t fluff—it’s hard-won insight from someone who’s been through the chaos of growth and came out on the other side.
If you don’t know your shop’s profitability until it’s too late… you’re not alone.In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, we sit down with Nick Gowerluck, founder of PrintProfit.com, to break down the exact numbers every print shop owner needs to track—no fluff, just real data that can change your business.Nick shares: • The “contribution margin” method for real-time profit tracking • Why chasing sales isn’t always the answer • What your cash flow snapshot should look like weekly • How shops (from $200K to $500M) are using Print Profit • Why most dashboards are useless—and what to do insteadWhether you’re a one-person operation or managing a 30-person team, this episode gives you the profit playbook to grow smarter, not just bigger.
In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, we’re joined by John Gibbs, founder of Logo Daddy Graphics, as he shares how he built a $3M+ print shop that doesn’t rely on him to operate day-to-day. From designing a business that supports his lifestyle to hiring the right team and maintaining profitability through market shifts, John gets real about what it takes to scale and step back.
Most shop owners are buried in the day-to-day. Orders, emails, interviews, production — it never stops. But what if just 1% of your time could change everything?In this solo episode, Bruce Ackerman breaks down a tactical, three-part framework for using 1% of your time each month (just 2 hours!) to slow down, think, and define where you actually want your business — and your life — to go.He shares his personal experience of realizing he was just “keeping water out of the boat” and not steering it. This episode is a practical roadmap for print shop owners and business leaders who feel stuck in the weeds.🧠 Key Topics: • Why 1% of your time could be your most valuable asset • The 3-part reflection process: Income, Role, Business Structure • How to define your “dream scenario” — and use it to make better daily decisions • What to actually write down and post in your office • Breaking out of reactive mode and regaining clarity🎧 Watch now and start designing a shop that serves your goals — not the other way around.#PrintHustlers #ShopOwnerTips #BusinessGrowth #EntrepreneurMindset #Printavo #ScreenPrintingBusiness #StrategicThinkingSponsors:GraphxSource: https://www.graphxsource.com/ Use PRINTAVOPOD for 50% off your first orderEasiway: https://www.easiway.com/Multicraft: https://www.multicraftink.com/ Mention Printavo and get 10% off your first order!DGI Apparel: https://www.dgiapparel.com/Print Profit: https://www.printprofit.com/
Bruce and Steven sit down to talk shop — literally. No guests, no fluff — just two print industry veterans breaking down the realities of running, growing, and surviving in the custom apparel world.They dig into: • Why most shop owners never make time to think strategically • The 5 stages of business growth (and where most shops get stuck) • How to avoid burning cash during busy season • What real customer success should look like in 2024 • And why Slack, surprise gifts, and T-shirt cannons might be your secret weapons 🧨Whether you’re prepping for a busy season, feeling overwhelmed by growth, or just looking for that next-level operator insight — this one’s packed with practical wisdom and sharp humor.🎯 Featured topics: • Making time to think (1.5% rule) • The accountability vacuum in small shops • Hiring, delegation, and leveling up your role • Customer success that builds brand loyalty • Emotional decisions in chaotic seasons • Creating unforgettable client experiences📈 From half-a-million dollar shops to $10M+ operations, these lessons apply.
In this solo episode, Bruce from Printavo breaks down what it really means to reach peak performance as a shop owner — and how to build a business that doesn’t run your life.After over a decade of running Printavo, helping thousands of shops, and reflecting on leadership at scale, Bruce shares his vision of the “Mecca” for print shop ownersThis is an honest, tactical look at how to stop grinding endlessly and start making smarter, high-leverage decisions for your business — and your life.🧠 Key Takeaways: • The mindset shift that changed how Bruce runs his business • How to calculate the “comfortable” income baseline for your family • Why stepping back is harder than it sounds • The addiction of always doing everything yourself • Practical ways to stay accountable and work on what matters🎧 Want to grow your shop and your freedom?Start here.
Hiring the right production manager can transform your shop — and hiring the wrong one can set you back months. In this episode, Billy McDevitt returns to the Print Hustlers Podcast for part 3 of his hiring journey.Billy opens up about what went wrong with the first candidate, how they revamped their hiring process, and how Josh — their new production manager — changed everything. From trial days and onboarding to production tracking and letting go of control, this is a raw and actionable deep dive into hiring smart for leadership roles in your shop.
In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, Bruce and Steven go deep. From the long-awaited receiving feature launch in Printavo, to scaling with better tools like Zapier and Gusto, to what shops are getting totally wrong about buying DTF machines — this one’s full of sharp insights, hard truths, and software that actually saves your sanity.They also share what they’ve learned running Fabric.ink, a peer-based business coaching group for print shops focused on growth, automation, and reclaiming work-life balance.Oh — and Steven may or may not have triggered a DTF Facebook group during a live talk titled “DTF Doomsday.” 💣👕 Topics Covered: • Printavo’s new Receiving feature: is it a game changer? • The power of Zapier and automating your operations • Tools that scale vs. tools that trap • Fabric.ink group coaching update • The real cost of running a DTF machine • Why small shops should think twice before buying equipment • Creating VIP-level client experiences • Bezos-style meetings at Campus InkSponsors:GraphxSource: https://www.graphxsource.com/ Use PRINTAVOPOD for 50% off your first orderEasiway: https://www.easiway.com/Multicraft: https://www.multicraftink.com/ Mention Printavo and get 10% off your first order!DGI Apparel: https://www.dgiapparel.com/
What does it take to build a powerhouse sales and customer service team in the print industry? Zach Corn, VP of Sales & Customer Experience at Barrel Maker, breaks it all down — from managing live events across the world to crafting intentional hiring and training systems that actually work.Zach shares the lessons learned from cold-calling at Groupon, managing massive live printing gigs, and scaling Barrel Maker’s sales engine with authenticity and logic. If you’re running a shop or trying to build a serious sales culture, this episode is a masterclass.📈 Topics Covered: • Sales strategy in a modern print shop • Inbound vs. outbound sales • Hiring & onboarding reps • Compensation plans that don’t suck • The difference between “rigid” closers and flexible sellers • Why feedback loops and culture shape success
In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, we sit down with Clive Ormerod, CEO of AS Colour, one of the most respected premium apparel brands in the world. Clive shares his approach to leadership, brand building, innovation, and why obsession with detail separates good companies from great ones. From his time at Nike to growing AS Colour globally, Clive’s journey is packed with real, practical insights for entrepreneurs and brand builders.🔥 Whether you’re building a shop, scaling a brand, or leading a team — this episode is a masterclass in leadership and growth!
How do you run a $1.5M screen printing shop while working 48-hour shifts as a full-time firefighter? Jared Gavard of JG Graphics in Northern California joins the Print Hustlers Podcast to break down how he scaled his print shop, delegated operations, and stayed focused on what matters.
What happens when you turn the page on one chapter of your business and start another? 🌀 In this honest conversation, Andy Rudman of Shirt Kong joins Bruce and Steven to talk about his recent transition, what it means to grow a business, and how he’s setting anti-goals to stay focused and fulfilled.From printing industry trends to leadership lessons and personal growth, this episode is packed with real talk about building a meaningful business—and life. 💬📌 In This Episode:✅ Why Shirt Kong just had a record-breaking start to the year✅ What it means to work with grace—even when things fall apart✅ The power of anti-goals (what you DON’T want for your business)✅ The rise of affordable DTF machines & what it means for print shops✅ What most shops are not doing enough of (hint: it’s training)✅ Hard truths about leadership, delegation & giving feedback✅ Reflections on burnout, balance, and building your “fab five”💬 “Sometimes you’re in control of your future… and then all of a sudden, you’re not.”
Whether you’re starting, scaling, or selling your print shop, having the right legal foundation is critical. In this episode, attorney James Bebawy breaks down business structures, legal protections, and exit strategies to ensure your print shop is set up for success.
🚀 Boost Your Screen Printing Sales with Proven Strategies! In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, we welcome back fan-favorite Kevin Baumgart, sales expert and owner of Set Sales. Kevin joins hosts Bruce and Steven, co-founders of Fabric.ink, to drop invaluable insights on:✅ Sales Tactics That Actually Work 🏆✅ Cold Email Secrets & Subject Lines That Get Replies 📧✅ Cutting-Edge Tools for Screen Printers 🛠✅ The Power of CRM & Automation in Sales 🤖✅ How to Train & Scale Your Sales Team Effectively 💡If you’re in the screen printing business and want to level up your sales game, this episode is packed with actionable advice you can apply immediately!https://freegangsheetmaker.com/https://www.structurely.com/Sponsors:GraphxSource: https://www.graphxsource.com/ Use PRINTAVOPOD for 50% off your first orderEasiway: https://www.easiway.com/Multicraft: https://www.multicraftink.com/ Mention Printavo and get 10% off your first order!DGI Apparel: https://www.dgiapparel.com/
We catch up with Bruce and Steven and discuss Steven's trip to Honduras to see GraphXSource's new operation. We then dive into helping shop owners build a leadership foundation and goal structure to help them grow toward the same goal. Metrics, leadership roles, and more discussed here on the latest Print Hustlers Podcast!
Jed Seifert of Stakes Manufacturing in Eastlake, OH joins us on the podcast to talk about their massive decorated apparel operation! Jed is an advocate for hiring people with disabilities in the print shop and educates us on the hiring process. Inkclusivity Website: https://www.inkclusivity.com/
In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, we dive deep into leadership, delegation, and team management with Sarah Silverman, Ph.D., Co-Founder and CEO of Outside Angle. Sarah shares insights into overcoming delegation challenges, building trust within teams, and fostering a culture of growth and innovation. Whether you’re a small business owner or scaling your operation, Sarah’s expertise will help you develop the leadership skills necessary for long-term success.🚀 Topics Covered: • Overcoming delegation fears • Building trust between leaders and employees • Leadership strategies for small business owners • Creating a scalable and resilient business model💡 Follow Sarah Silverman: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahksilverman • Outside Angle: https://outsideangle.com/🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on all things Print Hustlers!
Brittany David of Snugz joins us to tell us about the power of selling promotional products along with your decorated apparel. What's the sales structure like? Why do a lot of print shops hesitate to sell promotional products? We discuss this and more!
Steven, Bruce & Kevin Baumgart are starting a new company and you won't want to miss this. The 3 of them announce a new endeavor: Fabric. Fabric is a vetted membership community for committed shop owners of all sized to help reach peak business performance. Coaching, monthly meetings, small group accountability, and expert speakers. The 3 of them talk about why they've started this new company and what it will look like. Applications are now open. Check it out at https://fabric.ink/Cohort 1 is launching this March. To be considered for the first Cohort please apply by Feb 1.
Shirt Show joins us for the annual Shirtee Awards where we give our picks for best shirt of the year, favorite episode, and our predictions for 2025!
Alex the Economist is on the show today giving a few projections for 2025 and what the new presidential administration could mean for shop owners! Alex Chausovsky - alex@bundygroup.com
Bruce and Steven discuss a great article on Customer Service in our industry by Ink Kitchen. They interviewed Zach Corn of Barrel Maker Printing and he shared some key insights in hiring and sustaining a successful customer service team. The pod duo also discuss planning for the slow months and what to look for in the next year!Ink Kitchen Article: https://inkkitchen.com/industry-specific-customer-service-overview/
S&S Activewear CEO Frank Myers joins us on another MEGAPOD with Shirt Show. Frank dives deep into S&S's monumental acquisition of AlphaBroder and what this means for shop owners across the industry. Don't miss this insider perspective! Share your thoughts in the comments!
Justin Rip of RipPrint in South Florida shares his journey of growing his custom printing business from a spare bedroom to a thriving operation with 30 employees and multiple revenue streams. Justin dives into key lessons learned during growth milestones, the challenges of scaling, and how he transitioned from hands-on tasks to a leadership role focused on finances, sales, and operations.
In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, we're diving deep into all things sales for print shops! Whether you're managing a $500K shop or aiming for $1M+, we’re covering:✔️ Sales commission structures that motivate and scale✔️ Hiring your first account manager vs. a sales rep✔️ Quotas, bonuses, and accelerators explained✔️ Common mistakes and how to fix them✔️ The right time to hire for outbound salesSpecial guest Kevin Baumgart from Sales Inc. shares tactical advice and real-world examples to help print shop owners grow their businesses. If you’ve ever wondered how to structure sales in your shop or how to make that first sales hire, this is the episode for you.
Justin joins us again this week to go over Print Hustlers Conf and what we all thought about the full experience! Lots of nuggets of wisdom that we share!
this episode was recorded on 10/16/24 BPH (Before Print Hustlers.)On todays episode we chat with Justin Lawrence who has taken a new approach to his management position. With a sense of calm, he explains his new humble outlook on OK Shirt Co and what being a seasoned manager and owner means to all of us.
Rodney and Elisa of DLH Screen Printing chat with us about Print Hustlers Conference 2024! What they love about going, who they're excited to see, and why you should be going too!Use Code HUSTLERS24 for a discount off your PH Conf tickets!https://madelab.io/event/PrintHustlersConference2024
Class is in session! You don't want to miss this awesome episode with Kevin Baumgart of SetSales. We cover what it's gonna take to push your shop from $500k to your first $1m. There's a few sales tricks and things to look out for that Kevin has laid out for you! Don't miss it!
Empowering Women of Color in Screen Printing | Christine Geronimo of Midnight Supply Co. by Printavo
Cole Lundstrom joins us on the show to talk about closing down his print shop. He chats with us about looking back at things he would have done differently, and looking forward to how he's using his experience now.
It's Bruce and Steven's De-classified Hiring Survival Guide! What should your team look like at certain revenue points? How many people should be on press at 500k in revenue? 1 million? Steven gives insight on how his shop grew at these different milestones.
Steven's Consulting Secrets to Screen Printing Success: Wins and Business Retreat Insights by Printavo
“I couldn’t do it anymore, something needed to change,” Justin Lawrence’s Update by Printavo
From Wayfair to Printful, Valued at $1 Billion Dollars. Lessons from Printful CEO, Alex Saltonstall by Printavo
Both Bruce and Steven recently had an offsite day for their companies. Our hosts chat with us about what an offsite day is, how it works, and the benefits it can bring to the team.
Matt Marcotte visits Derrick Baker of Relish Brand to talk about the power of branding. Derrick talks about the dedication to his art and how his passion for the community has grown his business exponentially.
In their Shop Owners on Shop Owners conversation, Adam Smith and Matt Marcotte talk about managing vs screen printing and Adam's accomplishments at Lucky Prints in Chicago. Adam dives into his experience switching from a manual press to an auto and when he felt ready to sell his business.
Contribution Margin Brings Profit to Your Screen Printing Shop - Here’s How by Printavo
Leeah Calvert has taken her business to new heights in record time! She mentioned key things she did to bring 918 design to over a million dollars in revenue. Find out what helped on this week's episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast.
Bruce and Steven discuss the possibilities of making extra money in your shop. What things can you be doing to add 10-15% more to your annual revenue?
Billy McDevitt is back to talk about training/hiring a production manager. How in depth should your hiring be in order to get good quality candidates? The team discusses tips, project based interviews, and some online tools to help you hire anyone for your team with confidence.
Lee Stuart joins the PH Podcast to discuss the reality behind being an influencer for the screen printing industry. Does it make money? Are they in it just for the free stuff? Take a look at what Lee has to say about it.
JoAnn and Andy of Shirt Kong in St.Louis have been a power couple running the business for over a decade. JoAnn tells all about the challenges, separating work from home, and her new art show that is out now!
JoAnn's IG and Art Show link: https://www.instagram.com/joannhoule/
Bruce and Steven talk to Dan of Silver Screen Printing about how he's made contract printing work for him. Many owners move away from contract work, what's made it easier for Dan to keep it going at Silver Screen Printing?
Bruce and Steven discuss the data points that are good to jot down in your screen printing shop. They chat about what revenue numbers are good to track as well as the frequency in which you should track them. Here's a few links on the data that they were able to come up with!
Kevin McCracken of Social Imprints in San Francisco graciously shared the story of their substantial growth. After recovering from substance abuse and being released from prison, Kevin has since built a product empire with only one goal in mind: Enriching the Community.
Co-Founder of Sticker Mule Anthony Constantino chats with Bruce and Steven about the rise of this custom sticker company. From it's initial idea to the successful model it's become, this is an episode you don't want to miss!
Johnathan at Success Print Shop in San Angelo, TX has grown his shop significantly since he was last on the podcast! Now at a point where he can step away from production, Johnathan and the guys discuss more growth ideas and tips to keep the shop moving up!
Kevin is back to give us 5 more sales hacks for your shop. How do you ask for referrals? What keeps a sales team together in the long run? and what special announcement does Kevin have for us? watch the full episode to find out!
Justin Lawrence returns for the final 2 chapters of the Oklahoma Shirt Company Growth book (so far). The gang chats about what kind of leader they become during stressful situations, strength training in your business, and micro adjustments.
Kevin Baumgart is a sales guru and has been working with screen printing shops for years. He shares the number 1 sales techniques guarantee to help you close more deals.
Kevin Baumgart Email: kevin@setsales.co
Website: setsales.co
Connor McDonnell and his family have run STL Shirt Co in a variety of different formats. They've done their due diligence through trial and error and found that online stores are their bread and butter. Through learning the challenges of DTF and getting their social media marketing dialed in, STL Shirt Co has some great tips and advice on growing your shop.
Justin Lawrence chats with the boys today and discusses the growth that Oklahoma Shirt Company has been through. If you had the chance to start your business over with the knowledge you have now, what would you do differently?
Bruce and Steven chat with Nick Gawreluk who just finished his MBA thesis on print shop profitability. Spending a lot of time researching and working in the screen printing industry, Nick was able to break down pricing into a simple formula.
Bruce and Steven chat with Matt Merklein, an entrepreneur who ran a manufacturing business in the early 2000s. While chatting with Bruce one day at a trade show, they noticed similarities in business models. What can screen printers learn from a manufacturing business? Let's find out!
Bruce and Steven breakdown the Silicon Valley Bank chaos, the 4 distinct types of employees in every business, and how each type of employee can hinder or grow your business.
Bruce and Steven chat on the neuroscience of trust in your business, the importance of annual reviews, and how the screen printing industry can learn from private equity firms.
When Dave Gostenhofer started the San Diego Brewery Box Club, he new he was onto something special. Now fulfilling 7 different Brewery Box Clubs around the country, Shirts on Tap has improved their workflow and have their production flow down to a science. Learn how the company got started and what they've learned as they ship over 3000 club boxes a month!
Andrew James chats with the podcast crew about the very niche product of screen printing tape. The chemistry and the new innovations in tape manufacturing have made PMI Tape one of the top leading tape businesses in the apparel industry.
How to Go From Manual To Automatic Screen Printing with Threadbare Print House by Printavo
The PH Podcast crew talk with Tom Rauen who has made quite a name for himself in owning a variety of businesses.
What Happened at TeeSpring, Supply Chain Breakdowns, DTG vs Screen-Printing by Printavo
"How do I hire sales reps? When should I hire them? How much should I pay them?" Print shop owners have these questions all the time. We talk to Kevin Baumgart, a sales and strategy expert. He jokes that he wishes he could run a print shop: "You get to work with so many cool people all day!" On word of mouth, the most powerful form of marketing: "To me, it's amazing what shops have been able to do with word of mouth and virtually no marketing." But there's a downside. Shops often lack formal processes and procedures for sales. This makes it hard to grow past a certain point. So when should you hire a sales rep? "When you're really ready to grow your revenue and business." He even believes that shops could make marketing and sales the FIRST hires. "If you want that new press, how awesome would be to make the sales, and then need to go buy the new press?" Hiring for sales is tough, and Kevin is open about it. But there are ways to make it easier. "Look at the hiring process as a whole. What do the first 30, 60, or 90 days look like?" You've got to evaluate people to make sure that they have the right skills...and model success for them. Print shop sales require gritty people that can handle rejection. "You can't hire someone that wants to have their hand held. People that are successful in large corporate environments are not successful in small businesses." When it comes to paying sales staff, you've got to give people incentives that align with reality for them. "I've never seen 100% commission work well. It's hard to manage them. Someone needs to be comfortable. The base plus commission model is good, but provide a strong incentive for them." To get a sense of what you should pay in your area and for the talent you want, browse job listings. "Try Payscale, Glassdoor, and other websites to research how to get good folks to apply there." The bottom line? "Outbound sales is all rejection and totally monotonous. 98% rejection, same script, same process. It's hard." You've got to arm people for that process, and remember to reward them when they do find the 1% or 2% of customers that are a perfect fit. Lastly, Kevin has some great advice for the quote process. Get on a call! Don't just send a quote and wait. "You've done all this work and you're just going to hope they'll get it? Take advantage of getting on a call with them. Answer their questions up front. But most importantly, tie back to what they said. Reveal how your shop can help. You're so much more efficient this way. This should be a solution recommendation." Watch Kevin at PrintHustlers Conf 2019: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrvFLBdQT1w
Need help? Reach out to Kevin! Here's his email: kbaumgart@setsales.co
What does it take to start an American-made garment factory? We talk with Soft Goods Detroit about their ambitious plan to bring high-end, American-made blanks to the market. "We're pushing American-made, custom apparel from the ground up, cut-and-sewn, printed, embroidered, the full spectrum," co-founder Josh York tells us. What began as a plan to give every homeless person in Detroit a beanie has blossomed into a retail and wholesale business. Based in Detroit, Josh has built a team of hard-working locals. "There are cool things you can do with a print shop. You can train people these skills. You can really make an impact. So I thought: why not do it here in Detroit?" From working as a production manager at Abercrombie and Fitch to learning to sew his own t-shirts, Josh York has put in the work and learned that the garment industry is a far-reaching machine. "I got perspective by making one t-shirt a day, seeing how hard it is and how long it takes. Millions of people do that every single day," he said. "There's a customer that wants that really premium American-made garment, and that's the problem we're trying to solve now," Josh explains. But when it takes 20+ minutes just to make a hoodie, there are few people willing to pay the cost. But Josh is certain there's a viable market, and we agree. Contents: 00:00 Buying an automatic folding machine
03:39 Intro
04:57 Getting into cut-and-sew
06:00 Starting with charity
07:07 Employing the homeless
08:48 About cut-and-sew
11:11 7 million pairs of underwear?
12:40 Scaling
15:00 Navigating the industry
16:11 How COVID changed business
17:50 What's next
19:50 Turnaround
21:00 How long it takes to make a hoodie
23:01 Finance and risk
24:50 Marketing blanks
26:50 Sample kits
30:28 Retail to wholesale
32:19 Sales
36:00 Selling at the mall
38:35 Niches
40:16 Sourcing fabrics
IntegriTees' Sean Kirkpatrick joins us to talk about M&R's Digital Squeegee. He's had this hybrid printing machine in his west Texas shop for more than two years. It's pushed the boundaries of what's possible and opened a new niche for his shop. The Digital Squeegee combines screen printing and digital printing in one package and the results are fascinating. Sean discusses everything from pricing to printing for niche women's apparel brands in this episode of the PrintHustlers Podcast. 00:00 Intro
01:05 About IntegriTees
02:25 M&R's Digital Squeegee (DS)
05:50 Equipment needed for a Digital Squeegee
06:55 Smallest shop with a DS??
07:30 M&R Stryker presses
08:33 Why try new technology?
12:30 How much a Digital Squeegee costs
15:30 Hybrid printing artwork & screens
16:18 Learning curve & struggles
19:03 What jobs you should print with the DS
21:23 When prices make sense
22:30 Growing in 2020
23:00 Pricing as a luxury service
24:20 A warning about Digital Squeegees
25:58 Does it break?
28:10 10 days without turning it on?
