This section of the forum is for discussing the business and finance issues of the t-shirt industry. Which business structure to use (sole proprietor, LLC, S Corp, etc), how to handle billing, where to register your business and get the proper licensing, etc.
Just curious if anyone has ventured into the t-shirt business 100% solo doing all of the work including t-design/web-design/photography/modeling/marketing/researhch/customer service/accounting etc.
What are your takes on this? Is it possible? Some lessons that you have learned?
I have been trying to do just about everything on my own. But, I have realized that it is a lot of work...and may be better to delegate tasks to others.
Just wanted to get some feedback from others based on your experience!
I am doing this all by myself as well.
What I see in other businesses (not just shirts) is that people who do these tasks all by themselves is they forget to pay themselves for doing the books, ordering, design, website, sales, marketing, production, maintinance, driving, etc. Larger companies pay other people to do these tasks.
Just because I dont pay others to do these doesnt mean Im doing them for free!
Just because I dont have a store front doesnt mean I dont pay rent. I pay extra to have a 5 bedroom house to work and live instead of a 3 bedroom.
Customers have a hard time understanding this it seems.
I do artwork, website, marketing, sales, research, customer service, accounting, and recently started working for my contract printer part time, so I end up printing alot of my own orders too. It's tough, but I'm starting from nothing, and I'm sure I'll look back and appreciate putting in all of the work one day. I would love to delegate some work to others, but can't really affort to right now.
I do it all myself. I do a lot better at shows when I have someone else working the customers. I'm not a people person. I belong on the technical end not the customer service end. I can spend 12 hours straight doing artwork, screen printing and pressing product, but 6 hours at a show talking to customers and I'm totally spent.
I have a big two day show this weekend and I don't have any help.
Hello Everyone
i will also be doing everything myself, im retired General Motors,amatuer Photographer,it is hard to find a partner or even some one who understands what your objective is i started out with a Standard iron and put my photos on t shirts tote bags & mouse pads,but soon i want to get a Heat press & a Vinyl cutter.
I WILL ALSO BE JOINING YOU FOLKS I will be ordering my heat press, cutter and 4 color screen press. this week or next and i will try to do this just like you guys alone. so hopefuly someone with some experience can give us some tips.
I think, depending on the size of your operation, it may be too much for one person to handle every single aspect of the business.
If you don't have any web design/coding skills or experience, you might be better off just to get one of your IT mates to help you out. If you should be spending more time printing shirts or making sales rather than reconciling your bank account, get a monetary minded relative to do your accounting.
Remember, some people and companies have made some serious cash by outsourcing anything which is not part of their core competencies. Not everything needs to be done 'in-house', especially if you have other things to focus on.
To the people who have done it all themselves, congrats
I'm just trying to say that doing everything yourself might not be best suited for your business - everyone's situation is different!
I have to say that like others, doing it all yourself 'might be' a good thing, but then again, it may end up overwhelming too.
I am just about to get started in this myself, but, I had a digital image business for the last five years, one that had the potential to be pretty danged good.
The thing was, at first, I was thinking, "I can't believe I'm doing this for a living", to, "I hate doing this, I have to get something else"...
The thing was, I overextended myself to a point where I got major burn-out, even something that you love can become a 'bad job' if you let it, and I did, unknowingly...
I was the only one doing that particular job though, and I couldn't even get help, it sounds easy, but I couldn't even have my wife help, it was too specialized.
She'd have to know Photoshop, what I was capable of, and it'd end up with her asking me "Can you do this?", when I'd still have to take the same amount of time to answer anyway.
That's what killed my try at it, if I had had some help things would have been entirely different.
It was a great learning experience though, and although it didn't turn out that well, I have no regrets, well, major ones anyway.
I was playing secretary about 4 1/2 hours a day, taking phone calls, e-mails, etc.
I did mostly custom work, and that was my downfall, I'll never do that again, I'll make what I make and hope that works.
All I'm saying is to not spread yourself too thin, even if you love what you do, it can end up to be real work before you know it. heheh
(I'm kind'a kidding, but maybe not too... )
Business is business, no matter what you try, and the main difference this time is that my wife and I can both do this, and actually, this is for my wife after she learns the in's and out's of it.
Randy
Last edited by recrisp; October 27th, 2007 at 07:15 AM.
