I am in the process of starting up a tee shirt design company. Heres the tricky thing - I know NOTHING about Illustrator or Photoshop or any of the design tools. I am however, a self proclaimed expert at sales and marketing. I wanted to venture into the tee shirt business because it appeals to my casual laid back attitude. Do you think this is too risky of a venture??
Good question... I have a partner that does all that in our businesss. If he dropped dead or I shot him hehehe then Id be in your shoes. One thing Ive always prided myself on was having the ability to find young people with amazing talent who love to make a buck. They can do some art work for you while they teach you how to use the programs. Problem solved. Just wander down to your local college or highschool, throw an add up on the boards and let the phone ring.
I am in the process of starting up a tee shirt design company. Heres the tricky thing - I know NOTHING about Illustrator or Photoshop or any of the design tools. I am however, a self proclaimed expert at sales and marketing. I wanted to venture into the tee shirt business because it appeals to my casual laid back attitude. Do you think this is too risky of a venture??
No, you don't have to be a design expert by any means.
Think about it this way. Big companies start all kinds of businesses without doing every aspect of the business themselves.
You do what you're good at, and outsource the rest.
I'm not a great t-shirt designer, but I'm much better at marketing a good idea (and being a project manager when necessary). I've been doing just fine.
Gee thanks monkeylantern(?). I would have never guessed business was hard, hard work. I believe you misunderstood my quote. I started an insurance agency 9 years ago right out of college and I knew nothing about the insurance industry. My agency is now one of the fastest growing in my state and I have numerous write ups in national publications to prove my hard work and the fact that you don't need to even be a fishmonger to sell fish in this world. Casual laid back attitude refers to the fact that I am not a "suit and tie" type of individual, therefore, I am looking to also venture into a different industry that doesn't require you to put nylons on when it is 98 degrees with 95% humidity outside. I am here for tips on how to get started in the tee shirt industry, not how to get started in business. I can provide those tips to others as well. Thanks again!
I think way too many people try to get a start in this business without any relevant skills (not necessarily you: you have your sales and marketing experience for example).
Outsourcing what you can't do and concentrating on what you can is important in any business, but to those who outsource just about everything I have to wonder... what's the point? At that point you're just a manager with some business sense... and there are better businesses to manage than this one.
Unless there's something driving you to it, I don't recommend it. And in my opinion that should be more than just getting away from a suit and tie business - there are dozens of other business opportunities that would allow that.
Why this one? Too few people have a good answer for that.
I think a lot of people get into t-shirts purely for that fact that deep down they want to be able to make t-shirts for themselves and can see that others want personal designs as well. Then...... magically dollar signs start appearing in front of their eyes as they see how much money that could make just printing t-shirts. They rush out and buy all the supplies and get stuck in and then bang! Reality rears its ugly head and they work out its not that easy and people are tight and would love your shirts just they dont have the money this week. If youre heart is in it and you have some brains or some serious luck or an untapped target market you'll make it. If youre a dreamer that thinks it will be easier than it is you'll have a lot of scrap t-shirts and a heat press for sale soon.
5 years ago the owner of Rock and Republic(jeans) knew nothing about making jeans or anything about the jeans industry...He looked at a pair of jeans his girlfriend was wearing and said that he could make a better fitting pair of jeans...Long story short, the company is now worth close to 150 million...(thats 5 short years) with a guy who knew nothing about the industry...
Delegating is an important part of running a business as you know (also mentioned already). So, why try to be the artist when you are not. Sure, if you have the time to learn how to use art tools etc... go for it.
You have answered your own question. You started an insurance business and now it is successful. Now you are thinking about this and want to know if it is too risky. No one can really answer that for you but you. As you already know if you have a sucessful business, all busines is risky. The more you put in the more you get out. I too have successful business and my partners and I had a concept for a line of shirts and we dove in. There is risk and hard work. There may be reward at some point, we may lose the money we sunk in and we will have a boat load of shirts, or we may just coast along. There is just not a black and white answer to your question because no one here knows. Your idea could be the next Life is Good (80 mil. a year) Who knows.
I can tell you at least in our case we outsource the printing to the experts and we do all the sales and marketing because that is our specialty. So far it has worked. I haved no idea how to print. We the other night I stopped at my printers and pulled a few for fun, but that is the extent of it.
I say if you have an idea and believe in it and yhourslf take the shot, nothing ventured nothing gained.
Thanks for all the good advice and votes of confidence! I am meeting with my business partner this week to push the rock off the ledge. As was mentioned, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained!"
YEAH!!! Entrepenuership is a wonderful community building experience. I have owned other successful businessses, now, my partner and I have decided to start a screen printing studio knowing nothing! That was 16 months ago, she locked herself away w/ photoshop and corel, we both learned the basic techniques of printing, we did run out and buy a complete shop full of equipment. We have had tears, excitment, arguments on how condecending we are to each other...really it's just fear and insecurity making us read it that way. The 1st 3 months we printed our own line and sold at festivals, during that time I marketed us (my golden egg also) and all of a sudden month 4 several folks I'd met w/ over the months called saying, I have my order ready!!!! ****, I had no idea they were sold on us! So we started printing for others, we remain far too busy now printing for others to do our own line but along the way, with every order and every forum post...I use these religiously for knowledge) I and we learn tons more! The one cool thing with this industry is there will never be a reason to stop learning. We learn so much about the basics, ever changing technology, equipment and equipment maintnance, clothing, fashion design trends, inks, etc. The learning is forever so you may as well start now!
Have fun, tell everyone you print...you never know who's looking and always remember to order extras of every size cuz a lot of learning happens right there on the press...not mistakes...learning...
Not sure what the idea for the shirts is, but you could try soliciting art schools for design ideas. College kids are always looking for a way to make a buck and add something to thier portfolio. It makes it a bit more real than school work and gives them some pocket cash. You will also get a fresh perspective on new ideas and designs, which is worth every penny.
Do you think you need to be an expert? 