29:25 Women's apparel niche
31:35 How fulfillment works for brands
32:50 Handling inventory
34:20 Why 2020 was great
36:50 Biggest challenge
38:45 Delegating
41:30 Reflecting on what's next
44:50 Outro
Lucky Prints in Chicago moved to a 4-day workweek. Could your print shop pull off a 4-day week? And why would you want to do it, anyway? Owner Adam Smith sits down to discuss what it took to pull of a 4-day work week, why it means less downtime, and how the Lucky Prints culture led to small (but very significant) improvements over time. Visit Lucky Prints on Instagram to see what they're up to: https://www.instagram.com/luckyprints
Contents: 00:00 Introduction
02:25 About Lucky Prints
04:25 Are restaurants like print shops?
06:45 Why hiring from restaurants works
10:15 Changes in 2020
11:10 Why work 4 day weeks?
12:25 How the 4 day week works
14:20 4 day week means happier people
16:50 Tracking downtime
21:00 Building a culture of improvement
24:40 How workers give feedback
27:45 Competition in screen printing
31:30 Saying no to bad jobs
35:40 Firing a bad customer
39:04 How to compete: experience!
42:10 Digital printing?
46:10 Patches, transfers, embroidery
Creating a business plan? Easy. But executing on it? That's hard. We dive in to planning and setting goals for your business in the coming year. It's time to stop thinking short-term and bouncing from one task to the next! The biggest trick? BREAK DOWN YOUR GOALS to execute them. Get out a pen and paper and start writing down your ideas! Let's dive in, set aside some time, and start with the questions you should ask yourself: - What is the company you want to have in one year?
-
What is realistically possible in your circumstances? Set conservative goals to start.
-
Can you actually measure your goals? If you can't – find a different goal, or a way to measure it.
-
Who owns (and controls) measuring these goals? It shouldn't always be you!
-
Can you set aside a weekly meeting to check in on your goals? This is the JET FUEL for meeting goals – it keeps goals top-of-mind. Every business owner has wound up in December wondering how the year slipped by – this is how to conservatively and proactively think longer-term. You really have to jump out of the short-term mindset and start thinking like a BIG business with LONG-TERM goals. Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Golden Press Studio explains why they've moved beyond being a print shop – and become a branding agency. Watch the full episode: https://www.printavo.com/blog/branding-agency-vs-screen-printing-shop
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Wondering why you suck with money? "Profit First" author Mike Michalowicz explains the human psychology behind why we're so bad with money. Your business suffers when you don't know this! Watch the full presentation here: https://youtu.be/X_ewZ-Ni3EA
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Should you try embroidery? We share what you need to think about before you purchase an embroidery machine. FIRST: How often do you really get embroidery orders? If 20 to 25% of customers are asking for embroidery, it's worth the investment. SECOND: What kind of equipment will you need? Will you need a large, medium, or small machine? THIRD: How will embroidery work in your business? Will you do all of the embroidery, some of it, or none of it? How much do embroidery machines cost? Used embroidery machines cost around $15,000 for a 10-head machine. For around $2,000, you can get a great 1-or-2-head machine. Things to consider: 1. Embroidery has a steep learning curve. You have to learn the vocabulary. Reach out to manufacturers and suppliers to learn more.
-
Can you contract out embroidery? If you're already contracting out embroidery, ask to visit your local embroidery shop and see how they work.
-
Embroidery has a different file type. Digitized files explain where each stitch needs to go. This can be very difficult to learn! Chapters: 00:00 When it's time to buy
00:40 What to consider
01:05 How much it costs
01:20 Why embroidery is hard
02:03 Contract embroidery
03:30 Digitizing and file types
04:48 Our favorite digitizer
05:25 Machine prices and sizes
06:00 How much space you need
06:45 Conclusion Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Where should you learn about screen printing? We ask the professionals. Remember trade shows? In January 2020 we interviewed some of the industry's best and brightest. Here's what they had to say about learning to screen print. We shelved these interviews because of the chaotic months that followed, but now it's time for them to hit the airwaves. Enjoy, Print Hustlers – and see you soon! Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
How do you take your shop from "busy" to truly profitable? We talk to Blue Grimes from Out Of The Blue Printing in Denver, Colorado. Their team aimed for a 20% profit margin – and met it. This episode covers everything from hiring an operations manager (6:20) to breaking down your gross margin so you can calculate your pricing (16:20). 00:00 Introduction
02:00 Changes in 2020
04:40 Monday morning meetings?
06:20 Hiring an operations manager
09:40 Making cuts to grow the business
11:30 How they price for 20% profit
12:50 How they built their price sheets
16:20 Understanding gross margin
17:53 How much a screen print shop can actually work
18:50 Did customers hate higher prices?
21:30 From operator to owner
23:33 Goals and accountability
26:15 Sales: defense to offense
27:00 New sales structure
29:30 Challenges with change
34:20 Conclusion Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Printavo University returns for its fifth session featuring water based ink masters Night Owls Print from Texas. Specializing in music merchandising, but with a formidable and highly technical water based printing setup, Night Owls have a great perspective to share to help you print through the challenges that water based inks create. Skip to some great moments using these shortcuts: 9:25 "If you’re going to screen print, you’re going to fail." 9:46 "There’s a lot more to water based than just putting ink on a screen…you have to be a little bit of a chemist." 13:00 Classes that Night Owls used to learn water based printing 33:00 How Night Owls Print keep their screens "open" for water based printing 36:30 Foggers and humidification systems for water based printing: do you really need it? (Yes!) 38:30 Why you should rub softener on your screen for water based printing 40:30 Squeegee sharpness and durometer for water based printing 42:00 Why Night Owls Print is a premium print shop Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Golden Press Studio is more than a print shop. They're a branding agency, too. But how do those two separate businesses work together? Read more and see the beautiful pictures the Golden Press team publishes: https://www.printavo.com/blog/branding-agency-vs-screen-printing-shop
Golden Press uses attractive, simple, and truly professional photographs and videos to set them apart. They're not just another print shop: they're a full-service branding agency. "We are a branding company that is so good, the branding markets the business," owner Jonathon Overmeyer. From how to get started in video to why Golden Press refuses to send a price sheet, this interview is an honest look at a brand that's making big inroads – even if they're still small. "This is what we want to do: print shirts, do cool designs, take cool photos and videos, and create content for the screen printing community to help people," Jonathon explained. Read more and see the beautiful pictures the Golden Press team publishes: https://www.printavo.com/blog/branding-agency-vs-screen-printing-shop
Does it get any better? Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Should you take risks in your screen printing business? It's hard to do, but it's the right move. Learn why you should let someone try to burn screens – and ask for help! Clip from Printavo's PrintHustlers podcast. Follow for more! Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Printavo University returns for its fourth session featuring Jess Strainis from Printavo. She's led implementations and workflow discoveries for hundreds of shops across the US – and now she's sharing her secrets to creating a workflow for your screen print shop. Matt Marcotte will cover Standard Operating Procedures, a must-have for any print shop. Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
What if you started a print shop with your best friends – and printed for your favorite bands, companies, and celebs? That's Upstate Merch. Join owner Dylan Gilligan as he shares the story of a tight-knit shop in rural New York: "All of my core people are people I have known since I was 12 years old." Read more: https://www.printavo.com/blog/upstate-merch-a-fun-print-shop
Between two podcasts – the Upstate podcast and Shirt Show (with SHIRT KONG's Andy Rudman) – Dylan spends a lot of time talking shop. "Why don’t we just let people listen to these great conversations so they can gain some nugget of knowledge," Dylan says of the reasoning behind the two shows. Check out Shirt Show here: https://open.spotify.com/show/01xVM4dONfsFILg7l9NAzf?si=aqAqbbDuQWeh-6W4BHv7tw
Upstate's focus on detailed art, intricate separations and customers that they're interested in has kept them busy despite the pandemic. Dylan doesn't hesitate to downplay his own skill and determination: "I’m not some business mastermind that thought of ways to do all of this." From finding a great deal on a building and renovating it to hiring and firing friends, this episode covers ground every print shop owner and employee can relate to – and shows what happens when you combine your passion with a little bit of luck. The secret to Upstate's success in working with such ideal customers? "The truth? If you want to get into a certain market, find 3 people in that space that have really good art (or help them get really good art). Then all you have to do is take those designs, make a portfolio, and show the people you like and want to work with the things you did." Check out Upstate: https://www.instagram.com/upstatemerch/
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Learn about art for screen printing with GraphXsource and Printavo in the third episode of Printavo University, held October 1st 2020. -Questions and topics discussed-
Click a time to jump straight to that topic: 1:55 What is GraphXsource? 3:55 Tell us about your workflow. How do you make a piece of art ready for printing? 7:15 What hardware do you need to make good art? 9:20 What you need to ask questions before you make them a bunch of artwork: have you already had this printed? 10:10 What software do you need to make screen printing art? 12:10 Can you tell us about RIP software like Accurip? (Solutionsforscreenprinters.com) 15:00 Should you charge art fees? 16:15 Does good art and good film always equal a good print? 19:15 Going from vellum to inkjet on film! Yay! 26:30 Is it worth upgrading to a roll printer from the Epson 1400 and 1430? 28:45 How often do I need to update my Pantone book? 34:15 Tell us about DPI and LPI. What are they and why do they matter? 48:10 What are the big shop things that a little shop can do? Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Should you automate your print shop & outsource artwork? Warrior Printing in Hawaii thinks so – and shares why. Read more: https://www.printavo.com/blog/outsourcing-artwork-and-automating-your-print-shop
From Facebook Marketing to using GraphXsource to free up time, Warrior Printing's Caleb Spencer has made a serious effort to revamp his business in the face of a shifting market. Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
"The riches are in the niches." Big Printing's Dawaud Muhammad explains how his shop has used Instagram to build a following 158,000+ strong. What started as Big Pimpin' Turf Clothes in the early 1990s has become a launching pad for thousands of entrepreneurs – even if it's not for everyone. "Whoever does find us and is into what we do...they’re going to love it." Read the full story and see some of Big Printing's finest prints here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/big-pri... Big prints, bold apparel, bright colors and truly impressive marketing have made Big Printing into a force in Oakland. Through "the power of the purchase order," Dawaud has led Big Printing through astronomical growth in 2020. Timing was everything – they had just set up their new website when the pandemic struck in March. This wide-ranging interview covers everything from Instagram marketing for your print shop to how to price your products as a screen printer – and a passionate discussion of the challenges black entrepreneurs face. Read more and take a look at Big Printing: https://www.printavo.com/blog/big-pri...
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Learn about making better screens for screen printing with Kiwo’s Mike Ramirez in this episode of Printavo University! Mike has more than a decade of experience meticulously managing screen rooms and working with Kiwo in their Houston, TX facility. Click a timestamp to jump to a topic that interests you: 1:40 Introduction to Mike Ramirez – his background and working experience. 5:30 What kind of emulsion is best? 7:45 How we should think about screens for screen printing 8:00 and 14:10 How to take notes on EOM (emulsion-over-mesh) and exposure time 10:07 What is EOM (emulsion-over-mesh)? 10:40 The 10% thickness rule for EOM 11:15 Common EOM mistakes 12:00 What a bad screen for screen printing looks like 14:00 How you want screens to look 15:40 EOM and mesh count: how do they relate? 16:50 How long can you store coated screens? 17:50 The best tool to have in your shop to measure humidity 21:00 How long should you wait after coating a screen to use it? 23:35 How do you know if you made a good screen? 23:50 A simple tip for checking to see if your screens are properly coated: the Dennings way 25:25 The 4 phases of dealing with screens 26:45 How to properly reclaim screens 28:00 Mesh cheat sheet: https://www.printavo.com/blog/what-mesh-should-i-use-for-screen-printing
31:30 A simple way to understand how much detail your screen can hold 35:10 How to get better at making screens 37:50 How to use and understand an exposure calculator for screen printing 52:00 Question: What kind of EOM would you want for Discharge? Low or High? 58:15 Question: What is the advantage to thin-mesh screens? 1:00:00 Question: What is the best light source for making screens? LED, metal halide, or something else? Printavo University is held every 2 weeks. Follow Printavo on Instagram and Crowdcast and get notified about the next class! Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
screenprinting #printlife #printhustlers #printavo #screenprintlife #dtg #embroidery #merch #ecommerce #printshop #screenprint
What's it like to buy a screen printing business? Lantern Ink, founded by Heather Searcy, grew significantly when they purchased another print shop in 2017. Read the full story and see inside Lantern Ink's shop: https://www.printavo.com/blog/buying-a-screen-printing-business
Screen printing was that calling: "I found some equipment, called my husband, took $5,000 and drove to Austin." After diligent research and a leap of faith, Heather spent 3 years in her garage printing by hand. "It's the classic story," she says, "I was looking for a way to spend more time with my kids." But Lantern Ink has grown quickly from a hobby into a 10-person operation that balances contract work and high-quality boutique printing. Read the full story and see inside Lantern Ink's shop: https://www.printavo.com/blog/buying-a-screen-printing-business
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
if you're still reading comment "Hammertime"
screenprinting #printlife #printhustlers #printavo #screenprintlife #dtg #embroidery #merch #ecommerce #printshop #screenprint
Subscribe to the Printavo channel for more amazing interviews, shop tours, and tips for your screen printing business.
Join Printavo's Matt Marcotte in this exclusive Printavo University webinar. Featuring live Q&A and an in-depth discussion about what it takes to run a successful screen printing business, this webinar was held September 2020. Want to sign up for the next Printavo University? Join in here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/printavo-university-101
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
screenprinting #printlife #printhustlers #printavo #screenprintlife #dtg #embroidery #merch #ecommerce #printshop #screenprint
Subscribe to the Printavo channel for more amazing interviews, shop tours, and tips for your screen printing business.
The funniest couple in screen printing, Barrel Maker Printing's Justin and Erin Moore, join us for Printavo's PrintHustlers Podcast (aka "Printavocast," according to Justin and Erin). They've grown a print shop from an operation in a drafty apartment to a modern print-on-demand experience backed by a formidable live printing operating. What does it take to be a close-knit family, raise children, and manage a fast-growing screen printing operation? Here's two people that have made it happen. 3:55 How it all began: “I got fired. I got an unemployment check. Instead of paying rent or buying groceries, I bought a press.” WHY BARREL MAKER WORKS: "Every single day I operate as though we're going out of business," explains Justin. He's built a robust website and e-commerce juggernaut to back it up – "I feel like it’s a fine line between doing well and living on the streets homeless." There's one thing that's kept them profitable: a search for someone who understands that the key is keeping product moving out the door. Despite that, hiring people that will stay for the long haul is always a challenge: "So, bigger picture, you have to think about the fact that: maybe in 2 years this person will leave and we’ll need someone else for this role." 54:00 Live printing events: What's that like? Why do it? WHAT'S NEXT FOR BARREL MAKER: "I'm of the mindset that if you get something the next day, you're going to be happier," Justin says. Print-on-demand (1:06:30) has become a hot topic in the industry, and they're creating their own model that works with what consumers expect. "There's this whole Amazon culture: people want things quickly." Are they going to grow into something like Custom Ink? Probably not. “Barrel Maker has run on spontaneous, creative energy. It might just die in a board room," Justin says. BALANCING FAMILY AND THE SHOP: "One person’s stress ruins another person’s good time," Erin says. Since Erin runs the how and Justin works on the what, they're often out of sync. The solution? "We stopped working together," Erin laughs. From working in 2,000 square feet with 3 presses (11:35) to building a solid internship program (19:10), Barrel Maker and the family behind the business have crafted a Chicago print icon while growing a family. A huge thanks to Justin and Erin for taking the time to chat with us! Check Barrel Maker out: https://barrelmakerprinting.com/
Their live printing operation: https://barrelmakerprinting.com/live-printing/
Check out their work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barrelmakerprinting/
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
screenprinting #printlife #printhustlers #printavo #screenprintlife #dtg #embroidery #merch #ecommerce #printshop #screenprint
Subscribe to the Printavo channel for more amazing interviews, shop tours, and tips for your screen printing business.
Why is there a t-shirt shortage? What happened when COVID hit Bella + Canvas? What's next for the screen print industry? You've got questions, and Bella + Canvas President Chris Blakeslee has answers! In 2020, the screen print industry has been hard hit. From the lack of events to shortages in common t-shirts and larger sizes, it's been a struggle. And for the 1,000+ people team based out of Los Angeles that makes up Bella + Canvas, it's been no exception. "One of my biggest focal points has been keeping up with production. Right when we got stock and production where we wanted it to be, the pandemic hit," Chris explained. While Bella + Canvas operates the biggest automated cutting facility in the world in their LA campus (and dyes their fabrics in the US as well), closing a 2.1M square foot facility was no simple task. They originally projected a sharp drop in demand, but have far outpaced their initial projections after weathering a challenging 30 day period. "When lots of businesses were closing, we were busier than we had ever been before in terms of management, production, operations, and customer interaction," Chris said. You'll hear why there's been a shortage of t-shirts and sweatshirts this year, why it's hard to find the extra large sizes in stock, and even what the future of screen printing holds. Chris also offers an honest take on what it means to be a leader in such difficult times: "I know in our industry, one of my favorite things about this whole process – so many companies did so many things to adapt and pivot. They did an incredible job finding ways to survive and keep their people employed. It really was that entrepreneurial spirit, which is our industry. There are lots of people that did just as good as I did in lots of businesses." Want to see the highlights? Click a timestamp to jump to that topic: 8:45 What happened with the first Bella + Canvas face coverings? "We were introduced to some people close to the White House Coronavirus Task Force right in the middle of March." 12:00 Why some print shops weren't happy with Bella + Canvas (and how they made it right). "If I could go back, I would have called it a face cover right off the bat." 13:30 What Bella + Canvas' ultimate goal is: make profitable products for print shops. "We have always tried to create products that allow our customers, particularly decorators, to buy them, embellish them, and sell them at a much higher price and make a much stronger margin." 14:10 How COVID affected the supply chain for the screen printing industry. "The reaction to things get amplified every time you go a step further up the supply chain." 19:25 Why is there a t-shirt shortage? "Sewing became a total bottleneck." 22:10 Why XL and larger size t-shirts and garments are hard to get right now – from the President of Bella + Canvas! "Each supplier got bought out in successive order." 28:00 How Chris faces the challenges of leading a big company like Bella + Canvas. "You have to overcommunicate. You have to be very compassionate for your people." 32:10 Where is the industry going for now and what is the company planning for? "All of that consumer-facing purchased merchandise is doing surprisingly well. While the big 'giveaway' and events space is doing terribly." Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
screenprinting #printlife #printhustlers #printavo #screenprintlife #dtg #embroidery #merch #ecommerce #printshop #screenprint
Subscribe to the Printavo channel for more amazing interviews, shop tours, and tips for your screen printing business.
If 80% of your screen printing business is walk-in retail, what happens when customers can't come into your store? You pivot to online sales and fundraisers like Rockford Art Deli (RAD). But this wasn't easy! "It's almost worse to have too much success and not be prepared for it," explains Jarrod Hennis from RAD. By joining the 50-state-wide Here For Good campaign, Jarrod and his team took part in a nationwide movement to help sustain small businesses...but it wasn't easy. After donating more than $100,000 to local Rockford businesses, Jarrod and the RAD team have seen it all. From angry emails telling them how to run their business to media coverage to dealing with t-shirt shortages, Rockford Art Deli has made it through this challenging period with an eye toward the future. Jarrod exclaims: "5 years ago you could never have done any of this!" This in-depth conversation covers everything from how RAD balance custom and retail screen printing, why they only do hand-printed and simple designs, and what happens when you're not ready to handle a crush of orders. Software mentioned in this episode: Frontapp: https://www.front.com - a shared inbox
Kloud: https://kloud.io/ - better marketing
Signpost: https://www.signpost.com - get more (and better) reviews
Gusto: https://www.gusto.com - HR, payroll, and more...made easy
BombBomb: https://www.bombbomb.com - video marketing made simple Since this is a long interview, we've highlighted some moments below. Click the timestamp to jump straight to a topic that interests you: 2:20 HILARIOUS clip about how screen printers chat with each other at trade shows
5:35 Why Rockford Art Deli's Free Print Day cost "pennies in marketing” but delivered a huge return on investment for RAD
7:00 What happened to Rockford Art Deli in March 2020 when COVID hit
18:00 “I’ve made every mistake. I’ve had every customer tell me how to run my business.”
23:20 How did the Here For Good campaign wind up financially for the company?
29:26 How Jarrod would have ran his store differently if he’d known this would happen
31:00 Would DTG have been better than screen printing for this campaign? Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
screenprinting #printlife #printhustlers #printavo #screenprintlife #dtg #embroidery #merch #ecommerce #printshop #screenprint
Subscribe to the Printavo channel for more amazing interviews, shop tours, and tips for your screen printing business.
Family Industries hosted hundreds of live printing events every year. But that's over for now. The Family team isn't stopping, so what's next for live printing? Companies are still desperate to hold some kind of event! Family's Max Hellmann joins us to discuss how they pivoted their print shop on a dime to virtual events, pick-and-pull fulfillment, and a unique slant on their position between business and customer. With laser engraving, transfers, embroidery, and custom developed apps so people can design on site – the Family Industries team has made the live print game into a futuristic fantasy. Now they've crafted a way to do virtual brand activations with their own custom platform. From Amazon to ComicCon, Family Industries has mastered on-site activation despite a new paradigm in events. Printavo's COVID podcast from March: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LK92RmB2uw
Max at PrintHustlers Conf 2019: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n3TCyL4Nqk
Family Industries on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/familyindustries
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Are you too busy to do everything you need to do in your screen print shop? Tune in for an insightful conversation between Printavo’s Bruce Ackerman and Campus Ink’s Steven Farag about hiring the right people in your screen printing business. “The breaking point is when you have a to-do list that’s 50 things long...and by lunch it’s 75 things,” Steven said. Think carefully about hiring an assistant – there are so many tasks and draining activities you do every day that an assistant can take off your hands. “There are people that are extremely talented at being executive assistants,” Steven told us. “I use Loom videos a lot to share instructions now.” He’s hired an assistant to help him handle HR, payroll, reporting, and simply managing the chaos. At 9:00, Steven explains why you need an assistant to help you get organized – and be a buffer between the chaos around you. “There are people that enjoy the things we don’t enjoy, no matter what you think,” Bruce points out. This is a great time to hire – people are in new routines, finding new ways to work, and simply looking for new jobs. If you need help, it’s the time to ask! p.s. who's your best employee? What makes them great? How did you find them? Links from the interview:
Dr. Sherry Walling at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ol_Rx2vwdx8
Kevin Baumgart at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrvFLBdQT1w
Loom: https://www.loom.com Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Music merchandising isn’t an easy game. Neither is fulfillment for major bands, brands, and businesses. But Night Owls Print in Texas have mastered their craft: “We make things your customers WANT to wear.” Their vibrant water based screen prints are a testament to how seriously the team has dedicated themselves to putting quality first. Now the game has moved beyond screen printing – jumping to vinyl, pins, mugs, Nalgene bottles, hot sauces and just about everything else under the sun that people want to buy. Hear from Night Owls' Eric Solomon about everything from how they got into music fulfillment and merchandising to their (good!) struggles with the Profit First program. This is another candid and insightful interview for the PrintHustlers Podcast. A huge thanks to the Night Owls for opening up about their business, their techniques, and the future!