I do it all myself.What I have learned in the past year or so is that if you want it done right you must do it yourself.Sometimes delegating doesn't always get the results you want.You have a task,you know how you want it done and then somebody else who is supposed to do it that way think they know a better way and then your end result is the opposite of what you wanted.Until you are large enough for those mistakes,do it yourself.Pull ppl in as needed for certain task and that is it.
__________________
When the time comes which side will you choose?Revolution...DHj Co.
I have to say that like others, doing it all yourself 'might be' a good thing, but then again, it may end up overwhelming too. I am just about to get started in this myself, but, I had a digital image business for the last five years, one that had the potential to be pretty danged good. The thing was, at first, I was thinking, "I can't believe I'm doing this for a living", to, "I hate doing this, I have to get something else"... The thing was, I overextended myself to a point where I got major burn-out, even something that you love can become a 'bad job' if you let it, and I did, unknowingly... I was the only one doing that particular job though, and I couldn't even get help, it sounds easy, but I couldn't even have my wife help, it was too specialized. She'd have to know Photoshop, what I was capable of, and it'd end up with her asking me "Can you do this?", when I'd still have to take the same amount of time to answer anyway. That's what killed my try at it, if I had had some help things would have been entirely different. It was a great learning experience though, and although it didn't turn out that well, I have no regrets, well, major ones anyway. I was playing secretary about 4 1/2 hours a day, taking phone calls, e-mails, etc. I did mostly custom work, and that was my downfall, I'll never do that again, I'll make what I make and hope that works.
All I'm saying is to not spread yourself too thin, even if you love what you do, it can end up to be real work before you know it. heheh (I'm kind'a kidding, but maybe not too... )
Business is business, no matter what you try, and the main difference this time is that my wife and I can both do this, and actually, this is for my wife after she learns the in's and out's of it.
Randy
Randy I think the problem you had really was doing custom things and not just set patterns or designs.When you go strictly custom it will always be overwhelming.Get yourself a good template you are comfortable with to mass produce then maybe just maybe branch off into some custom work.Never assume(which I know you don't now) that anyone could learn or understand(been there too brother) the programs.If anything link up with someone on here or elsewhere to the effect of outsourcing each other when needed.It's always good to have a person or two who already knows the field or established...
__________________
When the time comes which side will you choose?Revolution...DHj Co.
Randy I think the problem you had really was doing custom things and not just set patterns or designs.When you go strictly custom it will always be overwhelming.Get yourself a good template you are comfortable with to mass produce then maybe just maybe branch off into some custom work.Never assume(which I know you don't now) that anyone could learn or understand(been there too brother) the programs.If anything link up with someone on here or elsewhere to the effect of outsourcing each other when needed.It's always good to have a person or two who already knows the field or established...
I know that now... hehehe
That's what I was trying to say, custom stuff is what killed me, when you take in only (or mostly) customs stuff, there goes your time, and without help, you're swamped all of the time, and not just because you have too much work, it just can never get done.
I actually had plenty of "stock" images that I sold, but, as it worked out, everybody wanted it their way, and I don't blame them.
(I made motorcycle speedometer faces)
In the t-shirt business, I won't be that way, I already learned that lesson, I will never, ever do custom stuff again, not unless it's something special.
I mainly worked off of a few forums for all of my work, and it is popular enough that I never had to advertise, but again, it was basically too much for one person.
It was so specialized I was (at one time) the only one I was aware of in the world that did it, so the business was there.
You're right on all points though, I seemed to attract more of the people that would not, for any reason read what I had on my website, heh, they would literally blow my mind with ways of making my day longer... heh
Rather than read my site, they'd want to call, then talk, and that can (and will) take a chunk out of one's day if you let it.
I entered all you guys here to my buddy list.I have been doing it myself for 3 years with help every now and then.Best way to do it for me but now I'm cutting the loose ends because no one can really see your vision like you.Master your craft then bring in others or bounce work and ideas off of others in your situation like here.
__________________
When the time comes which side will you choose?Revolution...DHj Co.
One person companies are great. But if you have visions of being bigger someday, which we all did or have had these visions. I would suggest you breakdown your company into employee areas or tasks. Allocate your time as if you were an employee working for yourself
e.g. Monday
3 hours Sales
1 hours Purchasing
1 hour Art work
3 hours printing
1 hour clean up
Plan these days in advance and try to keep this regiment, things happen and you will need to change on the fly, but, keep a plan and work it as good as you can.
Also every one person company, and us multiple person companies, should read this book. It will take you about 4 hours to read and its all in layman terms....But it will help you make money, and have the right mindset.
Are you a One Person T-Shirt Company? 
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