QUESTIONS AND TOPICS
Click the links below to jump to a question or topic! 2:00 What we do in the shop during holidays 2:45 About Night Owls Print 4:00 What goes into the logistics of music merchandising? 8:30 Does fulfillment mean more than t-shirts? What else does Night Owl Printing fulfill? 9:15 What pushed you to try fulfillment and other types of vertical integration? 10:10 Why meeting Matt & Kim, a big touring act, led to doing fulfillment 11:00 How do you decide what kind of things to do fulfillment for? 12:00 “500 records is...5 feet high and 5 feet deep Where do you put it? How do you store them? Vinyl is climate-sensitive! You can’t just put it in a hot warehouse!” 13:00 The biggest lesson from COVID. 13:40 How do you manage your shop? What kind of tech do you have? 14:28 ShipStation 14:48 Shopify 15:10 Bartender 15:50 How do you price fulfillment and merchandising as a service? 18:40 Is it about price, or about creating something great for the end customer? 20:00 Do you do print-on-demand, or do you do inventory? How do you decide what risk to take? 21:27 The one email every print shop hates. 22:30 Why customers are so picky and expect so much. 24:00 Why you need a customer service manager and an operations manager. 26:10 How do you decide what to do each day as an owner? How do you process this all? 28:10 Why Night Owls is still thriving during COVID. 30:15 How much of the business at Night Owls is screen printing? 30:45 What was the thought process behind buying your building? 32:40 How do you handle in-person distribution? Do you send someone out on tours? 34:15 Has Night Owl always used water based inks? 36:00 Do you charge more for Pantone matching? How does your pricing work? 39:10 You did Profit First. Tell us about that and how it’s going. 45:00 How are you planning for the future? What sort of financial picture is there? 46:45 When did you realize you needed help to get better? What advice do you have for shops that are afraid to pay into something that seems expensive? 52:00 Was there a certain dollar amount when you decided to put your money to work? 54:00 What’s your goal for Night Owls, ultimately? Have you thought about that? 55:30 What’s your biggest concern right now?
Visit Night Owls Print: https://www.nightowlsprint.com
Profit First at PrintHustlers Conf 2019: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_ewZ-Ni3EA
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Where should you buy screen printing supplies? Every print shop – even the biggest ones in the world – struggle with this question. From inks to emulsion to screens to simple things like tape and ink cards, your supplies are how you turn a customer’s idea into a paying order. Read more: https://www.printavo.com/blog/where-to-buy-screen-printing-supplies
You don't want to overpay, you can't stockpile most supplies, and you have to get your supplies quickly. So choosing a supplier is a delicate balancing act for print shops. Matt Marcotte from Printavo breaks down where you should buy screen printing supplies from. You may be surprised that we aren't just going to give you a list of companies! Instead, Matt will arm you with the right strategy for purchasing supplies: https://www.printavo.com/blog/where-to-buy-screen-printing-supplies
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Stoked on Printing in Las Vegas has shifted from bulk screen printing to a print-on-demand business model. They've purchased 9 GTX DTG machines and hired 3 full-time developers to make their print shop into a future-focused print-on-demand machine. "The model of selling bulk t-shirts to people is saturated," says Stoked on Printing's Kevin Oakley, "We saw a potential moat around our business by focusing on technology. How can we use technology to make a customer’s experience seamless?" If you're curious about print-on-demand services, fulfillment, using technology to grow your shop, and even plain old screen printing – this interview is for you. There has been a massive shift in how print shops will operate going forward. "Up until last year I was trying to convince people that print-on-demand was a good idea. COVID completely accelerated that. People that used to have a huge warehouse are doing print-on-demand. There’s been a huge shift to e-commerce. I don’t think it’s ever going back," says Kevin. Kevin explains the hurdles that Stoked on Printing has faced, from connecting online stores to their shop, to getting high-quality artwork, to just dialing in their printing and hiring the right employees. Stoked on Printing has had a wild ride during 2020, going from 48 employees down to 18...and now rocketing back up to 70 employees. The biggest struggle of all? Kevin is candid: "Management!" A huge thanks to Stoked on Printing for sharing their experience and knowledge. Don't hesitate to reach out to Kevin & the Stoked team! They're easy to find at https://www.stokedonprinting.com
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Before you buy a DTG printer, you need to watch this video. DTG (direct-to-garment) printing has immediate appeal to most entrepreneurs. It’s sold as a fast, easy, and affordable way to print infinite colors onto t-shirts and other apparel. Supposedly, the prints sell themselves and simply purchasing a DTG machine sends your business into the stratosphere! READ MATT'S ARTICLE ABOUT BUYING DTG PRINTERS HERE: Except...not so fast. DTG printers are a great investment for your print shop. Well…a great investment if you can meet the following three criteria. Criteria 1: You have the right customer base. DTG printers are ideal for: one-off prints and small, low-quantity orders. DTG printers are NOT ideal for: large, high-quantity orders or your first piece of printing equipment. Criteria 2: You have the right plan in place for equipment. DTG printers are great if you already have the right equipment to support them: a curing dryer, a heat press, and a DTG pretreat machine. When you look at DTG printers, remember that they require additional equipment to actually function in a print shop! Criteria 3: You know how to sell your DTG printing service. DTG printing is not right for every type of customer you’ll serve. While it seems like a lot of successful shops simply plug in their DTG printers and have everything figured out, the odds are good that a lot went on behind the scenes to create the business to support the DTG printer. Read more and get the full scoop on whether you should buy a DTG printer here: Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Should you lease or buy your screen printing shop? This is a huge question that lots of shop owners face as their business grows. We talk to Dru Dalton from Real Thread in Orlando, FL about the challenges print shops have to overcome. "What do you invest in? Real estate or the business?" (17:50). Check out Real Thread: https://www.realthread.com
Dru breaks down how he uses key performance indicators to determine whether Real Thread is being EFFECTIVE and EFFICIENT. What does that mean in the context of screen printing? Effectiveness is simply how fast orders get to customers. Efficiency is how profitable the shop is. By measuring simple things (and simply starting the process of actually measuring), Dru and Real Thread track their costs and jobs carefully. Did we mention that Real Thread has one of the most beautiful brands and websites of any shop around? They have a very inspiring way of presenting information: https://www.realthread.com
Real Thread's lease ended at the end of March 2020 – a wild time, Dru says. "It was chaos. Nuts." They cut back the number of presses they had, sold one, and downsized some elements of their operation. But not all was lost in the move: "We still invested in painting the floor," Dru notes. It's too expensive and cumbersome to pass up the opportunity to move into a shop with a freshly painted floor. Dru and Bruce dive deep into determining how you should balancing investing in a building for your business and investing in your business. "It's just so hard to find the right building for screen printing equipment," Bruce notes. Just finding the right electrical setup can be a huge challenge. Sometimes the choice is obvious and leasing is a much better move, but others abide by a different philosophy. What do you think: should you lease or own your screen printing shop? Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
QUESTION: How do I let my team communicate with customers in my print shop? ANSWER: People typically need patience, empathy, and a level of emotional intelligence that lets them understand how to interact with customers. Not everyone has these skills, and that’s okay – but you can help your team develop these skills and improve their customer interactions. Tip 1: Have the right people. Without the right people in the right role, you’re going to have a hard time training them to become someone else. This is really the first step – you have to know what kind of people you’re looking for. Test for patience and empathy. Try project-based interviewing. How would you handle a given situation if you were interacting with a customer? What if they want a coupon or lower pricing? Do a mock situational interview and see how they communicate. Tip 2: Use "TAR." Thanks, Acknowledge, Resolve. This is the pattern that your customer service should take. You simply follow the pattern: thank the customer, acknowledge their problem, and resolve their issue. These three steps make people feel that their entire situation has been addressed. This is a big goal – but it's always possible. Tip 3: Think like a high-end restaurant. Treat customers like they’re in a personable, high-end restaurant that is super familiar with their needs. What is a fine dining experience like? Are people confused, left feeling cold, or concerned with pricing? No! They're treated with an extreme degree of respect and care – and carefully catered to at every moment. Tip 4: Measure how well your team is doing. Use KPIs (key performance indicators). We use Zendesk to track First Response Time and Total Calls Received to Total Calls Answered. Those are crucial metrics that let us determine how well we’re doing in responding to all of our customers! You can also use Frontapp to track your email inbox's response times – and share your inbox. This is such an important piece of your brand. Customer service is what you can do to really set yourself apart in a large, competitive industry. Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Feeling shocked by 2020's turbulence? Screen printing has changed dramatically in just a few months, making a shift toward e-commerce and masks while moving away from events. Ryonet founder Ryan Moor joins us at PrintHustlers Conf 2020 in this incredibly informative and transparent look at the screen printing industry's future. Ryan compares the industry's current predicament to the Great Recession and even takes a look at Printavo's own unique data that shows the catastrophic drop in business – and subsequent recovery. WHAT'S NEXT? The market grows and expands, with a focus on direct-to-customer sales. Things consolidate and change. Uncertainty reigns, and the businesses that can adapt will thrive under interesting new conditions. A huge thanks to Ryonet, Allmade, and ROQ.us for sponsoring PrintHustlers Conf 2020. Without them, Printavo would not have been able to hold this groundbreaking online conference. Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Before you buy your next screen printing equipment – watch this video about screen printing's hidden gem: the CTS machine! “If you’ve got enough volume to automate the screen printing process, you’ve got enough volume to automate the screen making process," Graphic Elephants’ Lon Winters explains. Going from film outputs and your trusted Epson inkjet printer is a big step – so why is computer-to-screen technology such a hidden gem? “Basically, automating a few things ‘over in the corner’ isn’t as exciting as a new press,” says Matt Marcotte from Printavo. Learn how much CTS costs, who makes them, and much more: https://www.printavo.com/blog/cts-and-dts-for-screen-printing
Watch Lon Winters from Graphic Elephants at PrintHustlers Conf 2020: https://www.printavo.com/blog/printhustlers-conf-2020-lon-winters
“If you’re doing just 25 screens a day, it’s still worth it,” adds Lon. CTS manufacturers are conservative with their estimates about the return-on-investment for their machines. “Aggressively forward-thinking shop owners can make sense of [computer-to-screen] if they buy into the intangible benefits.” It’s hard enough to tell shop owners that their registration times will likely be cut in half – they just don’t believe it. It’s another ballgame to explain that a modest $35,000 machine could get a return-on-investment faster than virtually any other piece of screen printing equipment. Calculate how long it will take your shop to pay for a CTS machine: https://www.printavo.com/blog/cts-and-dts-for-screen-printing
CTS machines let screen print shops print more jobs. Lon urges shops to think about the bigger picture than how fast their press can print shirts: “We’re still stuck with how fast the press goes round and round. It was all about 900 pieces an hour on the press. Well that doesn’t matter when your runs are 6 pieces on average!” Getting more jobs through your shop means more revenue and more profit – and CTS setups are the simplest way to be able to print more individual jobs. Dive into CTS and learn more: https://www.printavo.com/blog/cts-and-dts-for-screen-printing
“If you can cut your setup time, that means if your average runs are 100 pieces and you expect 10 per day – you only need to find a few minutes to be able to get 11 jobs out. Then it easily becomes 12 jobs. So if you start managing to the number of jobs instead of the number of pieces, your business can grow,” Lon explains. Lon, Matt, and Bruce dive further into exactly how to think about CTS, whether lasers will take over the computer-to-screen game, wax vs. ink machines, and even what “ST” stands for in M&R’s i-Image ST. Read more: https://www.printavo.com/blog/cts-and-dts-for-screen-printing
Curious about the history of screen printing, film, and high-color t-shirt prints? Read about Jon Weiss here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/growing-a-contract-screen-printing-business-jon-weiss
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
“Delegate and elevate.” This crucial leadership skill is how you can grow your business. Don’t get stuck in the business! Stay on top of it. Watch TRACTION expert Tom Bouwer at PrintHustlers Conf 2020 here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/printhustlers-conf-2020-tom-bouwer
Entrepreneurs hustle hard. From the beginning, we train ourselves to do everything. But the attitude that took you from Step 1 isn’t the attitude that will take you to Step 2. You have to manage a team and enable them to execute your vision. You can’t just work harder and harder in the same way! Here’s THREE WAYS to delegate and elevate: 1. Write down everything you do every single day for 2 weeks. This is how you can show yourself exactly what you’re spending your time doing. Ever seen “Hoarders”? This is like taking everything out of the hoarder’s house and showing them the problem. Do you really have the time and capacity to do all of these things? 2. Create LOVE and DON’T LIKE columns, and figure out which tasks you LOVE and which tasks you DON’T LIKE. You’re probably good at the things you LOVE. And the truth is you probably spend too much time doing the things you DON’T LIKE! Those tasks you don’t like? It’s time to find someone to take those things over. There is someone that love taxes and accounting, or dealing with people, or handing art feedback. Even if you can’t hire them now, you’ll know exactly where you can get help first – or give current employees more responsibility. 3. Delegate the low-value tasks and believe in your responsibility to do high-value activities. The reason we call this “delegate and elevate” is because it elevates your business. You have to really believe that this is true (and we promise...it is!). Low-value tasks are strangling your business. If you have the team and the right people to help you with these tasks, you have to overcome the mental block that’s preventing your business from running at its full capacity. What have you learned? Drop us a comment and let us know! Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
What software do you need for a screen printing shop? Here are 27 essential software tools to make running your screen printing business easier, faster, more fun, and more profitable. ALL SOFTWARE MENTIONED LINKED BELOW: PART 1: Management/Communication
If you think of “where the work in your shop happens,” you probably think of your production floor. That’s what these platforms and apps do: they’re where you actually work on your business. Printavo
What it does: manages your screen printing, embroidery, DTG, or signage shop from anywhere on virtually any internet-connected computer, laptop, smartphone or tablet.
Where to get it: https://www.printavo.com
QuickBooks Online
What it does: manages accounting, taxes, expenses, and more
Where to get it: https://www.quickbooks.com
Gusto
What it does: payroll, benefits, payroll taxes, time tracking and HR
Where to get it: https://www.gusto.com
Indeed and Zip Recruiter
What it does: help you hire people to grow your business
Where to get it: https://www.indeed.com and https://www.ziprecruiter.com Lucid Chart
What it does: builds simple visual charts and workflow diagrams
Where to get it: https://www.lucidchart.com
Asana
What it does: manages internal development and complex projects (like marketing, content, etc.)
Where to get it: https://www.asana.com
Stripe
What it does: collects payment online
Where to get it: https://www.stripe.com
Ring Central
What it does: software for managing, setting up, recording, and tracking VOIP and phone calls
Where to get it: https://www.ringcentral.com
PART 2: Productivity
The right tools make all the difference. There are a glut of useful, affordable, and effective tools for becoming more productive. These apps and software provide valuable services and let you get more things done faster. Gsuite
What it does: provides the best email inbox and a robust suite of apps and services to help you and your employees run your business
Where to get it: https://gsuite.google.com
Frontapp
What it does: lets you share an email inbox in a highly transparent manner
Where to get it: https://www.frontapp.com
Signpost
What it does: generate reviews and positive feedback to Yelp, Google, Facebook, and other sources – while sending negative reviews directly to you
Where to get it: https://www.signpost.com
Expensify
What it does: manages expenses and receipts for employee reimbursements.
Where to get it: https://www.expensify.com
Zapier
What it does: connects multiple apps, websites, or online services.
Where to get it: https://www.zapier.com
Loom
What it does: records, edits, and shares videos (particularly for screen recordings, coaching, and training) quickly and easily
Where to get it: https://www.loom.com
Trainual
What it does: helps train your staff and even your customers by creating a step-by-step process
Where to get it: https://www.trainual.com
Zoom
What it does: a powerful video chat platform
Where to get it: https://www.zoom.com
Slack
What it does: lets your team communicate internally
Where to get it: https://www.slack.com
Calendly
What it does: lets customers, potential employee candidates, and anyone else choose a time for meetings that works for them – and you
Where to get it: https://www.calendly.com
Jotform/Typeform
What it does: puts forms onto your websites for things like quoting, inquires, and even helping contract shops get and place orders
Where to get it: https://www.jotform.com and https://www.typeform.com PART 3: Marketing
From building websites to posting to social media to purchasing advertisements on the web, there are tons of apps and tools designed to make marketing a snap. SquareSpace
What it does: lets you make incredible custom websites easily.
Where to get it: https://www.squarespace.com
Canva
What it does: lets you create beautiful marketing materials on the fly.
Where to get it: https://www.canva.com
The perfect print shop workflow? Lon Winters from Graphic Elephants joins us at PrintHustlers Conf 2020 to show HOW you can solve one of screen printing's riddles: what makes for a great workflow in your shop? Showing real screen print shop layouts and floor plans, Lon shares decades of experience consulting with print shops to improve their operations and make big strides toward the perfect print shop workflow. Learn more here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/printhustlers-conf-2020-lon-winters
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Learn how to price heat transfers with Supacolor's Rum Walia and Mike Modgill on this episode of the PrintHustlers Podcast! Download the Supacolor Price Calculator and learn more here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/how-to-price-heat-transfers
The Basics of Pricing Heat Transfers: You can price heat transfers with a very simple formula. You simply add together: -Your desired margin
-Your press charge
-The price of the heat transfer.
-You can also amortize additional business costs into your heat transfer prices. For example, Supacolor has a flat-rate 2-day shipping charge of $15 for their heat transfers. You can add that as a setup fee for the entire order, or have heat transfers shipped in bulk and spread the fee across several orders. Let's discuss what each element of the heat transfer price equation (Markup + Press Charge + Heat Transfer Price) really means. "Margin"
This is simply the amount above the price of the heat transfer that you charge. 30% to 50% margins are an ideal target. Supacolor recommends charging a different margin depending on your customer and the complexity of the job. A wholesale account may get a lower margin, while a retail customer would likely receive a higher margin. "Press Charge"
This is a flat, per-piece charge that's applied to each piece. Consider this the "fee" for using your heat press for the product. While SanMar suggests starting with a $1 press charge, Supacolor claims that $0.60 is a reasonable fee. “Nobody can tell you that $0.60 is the press charge you should go with no matter what. You're going to have to make adjustments to these numbers. SanMar, for instance, recommends going up to $1.” - Rum Walia of Supacolor We show you how to more accurately calculate your press charge later in this article. "Heat Transfer Price"
Supacolor has a 20 piece minimum order quantity and flat-rate, 2-day shipping. This means, for all intents and purposes, calculating the actual price of the heat transfer is very easy. You can just add the shipping cost ($15) to each heat transfer. Like a screen printing shop, Supacolor gives bulk discounts. Their products are arranged by sizes. Heat transfers were traditionally sold in sheets, so there was incentive to purchase as many logos as possible for a given transfer. Supacolor's system doesn't require you to play that kind of game. Download Supacolor's Price Calculator and price your heat press and heat transfer prints perfectly: https://www.printavo.com/blog/how-to-price-heat-transfers
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Dr. Sherry Walling has spent her professional life serving entrepreneurs – but as a therapist and counselor for issues of mental health. "There have been a number of high-profile suicides among brilliant, successful, highly functional people," Dr. Walling says. "In your life as an entrepreneur, you're going to experience some different mental health challenges – it's important to tell the truth about what's hard!" Dr. Walling is joined by her husband Rob Walling, a "serial entrepreneur" who's dealt with his own challenges despite resounding success. From handling anxiety and a "busy mind that's hard to shut off" to burnout, there's no shortage of traps and pitfalls along your path. With the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone has felt more stress and anxiety – not to mention pressure from needing to pivot your business, lay off employees, or simply adapt to a challenging new business environment. While our conference is called "PrintHustlers Conf," it's really a space for community and wellbeing...not hustling. You spend the rest of the year hustling, growing, and challenging yourself – so this conference is where you can take a load off, slow down, and look back on how you're doing. No topic is off-limits at PrintHustlers Conf, and mental health is a top priority as we head into the next year. Dr. Walling brings a perfect mix of practical insights and sensitive, loving kindness. If you can't love and look after yourself, who will? Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Danny Gruninger from Denver Print House has built one of screen printing's most respected brands: a highly technical and precise print shop that others look up to. So how does Danny think you can build the ultimate print shop? "I really recommend to spend some time on R&D (research & development). You really cannot get complacent," Danny urges. "The one thing that really secured our biggest clients was quality." If you want to print high-end retail quality prints, you've got to spend the time and energy to develop your skills, technique, equipment, and attitude toward printing. "This industry blends the artistic and scientific. But there's no rules! Don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone," Danny says. You've probably seen Danny at trade shows – but if you haven't, he's a die-hard printer that has a world-class eye for detail. His insights and ideas are "straight from the horse's mouth," so to speak – this is a screen printer that's struggled through every challenge and come out on top. Danny has 5 simple rules for success in building a better print shop: 1. Surround yourself with the right people.
-
Create a product you're always proud of.
-
Create a working environment that promotes a higher quality of life.
-
Continually create and improve your processes.
-
Don't be afraid to break the rules. Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Get a grip on your print shop! Entrepreneurial operating system expert Tom Bouwer joins us to share his knowledge about EOS and "Traction," a legendary book that teaches you to take control of your business. Learn simple tactics and tools you can use to master your business strategy – these are things you can implement TOMORROW to start seeing results IMMEDIATELY! Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
What exactly does Tom suggest to do in your business? Well, he covers a TON of ground in this action-packed presentation – so you'll want to take it all in a few times – but he develops a comprehensive way to have the right people, vision, data, issues, traction, and process in your business. Can you define your core values? Your core focus? Your 10-year target? And how about the final linking piece – the marketing strategy? Tom shows you how businesses can capitalize on understanding their mission and specifying it to drive business forward. But it's not about taking the time once to draft a bunch of documents and then forget them! You have to revisit these ideas in a scheduled, regimented way to stay consistent. Tom's book, "What The Heck is EOS?" (https://www.eosworldwide.com/what-the-heck-is-eos) is a delightful companion to "Traction". Read more: https://www.printavo.com/blog/printhustlers-conf-2020-tom-bouwer
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
screenprinting #printlife #printhustlers #printavo #screenprintlife #dtg #embroidery #merch #ecommerce #printshop #screenprint
Subscribe to the Printavo channel for more amazing interviews, shop tours, and tips for your screen printing business.
Employee feedback is so important! It's how to align ACTIONS with VALUES inside your company. But what does that mean – and how do you give good feedback? Bruce from Printavo weighs in with four tips to help you give employees great feedback in your print shop. Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
WHY DO WE NEED GOOD FEEDBACK? Your expectations don't always align with your employees' expectations. Usually, we give one-off, incremental feedback: please coat screens this way, please fold shirts this way, please answer emails like this instead of like that. We need good feedback because good feedback helps employees make better decisions about their work...independently! You are actually aligning actions with expectations and values. Read on for more tips about giving great employee feedback: TIP 1: Training is crucial! Give every employee lots of time UP FRONT. We don’t value our time well enough as owners – so we put off training. But spending two days or a week focused specifically on a new employee shows them that you're dedicated to their success – and stops a lot of headaches and questions in the future. TIP 2: Assign a buddy! Give every new hire a buddy that helps them get into a good routine. We want them to act as a deflection point for small questions. This is a huge and easy way to make a new employee comfortable. TIP 3: Use the word "because" – and be TIMELY with your feedback! Why do you want things done a certain way? BECAUSE of our values and goals: because we want great prints, because we want customers to get their shirts exactly the right way, because we want to increase our sales through better service. Crucially: don't delay your feedback! As soon as you have the opportunity to offer feedback, do it! Don’t wait until a problem frustrates you: when a problem is mentioned and resolved on the spot, you engage with the problem while it’s “fresh.” This makes it much easier to offer correct, detailed, and accurate feedback. TIP 4: Review feedback in 1-on-1 meetings. You do hold 1-on-1 meetings with your team, right? We suggest meeting with each team member at least once every two weeks. This gives you a chance to reinforce feedback, develop mutual ways to meet goals, and ask for suggestions for how to meet goals. Interested in more business lessons, shop tours, and other amazing content for screen printers? Check out Printavo's blog: https://www.printavo.com/blog
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
screenprinting #printlife #printhustlers #printavo #screenprintlife #dtg #embroidery #merch #ecommerce #printshop #screenprint
Subscribe to the Printavo channel for more amazing interviews, shop tours, and tips for your screen printing business.
Join Ali Banholzer from Wear Your Spirit Wearhouse at PrintHustlers Conf 2020 and learn how to overcome whatever life throws at you. Her story will stun you: her husband, Air Force Colonel and Air Force One Commander Dave Banholzer, faced a grave diagnosis. Their family's life went from flying around the world in service of the President to a complete focus on the health and wellbeing of their beloved father and husband. Ali entered custom apparel as a hobby, but grew her business in the midst of tremendous upheaval in her life. We've seen everyone in our industry face unparalleled changes: from new products like masks to pivoting toward e-commerce, businesses around the US and the world have faced their challenges with grit, integrity, and perseverance. Ali Banholzer is a model for our industry to aspire to. But – and this is crucial – Ali's message isn't one that tells you just to be tougher. It's about courage and kindness. Think about how you criticize yourself: "If you wouldn't say it to your child or best friend, why would you say it to yourself?" Ali asks. If you're the critic standing in your own way, now is the time to take action. After a long struggle with glioblastoma, an invasive and deadly type of brain cancer, Dave Banholzer passed away in November 2016 – after 28 months and 3 major brain surgeries. Ali's persistence, dedication, drive, and grit are something that will inspire you to keep pushing – no matter what challenges you face. Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
screenprinting #printlife #printhustlers #printavo #screenprintlife #dtg #embroidery #merch #ecommerce #printshop #screenprint
Subscribe to the Printavo channel for more amazing interviews, shop tours, and tips for your screen printing business.
Acting like a big company, even if you're a small one, is a smart idea. Why? Because this increases sales, motivates your team, and moves the business forward. Even the people and businesses we all look up to are figuring it out as they go! Big companies that have outlasted their competition understand the game: longevity is more important than "beating" your competition. But how can a small or medium sized business get big business results? By acting like a bigger business. Here are some tips and strategies. 1. Find the right team! When you find people you can trust, you can fully delegate responsibilities and begin taking charge of your business. DELEGATE! 2. Do the things you love – and hire people to do the things you don't. Someone else can do it just as well (if not better) than you. Learn to LET GO. 3. Don't trip over a dollar to save a dime. You need to be strategic, even in the small things, to make your business really click. Know how to PRIORITIZE. 4. Spend on things that save time and effort. You'll spend $60,000 on a new screen printing press, but won't invest in software or a new computer to help your people work faster? That's not good! Big businesses INVEST. 5. Really dive deep with your team in 1-on-1 meetings. This will help clarify their mission and let you know if they're really aligned. Be OPEN. Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
screenprinting #printlife #printhustlers #printavo #screenprintlife #dtg #embroidery #merch #ecommerce #printshop #screenprint
Subscribe to the Printavo channel for more amazing interviews, shop tours, and tips for your screen printing business.
The juicy details behind SanMar's rise are in here. The biggest purchaser of t-shirts and apparel will leave you stunned: from humble beginnings in Seattle to a powerhouse multinational manufacturer and distributor in a competitive industry. Screen printing is in good hands with people like SanMar President Jeremy Lott, and you'll know why as soon as you listen to this exclusive interview. Get the scoop here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/sanmar-with-jeremy-lott
Apparel wholesale giant SanMar has a fascinating story. Join President Jeremy Lott on this episode of the PrintHustlers podcast. Jeremy manages more than 4,000 employees at his family’s company – but he wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth. “I really had to prove to everyone that I deserved it. So I worked my ass off to get here,” Jeremy says. SanMar became a distribution company after Jeremy’s dad sent every screen print shop in Seattle a letter with his customer list. “I’m not going to be your competitor anymore. Here’s my customer list. But I’d love to be your supplier,” Jeremy recounted. By staying small and developing a niche ability to source and manufacture garments like polo shirts, SanMar rose to prominence. Overcoming one of the apparel industry’s major challenges during the 1990s, SanMar strategically moved toward making their own apparel. Jeremy explained: “The power imbalance between the mills and the wholesalers was huge. We started making our own product. From private label, to sourcing – we became a real apparel company.” In the 2000s, SanMar expanded its footprint and developed deeper relationships with world-class brands. More info and truly wild stories from SanMar: https://www.printavo.com/blog/sanmar-with-jeremy-lott
On pace to grow at more than 8% through 2020, SanMar – like many others in the custom apparel industry – has been hit hard by the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic. “But the most important time I spend is with my leadership team. That’s really what I prioritize in my day,” Jeremy says. Despite not seeing his team for more than 4 months, SanMar’s talented staff has stepped up to the challenge – without a single layoff. SanMar continues to invest in technology to lead the way toward sustainable practices. Jeremy dives into SanMar’s focused mission on sustainability, detailing how the company uses king grass to generate clean electricity for its South American manufacturing facilities. From managing 4,000 employees to re-inventing how apparel companies generate energy, SanMar and President Jeremy Lott have led the industry toward a brighter future. Printavo's blog has tons of interviews, insights, and ridiculously good articles about screen printers: https://www.printavo.com/blog/sanmar-with-jeremy-lott
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
From screen printing in a garage in 2012 to a 4,000 square foot print shop in 2020, Flash Flood Print Studios in Tulsa, OK was on-track to mature, develop, and grow. We interview May Yang and chat about everything from hiring, why they purchased their first M&R automatic press in 2018, promoting a new production manager, and writing their shop's complete instruction manual – all during a global pandemic. See pictures of Flash Flood Print's shop and read more here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/flash-flood-print-interview
The story is familiar: a print shop that’s run by people that resemble multitasking superheroes more than regular business owners. “You wear all the hats when you start out, so we never had time to develop outside sales,” May said. Instead of jumping through hoops and trying to survive day-to-day, May planned to use 2020 to develop solid methods to handle training, hiring print shop employees, and even using Printavo. Despite a steady stream of sales since 2018 that's fed their new automatic press, time for experimentation and development has been scarce. “We’re trying different CRMs and apps, it’s all new. Right before this hit, we were really focused on a solid sales strategy,” May told us. See inside Flash Flood Print Studios (and see their amazing shop dog, Squeegee): https://www.printavo.com/blog/flash-flood-print-interview
“Hiring is a lot of trial and error,” May said. “We have a strong culture [...] we ask off-the-wall, weirdo questions that wouldn’t normally get asked in a job interview.” So what kind of questions do they ask? “Well, one is ‘What playlist would you put on during the day?’ We won’t hire you based on your music choice, but it’s a peek into somebody’s character!” May jumped into Printavo Merch online stores to get the team back together after the pandemic. “Our store is called Rising Tide Fundraiser,” May said. “Our pitch was: we’ll help you with the design, we’ll give you this much money for each sale, we’re just asking you to promote it.” After finding the right businesses to support, throwing together some catchy designs, and quickly building a Merch store, Flash Flood Print surpassed more than $30,000 in sales through one online storefront. A huge thanks to May for taking the time to chat with us! Read more and see inside this amazing Tulsa, OK shop: https://www.printavo.com/blog/flash-flood-print-interview
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Heard of Supacolor? If you haven’t, your print shop is missing out. Their unique heat transfers are some of the best in the industry. It’s a water based heat transfer, arriving fully cured – with no weeding or trimming required. Functionally, Supacolor is a way to tackle complex, colorful, low-volume jobs. Visit Supacolor: https://www.supacolor.com
We talk to Supacolor’s Mike Modgill and Rum Walia on today’s PrintHustlers podcast. Mike’s from New Zealand, and his connection with Rum in Los Angeles stems directly from Rum’s quest to find the perfect heat transfer. I wanted to create this same type of product, but we were a few millimeters off. Mike pulled out a Supacolor transfer. ‘We’ve already made it. We’ve done it.’ - Rum Walia “You can basically extend the capabilities of your shop with a cheap heat press and some Supacolor,” says Mike. “This is a technical solution to complex problems. We allow you to say yes to more customers.” With production facilities in Los Angeles, the UK, and New Zealand, Supacolor heat transfers have started appearing across the globe. Supacolor has invested in turnaround time from the very start. After all, if Supacolor’s heat transfers can’t meet the fast turnaround times that custom printing demands, there’s no value added. So they’ve focused diligently on their process, developing a rapid-fire methodology for delivering on time. Snag a sample pack and learn more here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/supacol... “If we tell you that we ship the next day, we better ship the next day! No one cares if you’re low on mylar or ink,” explains Rum. “People want their product now. We knew we had to win over screen printers, because they typically don’t like transfers. So we started with eliminating the speed factor from the beginning.” That focus on speed extends beyond shipping: the product itself is intended to compete with screen printing a complex job. 10 to 12 seconds on the heat press is all of the time that many Supacolor applications need. “It had to be goof-proof. Just train someone to heat press right away. Speed was always key,” Mike says. Because of the unique printing process Supacolor uses, the transfers arrive fully cured. There’s no loss of opacity or quality when you use a heat press on a Supacolor transfer. “It’s thick and robust and layered, not like a normal plastisol transfer. It’s a proper old-school transfer with a new spin on it,” Mike says. Fascinatingly, Supacolor found that having an identical “kitchen” for producing and shipping their unique heat transfers isn’t the key to success. “Our Los Angeles shop was an exact replica of our New Zealand shop – machines, software, layout. But we totally forgot about the people,” Mike tells us. Where have they found the best employees? From the fast food industry! “Your typical screen printer is not going to do the things we want to do. People from the fast food industry are tremendously talented at working under pressure. They are experts at looking at screens and finishing complex orders,” Rum explains. Snag a sample pack and learn more here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/supacol... Supacolor’s heat transfers are stellar – grab one of their sample packs if you want to see for yourself. They’re truly vibrant and durable prints that maintain quality wash after wash. What’s impressed us at Printavo is Supacolor’s laser-focus on a positive outcome for their customers. Rum summarizes it well: “We look at Supacolour as an experience, not a product. For customers, employees, anyone involved. We want to leave you with positive energy and a great experience.” Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Learn how to make your print shop a better business from "What the Heck is EOS?", Tom Bouwer – at PrintHustlers Conf 2020. Tune in here for a sneak peek. Tom described three key concepts from the book, "Traction," as “not hard to master.” Just remember: keep your goals specific, measurable, obtainable, realistic, and timely. Register (for free!) for PrintHustlers Conf 2020 here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/printhustlers-conf-2020-tom-bouwer 90 day objectives, level 10 meetings, and issue solving. What are these? They're tools to take your first step toward a better functioning shop. “Progress; not perfection,” Tom urged. All screen printing shops have taken a hit in some capacity these past few months. No matter where you are, there is no better time than now to build a new system and healthier culture for the sake of your business's future. Reflect on what you really want from your business. Tom suggests taking the time to set core values and ensure they're consistent throughout the entirety of your print shop. Setting KPIs (key performance indicators) for each individual, as well as your shop as a whole, will guide your decision making. It doesn’t need to be perfect, you just need to start with something. These numbers don’t need to be accurate, but at least they give you direction and show if you’re doing it the same way every week or doing better or worse. Tom has found the only way to grow stronger is a conscious effort to design growth into the very structure of your business. “If you don’t have scalability, you’re not going to be able to grow. Structure first,” Tom shared. Join us to hear about how EOS, scalability, and opportunity will reset your shop at Print Hustlers Conf 2020 July 23-24: https://www.printavo.com/blog/printhustlers-conf-2020-tom-bouwer Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Allmade Apparel has joined forces with SanMar to distribute ethically made, ecologically friendly t-shirts across the world. Designed by screen printers with screen printing in mind, Allmade’s tri-blend t-shirt has become one of the industry’s coveted products. Bruce from Printavo sits down with Allmade founders Brett Bowden (Printed Threads) and Mel Lay (SandiLake Clothing) and co-host Steven Farag to discuss this incredible partnership. Allmade is about more than t-shirts. From their Impact Calculator that shows how much water and plastic they’ve diverted through their ecological efforts to their partnership with Haitian factories that emphasize fair wages and fair treatment, Allmade has set out to make a difference in the garment and apparel industry. More than a dozen screen printers from around the world joined forces to make a t-shirt that had a story behind it – and it worked. It turns out making a t-shirt...isn’t so easy. From supply constraints to civil unrest in Haiti, Allmade’s success has come with a huge variety of challenges. Screen print shop owners aren’t supply chain gurus – or experts in geopolitics. Sanmar’s deep knowledge of distribution networks, timing deliveries, and even managing what colors and sizes to keep in stock will prove tremendously valuable for Allmade. For Allmade customers, there’s hardly any change. Orders are routed through Sanmar’s website now, which means Sanmar’s vast customer base can now access Allmade’s high-quality t-shirts. This means the Allmade team can focus on what they’re great at: telling the Allmade story. No more worrying about whether the Space Black t-shirt is in stock...it’s time for the Allmade founders to hit the gas on marketing, selling, and making an even bigger impact with the Allmade brand. The future is exciting, even if it’s precarious. While this partnership has been in the works for more than a year, Allmade found a tremendous reception from the industry at large to their brand’s story. The impact that a t-shirt company can make is surprisingly large, and Allmade is determined to do more than sell shirts. They’re making a visible impact on a large industry with a tremendous social, ecological, and economic impact. Allmade: https://www.allmade.com
Sanmar: https://www.sanmar.com
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Graphic Elephants’ Lon Winters spoke with us about pushing your print shop’s workflow to the next level. He will share a further look at how your culture and workflow combine to impact your bottom-line on July 23rd at PrintHustlers Conf 2020. Lon told us the success of a screen printing business relies on thousands of variables. He said that “[t]here is a magic balance of controlling the variables and still being creative that is critically important. I will go into more detail during PrintHustlers Conf [...] But ultimately, the key is beginning to start to wrap your head around the right variables.” The right variables for success: https://www.printavo.com/blog/printhustlers-conf-2020-lon-winters
One of these variables? The culture of your company. Through years of experience, Lon has found a crucial fact about the culture in any business: “We can’t teach culture. The only thing we can do is identify it.” The difference between day-to-day positive or negative energy in the print shop can completely transform the business. “Usually, that attitude comes from the top down. When there are internal things that a business owner has to look in the mirror about, that [crisis] is when you’re in a position to reevaluate,” Lon shared. During unsettling times, it’s easy to have disappointing and upsetting conversations. But according to Lon, it is also the perfect time to recognize flaws in your workflow – and strive to become a better business. “It’s key to create a sense of ownership. We really push on that constantly. If you take pride in your own work space, it will reflect on how the rest of the operations set up,” Lon added. Join us on July 23rd to hear more about the variables that Lon Winter believes will set you up for success. Reserve your space here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/printhustlers-conf-2020-lon-winters
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
It is easy to burnout as a screen printer. From hiring employees, reaching hard deadlines, and everything in between, this is a challenging industry – and balancing family, friends, and hobbies on top of it seems practically impossible. To prevent burnout, Clinical psychologist, Dr. Sherry Walling tells us there are some important things we should devote our focus to. Having spent her entire career focused on the mental health of entrepreneurs and business owners, and sharing her expertise primarily in her Zen Founder Podcast, (https://zenfounder.com) we asked Dr. Sherry Walling to join us at PrintHustlers Conf 2020 for a meaningful conversation about turning your business into a product that you are passionate about. Reserve your spot here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/printhustlers-conf-2020-dr-walling Dr. Sherry Walling shares how to find a happy medium between your career and personal life to provide an environment for better mental health. So should you just balance work and life? “Balancing is a tricky term, because it implies there is equal emphasis on everything. The thing I like to focus on is work-life integration,” she tells us. In order to have work-life integration, you need to start with articulating the difference between your spaces. By interacting with what you value the most in each of your spaces, it’s easier to build a healthier lifestyle. “When you look at all the things on your to-do list, all of the things that have to do with growing a thriving business, what brings you deep joy? What is an interesting problem to solve? What is most meaningful? Give the bulk of your attention, time and energy to those things.” “I am looking forward to hanging out with all of you in July. It will be cool to see how we can set up a really great event online.” Join us during our two day live-stream event for insights into finding your happiness: Dr. Sherry Walling’s masterful presentation will set the foundation for a shift in your perspective. Reserve your spot at PrintHustlers Conf 2020 here: https://www.printhustlers.com
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Wear Your Spirit Warehouse’s Ali Banholzer turned her screen printing hobby into her livelihood despite traumatic family hardships. She will speak PrintHustlers Conf 2020 to share with us how she pivoted her business into the viable and successful print shop it is today. Get your tickets to see Ali here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/printhu... Her husband was blessed with success in his career as an Air Force officer. Their family of 4 felt like they were on cloud 9 until 2014 when her husband experienced a grand mal seizure. By November 2016, he passed. After grieving, it was time for Ali to find a way to push her screenprinting business forward after moving back and forth between commercial space and working from home. “I started hustling to grow the business. We rapidly outgrew our space within a year. Before COVID hit, we were on a fast trajectory up,” Ali said. Despite these challenges that life has thrown at her, she’s become stronger as a business owner thanks to her can-do attitude. Instead of shutting down during coronavirus, Ali asked: “What can I do to become an essential business?’” Ali was able to find the key to success for her company. With an emphasis on the foundation (processes and procedures), she built a culture that values her employees first. “If you can look at the intrinsic and non-monetary benefits in hiring, two things happen. You get a different niche of employee who wants to be there because of those intrinsic benefits, not because of money, and you build loyalty,” she said. Ali has repeatedly found ways to flourish in times of distress. She will join us at Printavo’s PrintHustlers Conf 2020 on July 23rd to share how she used her strength and passion to build her business. Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
SHIRT KONG’s Andy Rudman runs one of screen printing’s most interesting shops. We invited him to PrintHustlers Conf 2020, and now he’s giving us a virtual shop tour on July 23rd. “I have this idea of a live shop tour,” he told us. “I was really excited about being in person at PrintHustlers Conference. I know from being there last year it was so cool, and the energy that’s there, so we'll bring some of that to the web.” Join us at PrintHustlers Conf 2020 (it's free!): https://www.printhustlers.com
Andy discussed the ups-and-downs of running a screen printing business during a turbulent period of change. When he started Shirt Kong, he’d place an ad in something called a “phone book.” Soon, he’d have to adjust to new technology: “Marketing shifted to Google, and we spent time trying to educate ourselves on this new thing called SEO.” But marketing is not Shirt Kong’s biggest asset: it’s their unique and ability to tell a fascinating story. Their remarkable Instagram account is a prime example: a t-shirt screen printing shop with 12,000 followers? “We’ve grown with word of mouth, referrals and SEO. You have these customers and it starts to snowball,” Andy said. “I started sharing our shop’s day-to-day story. I thought that was real. If anyone was looking through Instagram, they’d see...this is a real shop. And they’d identify with it. It worked.” Andy posts pictures and videos to the Shirt Kong Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/shirtkong) that pull the curtain back on their busy operation. Get your tickets to see Shirt Kong's shop here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/printhustlers-conf-2020-shirt-kong
Just as Shirt Kong was hitting their stride and expanding into a 12,000 square foot facility, coronavirus hit. “We expanded at the perfect time,” Andy joked. But it’s been an opportunity to take stock of what really matters. “I’ve spent so much time here at the shop. I love this place,” Andy said, “but family and friends are where it’s at. I probably need to spend a little more time away from here, as soon as we’re out of this mess.” Andy will join us at Printavo’s PrintHustlers Conf 2020 on July 23rd for a live shop tour of Shirt Kong. Featuring two days of live-streamed presentations to arm you with the resources and knowledge you need to survive 2020, PrintHustlers Conf 2020 is free and open to all. Reserve your space now: https://www.printhustlers.com
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Reinvention! We rarely have time to pause and create the business we want. This time is an opportunity to create the leadership, processes, and financial plan that you've really wanted. Are you changing your print shop during this slowdown? Do you have a plan for the regular winter slowdown? Here's some effective ideas for how to improve your screen printing business: Implement Profit First. Allocate those percentages, go back through your books! Listen to his talk again: https://www.printavo.com/blog/profit-first-full-presentation
Finally tape off your shipping and receiving department. Some shops even have their shop physically laid out like their Printavo account! Refine your QA process. Create videos and training documentation to help people make better work. When people return to work, they've got an easy-to-follow set of instructions. Start getting 100% downpayment. Now you can update your terms & conditions! Do you want to do artwork in-house? Or maybe outsource art to a company like GraphXsource? Figure out a process that works better for you. And if you want to dive deep into what it means to really work on your business, check out this article: https://www.printavo.com/blog/working-on-your-screen-printing-business
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Homestretch Sportswear in Ohio saw a webinar about Printavo Merch and decided to give it a shot. "The outcome was unbelievable. We had such amazing community support," Kelly from Homestretch told us. Can a small town still raise money with online stores? How can you grow outside of your small town as a screen print shop? With 2 locations in two small towns in Ohio, Homestretch has recently adopted Printavo Merch and quickly made more than $60,000 in sales. "We took it upon ourselves to stay focused. Before this, we would say, it'd be nice if the world would stop for a moment. So what did we always want to take the time to do? We've just started checking that list," Kelly said. Their local Chamber of Commerce helped to promote the stores and Homestretch to local businesses. By knowing their local networks of businesses, "They heard about us from different angles at the same time," Kelly said. "They just send their logo, email that to Homestretch, and we add them onto the store," Kelly told us. "I didn't expect it to take off. But it was crazy!" They've spent years wrangling with Excel spreadsheets and struggling to take orders for their yearly team packs, but now it's much easier to create stores and accurately ship and track orders. "We always get complimented on our individual bagging, just the convenience of it – be sure you're catering to those businesses." Homestretch Sportswear has pivoted and adapted to a new era in screenprinting. We're thrilled to have their back and help them keep pushing through! Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf (online!): https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
In this surprisingly candid interview, Ryan Moor from Ryonet and Allmade tells his wild story about creating, selling, and pivoting his business to sell face masks. Should screen printers sell face masks right now? Ryan answers this question (and many more). Ryonet and Allmade pivoted quickly to designing, selling, and distributing Allmade’s unique Allmask during the early days of the coronavirus crisis. “The production facility in Los Angeles was a madhouse,” Ryan told us. “The economics of making a profit selling a high-quality mask are difficult. It’s less fabric than a t-shirt, but the small hand movements involved make it labor-intensive.” Read more about Ryonet here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/mask-adventures-with-ryonet
Ryan has the inside scoop on what’s going to happen next with the brand new face mask industry. This is a can’t miss episode of Printavo’s PrintHustlers podcast. Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Get It Got It LLC is a small mom-and-pop shop in Pennsylvania. After having a baby on March 13th, Courtnee Wampole returned from the hospital to a totally changed world. Courtnee tried Printavo Merch online stores after sales dried up during the pandemic. Using her connections in her local Chamber of Commerce and from previous sales to her local school district, she successfully pitched Merch stores just by sending links to a few example stores. Check out the Printavo blog for more stories and tips: https://www.printavo.com/blog/running-merch-stores-and-having-a-baby
"We saw online stores purely as a long-term play, thinking 3-6 months down the road. I wasn't expecting anything to happen right now. We pay our $99 now and maybe it turns into just one $1,000 order down the road – that makes it worth it. I just didn't expect it to pay off right away." After the district sent the link to students and teachers, she immediately had thousands of dollars in sales through her Merch store. "We don't know how to make a website, or make online stores. So we really couldn't do it without this tool right now," Courtnee told us. Courtnee has tons of practical tips. Her story of perseverance, a little luck, and a lot of hard work is both fun and inspiring. From getting on the local radio and newspapers to having a gameplan for running online stores, Courtnee shares a ton of interesting insights. Thanks and congratulations Courtnee! Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Check out the Printavo blog for more stories and tips: https://www.printavo.com/blog/running-merch-stores-and-having-a-baby
We join Cedar City House of Print for a candid interview about their upstart screen printing business in Tennessee. They've sold Allmade's Allmask face masks, custom t-shirts, and other merchandise to fundraise for their community – both after tornadoes struck their area and during the pandemic crisis. They've found clever ways to keep generating revenue, including using Merch stores to let customers buy online. That's a testament to their can-do spirit! This husband-and-wife duo have a creative approach to marketing that lets them leverage their small size. The secret? They lean on Facebook, their community, and super personal customer service. They recently held an all-day live printing event...on Facebook Live! It drew several hundred viewers and helped them make sales throughout the day. Check out their Merch store selling Allmasks here: https://cedarcity.printavo.com/merch/allmasksale/
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
We sit down with Danny Sweem from The M&R Companies for an honest conversation about screen printing, DTG printing, and where the entire textile printing industry is heading for 2020. Learn more and see amazing pictures of M&R HQ here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/screen-printing-will-survive
Located just miles from Printavo's Chicago offices, M&R is a trusted partner for thousands of print shops across the world. Their Roselle manufacturing facility is a giant operation that produces equipment for a worldwide market. M&R's famous blue screen printing presses have a reputation for lasting decades. Now, they've taken the leap into digital and hybrid printing with their Digital Squeegee and Maverick products. But the global pandemic represents a huge speed bump for the textile industry as a whole. We discuss M&R's future, what's in store for the industry, and much more in this episode of the PrintHustlers Podcast. Q: How did you become M&R’s CEO? “Rich Hoffman (M&R’s founder and legendary CEO) called me during 2018. Our companies were having a dispute, so I thought he wanted to talk about that. He said, ‘Are you sitting down? Would you like my job?’ So after some meetings, I convinced the equity group that owns M&R that I could have the job.” Q: What’s up with the new Rebel screen printing press? SHIRT KONG is always posting about it. See pics of the Rebel here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/screen-printing-will-survive
“The pandemic screwed up the launch,” Danny jokes, “But if I say too much, Thomas Trimingham [M&R’s Director of Marketing] will strangle me.” The Rebel is a new press that M&R has pioneered during the past year, with legendary screen print shop SHIRT KONG getting the very first model. “It’s a niche between the Sportsman and Gauntlet screen printing presses,” Danny says. He adds: “Once the stay-at-home order is lifted, we’ll show them to you on the show floor at M&R HQ here in Illinois.” Q: What do you say to screen print shops that are discouraged right now? “People still need t-shirts,” Danny says. He offers a positive look into human psychology: yes, this event has changed the world. But we still want to be part of our tribe, and t-shirts are a big part of how we signal that to each other. “The t-shirt is a personal billboard. You don’t put on one that you don’t believe in, that doesn’t reflect your personal attitudes and outlook on life.” But things will be tough over the next year. “Our industry was hit harder than most. We’re just above the cruise and airline and hotel industry. Baseball, football, soccer, schools, the whole thing has been impacted. But it will start coming back. Retail will be the first channel to get product out through.” Just like we’ve noted, M&R sees that print shops have stepped up and used their creative grit to power through this entire mess. Danny’s final words are a dose of realistic optimism that we all need: “People have been wildly creative. Masks, gowns...I was on the phone with a customer printing a huge number of masks and gowns. You’ll see new things come out of this. The industry will not die, it will not go away. Batten down the hatches, survive the next several months, and we’ll have new ideas and thoughts. We’ll be more creative than ever, the industry will be stronger than ever in a year from now. I promise you that.” See inside M&R's factory in Illinois here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/screen-printing-will-survive
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
We talk to Dave Quigley from Noreast Apparel in Lowell, MA about screen printing in 2020. The bulk of this interview was filmed in January 2020 at Impressions Expo Long Beach – but it features an intro from April 2020 looking back after the crisis. We ask Dave about his business, his strategy for getting customers, and much more – and his candid answers will surprise you and make you think. What was Dave most excited in the screen printing industry heading into 2020? "The events, the industry, meeting people, learning. I got stuck behind a screen or a press. [...] I'm excited to lean in to the industry a little bit." Instead of events, Dave managed to raise more than $20,000 for local businesses in Massachusetts using Printavo Merch's simple online stores. Noreast Apparel prints simple, vivid designs on great shirts at the right price, then splits the proceeds with restaurants, breweries, gyms, cafes and other local businesses. Even wilder...his Printavo account is number 80! He's one of the very first Printavo users.
Here's Dave's amazing Instagram post about his ideal Saturday in Lowell, MA: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-AxJVpn_nL/
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Leadership during a crisis is the difference between a permanent catastrophe and a temporary speed bump. But what do leaders do if their mental health is suffering? Hope For The Day’s Johnny Boucher has elevated the conversation around mental health to a new level through outreach, education, and action. In this wide-ranging conversation, Printavo’s Bruce Ackerman hosts Rowboat Creative (Lucas Guariglia and Joe Zangrilli) alongside Campus Ink (Steven Farag) to talk with Johnny Boucher about mental health for screen print shops. Hope For The Day: https://www.hftd.org
They discuss why small business owners are suffering so much right now. Steven Farag says, “Small business owners are lonely, stubborn, unemployable...that’s why we work for ourselves!” But since there’s so little structure, small business owners have to take on so many responsibilities. Johnny Boucher’s idea is simple: “Whether you have 10 people or 350,000 people, you have to lead. That means setting yourself up for success right now.” Johnny’s path to success originates in a well-define routine. “Getting up at 5 AM each morning isn’t easy [...] but by 7 AM, I’ve done yoga, meditated, and gone on a walk with the dog and my wife.” With everyone’s routines disrupted, it’s hard to find a way to soldier on under new circumstances. Rowboat Creative’s Lucas Guariglia has weathered the storm in Charlotte, NC – 1,500 miles from his Chicago-based print shop. He adds: “The most productive routine is hard to find. Even when you detach, you’ll still think: Shouldn’t I be formulating a better plan? Shouldn’t I be doing something else?” Even then, what is productivity under these circumstances? Events are canceled, and the majority of traditional screen print orders have come to a halt. Johnny urges business owners to take a realistic approach: “Understand you’re probably only really operating at 50 to 60% capacity...and that’s ok.” Lucas noted the irony of this situation: “There’s less work that can actually happen, but we’re working more than we ever have before.” The things that caused distractions during normal circumstances are gone. There’s just the core functions left: work on your business. “Control what you can, confirm what you can’t,” Johnny urges screen print shop owners. “Stay out of conversations you can’t control...they’re a waste of your time,” he adds. And definitely stay away from what Johnny calls the “24 hour news death cycle.” Screen printing is a difficult path – there’s no question. Joe Zangrilli from Rowboat Creative recounted when he met Johnny Boucher: “He pulled me aside and got me to admit that things really weren’t ok. I’d spent 14 years with my head down, just working as hard as I could. I mean, I’m my own boss, and I wouldn’t even let myself go outside and take a walk around the block during the day.” We’re all familiar with the unhealthy routine: drink coffee until 1 PM, then notice you haven’t had a single thing to eat and your eyes hurt from staring at a screen. “You’ve got to create an environment where you can thrive,” Johnny says. “We need to figure out out our own individual processes for ourselves in order to be productive right now.” The conversation about mental health is a hard one. But now – more than ever – it’s one of the most important conversations we can have. Keep pushing, Print Hustlers. Rowboat Creative: https://www.rowboatcreative.com
Campus Ink: https://www.campus.ink
Hope For The Day: https://www.hftd.org
Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Lucky Prints in Chicago, IL has raised thousands of dollars for breweries, coffee roasters, gyms, hospitality, cafes and more. When this crisis hit, they immediately saw an 80% drop in custom orders. The industries Lucky Prints serves have been hit very hard by prolonged closures. Lucky Prints already relied on deep partnerships with their customers. They're not interested in making a sale so much as making a relationship. "We looked at the tools in our toolkit and realized Printavo Merch was right there. It was like a lightbulb went off," Lucky Prints owner Adam Smith told us. Lucky Prints has been able to easily pitch stores to customers, with nearly 500 orders coming in during just a few weeks of sales. Since online ordering and fulfillment is new for Lucky Prints, they've had to learn new skills and adapt. "It usually takes longer to fold, bag, tag and label a shirt than to print it," Adam pointed out, "So if you've never done that, it's time consuming. Budget that time accordingly and set expectations for the customers accordingly...we tell them it will take 2-3 weeks." Not only has Lucky Prints emerged as a lifesaver to small businesses across Chicago, they've even had old clients and missed opportunities circle back during this time. This interview is chock full of tips for running online stores in your screen print shop. You can maximize the impact you make right now by reaching out and providing a simple service – and keep your doors open in the process. Check out Printavo Merch – it's the platform Lucky Prints is using right now: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
The only real sales outlet for screen printers right now? Online stores. Bulk custom orders – the traditional backbone of the industry – have dropped by more than 50% for thousands of print shops. That's why we wanted to share 7 tips we've learned from helping print shops across the US run thousands of online stores and collection millions of dollars in sales. See example stores and get great marketing ideas here (must read): https://www.printavo.com/blog/7-tips-for-screen-printing-online-stores
- Use great artwork to drive sales
Strong artwork is great marketing. Do you already know some artists? Get their help. Maybe raise money for them, if they're out of work! 2. Set up your stores to be profitable and easy to fulfill
Since you're in the driver's seat with Merch, you can control the choices customers have and the way you actually get them their order. Note: we've got tons of tips and tricks for running successful online stores in our online stores guide. It's awesome: https://www.printavo.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-online-stores
- Make your value proposition simple
They key here? Keep your value proposition simple. Something like: $10 per shirt sold! And we've already mocked up your shirts here: (include link to a quick logo mockup here). 4. Fewer choices equals more sales
Here's an amazing statistic: 85% of Merch stores that made more than $10,000 in sales had fewer than 9 items for sale. 5. Help your customers promote the store themselves
Lean on their existing goodwill to help market the stores. Tell them that it won't be successful without their active participation. People miss their local businesses and want to help! 6. Set realistic goals for your stores
As you work through your online store workflow, you'll want to give yourself room to grow. 7. Every new online store customer is an opportunity in the future
During checkout, customers need to enter their email address. You can collect this information and, when the time is right, do targeted advertising with it! See example stores and get great marketing ideas here (must read): https://www.printavo.com/blog/7-tips-for-screen-printing-online-stores
Try Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Jodi Redding from Redding Company in New Braunfels, TX has turned screen printing and embroidery into his life’s second act. A husband-and-wife shop in the heart of Texas, Jodi says point-blank: “There’s a world before March 1st, 2020 – and a world after that.”
Yes, this is a scary and difficult time. But it’s also an opportunity. Jodi’s relentless positivity and constructive mindset is a model for how to maintain your well being despite an onslaught of daily challenges. “Customers are not going away. We’ve touched thousands of people in our community. They’re going to be here in 3 or 4 months. Schools are going to open again. And when they do, I want to be a better, and more organized, and more efficient company.”
What if this is a huge chance to dial in your printing business and spend time on things you always meant to do? “A lot of this is out of our control,” Jodi points out. “But I’ll probably never have this much time to stop my business and dive in from a financial, organizational, and profitability standpoint.” From identifying core customers to developing a laser-targeted marketing strategy, Jodi has plenty of projects to tackle while production has come to a halt.
Jodi uses the example of his production expenses as an improvement area: “If you spent $12,000 a month on supplies before this crisis, what if you get it down to $7,000 with the work you do right now? That money goes straight to your bottom line.” By hiring a bookkeeper (“That’s not something I’m good at!”), Jodi has super clear expense statements, profit/loss statements, and a great handle on what's happening financially with his business. Jodi's ability to self-improve and take an honest inventory of his strengths and weaknesses has allowed Redding Company to grow quickly. "We were about 40% above last year before March!"
Diving deeper, this slow period is also a chance to re-examine two majorly important areas of your business: your workflow and your core values. “This is how we’ll do things going forward. We’ve talked about our core values, but we haven’t really put together something for our employees. Do you have an actual workflow chart in place? Does everyone in your organization understand how a sale becomes a t-shirt?”
A huge thanks to Jodi for taking the time to chat with us. A side note: we’re thrilled to see how Jodi has used Printavo Merch’s online stores to raise several thousand dollars for local businesses in New Braunfels, TX that have been impacted by mandatory closures and stay-at-home orders.
Redding Company on the web: https://www.reddingcompany.com/
Redding Company on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redding_company/
We interviewed more than 15 different screen print shops from across the US at Impressions Expo 2020 in January. Now, the world is totally different. But there's still a lot of value in hearing what successful print shops were thinking about before this crisis. Listen in as we talk through the biggest victories shops had throughout 2019: - Printing for the Oklahoma Thunder, turning around 20,000 shirts in less than 2 days at Oklahoma Shirt Company. - Everlane at The New York Times through Barrel Maker Printing. - Joining 1% For The Planet at Rockfort Art Deli in Rockford, IL. - Watching employees step up and realize how invested the team has become at Rowboat Creative in Chicago, IL (and building incredible systems to train people!) - Being able to leave the shop and travel at In-House Prints from NJ. - Being profitable, getting three new presses, and running a truly happy shop at New Era Apparel in NY. - Fully automating the screen room at Campus Ink (the correct answer for Steven was getting engaged at Rowboat Creative!). - Getting the team in place at Let's Print LA. - Leveraging technology to provide genuine services and add more value at Stoked On Printing in Las Vegas, NV. - Participating in the industry and making new friends at trade shows with Noreast Apparel in Lowell, MA. - Hiring a videographer to document their shop at Golden Press Studio. More to come from our interviews at Impressions Expo 2020 – in a totally new context. Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Subscribe to the Printavo channel for more amazing interviews, shop tours, and tips for your screen printing business.Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Your mindset is everything right now. Justin Lawrence from Oklahoma Shirt Company and Steven Farag from Campus Ink join Bruce from Printavo to talk about how screen print shops are adjusting to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. This is heartfelt, practical, and occasionally hilarious – and a reminder that everyone in this industry is having a tough time right now. They discuss: - How online stores are or aren’t helping the industry right now
-
Data showing custom orders are down 50% for screen print shops
-
Why our grandparents are a model for how to behave right now-
-
What’s up with Printavo
-
What’s up with PrintHustlers Conf 2020
-
Why sleep is so important right now
-
What the economic future really looks like
-
Why asking your customers for help is a great move right now Justin doesn’t shy away from the candid truth: “I’m excited to figure out what it means to run a business that’s sustainable. It’s one thing to talk about that when things are good. But when things dry up...how do you pivot? How do you secure the future?” From looking at your fixed costs to shotgunning a beer at 9:45 AM, Justin, Steven, and Bruce have a great conversation about how hard it is to own a business right now. “We all know the feeling of waking up at 3 AM terrified about the people you’re responsible for,” Justin opines. He continues: “But now is the time to swallow your pride and ask for help. If you don’t need a handout, don’t take it - pay your bills if you can. But if you can’t, don’t panic. Everyone has provisions. All of these people will defer loans. They will defer the payments. If they can’t do that, maybe you can pay interest only. Just don’t bury your head in the sand. You’re not alone in this. You will survive this!” Once this passes (and it will pass!) your team will feel like they’ve fought a war together. The camaraderie will be incredible. The loyalty will be unparalleled. Screen printing is not going away. But the only way out of this mess is to keep pushing through it. Keep pushing, #printhustlers! Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Need a laugh? We ask the screen printing pros at Impressions Expo 2020 a simple question. What do you wish you'd known before you started screen printing? The answers are hilarious, honest, and true to the industry. "I would have done a lot of work up front," Joe Zangrilli from Rowboat reflects. Alexa Cary from In-House Prints told us: "Make sure you're ready to dedicate your life to it!" "Be able to say no!" said Jarrod Hennis from Rockford Art Deli. "It's ok to be learning all of the time. You're not rushing toward some end goal or trophy. It's a process and we're all learning and growing," Erin Moore from Barrel Maker told us. "Know deeply that the process is really what it's all about." Also appearing: Dave Quigley from Noreast Apparel, Jonathon from Golden Press Studio, Steven Farag from Campus Ink, Erin Moore from Barrel Maker Printing, and Rene Perez from Let's Print LA. Keep pushing, #printhustlers. Erin's right – it's a process! We know we'll come through this stronger than ever. Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
WEBINAR: If you thought print shops are just "non-essential businesses," think again. Print shops across the US are using online stores as a lifeline for their community. The t-shirt is an ideal e-commerce product: it's light, easy to ship, can't be broken, doesn't go bad, and it doesn't cost a lot. But it's also become a way to serve local businesses and organizations in a time of need. Read our detailed guide with tips and tricks here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/online-stores-for-print-shops-during-covid
Join Dave Quigley from Noreast Apparel in Lowell, MA and Steven Farag from Campus Ink in Champaign, IL as they discuss how to use online stores to help your community during this crisis. Dave's raised more than $9,000 for local businesses in Lowell with his web stores, a vital lifeline for service and hospitality businesses that have been slammed by this crisis. Printavo's Luke Gardner and Nick Martin drop in to show you some amazing examples of community-oriented stores that Printavo Merch users have created. Additionally, Steven arms us with a ton of awesome tricks and tips gleaned from running thousands of online stores. As a team, we've been floored by the creativity and persistence of the screen printing community. Together, we'll get through this. Keep pushing! See examples and interesting ideas here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/online-stores-for-print-shops-during-covid
Note: the first few minutes were cut off, but you just miss some introductions! Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
More than 500 print shops from around the world joined us for our emergency webinar about the COVID-19 crisis. We asked Max Hellmann from Family Industries, Justin Lawrence from Oklahoma Shirt Company, and Steven Farag from Campus Ink to join us to discuss what's going on. This is no easy discussion, but we have some laughs and tackle how everyone is moving forward. Join us for the next webinar at 2:30 PM CST Thursday, March 26th - we'll talk online stores, how to pivot, and what to do next: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/surviving-covid-19-for-2 Check out Printavo Merch's online stores: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
HR expert Wendy Davids from BHRS Partners joins Bruce from Printavo for a conversation about how to handle this crisis for screen printing shops – from an HR perspective. Bruce and Wendy dive deep on the many questions and issues of the day: What is a furlough?
What's up with the new laws coming out of the federal government?
How should you take care of your team?
How should you communicate with your team about this?
What are Wendy's biggest tips? While this situation is extremely fluid (we here in Illinois were just issued a stay-at-home order!), we will continue to provide you access to experts and resources that can help. Contact Wendy Davids and her crew if you need help with your HR: http://bhrspartners.com/
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
COVID-19 is devastating screen print shops. There are no easy choices. But here's what you can do RIGHT NOW to save your business and prepare for the struggles to come. Read the full article, full of helpful links and resources: https://www.printavo.com/blog/covid19-for-screen-print-shops
- 100% downpayment policy
Get pre-payment for all orders going forward. Now is the time to implement this policy. No exceptions. This is an existential matter for screen printing businesses right now. Our industry is not in the position to offer customer interest-free loans during the best of times – and certainly not now. 2. Sick policy
Do not let sick people come to work. If you or your employees get sick, your problems get much worse. You will have to determine what is appropriate given your situation, but you have a duty to forbid sick workers from coming to work for the near future. 3. Clarify your terms & conditions
Have clear terms and conditions that outline exactly what you will do - particularly regarding returns, refunds, and order cancellations. 4. Get paid: reduce accounts receivable
Have a staff member dedicated to reducing your accounts receivable. That means calling every customer that owes you money and getting them to pay – or figuring out a plan to pay as soon as possible. Protect your cash supply at all costs. Settle up now! 5. Get rid of debt & delay accounts payable
Immediately work to protect your cashflow. Audit your debts by cost and importance. How much risk is there in your shop? It is far better to be open with creditors early on before you are in crisis. There are deferment and reduced payments available from most creditors. Talk to your landlord about reduced rent, speak with your banker about reducing payments or extending them, and realize that your creditors are likely looking for chances to reduce their risk as well right now. 6. Employees: offer furloughs
If your employees are amenable to it (and are financially able), offer a temporary furlough. A furlough is when an employee is asked to temporarily stop working. Additionally, if there is an employee that you need to cut or are contemplating cutting – this is the time. Make the hard cuts now. 7. Leadership and management: cut hours and pay
First, take a pay cut yourself. That is a bitter pill, but true leadership during a time of crisis. Inform the staff that you have taken this action. Next, have a candid discussion with management about the situation you are in. They will not only offer their advice but help you decide what's possible. They may be able to take reduced salaries or hours. While you still must abide by all labor laws, you can offer your employees the choice of a pay cut or reduced hours upfront. 8. Drive revenue from online stores
If you're not using online stores, you should start. Offer free shipping for the stores to incentivize shopping – and avoid possible infection. 9. Back to basics: cut expenses
Review last month's expenses and begin cutting them. The sooner you feel the pain the easier the process. Here's how to structure this process: list all your recurring expenses from largest to smallest. Then determine what you must have, what's nice to have, what you don't need, and what you can cut today. Then get to work. 10. Don't buy equipment right now
Delay any large capital expenditures immediately. If you are going through with a large deal, consider halting it. This is deeply unfortunate. But it is essential to cut upcoming expenses immediately. Cash is king. 11. Contact your suppliers now
No matter who you purchase wholesale garments and supplies from, contact them immediately. Inform them of your financial situation. Ask them for guidance about their plan for dealing with the crisis. At the time of this writing, it is likely they are still formulating their plans as the situation develops and changes.
How will coronavirus hurt or help screen print shops? Bruce from Printavo talks to Steven Farag from Campus Ink. He prints for college campuses...and every college in the US just went remote. “It’s a gut punch,” he said, “everything was going so well and it was a very weird day in my print shop.”
Steven runs through what he’s doing to prepare for disruption in his business, his tips for how you can prepare for the rough weeks ahead, and how to really understand how much money you need to stay open.
Recorded in mid-March 2020, the coronavirus situation will surely change dramatically – and this will be a fascinating document to look back on. “There are less gatherings, there are less events, there are less things happening,” Bruce said. That’s disastrous for the screen printing industry. “T-shirts are usually for events,” Steven notes. Some veterans of the industry have said this is far worse than 2008’s financial crisis.
Rushed to release, we want to start the conversation about how the screen printing industry is going to deal with this potentially catastrophic disruption.
What effects from coronavirus are you seeing your print shop?
What is your backup plan?
What’s your “corona print shop plan”?
What help do you need, and what would you like to see in response to COVID-19?
How are you feeling about your business?
Ryan Moor from Ryonet, ROQ, and Allmade has made a huge impact in the screen printing industry. But the question remains: what's up with Ryonet in 2020? Between Ryonet, Allmade, and the newly formed ROQ.US, and giving away an entire screen printing press as Impressions Expo 2020, Ryan has his hands full. So what's up with Ryonet? It's changing: better before bigger. Visit ROQ.US on the web: https://www.roq.us
Read the full story: https://www.printavo.com/blog/whats-up-with-ryonet-and-roq-us
ROQ.US is the newest Ryonet endeavor. Why ROQ.US? Ultimately, it's an answer to a big question: "How can we take this ROQ equipment that really changes lives...and give more resources to printers using the equipment?" So what's up with Ryonet? Here's the word, straight from Ryan himself: Ryonet isn't selling out. Ryonet doesn't own ROQ (ROQ is a 37+ year old manufacturer based in Portugal). But ROQ.US is a new endeavor to take Ryonet's existing knowledge about ROQ and expand it. Ryan was super candid with us about the plan: "Ryonet and screenprinting.com are moving off to the side, like sister companies. We want to grow the ROQ business. We had this whole side of our [ROQ distribution] business: installation, financing, managing all of the ROQ process. So our team joined ROQ.US." Ryan explained why investing in ROQ is so crucial for the US market, framing it in terms of a common objection that US screen print shops have: "This other company has been around for 35 years, so I know their screen printing presses are great...and you guys have only been doing this for 8 years!" After all, their first US-based ROQ was only installed in 2012 at Twin City Tees (and their second was in Family Industries in Los Angeles). Read the full article: https://www.printavo.com/blog/whats-up-with-ryonet-and-roq-us
2020 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for the screen printing industry. Ryonet's mission isn't to grow as big as they can as fast as they can. Instead, they're going to get better...then bigger. After a seismic shift away from industrial-scale screen printing in the US during the 1990s, Ryonet has proven pivotal to growing the "entrepreneurial" screen printing market in the US. Whereas the custom printing process is industrialized abroad, with shops owning hundreds of large oval screen printing presses and using panels to print instead of full garments, the US market is unique on the world stage. "So for ROQ to come to the US – it's totally different. It requires 1-on-1 relationships with the shops," Ryan remarked. The entire goal of Ryonet's ongoing investment is surprisingly simple: Ryonet wants to be more than your first distributor. This process has been difficult. Ryonet can't pivot on a moment's notice. It's taken months of iteration, pitching, development, meetings, and honest conversations to discover what should happen next. But it's obvious from Ryan's candid conversation that he's determined to do the right thing for screen printers: make Ryonet a hub not just for equipment, but for the entire ROQ community. Read more (and see a picture of that massive shop with 100+ ROQ OVAL screen printing presses): https://www.printavo.com/blog/whats-up-with-ryonet-and-roq-us
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Jarrod Hennis from Rockford Art Deli (RAD) explains why community-based experiences like a Free Print Day matter for screen printing businesses in this exclusive interview at THREADX 2020. “How many businesses have a line out the door for 8 hours?”, Jarrod said. From printing a Christmastime Baby Yoda print for 8,000+ people that waited in line for 2 hours to donating 1% of Rockford Art Deli’s gross sales to 1% For The Planet, Jarrod has spearheaded an amazing mission to use his business to spotlight Rockford, Illinois’ community...and push the screen printing industry forward.
Visit Rockford Art Deli on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockfordartdeli/?hl=en
Jarrod asked a poignant question about how print shops could impact their community with events: “When you have 800 people coming in the door, and they all bring in one can of food, what’s that do for the local food pantry?” That’s why he’s been highlighting local nonprofits in Rockford at the most recent Live Print Days. How do the Live Print Days actually work? Jarrod explained that customers wait outside the shop, then check in the garments they bring. The shop only offers a single-color black print. “They come in, check-in their shirt, then they can watch us print it or watch it come out of the dryer. It’s fast-paced.” The RAD team doesn’t let people print their own shirts. It’s too fast-paced: “It’s 400 shirts an hour.” On a manual screen printing press!
Check out the PrintHustlers Blog: https://www.printavo.com/blog
But Jarrod isn’t just thinking about fun designs to print for Rockford’s local population. He’s thinking about the global impact that screen printing has: “A lot of companies are greenwashing it,” he said candidly. “The garment industry is the second most polluting in the world after the oil industry,” Jarrod explained.
By partnering with Allmade to ensure a sustainable product made ethically, Rockford Art Deli expands the conversation about the impact a seemingly small business can have. This interview took place at SGIA’s THREADX 2020 in Scottsdale, AZ during February 2020. We were fortunate enough to bring ART BY MATOS and CEDAR CITY PRINTS to the show, and can’t wait for future SGIA events.
Brett Bowden from Printed Threads saved his screen printing business. How? By focusing on putting the right people in the right seats. "I started Printed Threads when I was 28 years old and didn’t really know the basics of running a business," Brett told us. In the latest PrintHustlers Podcast, Brett recounts how hiring a VP of Operations revitalized Printed Threads.
Read the full story: https://www.printavo.com/blog/how-brett-saved-printed-threads
Brett's advice for screen print shops? "Stop being the firefighter and start being the visionary." By leading his team, delegating, and truly developing the vision and values of Printed Threads, Brett built a strong foundation for his team. "Without that foundation, you have nothing to grow on," Brett added.
Brett visited a prominent nationwide fast-food chain recently for a sandwich and immediately noticed something wrong. "I go in there, order my sub, and I'm like...man, these people hate working here."
The last thing anyone wants to do is spend every day at a bad job they hate. That's a recipe for misery. But as we've often noted, screen printing isn't seen as a desirable career. So how can screen print shops be a great place to work? Build a great team.
Read more about Printed Threads and Brett’s journey: https://www.printavo.com/blog/how-brett-saved-printed-threads
Brett’s tips for creating an amazing screen print shop:
Empathize
"Being a business owner that can relate and empathize to everyone else who works here helps. Hey, I know what it’s like to clean screens all day. I know what it’s like to print all day. I can help you. Having that empathy is crucial."
Celebrate your wins together
"I want to work and grind but when we’re done I want to celebrate together. I think what a lot of companies miss is they don’t struggle and then celebrate together. If you do everything together it creates camaraderie."
Create a company your employees are a fan of
"If they're a fan of the company, they won't just let it sink. They don't want to go work at Firehouse Subs or whatever."
Make a mission
"You should take a Saturday with key employees and be like: what are we doing? What is special about what we’re doing? Why do you want to work here? Ask the hard questions. Then write down the vision."
Get a business coach
"There are a lot of entrepreneur organizations. You might pay a few hundred dollars a month to join, but you’re getting in with a good group." Note: check out SGIA if you're looking for industry-specific help.
Practice affirmation
"I need someone here to give high fives. I need the positive vibes. I’m actually really bad at affirmation. I really struggle with. It’s part of my personality. I don’t say good job, or hey man, here’s the high five. But Seth (Printed Threads' longtime employee and marketing/content mastermind) is really good at that."
Read more on the PrintHustlers blog: https://www.printavo.com/blog/how-brett-saved-printed-threads
4:21
If the description is too long use this one:
Brett Bowden from Printed Threads saved his screen printing business. How? By focusing on putting the right people in the right seats. "I started Printed Threads when I was 28 years old and didn’t really know the basics of running a business," Brett told us. In the latest PrintHustlers Podcast, Brett recounts how hiring a VP of Operations revitalized Printed Threads.
Read the full story: https://www.printavo.com/blog/how-brett-saved-printed-threads
Brett's advice for screen print shops? "Stop being the firefighter and start being the visionary." Brett’s tips for creating an amazing screen print shop: https://www.printavo.com/blog/how-brett-saved-printed-threads
Alexa Cary from In House Prints in Frenchtown, NJ has made a name for herself and her screen printing business with a customer-first mentality. "We create a custom relationship," she told us. We interviewed Alexa at Impressions Expo 2020 in Long Beach, CA earlier this year to discuss the major ups and downs of owning a screen printing business, her favorite piece of equipment in the shop, and what it's like to be a woman in a male-dominated industry.
"There is no manual for 'this is how you run a screen printing business.' There is no playbook for screen printing," Alexa said. She knows that she's fortunate to enjoy great customers, adding, "You are never guaranteed a job in the screen printing industry."
Read more: https://www.printavo.com/blog/life-of-a-female-screen-printer-interview
Alexa's Instagram is a great peek into her day-to-day life. She rides motorcycles, makes amazing prints, and always keeps a great Story going. Oh, and her handle is great: @lifeofa.female.screenprinter. Follow Alexa here: https://www.instagram.com/lifeofa.female.screen.printer/
With a new ROQ press powering their production capabilities, Alexa and husband Tyler have created a deep connection to Frenchtown's community. "All of our marketing is word-of-mouth," Alexa said. The ROQ has enabled them to take on bigger jobs and freed them up to do more outreach...and even take time to travel. "We can print what we would do in 5 days in just 1 day [with the ROQ]," Alexa explained.
Read more: https://www.printavo.com/blog/life-of-a-female-screen-printer-interview
"I'm not saying being a female in the screen printing industry is difficult," Alexa said, "But people look at you differently because it's unexpected." Women have made a big impact in the screen printing industry, from tech wizards like M&R's Michelle Moxley and Night Owl's Val Solomon to leaders like Kristene Shreve from EnMart – thousands of women laborers, printers, artists, and business owners push the industry forward.
Alexa has embraced the need for women leaders in the industry, joining conversations, events, podcasts and Facebook Groups designed to share resources, knowledge, and support for women in the industry.
The Yetee in Aurora, IL has helped raise millions for charity with their powerful merchandise. Featuring bold artwork, a strong sense of identity, and a truly impressive website, The Yetee has created their own niche.
By helping Awesome Games Done Quick and other high-profile organizations donate millions to charity, The Yetee boosted talented illustrators and artists. Some have even landed dream artist jobs at big video game and merchandise companies thanks to their exposure on The Yetee's daily shirt market and merchandise.
We were lucky to sit down with Mike, co-owner of The Yetee, for a conversation about their unique business. Read the full story here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/yetee-screen-print-shop-tour
As noted philosopher (and occasional rapper) Notorious B.I.G. said, "More money, more problems." On the latest episode of Printavo's PrintHustlers Podcast, we sat down with Steven Farag to discuss how growing his screen printing business 400% has led to a lot of new and interesting challenges.
This is so helpful if you're going to grow your custom printing business: https://www.printavo.com/blog/truth-about-screen-print-business-growth
Steven has invested thousands of dollars into Campus Ink's screen room this year. They've almost automated every part of their screen making and imaging process, purchasing a glut of high-tech screen printing equipment:
-
A second M&R Sportsman screen printing press to standardize operations and replace their old Lawson press
-
M&R's Starlight exposure unit for super fast exposure times
-
Douthitt's wax-based CTS machine for imaging screens quickly and improving registration
-
M&R's UniKote screen coater to ensure perfectly coated screens and speed up the coating process
-
A used RapidTag machine for printing tags and other small items
Steven points out that Campus Ink reached a point where it was obvious they had to invest in their screen printing production capabilities. "We have the sales to feed it, we're subbing out lots of work, and the screen room is the final piece of the automation puzzle so we can go from online stores straight to the press," Steven said.
"Jaws dropped in the shop when they saw how easy it was [to use the new Douthitt CTS machine to burn screens]," Steven noted. "We made 60 screens in an afternoon on a whim. It was a cool feeling for all of us. Like a breath of fresh air in the shop."
Read more, including more about "Traction," the book every screen print business needs: https://www.printavo.com/blog/truth-about-screen-print-business-growth
"Taking jobs and turning them into careers is going to be my biggest challenge," Steven said. Unfortunately, it's probably true! For most employees at screen print shops, screen printing isn't a career. It's just a job. Screen printing has a notoriously high turnover rate, and lots of businesses struggle with growth because they can't find good screen printers to hire.
Campus Ink always has a supply of students, but they don't necessarily stay in the business for the long haul. "Retaining people is a big issue," Steven said. "Some shops like Printed Threads have people that stay with them for 10 years." What did it take for Printed Threads to get employees to stick around? "I talked to Brett (Printed Threads' owner), and he said it came down to training, growing, and progressing with them," Steven mentioned.
Retention is going to be an ongoing theme for screen printing businesses throughout 2020. With wages and expectations rising, employers have to think seriously about how they can retain great staff. One strategy is less complicated and painful than you might think, and one both Steven and I have encouraged every business owner to work on: their values.
Look at Shirt Kong, Superior Ink, and Printed Threads. Every employee there gets it. "I talked to a guy that owned a company who started his career at Disney. Disney has their values posted everywhere. Everyone knows it. He did the same thing," Steven said. It may seem almost cheesy – but you really have to hammer home your values over and over. Post them around your shop. Talk about them. Share them. They are the foundation for every relationship you have with each employee! This is so helpful if you're going to grow your business: https://www.printavo.com/blog/truth-about-screen-print-business-growth
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Hiring screen printers is hard! But it's not impossible. You can get great employees for your print shop by standardizing your hiring process. Bruce from Printavo explains how and why to implement consistent standards when you hire screen printers.
Read the full article for example questions for hiring screen printers: https://www.printavo.com/blog/4-steps-for-hiring-great-screen-printers
There is no 100% accurate way to compare two different people for the same job. At Printavo, we've had a lot of success hiring because we've spent a lot of time and resources on hiring. The main insight we can offer is that our hiring got a lot better after we created a specific persona for each role within Printavo.
Each role (quality control, press operator, screen room hero, sales, production management, and so on) has a slightly different persona that is most likely to succeed. Sales people are outgoing, press operators are detail-oriented, production managers are highly organized, screen room workers are typically tough and willing to get dirty.
So how do you determine a person's persona in an interview?
The fastest way to determine what kind of persona a candidate has is to use project-based hiring practices.
Read about how you can hire great screen printers in just 4 steps: https://www.printavo.com/blog/4-steps-for-hiring-great-screen-printers
Here are some example projects you could give to each role in your screen print shop:
Production manager
Assign around 30 jobs and see how they would schedule them Using Legos, "build" the ideal print shop workflow visually Ask how they would improve your current setup, or if any inefficiencies are present How would you lead a stubborn employee that doesn't want to do things your way? Create a process for checking screen tension every time a screen is reclaimed A team member no-call no-shows. What do you do? Ask: What would you do in the first 90 days in your job, based on what you see here?
Press operator
Set up and break down a job on press Troubleshoot registration or tension issues Image screens in the darkroom (a great press operator will understand the screen making process) Explain the screen printing process in as much detail as possible Have them explain why a job should or shouldn't be printed a certain way
Screen room (coating, imaging, reclaim)
Reclaim several screens Tape screens Burn screens Troubleshoot an imaging problem Break down a job Explain the imaging process in as much detail as possible Ask them to develop a plan to keep the screen room as clean as possible: how would they do it?
Sales and marketing
Do a mock sales call Feed them a "Secret Shopper" and see how they react Ask them to make several email templates Ask them how they would handle an angry customer Ask them to research the best possible clients for your shop
Customer service representatives
Mock interaction with an upset customer Mock interaction with a confused customer Mock interaction with a customer that isn't a good fit, or is just price shopping Ask them to develop a better Quote Approval system Have them write email templates for different customer profiles
The way to grow your screen printing business is to work on the business – not in the business. If you want to create a company that's durable, profitable, and runs on it own – it's not enough to be a good screen printer. You have to put in high-value work around finances, people, processes, and delegation. Read Bruce’s full article about how to work ON your screen printing business, and not just IN it, here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/working-on-your-screen-printing-business
If you've ever trained for a marathon, started a new diet, or just challenged yourself to use the gym more, then you already know that you can't just put in a month's work and reap the benefits.
Athletes know that success involves three core components: Fuel: a good diet Activity: an exercise regimen and focused practice Dedication: a long-term commitment Great athletes don't play their first game as a fully developed athlete. The major areas you can work on TODAY to help your business grow are: Finance: implement Profit First, only take orders with 100% down payment, raise your prices. People: hire for talent and train for skill, hire managers from other industries, look for Spanish speakers and college dropouts Process: implement processes so good you can leave your screen print shop and it keeps operating normally Delegation: give tasks that you’re not good at, that aren’t high-value, and that you don’t like doing to others. Immediately. Delegation is not an option! Printavo helps thousands of print shops grow their business. But we can’t do it alone – you have to take the lead and work on your business. Our software can help with invoicing, scheduling, payments, online stores, and so much more...but you have to put the rubber to the road and develop your business. Read more: https://www.printavo.com/blog/working-on-your-screen-printing-business
Can you take a vacation? Here's a gut-check for any screen print shop owner: can you leave the shop for a day? How about a week? What about a month? If that sounds impossible, it's time to look at the overall processes in place within your shop. This typically involves three discrete operations: Customer-facing operations
Sales, communications, order intake, artwork, quoting, invoicing, customer education, marketing, social media Printing operations
Screen burning and reclaiming, printing, quality control, packaging Management operations
Scheduling, procurement, equipment maintenance, technique standardization, training The shop owner exists within all three aspects of the business through the processes they implement. This is high-value knowledge for any screen printing business owner: https://www.printavo.com/blog/working-on-your-screen-printing-business
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf: https://www.printhustlers.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
screenprinting #printlife #printhustlers #printavo #screenprintlife #dtg #embroidery #merch #ecommerce #printshop #screenprint
Follow us for more amazing interviews for your screen printing business.
"We try to tell a bigger story than just 'screen printing.' Is it a good route? I don't know, but it's worked for us." We interview Lucas and Joe from Rowboat Creative (one of Chicago's most unique screen printing businesses) at Impressions Expo 2020. From getting a new shop dog that just wandered in off the street to purchasing an M&R Digital Squeegee, 2019 was a huge year for Rowboat Creative. Read the full interview and learn more about Rowboat here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/rowboat-creative-at-iss-2020
But just because Rowboat has been successful doesn't mean it's been easy. Lucas and Joe have crafted one of Chicago's most iconic screen printing brands – but they do much more than just print shirts for super-famous music acts. They do experiential branding, highly customized events, stage sets, secret projects they can't even disclose...and just about anything else. They are experts at making ideas into reality. After 13 years of grinding it out as hardcore screen printers, Lucas and Joe have a lot of empathy for people in the industry. “I think everyone who’s a long-time screen printer knows exactly where I am right now. So we are trying to make it better for the upcoming crew,” Joe said. Rowboat’s team celebrated some major wins in 2019: Their employees stepped up and took the Rowboat mission to heart. “We’re going in the right direction. People have bought in. They are hyped to represent the company.” Their focus on internal processes started to pay off. “When you get your first Speedball kit in your basement, you’re not thinking about HR and paperwork and training.” They got an English Bulldog, for free. “He just walked in the shop and stayed. Now he’s ours. Jablonski!” They held a surprise engagement party at their shop. “Steven Farag got engaged at our shop. Wait, nevermind, that was definitely the biggest moment! We’re hosting weddings now!” It’s been a treat to watch Rowboat grow and evolve this year. Read more here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/rowboat-creative-at-iss-2020
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
screenprinting #printlife #dtg #screenprintlife #printavo #printhustlers #embroidery #branding #marketing #sales #chicago #musicmerch #merchandise #merch
Follow our Soundcloud! New podcasts every week!
What's the biggest mistake screen print shop owners make? They focus on the wrong things - or worse, they're just not focused at all. The screen printing industry is a challenging one. Every time you print on a shirt for a customer, you're taking a small risk. There's a lot on the line. Read Bruce's thoughts about focusing on your screen printing shop here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/focus-i... Bruce from Printavo sits down with Steven Farag from Campus Ink for another episode of the PrintHustlers podcast. They have a candid conversation about how difficult it is to focus when you own a growing business. What's the biggest downfall for most screen print shop owners? It's a lack of focus. This happens several ways: - Owners are spread too thin. They're answering too many questions, causing extreme distraction
-
Owners are doing tasks they're not good at. Worse, they're stuck doing tasks they don't even like
-
Owners are not focused on high-value tasks. They're really busy...but not doing things that will actually help improve the business
-
Owners are focused on short-term fixes and problems. They're just trying to get through the day – not focused on achieving long-term goals Screen printing is a notoriously difficult industry. There are genuine barriers to growth and improvement. From garments suppliers, low margins, misfit customers, challenging employees, and a lack of industry standards – there's no lack of headaches. Here's the biggest takeaway: you don't have to be everything to every customer. And you shouldn't try. Screen print shops thrive when they focus on the right customers, the right message, and the right goals that will propel them forward. If you can summarize your focus for the next year, you'll be armed with a powerful tool to help you understand what you should do next. It makes every decision along the way that much easier. Read the full article: https://www.printavo.com/blog/focus-i...
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
screenprinting #printlife #smallbiz #smallbusiness #growth #printhustlers #printavo #screenprintlife #ryonet #powertheprint #customprinting #dtg #embroidery
Subscribe! New podcasts every week!
If you're a screen printer like Justin Lawrence, you need a giant eagle holding a squeegee dripping with ink. Where? On your ankle, of course! We interview Justin from Oklahoma Shirt Company at Impressions Expo 2020 while he gets a tattoo at the Ryonet booth. He's no stranger to tattoos, but Justin's a trooper and answers our questions about his screen printing business with ease.
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
"If you're a good person, hungry, and driven – there are good things to come"
Superior Ink's Dominic Rosacci sat down with us for an incredible interview. We wrote about his past and his future in screen printing around sustainability, purpose and creating shop culture.
Bruce from Printavo and Steven from Campus Ink discuss why customer service is a HUGE marketing opportunity for custom print shops.
Your shop CAN compete against multi-billion dollar operations!! How? High-quality, consistent, personal, customized service for every customer: https://www.printavo.com/blog/customer-service-is-a-marketing-opportunity
This simple exercise makes mistakes, spoilage, and shipping problems so much less stressful: "Write out on one page how your shop responds to issues. Here's our policy. Here's our script. When a new employee comes in, you hand it to them. [...] Then it's standard operating procedure."
EzPress is a bolt-on unit for automated screen printing on a manual press. 21 year old Cameron Maciel from Riverside, CA realized the need for equipment like this when his own screen printing business grew.
Cameron is leading the charge to fill a gap in the market. He envisions a press with the consistency and dependability of an automatic, but small enough for shops that can't expend the resources to purchase an automatic screen printing press.
Cameron's story and ideas are so awesome. Here's how to reach out to him: https://www.printavo.com/blog/ez-press-semi-automatic-screen-printing
Ryonet's Luke Ryerkerk sat down with Bruce for an honest discussion about the pros and cons of DTG printing. Direct to garment printing can be a touchy subject among screen printers.
Read the full recap here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/dtg-printing-ryonet-interview
What's the best DTG printer? When should you consider buying or leasing a direct to garment printer? What sort of business thrives with DTG printing – and which businesses should avoid it?
Tom Davenport is part of Motion Textile's DNA. A low-profile but extremely high-quality print shop, California's Motion Textile has a 50,000 square foot production facility solely focused on making the best possible print. In this candid interview, Tom walks us through his storied history with screen printing (starting as a punk rock skateboarder in 1996), growing through the Great Recession, up to his recent sale of Motion Textile.
Learn more: https://www.printavo.com/blog/from-skate-punk-to-contract-screen-printing-with-motion-textile
Success Print Shop: one man. One automatic press. One shipping container in rural Texas. 26 years old. Look no further for your dose of inspiration to keep pushing forward. Jonathan Ornelas takes "massive action" to the next level. Read the full recap here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/manual-to-automatic-screen-printing-with-success
“A magic shop. Screen printing, embroidery, dye sublimation, direct to garment, fulfillment, alterations. You name it, we do it.” We interviewed Lucas and Joe from Rowboat Creative, one of Chicago's (and the world's) most imaginative print shops, at ISS Long Beach 2019. Are they an agency? A creative firm? A brand activation boutique? Yes – and more.
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
They've built an awesome culture in their 60,000 square foot warehouse and production facility in Logan Square, Chicago. What's the secret? "You have to be sympathetic to the nightmare that custom printing is." Remember what production hell was like when you started in your basement (like Lucas and Joe did) – and keep your team tight-knit.
Visit Rowboat Creative's website: https://www.rowboatcreative.com
Between clients big (Nike, Adidas, Bella + Canvas, Dell Computers) and small (local contract printing), Rowboat Creative is emerging as part of the new generation of print shops. They do much more than printing. Their vision extends far beyond dragging ink across a screen. They're building experiences, brands, and their own unique take on how to back it up with a work culture that emphasizes humanity over robotic printing precision.
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf 2019: http://www.printhustlers.com
Found this valuable? Be sure to Like, Comment, and Follow for more great info!
From 18 to 39 employees. A relocation. Two new automatic presses. Employee heartbreak. And through it all: becoming Oklahoma City's favorite screen printer.
Check out this candid interview with Oklahoma Shirt Company owner Justin Lawrence filmed at ISS Long Beach 2019. Bruce from Printavo, simple shop management software, asks Justin about how his values and vision have changed.
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Visit Oklahoma Shirt Company: https://oklahomashirtcompany.com
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf 2019: http://www.printhustlers.com
Found this valuable? Be sure to Like, Comment, and Subscribe for more great info!
Listen in as Steven Farag and Bruce Ackerman discuss why barbershops – and Amazon – provide a great model for screen printing shops to copy. The secret is in the way they manage Customer Care, communicate, and provide a customized experience.
Try Printavo: www.printavo.com
This in-depth discussion has too much great info to summarize here.
Check out Printavo Merch: www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: www.instagram.com/printavo
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf 2019: www.printhustlers.com
Liked this? Comment! Like! And Subscribe for more great info for growing your business!
Bruce Ackerman from Printavo sits down with Steven Farag from Campus Ink to talk about how he got to $1M in online store sales for screen printing and custom merchandise.
Steve's shop was the first on Printavo Merch [Beta] – our solution for simple online stores – and his insight is valuable.
Bruce and Steve discuss:
-
Building a customer profile for great Merch customers
-
Developing store-specific minimums
-
Calculating an upcharge and treating the store as a premium service
-
Why Printavo Merch [Beta] makes so much sense when paired with Printavo
-
How Amazon shapes thinking about customer service
-
Why trade shows are so crucial to growth and development
Try Printavo: www.printavo.com
This in-depth discussion has too much great info to summarize here.
Check out Printavo Merch: www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: www.instagram.com/printavo
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf 2019: www.printhustlers.com
Liked this? Comment! Like! And Subscribe for more great info for growing your business!
When do you hire a sales rep for your screen printing and custom merchandise shop? How do you pay them? What should they actually do?
These questions come up again and again. Luckily, Steven Farag from Campus Ink shared his first-hand experience with hiring a dedicated outside sales representative.
Steven discusses recruiting, training, incentives, salary, commissions, lead generation, and measuring value with Bruce Ackerman from Printavo. This question and answer session will resolve your questions and give you the best practices for moving forward with hiring your first sales rep.
Read a summary here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/shop-ta...
Try Printavo for free: https://www.printavo.com
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
It's time to CRUSH your goals in 2019! It's a great time to have a bit of a mental refresh from last year and separate it from the goals and accomplishments you want to achieve this year.
You can get yourself pumped up, get your team pumped up.
What I've got for you are 10 different tips. These are 10 really great tips to take your shop to the next level and get ready for the new year. Here we go!
Read the full list with more details and info: https://www.printavo.com/blog/screen-...
-
Evaluate poorly performing employees.
-
Upgrade your efficiency.
-
Clean up your branding.
-
Get your online reviews right.
-
Go to trade shows.
-
Use social proof.
-
Do social advertising.
-
Invest in direct to screen.
-
Get that automatic press.
-
Stay extremely optimistic.
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Bruce Ackerman from Printavo sits down with Steven Farag from Campus Ink to talk about how he got to $1M in online store sales for screen printing and custom merchandise.
Steve's shop was the first on Printavo Merch [Beta] – our solution for simple online stores – and his insight is valuable.
Bruce and Steve discuss:
- Building a customer profile for great Merch customers
- Developing store-specific minimums
- Calculating an upcharge and treating the store as a premium service
- Why Printavo Merch [Beta] makes so much sense when paired with Printavo
- How Amazon shapes thinking about customer service
- Why trade shows are so crucial to growth and development
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
This in-depth discussion has too much great info to summarize here.
Check out Printavo Merch: https://www.printavo.com/merch
Follow us on Instagram for all of the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
Join us at PrintHustlers Conf 2019: http://www.printhustlers.com
Liked this? Comment! Like! And Subscribe for more great info for growing your business!
Marketing your screen printing business is difficult. Retargeting is an automated advertising strategy that improves your brand's visibility and credibility.
Retargeting puts you in the background of prominent websites your customers visit – without you lifting a finger. The two primary retargeting services are:
- AdRoll
- Perfect Audience
It works by adding a tracking pixel to your website, setting an advertising budget, and running the ads you choose. You can control the precise parameters that trigger retargeted advertising so you don't pay to show ads to people that only visit your site for a moment.
Retargeting is powerful. It puts your brand back into your customer's mind. This doesn’t just increase the familiarity your customers have with your brand, it bolsters your credibility and leverages social proof to make you seem even bigger than you are.
Try Printavo for free: https://www.printavo.com
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
When do you hire a sales rep for your screen printing and custom merchandise shop? How do you pay them? What should they actually do?
These questions come up again and again. Luckily, Steven Farag from Campus Ink shared his first-hand experience with hiring a dedicated outside sales representative.
Steven discusses recruiting, training, incentives, salary, commissions, lead generation, and measuring value with Bruce Ackerman from Printavo. This question and answer session will resolve your questions and give you the best practices for moving forward with hiring your first sales rep.
Read a summary here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/shop-talk-1-hiring-your-first-sales-rep
Try Printavo for free: https://www.printavo.com
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/printavo
2018 has been wrapped up and we hope it was a solid growth year for everyone. As the new year begins, it's great to list out your goals for 2019.
We create a list of 8 potential ideas you can use to craft your own list.
- Raise Prices. As business owners, we undervalue what we offer. It's natural to think that someone won't pay our asking price so we undercut. As printers, we do this to get more business out of the gate. It's dangerous to the industry as a whole and doesn't accurately reflect the value provided.
Instead of a race to the bottom, let's race to the top. Shoot to increase your prices by 10-15%. If you provide enough value, you'll be surprised what people are willing to pay for your services.
-
Delegate. You started the business, but it's to be on top of the business. Focus on extracting yourself out of the business. If you take a week off, your training, systems, and processes should continue to work as if you were there. If they don't, it's time to dive back in and create better, repeatable systems.
-
Pay Yourself. To create a sustainable business, you need to take a fair salary. Shops of all sizes skip payroll to make ends meet especially during slow periods. This isn't a sustainable business. Get to a point where this doesn't have to happen. Read Profit First: (https://profitfirstbook.com/) by Mike Michalowicz to help you execute a plan do this.
-
Fire Non-Performers. If you have an employee that doesn't follow protocol, is absent or just a poor cultural fit, it's time to move on. Clean out the employees holding your company back and create a superstar team. Stop giving excuses. I guarantee you'll wish you did it sooner.
-
Operations Manager. Day to day operations is where many shop owners get swamped. Hiring an operations manager to take this off your plate will greatly help you to delegate. Imagine a day where the tasks you set to complete actually get done in an 8hr period. Sounds exciting, doesn't it?
You may have to wait until you can reach $2-3M in revenue, profitably, and that's okay. Keep an eye out for a great fit early. This will be someone you can rely on when you're not at the shop.
- Visit Your Customers. Take an hour every month to visit a customer of yours. Show up at their office with a small gift and ask them to show you around. They'll be unbelievably thankful you spent time with them and you build a great rapport.
Remember, each shirt, trophy, sign, and hat has a story behind it. Tapping into that story will help build a deeper relationship and increase sales.
-
Go to a Tradeshow. There are incredible tradeshows in our industry including ISS, NBM, SGIA, and DAX. Be sure to take the time to visit one. The network gained, relationships built and knowledge learned will be worth the time & money. Make this an annual event and bring your star players from the shop.
-
New Sales Channel. The world of marketing is changing. You're able to tap into customers worldwide in 15min and measure conversion rates. Setup your website funnel to handle inbound leads. It should look something like: Website/Audience Specific Landing Page Submit Contact Form Sales Rep Phone Call
Drive sales through this funnel using AdRoll (retargeting), LinkedIn messaging, shop open-houses, community events, small business committees, and Facebook ads.
Pick one and grow it!
Best of luck in 2019 and let's all grow together!
Take these 10 tips with you into 2019! We dug into our archives and unearthed some of the best moments from our videos in 2018.
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Videos featured:
Building a Brand in a Commoditized Market - Matt Williams - PrintHustlers Conf 2018 https://youtu.be/_1V1EbC2MsY
3 Branding Tips for a Screen Printing Shop https://youtu.be/uBUgCBfM9zg
Kevin Baumgart, Building A Sales Machine (PHC2018) https://youtu.be/k8hvtomvT4Q
Use Virtual Assistants In Your Shop - Here's How https://youtu.be/m12z-yYrjGc
Getting The Most Out Of New Hires - Adam Cook - PrintHustlers Conf 2018 https://youtu.be/gTuwAmFTtP8
How To Truly Use Social Media When Growing Your Shop https://youtu.be/lU_jY9sf4E4
7 Ingredients to Converting Clicks to Customers - Shelby Craig - PrintHustlers Conf 2018 https://youtu.be/HGmiy8_iIGk
Interview With Brett Bowden of Printed Threads, His Story & Mindset https://youtu.be/nOwFk_TckU8
Why Your Screen Printing Pricing is Wrong With Mark Coudray https://youtu.be/GVYvmzY275I
Looking to Expand? 5 Things To Note In Your New Shop Location https://youtu.be/hUqbGXSvfbw
Staying Focused When Growing Your Print Shop - 30 Employees & Counting https://youtu.be/oqBnmySsn4s
How Rocket Shirts Generated $80,000 From $3,600 In T-shirt Sales Using Facebook Ads https://youtu.be/wJQoguyibho
Dreams, Goals, and Habits - Ryan Moor - PrintHustlers Conf 2018 https://youtu.be/cCjnzWEVvVA
We too often become wrapped up in "what's next". What will the next greatest technology be or equipment I need at the shop? Which competitor do I need to worry about?
It can be exhausting to go through this repetitive cycle especially if you're using it as a guide for your team.
Jeff Bezos, Founder & CEO of Amazon made the quote in 2015:
I very frequently get the question: "What's going to change in the next 10 years?" And that is a very interesting question; it's a very common one. I almost never get the question: "What's not going to change in the next 10 years?" And I submit to you that that second question is actually the more important of the two -- because you can build a business strategy around the things that are stable in time. ... [I]n our retail business, we know that customers want low prices, and I know that's going to be true 10 years from now. They want fast delivery; they want vast selection.
It's impossible to imagine a future 10 years from now where a customer comes up and says, "Jeff, I love Amazon; I just wish the prices were a little higher." "I love Amazon; I just wish you'd deliver a little more slowly." Impossible.
And so the effort we put into those things, spinning those things up, we know the energy we put into it today will still be paying off dividends for our customers 10 years from now. When you have something that you know is true, even over the long term, you can afford to put a lot of energy into it.
What won't change?
An incredible way of thinking about your business. What will your customers want from you now, in 5 years and in 10 years?
This is what we focus on at Printavo and what you can too.
Your customers will always: - Want transparency to where their order is - Want faster turnaround time - Want zero mistakes - Want faster shipping - Want to be treated like a VIP client
Keep focusing on what won't change and let's excel together!
When Talking to Customers, Be Confident and Show Your Expertise
Everyone wants their customers to be happy. And that requires using the right words, especially since more and more customer interactions take place through writing (email, live chat, even Twitter).
Start the conversation by establishing a personal rapport.
Show the customer that you’re listening to their problem or complaint, and then shift to a take-charge attitude, using confident, assertive language.
Use dominant language instead (“must,” “confirm,” “action”).
In addition, customers will see you as more helpful if you use specific words.
For example, a clothing retailer should talk about the “white turtleneck” rather than the “shirt,” and the “high-top sneakers” rather than the “shoes.”
Don’t be afraid to explicitly endorse a product to the customer (“I suggest this comforter” or “I recommend this album”); doing so implicitly, by sharing your personal preference (“I like this comforter” or “I love this album”), can be less effective.
An explicit endorsement signals both confidence and expertise.
With a little luck and a lot of hard work, Ian Scherber made his own custom T-shirt business from virtually nothing.
Hear Ian's amazing story: he went from a scrawny high school freshman that made a quick buck printing shirts for his football team to a serious Print Hustler with a major screen printing business – while getting married & completing his college education!
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Visit Duluth Screen Printing: https://www.duluthscreenprinting.com/
Justin Lawrence, Oklahoma Shirt Company has an incredible story. After leaving med-school to dive into screen-printing he’s grown to a 30 person shop passing $6m in revenue.
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
I had a great podcast with Ryan Schraffenberger of Promotions Guy. Ryan has a print shop in Florida and in Michigan where he dives into how he balances this.
Take a listen as we covered the following topics: - Saying "no" more leading to growth - How he found customers in a small town vs a large one - Lessons learned when hiring sales reps - The changing role of an owner - How to manage live printing - How to host open houses
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Listen as we interview Brett Bowden, Founder and CEO of Printed Threads. In 2010 Printed Threads was started by Brett. A touring musician, he wanted a better quality merch and a stable schedule for his growing family.
He started in his garage and quickly grew into a full-blown 15,000 sq ft production facility, now with over 25 team members, and over $3.5m in revenue.
Listen in as we discuss: - Target growth for print shops - Mindset around team, branding, growth, and problems - Going full-time with two kids - Leasing vs buying - Shoe Dog by Phil Knight book recommendation
Try Printavo - https://www.printavo.com
As a business owner, separating your work from personal life is borderline impossible.
This is your baby, it's what you created from scratch into a living breathing, separate entity. Your business takes a lot of time, care and attention. When you're at home the shop may be at a different location, but mentally you're still thinking about growth, mistakes, improvements, and people.
These demands can create a tough strain on families of business owners. Being that you're mentally preoccupied a majority of the time.
Here are two ways We've compiled a list of ways to push yourself to create a better work-life balance and a happier personal life.
-
Focus on the moment. After leaving your office, pay attention to details. Ask questions about everyone's day. Create good eye contact. Focus on improving communication and listening well. Share stories. Share your day's to-do list. Ask for opinions.
-
Treat family like your business. This is a great tip shared from Ryan Moor from Ryonet along with the book "The Secrets of Happy Families". You always want to reduce turnover and make your team members happy, do the same at home. All hands meetings to get everyone on the same page, do the same at home to correct miscommunication. Regular employee outings, schedule regular dates. Plan for improvements, shop moves, equipment purchases, create a schedule for things to improve at home.
Hopefully, this helps and provides context. If you have other tips, drop them below!
Try Printavo - https://www.printavo.com
Have you ever bought an item that was more expensive because of the name behind it? Shoes, a purse, equipment?
The reason you feel strongly about your purchase is because of the brand. It creates an emotional connection to your consumers which makes their purchase decision easier.
It is essential to create a brand your customers love and praise. Since this process doesn't happen overnight, here are 3 tips to start now:
-
Create a guarantee. What can you do to guarantee your customers? Can you deliver goods at the best price, quality, turnaround time? This statement will help rally your team around one goal and make decisions when you're not present.
-
Create a full experience. Every touch point of your business is a piece of your brand. How your staff answers the phone, what you feel walking into your shop, email response time, your website and social media presence. It's all apart of your brand and should be thought out carefully.
-
Swag out your team & customers. People will start seeing your brand more in town and ask about it. Bring on the referrals and let customers be a fan!
Try Printavo - https://www.printavo.com
PrintHustlers Conf was a huge success! We had over 100 people from shops all over North America join us.
Steven Farag, Co-Owner of Campus Ink, talks about five tips when automated his shop and helps answers the audience's questions.
-
Add all users to Printavo - Give full access to your account
-
Automate people & technology - Allow pushing a button to print, transform data, and add data where needed. Hire a virtual assistant from Upwork to help with data input.
-
Utilize Zapier to connect your website to Printavo to a CRM to your email newsletters, etc. Zapier is powerful and enables you to exchange data between 1,000+ apps on the web.
-
Automate receiving positive reviews for your shop. Create a status called "Review Us" which triggers an email to the customer asking for a review. You can use ReviewPro to have positive reviews be posted to Yelp/Google Plus and negative reviews are emailed to you directly to handle.
Try Printavo - https://www.printavo.com
After chatting with more successful shop owners, we've learned they all have something in common. Extreme optimism.
Everyone started their screen printing shop in one way or the other. A band, clothing line, bought into a business. It didn't make much sense at the time, but you kept persevering past all odds to create a sustainable business.
Between improving your workflow, managing a team, and growing sales, extreme positivity has been proven to help keep pushing you forward. Past the highs and lows.
Lastly, your high amount of optimism funnels down into your staff. When things go wrong, the right attitude will help make decisions.
Try Printavo - https://www.printavo.com
PrintHustlers Conf was a huge success! We had over 100 people from shops all over North America join us.
In this highlight reel, Steven Farag, Co-Owner of Campus Ink, talks about five tips when automated his shop.
-
Add all users to Printavo - Give full access to your account
-
Automate people & technology - Allow pushing a button to print, transform data, and add data where needed. Hire a virtual assistant from Upwork to help with data input.
-
Utilize Zapier to connect your website to Printavo to a CRM to your email newsletters, etc. Zapier is powerful and enables you to exchange data between 1,000+ apps on the web.
-
Automate receiving positive reviews for your shop. Create a status called "Review Us" which triggers an email to the customer asking for a review. You can use ReviewPro to have positive reviews be posted to Yelp/Google Plus and negative reviews are emailed to you directly to handle.
Try Printavo - https://www.printavo.com
Over time we found that sales is a team sport.
It's a basketball team where the ball gets passed around with the end goal of a slam-dunk. This process requires the company to work together on the same goal together.
If one sales rep creates a lead from a tradeshow, and someone back at the office closes them, you're working together to win.
A company brand is the full customer experience someone encounters. This may warrant using a team-based commission structure for your sales reps.
At Printavo, we switched over to a team-based commission and aren't looking back. As a customer can have multiple touch points with sales reps, we didn't want to worry about how to attribute commission.
I first felt weary of this change as it doesn't highlight who is doing great work and who isn't. We ended up creating a team agreement to help clarify potential problems.
For example, for the first two months of building a sales funnel, all commissions you generate are paid out directly to you. Only then will you partake in the team pool. If your performance dips under 50% of the median sales generated for a month, for more than two months, your commission is only based on the sales you created.
We found it important to create these agreements before-hand to avoid issues down the road.
Thus far, it's been easier to treat customers as a team rather than individually and we're pushing forward!
Let me know if you're doing team commission and how it works!
Try Printavo - https://www.printavo.com
Justin Moore started Barrel Maker Printing in 2009. They printed on a manual screen printing press for several years before they purchased an automatic press.
Justin and his wife, Erin Moore, felt they could get a lot out of their manual press, but it was exhausting.
Listen to Justin talk about how when he switched to an automatic screen printing press and how it helped their shop.
Try Printavo - https://www.printavo.com
An untrained employee is likely to be unhappy due to confusion. They will underperform, and you will be frustrated because they're not doing what you want. Your new hire won't stay long and you'll have to spend time searching for another, which will cost you time and money.
Quality of work delivered will be less than expected. Don't believe the new hire's deliverables will be exactly what you asked for since you didn't take the time to teach them properly. Not only that, you're going to have to do most of their tasks for them over again, which will, again, cost you time and money.
Your customers are your lifeblood, and new hire mistakes will create unhappy customers.
Here's how we onboarding our new hires at Printavo to give you some ideas!
Try Printavo: www.printavo.com
Ryan Moor first got involved in screen printing when he needed a way to fund his punk rock band. In 2004 he launched Ryonet to sell screen printing kits after starting to sell them on eBay. Fast forward to 2017, Ryonet generated 42 million dollars in revenue.
Ryonet dives into planning dreams and steps to achieve them. He shows why dreams are important for growing your screen printing business.
Try Printavo: www.printavo.com
Getting started with a reputable HR provider early on will save you many headaches down the road. Dealing with new employee documentation, benefits, taxes, offer letters, payroll, hourly, contractor, and full-time employees will drive you up a wall!
At Printavo, when we first started hiring employees, we wanted to make sure everything was very clear for our team members. When was payday, how to enroll in benefits, etc needed to all be written clearly and easily comprehensible for everyone.
In addition, you have enough on your plate and don't need HR issues added onto this.
We did a lot of research when finding an HR/payroll provider that was simple to use and had a support team to help us.
We looked into using our accountant, ADP, ZenPayroll, Gusto, Intuit, and more.
After many trials, phone calls, and demos, we decided on Gusto. Gusto met our needs in the following ways:
- Onboarding new hires - They can allow you to create new-hire documents for signing.
- Support - Their live chat and email support has been amazing. They do have a phone number although we haven't needed to call it.
- Data - We can pull all types of reports, find old paystubs and connect Gusto with other services for reimbursements, detailed accounting, and time-tracking.
- Benefits - When we started to offer healthcare to our team, setting this up was unbelievably simple and required little work. They can handle 401k, transit benefits and more.
We're not compensated by Gusto to write this but truly feel it can help shops grow and focus on printing.
Any questions? Drop a comment below!
Try Printavo: www.printavo.com
Hiring the right people is the single most important job you have as a shop owner. As the business grows, your team is the most important asset of the company. It's what you should be spending a significant time on in regards to hiring, training, 1-on-1's, improvements and more.
Hiring can be tricky as the goal is to fully vet candidates to make the right choice. Candidates may not tell the full truth, exaggerate responsibilities or not just be the right cultural fit for your shop.
If you hunt for candidates, phone interview 20 people, and have 3 in-person interviews, that can add up to 50+ hours of work. Multiple that by what you value your time at hourly and it adds up quickly. Let alone the training for this new candidate, plus what if they don't end up working out and you start over?
Point being, we want to get as many new-hire decisions right from the getgo.
At Printavo, we've found a neat trick that helps us vet candidates by using a 3rd party interviewer.
We have found that having someone external, with interviewing experience, helps the candidate open up more. They don't feel as up-tight as talking to the business owner and reveal a lot more about their personality.
We've been able to use this to decline candidates and avoid costly hiring mistakes.
At Printavo, we use Balance HR Solutions (http://bhrspartners.com) to interview all of our candidates. They will ask questions such as: - Salary expectations - Missing resume information - Stumping experience questions - Dive deep into goals
Plus they'll deliver a summary of their opinions and anything odd that may have come up. They bill us hourly for the time and we can talk through candidates' summaries on the phone.
Of course, there are many people with experience interviewing. The point is to have someone outside the company talk to the candidate and get a different feel for their fit.
Have any other tips you use? Leave a comment!
Try Printavo: www.printavo.com
We can all agree that we'd like to be more productive each day. As a business owner, you probably feel many days escape from you. You'll start off with a task list for the day and end up completing little to none of it as the day winds down.
Putting out fires is a constant reason for not being able to execute on the things you need to complete either in your screen-printing/embroidery shop.
The long-term solution is to continue to hire for the tasks that you do every day. With people that you trust, you can delegate. Of course, this isn't easy. You're used to handling everything yourself. But your goal is for the business to run without you.
But what can you do today? What can you implement right now to help make yourself and others more productive?
Here are two tips that I use every day to increase productivity.
- Limit your day - That's right, shrink the number of hours you're giving yourself to work. If you normally come in at 7am and leave at 7pm. Leave at 6pm, no excuses.
What this does is force you to complete higher priority tasks. You will have no choice but to pick higher value items to complete and push off lower priority ones. It also makes you fully understand the value of delegating more of your day to complete what's important.
This also helps to waste less time. How much time do you feel is spent on email, Facebook, Instagram? Instead of waiting for a response for 10min and taking a break by scrolling through Facebook, you'll be forced to knock out another task before leaving early.
- To-do List - Every morning, before you start answering email and going through jobs, write down the tasks you need to complete for that day. If your list is longer than 5 items, draw a line and only focus on those top 5.
This truly helps to visualize your progress and understand if you're behind or not.
Bonus Tip: Write down what you actually did that day next to your to-do list and you'll be able to visualize your progress and understand if you're behind or not. This also helps to know the tasks to start delegating off if you're seeing recurring items that push your off track.
Let us know how it works and if you have more tips!
Try Printavo: www.printavo.com
Kevin Baumghart is Vice President of Business Developer at Hireology. A company that helps other firms with their hiring process, Kevin has helped them grow them their sales organization. His learnings over the past 15 years has lead Kevin to not only excel at Hireology but mentor countless startups in Chicago.
He breaks down hiring into easy steps that will lead your screen printing business to success. He discusses background checks, references, interviews, and a lot more. Take a listen.
PrintHustlers Conf 2018 is the second annual conference for the decorated apparel industry organized by Printavo. This conference will provide a unique opportunity to grow, develop, learn new ways to expand your business and increase profitability! Become exposed to industry leaders, thought-provoking tips and tricks and an abundance of resources to assist shops with running a viable business.
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
In 2006, Jersey Ink was founded by Susan Becker with the help of her children. From their humble beginnings in the family basement to running a full-blown studio space with a showroom in New Jersey, The Beckers have created a true family culture at the office.
They dive into tips for creating culture at your print shop that will make your team happy and proud to work at your print shop.
PrintHustlers Conf 2018 is the second annual conference for the decorated apparel industry organized by Printavo. This conference will provide a unique opportunity to grow, develop, learn new ways to expand your business and increase profitability! Become exposed to industry leaders, thought-provoking tips and tricks and an abundance of resources to assist shops with running a viable business.
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Shelby Craig, Founder of Rocket Shirts is a marketing guru. “Making Shirt Happen and Getting Shirt Done.” Shelby’s LinkedIn quote perfectly describes him.
Shelby dives into how facebook marketing works to help your screen-printing shop suceed. He gives you easy steps on how to get started!
PrintHustlers Conf 2018 is the second annual conference for the decorated apparel industry organized by Printavo. This conference will provide a unique opportunity to grow, develop, learn new ways to expand your business and increase profitability! Become exposed to industry leaders, thought-provoking tips and tricks and an abundance of resources to assist shops with running a viable business.
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Starting and running a business isn't easy. And it doesn't get easier. There's an ever ending amount of tasks to be done, goals to be met and sales to generate.
This constant process of wanting to grow your shop can be mentally draining. It's tough to keep up with everything especially if you're a sole owner.
To prepare your mind for a 20 year plus haul, you have to find happiness in your work. This sounds cliche, I know. Let me break it down further.
What truly is your passion?
When you head in, work on a task for six hours, forget what time it is because of how much you enjoy the work, that's your passion. This is what you enjoy spending time on every day and should focus on heavily. It's going to push your business further.
Your new goal is to take everything else you spend time on, delegate, outsource or table it. Find people who love doing those tasks and you will run forward forever!
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Bruce Ackerman, Founder of Printavo talks about his 11 thoughts on technology and which types of technology you should be using at your screen print shop! What's your favorite technology to use for your print shop? Comment below!
PrintHustlers Conf 2018 is the second annual conference for the decorated apparel industry organized by Printavo. This conference will provide a unique opportunity to grow, develop, learn new ways to expand your business and increase profitability! Become exposed to industry leaders, thought-provoking tips and tricks and an abundance of resources to assist shops with running a viable business.
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Adam Cook, Printavo's Onboarding Lead has created an onboarding program to set up hundreds of print shops with Printavo. He has not only learned to train shops but also other onboarding reps at Printavo.
Listen to lessons learned from Adam on how you can train your team members.
PrintHustlers Conf 2018 is the second annual conference for the decorated apparel industry organized by Printavo. This conference will provide a unique opportunity to grow, develop, learn new ways to expand your business and increase profitability! Become exposed to industry leaders, thought-provoking tips and tricks and an abundance of resources to assist shops with running a viable business.
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Ryan Moor, Founder & CEO of Ryonet (Screenprinting.com) started in 2004 and has grown it into multi-million dollar enterprise of screen printing supplies and education.
Ryonet's growth didn't happen overnight and Ryan touches on what helped make them successful.
People, systems, investments in yourself and your team are the major themes Ryan will touch on.
Try Printavo - https://www.printavo.com
Subscribe to our podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/printavo-presents-printhustlers-podcast/id1213143414?mt=2
Customer satisfaction is so important. It's the core of your business and creates longevity for you and your company. Treat it wisely as every interaction with your shop creates your brand and image.
Josh Keane from Thread Monster talks about how he goes above and beyond with customers. Handwritten notes, writing down birthdays, special events and more.
Take a listen to how Josh excels in customer service.
Northwestern University MBA graduate, Matt Williams is a branding powerhouse. His advertising experience includes clients such as FedEx and Geico. Remember the Geico caveman commercial? Matt was the brainchild behind it.
Former CEO of The Martin Agency, Matt dives into how to brand your business in the commoditized industry of screen printing.
PrintHustlers Conf 2018 is the second annual conference for the decorated apparel industry organized by Printavo. This conference will provide a unique opportunity to grow, develop, learn new ways to expand your business and increase profitability! Become exposed to industry leaders, thought-provoking tips and tricks and an abundance of resources to assist shops with running a viable business.
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Live screen printing has been around for a while. It's a great new source of revenue for businesses. But optimization and efficiency are crucial to making it a scalable source of income. Max Hellman, Owner of Family Industries knows how to make live printing work. Listen to his tips on handling live events with excellence.
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Jeff started Redwall Prints in 2004 out of playing in a touring band. Similar story for many of us. Now at 13 automatics and 97,000 sq feet, Jeff’s growing like a weed.
Jeff dives into how his screen-printing business grew and how yours can too!
PrintHustlers Conf 2018 is the second annual conference for the decorated apparel industry organized by Printavo. This conference will provide a unique opportunity to grow, develop, learn new ways to expand your business and increase profitability! Become exposed to industry leaders, thought-provoking tips and tricks and an abundance of resources to assist shops with running a viable business.
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Richard Greeves, screen-printing industry consultant helps growing shops know what to look for when expanding into a new building. There are so many "gotchas" you may not think about when looking to expand.
Richard lists a few of them out to make sure you can save money on the move!
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Thread Monster (https://www.instagram.com/threadmonster) has over 17k followers on Instagram. He says it helps with social proof and selling bigger jobs. This is because the company looks more legit and established.
Listen to how Josh acquired these followers and how you can too!
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
We previously discussed the starter phase of a screen-print shop (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1IVa8Zczkw). Going from 0-250k in sales is a huge accomplishment. You're probably still printing or handling sales while your partner prints.
This is where it's time to turn into a true business owner, not a screen-printer. It's a shift in mentality for many but a necessary one to create a growing, scalable business.
Think about it this way, if you're pulling a squeegee and you value your time at $50/hr, you could hire someone for $10/hr to do the same work. This means you're harming the business by undervaluing your time. Of course, it takes time to hire for these roles. But realize the goals to shoot for.
Your role is going to shift to systemizing your business. Focus on: - Sales and operational efficiency - Making your people the most efficient as possible - Increasing sales by "being the host of the party". Host the marathon, community parties, small business parties, etc
Team size coming to $1M should be you, a graphic designer, a production manager, a sales rep/front-desk person, three screen printers, one folder/shipping/receiving team member. This will set up your business to be approximately $125k revenue/employee. Over time, you will want to shoot for closer to $200k revenue/employee and begin to have replication for each role.
Take a listen to these tips and let us know others you may have.
Shelby Craig, Founder of Rocket Shirts is a marketing guru. “Making Shirt Happen and Getting Shirt Done.” Shelby’s LinkedIn quote perfectly describes him.
Shelby dives into 7 steps to successfully creating Facebook ads that convert. Take a listen.
PrintHustlers Conf 2018 is the second annual conference for the decorated apparel industry organized by Printavo. This conference will provide a unique opportunity to grow, develop, learn new ways to expand your business and increase profitability! Become exposed to industry leaders, thought-provoking tips and tricks and an abundance of resources to assist shops with running a viable business.
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Training is undervalued. We just don't spend enough time on it. How many times have you hired someone and thought "I don't have enough time to train them".
Think about this, "what if you train them and they leave, but what if you don't and they stay?". This quote from Justin Moore at Barrel Maker Printing which is an eye-opening look into how important training it.
Each team member is a reflection of your brand, customer experience, and business longevity.
In this episode, we're going to dive into how to improve your training program and make it easier to handle training of each new team member.
Try Printavo - https://www.printavo.com
Subscribe to our podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/printavo-presents-printhustlers-podcast/id1213143414?mt=2
Many of us are former graphic designers and printers who grew into owning a screen-printing business. It's important we learn how to be a true business owner and what that entails. Richard Greaves divulges tips that he's seen to avoid on business management practices.
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Facebook Groups have been a growing source of knowledge for many shop owners. We have ours (https://www.facebook.com/groups/198143447258744/) and Josh Keane started Screen Print Pros (https://www.facebook.com/groups/630656227066301/).
Josh talks about how he started it and what the benefits are.
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Try Printavo - https://www.printavo.com
Campus Ink grew 150% in a year. They were using paper invoices and an unknown workflow. Steven bought into the business ready to take things into overdrive.
The shop didn't have an understanding of how long it took to complete a job. Quoting, approvals, collecting payment, and shipping was slow in their business.
Steven's main goal was to increase turnaround time. "How can we speed up quoting, approvals and printing? "
1) He first started documenting the current workflow of their shop. The idea was to systematize the business. Create a process that everyone can follow and publish it in the shop. This will help new-hires too.
2) The next step he did was to introduce technology to make this process a lot more efficient. Steven got everyone on Printavo to remove paper trails and increase transparency in the business. He got sales reps using text messages to receive approvals faster.
3) Increase sales from existing relationships. He took his five top student customers and asked them to send referrals. They started sending so much business that he hired them to do outside sales. Steven sent a monthly email (using MailChimp.com), from his email address to all customers to make sure Campus Ink stayed at the top of customers' mind. He also sent out surveys to customers to continually change his business and adjust to what customers needed.
4) Steven branded himself as "Steven the t-shirt guy" in everyone, business cards, on the phone, email, etc. This helped people remember where to get customer garments as they needed it.
Subscribe to our podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/printavo-presents-printhustlers-podcast/id1213143414?mt=2
Try Printavo - https://www.printavo.com
PrinthustlersConf2018 was a success! Don't miss out on our early bird special for next year's conference! Buy tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/printhustlers-conf-2019-tickets-48353024197
There were lots of amazing speakers that spoke on a variety of topics including branding, Facebook marketing, the culture of your shop, and even following your dreams! Here is a summary of the conference!
Subscribe to our podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/printavo-presents-printhustlers-podcast/id1213143414?mt=2
Try Printavo - https://www.printavo.com
Hiring is difficult. Finding the right people, training them and having them stay for the long haul is not easy. Justin from @barrelmakerprinting talks about how he hires.
Justin dives into hiring on the back-office and front-office to balance on the workload.
He generally posts on Craiglist to find talent but actually looks for people who don't have printing experience. This is because they can be trained and molded into the workflow at Barrel Maker instead of bringing bad habits from the past.
Justin hires for personality and attitude. A person who's willing to work hard and put in the time, he feels, is better than someone with past printing experience.
Temp agencies is another hot topic that Justin has used to help scale his shop up and down depending on workload.
Take a listen and let us know how you hire!
Subscribe to our podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/printavo-presents-printhustlers-podcast/id1213143414?mt=2
Try Printavo - https://www.printavo.com
Getting Facebook Ads to work can be difficult. But they're crucial for driving targeted marketing campaigns. The reason is, you can segment your market very specifically while spending less than AdWords on similar ads.
@rocketshirts has Facebook Ads figured out. Here are some tips they give us:
Spend $20/day for 1 week. The longer your ad runs, the more Facebook works. He's even tried $1,000 a day and cut it off early to trick Facebook into showing your ad more quickly.
Shoot to break even on Facebook marketing. This will generate more custom shirt sales after the initial retail sale. Your goal should be awareness.
Focus on building up your Facebook page as it gives more exposure via each friend network. Every time someone likes the page, it shows up on their newsfeed for their friends to see.
Subscribe to our podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/printavo-presents-printhustlers-podcast/id1213143414?mt=2
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Are you valuing your time? As your print shop become more mature, it's important to value time. When we all got started, time was plentiful and capital wasn't.
As revenue increases, time becomes more valuable. What are you spending this time on?
If you presses aren't running, it's becoming more expensive to print your jobs. Any time spend in pre and post-production is costing your shop $$$.
How long are approvals taking? These are one of the most common delays in your production process. How long are customer approvals taking? This can affect your scheduling and how consistent of job flow you're reaching. How about production approvals? If your production manager isn't present and the press is held up, your expenses are increasing.
Setup time and tear-down time? Automatic reclaiming and direct-to-screen machines can keep your supply chain running smoothly. Adding more screens into inventory and regularly checking tension can time-sucking tears.
Have more time-saving tips? Post them below!
Subscribe to our podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/printavo-presents-printhustlers-podcast/id1213143414?mt=2
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Should I build or buy shop management software?
We get the question a lot actually. Many shop owners with technical backgrounds are capable of building something completely customer so why not?
I'm going to answer this question unbiasedly for you. This question comes down to focus. As a shop owner, you only have so many hours in a day. Every minute of your day is important and valuable to the business.
Buying any shop management solution, like Printavo, is going to suit 80-90% of your needs as a business. No tool on the market will be able to satisfy 100% of what you're looking for. The reason is, Printavo has to be simple enough for thousands of shops to utilize. As we continue to push forward as a software company, we will get closer to that 100% but will never reach it. But realize, we are 100% focused on improvements. Our constant iterations are zeroed in on making the best shop management solution so you can focus on growing your print shop.
Building a shop management tool entails that same amount of effort. Maintenance, iteration, and improvements. Just like any new project, building a custom shop management solution is like an iceberg. The top can be visibly seen and doesn't look too bad. But underwater is where the mass is.
Creeping projects scopes, delayed deadlines and expensive software development is just the beginning of getting a version 1 completed. Don't forget about hosting and maintenance down the road. Does your custom solution integrate with email marketing software, a POS system, accounting tools or Google Apps?
As technology changes, you want to be on the cutting edge of it to drive your print shop forward. Pick wisely!
Subscribe to our podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/printavo-presents-printhustlers-podcast/id1213143414?mt=2
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Justin Moore describes how he got his first 60,000 Shirt Order and how important big print jobs are to expand your screen-printing shop.
We'll dive into: -How important it is to have a professional website -Word of Mouth will help your print shop succeed -How to Get Referrals -Facebook Ads
Subscribe to our podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/printavo-presents-printhustlers-podcast/id1213143414?mt=2
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Small Print Shops have the advantage to truly meet every single person in the town that could be a potential customer. Retargeting advertising on your website is a must! Here are some tips on how a screen printing business can grow in a small town or large city.
We'll dive into: Tools for Retargeting like Adroll.com and Perfect Audience.com Holding Events regularly like Meetups, Conferences, Marathon, Family Events, etc to gain more customers Learn how to utilize Facebook Ads
Subscribe to our podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/printavo-presents-printhustlers-podcast/id1213143414?mt=2
Try Printavo - https://www.printavo.com
One of the first things potential customers look at is your reviews on Yelp, Google, etc. Shelby Craig, Founder of Rocket Shirts who generated $80,000 From $3,600 In T-shirt Sales Using Facebook Ads cracked the code to get great reviews for your screen-print shop.
Subscribe to our podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/printavo-presents-printhustlers-podcast/id1213143414?mt=2
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Customer care & support is a term many companies use. But many companies don't truly own up to the term. Missed emails, calls and poor empathy is all too prevalent in our industry.
I've taken tips from shops that are top-notch customer support experts and tactics from how we handle support at Printavo to help you! We want you too, to be able to offer amazing customer support with these easy tricks & tips.
Inbox Zero: Make sure all emails are answered by the time you leave. There shouldn't be any responses that are left without an answer.
Get going on a support platform like GrooveHQ or Zendesk. These tools will keep all questions coming into one inbox to be assigned and handled. With questions coming in from Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Email, etc, it's difficult to keep track of everything. These systems keep it all in one place.
With this support platform, you'll want to measure First Response Time and Customer Satisfaction. First Response is a measurement of how quick, on average, you respond to messages. Customer Satisfaction is an automate survey that goes out to customers asking if they had Good or Bad service. Results are tallied and averaged.
Use our TAR method when responding to questions. Thanks. Acknowledge. Resolve. Example: "Thanks for asking your question Catie! We understand your concern. We can absolutely let you know when your order is ready to pick-up. Have a great day!"
Bonus Tip: Answer your phone as much as possible! Set a goal of getting to 0 missed calls during business hours.
Subscribe to our podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/printavo-presents-printhustlers-podcast/id1213143414?mt=2
Try Printavo - https://www.printavo.com - Simple, shop management software.
Growing a print shop from the start is tough. This is your HUSTLE phase. Where you're grabbing land (aka "sales") as quickly as you can. Establishing a business process and repetitive marketing/sales funnel is important when achieving $250k in annual sales. In this video, we'll discuss a pathway to getting there. It isn't easy but it's 100% doable.
Subscribe to our podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/printavo-presents-printhustlers-podcast/id1213143414?mt=2
Try Printavo: www.printavo.com
Conversations with Onboarding Lead, Adam Cook at Printavo around change management.
Adam coaches shops all over the world on getting their team ready to make the Printavo switch.
Difficulties around training, getting the team excited and tips when making the transition are brought up. Take a listen!
Subscribe to our podcast: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/print…d1213143414?mt=2
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Marathon Sportswear started in 1980 from a garage. They started with a manual and continued to print while raising a family of 8. Today, they have 10 autos and full-staff of 70 in the Chicagoland area.
In this podcast, Matt Marcotte talks with Jim Piko, CEO of Marathon Sportswear, we dive into dealing with problematic customers while balancing company growth. Marathon Sportswear, like all shops, wants to please everyone to the highest standards. Jim talks about how they balance taking jobs to take jobs vs trying to select the best jobs for both parties.
Matt also asks Jim how automation has changed his shop and tips for other shop owners when investing in this improvement. We learn when the best time to invest is and when you know it's too late.
Subscribe to our podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/printavo-presents-printhustlers-podcast/id1213143414?mt=2
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Creating consistent content for social media can be easier said than done. Everyone talks about it but few can execute consistently. Bruce Ackerman, Founder of Printavo explains how you can set up a social media calendar that delivers content consistently. This is going to help grow and scale your reach.
We'll dive into: - How to create an easy and repeatable schedule to post on social media - Ideas for Videos/Podcasts - How Important it is to repurpose Old Video/Audio
Subscribe to our podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/printavo-presents-printhustlers-podcast/id1213143414?mt=2
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
Pricing is hard. Mark Coudray helps to break down how you should think about pricing. He gives us tips on getting started and diving deeper into your true expenses and how you should price.
We'll dive into: - How to setup screen-printing pricing - Understanding production/operating costs - Dealing with seasonality
Subscribe to our podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/printavo-presents-printhustlers-podcast/id1213143414?mt=2
Running a screen-printing shop is tough. It's time-consuming and requires a lot of energy. Employees, production operations, sales, marketing, and growth can be hard to a balance all at once.
Steven Farag from Campus.Ink has managed to take a nice vacation from his shop while operations continue to run. We called him and got tips on how to take a vacation that he used.
Try Printavo: https://www.printavo.com
In this episode, Matt Marcotte sits down with Joe Weingart at Madd Science Print Lab to talk about:
- Going from manual to automatic press
- Standing out in a crowded marketplace
- Lessons learned from the years
Matthew Marcotte from T&J Printing Supplies stopped by to chat with us on his background what he's seeing in the industry. Matt is well known in the Chicagoland area for helping shops optimize their production flow.
We go over: - cross training and keeping repetitive job employees - making people feel valued longer term - morning pow-wows - career progression in a shop - organization - 1:1's - water-based screen printing trends - automation in screen maintenance - creating good operational standards
https://www.printavo.com
Caleb Reinhold, Digital Marketing Consultant in Chicago, stopped by to discuss how to help print shops get going on email marketing.
Email marketing has proven to be a sure-fire way to generate new sales for your shop. We walk through how to get started and optimizing this flow.
We'll also cover: - Attribution of ads - Segmenting emails - Enriching email data - Tools to send emails - Picking subject lines & personalization - Approximate open rates of emails - Frequency of sending - SEO Tips to show up faster
https://www.printavo.com
Facebook Ads can feel like a hard to grasp tool. You will hear of businesses growing their sales immensely using it and others claiming it doesn't work.
Shelby Craig, Founder of Rocket Shirts cracked the code. Listen how he explains how to utilize Facebook Ads to generate sales for his retail and custom business
We'll discuss audiences, conversions, budget and tips to running successful campaigns.
https://www.printavo.com
Justin Lawrence, Founder of Oklahoma Shirt Company has an incredible story.
Not only did he create a growing, caring, profitable t-shirt subscription service, he also setup an amazing retail front focused on his home state. To top it off, Justin used his drive to push their screen printing business forward and now all three businesses are generating over $6m in sales.
Listen to how he got started, how he uses culture and care to grow his business and lessons learned along the way.
https://www.printavo.com
I chatted with Tyler Dummett, President of Workhorse Products in a unique look behind Workhorse. Tyler went from a High School PE teacher to driving a cutting-edge company.
We chatted about what he applied from his teaching days to Workhorse, re-energizing a company, growth through acquiring, consolidation and meeting customer needs.
https://www.printavo.com
Everyone says it, you need to be active with Google AdWords, Facebook Ads, Instagram, SEO, PPC and more. Yikes! What does all that even mean?
In this podcast episode, we're chatting with Tom Bukevicius of SCUBE Marketing on how a print shop can get started with paid marketing.
We'll chat about: - What is PPC and how to act now - Getting started with Google AdWords, Facebook and Instagram Ads - What is retargeting and how to use it - Measuring paid ad performance
https://www.printavo.com
Mark Coudray stops by to discuss why the last 20 years of screen printing won't be like the next 5 years. We chat about what shop owners need to do to stay competitive and get ahead. Mark also talks Amazon, TeeSpring and VC funding and what you need to be thinking about.
https://www.printavo.com
Ryan Moor, founder of Ryonet (screenprinting.com) stops by to chat about his new book. This book is foundational for not only print shops getting started but also looking to improve their business.
https://www.printavo.com
Rick Roth of Mirror Image & TheInkKitchen.com stopped by to chat with us! He's been printing since 1977, has an incredible amount of printing experience (http://theinkkitchen.com/about) and consults for shops large & small.
https://www.printavo.com
Jason Gleber from Unique Tees stops by to chat about how he turned a business worth $250k in 2008 to $3M in 2016. That's over 1,000% increase in 8 years!
He has a team of 26 employees now and is looking to double last years revenue growth. In this episode we'll go over: - Transitioning a business after purchasing it - Betting on your revenue when hiring - Government contracting - Generating sales early on - Volume vs Price
https://www.printavo.com
Taylor and David Landesmen, Co-Owner and VP of Lawson Screen & Digital Products have been around since 1949. David's Father started the business by building a better press than what was currently available. Listen to Taylor and David talk about where screen printing has come, how to improve your business quickly, dealing with competition and the future of our industry.
https://www.printavo.com
Monty Mims from SanMar stops by to chat about: - Contract printing tips - Weathering economy downturns - Diversifying your business - Where the industry is going
https://www.printavo.com
Josh Keane from Thread Monster Printing gives us an inside look into his growth from not only treating customers right but hacking social media.
https://www.printavo.com
In this episode we dig into how Miles Parkhill from MilesTshirts grew over an 18-year period to employee 15 team members, pass $1m in revenue and overcome growth obstacles.
https://www.printavo.com
Dru Dalton from Real Thread stopped by to chat about: - Growing to a $6m/yr business by focusing - Creating a valuable culture for your team - Clear communication
https://www.printavo.com
Kevin Baumgart, VP of Business Development at Hireology stops by to chat on he grew a sales organization from scratch. Kevin offers tips to help print shops find, hire, train and create a successful sales department.
https://www.printavo.com
Max Hellmann from Family Industries tells us how he created a 7 figure printing business with 25 employees and 2 automatic presses.
- How he was able to hire with little revenue
- Providing outstanding customer support
- Buying the first automatic press
https://www.printavo.com
In this episode we hear Justin Moore talk about how he grew Barrel Maker Printing over 8 years to now having over 18 employees and 3 automatic presses.
Justin will touch on what helped them grew, moving to a new location, hiring and keeping your team happy.
Learn how printing t-shirts turned into a supply empire. In our latest Lessons & Learnings podcast we bring you the behind the scenes story of Ryonet (Screenprinting.com). We'll cover: - Investing in your business - Processes - Systems - People management - Creating a vision for your company
https://www.printavo.com
Our latest video series is going to help you by learning from your peers.
Learn how Steve was able to: - Buy into a business - Grow a personal brand - Increase marketing/sales 150% in his first year - Train & motivate staff - Plan the next stage of the business
https://www.printavo.com