[kc6789]

I'm 21, female, live at home with the parents (yikes! lol), used to work for my dad but we had to close our optical business.

He's not working and he can't get unemployment (long story), mom is bringing in JUST enough money to pay the bills.

I get $556 a month from unemployment - after my personal bills I'm lucky to have $100... before I need to pay for other stuff that comes up.

I already have a 4/1 screen printing press with everything necessary besides a flash cure unit.

I would LOVE for screen printing to be my full time job.

So, my question is, what would be your first step to get things started?
Literally, based on my current situation, what would YOU be doing right now?

I'm desperate. Ugh.


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[macumazahn]

Get a flash off ebay or craigslist or some other discount method and take in whatever custom print work you can get. The advice given to me not to long ago was to hustle one color jobs at the best discount you can offer. They are quick and easy and in most cases relatively newbie proof. You pick the shirts and just use whatever good quality shirt is on special for that week or month. Good luck

 

[dgroves108]

The biggest problem is actually selling your shirts. Can you do quantities? Are you certain of your quality?
Can you get enough stock to do a good sized run? Do you plan to wholesale or retail, and if so, are you in a location that would support either activity?
I only mention this because I have done several printing businesses, and not all of them worked due to lack of care in the above factors. (They weren't all t shirts...)
Make a business plan for yourself. Good luck!

 

[dgroves108]

Do you have business plan? Are you going to wholesale or retail? Do you know your quality of print is good enough for the current marketplace? Are you in an area that supports the level of sales you want to bring in? How will you sell your work?

Have you test run some of your designs to see if they'll sell?

There are a million t printers out there...it's very competitive.

Take a week and write a business plan...it can save you a lot of grief if you're really planning this as a business.

 

[kimura-mma]

Since you have the equipment ready to go and you seem to have the time to put into it and assuming you have all the necessary business aspects done (legally registered business, tax id number, permits, bank account, etc) then you should be ready to sell.

As Dave said, write a business plan.

The most important part of selling a product or service is marketing. People need to know about you before they can buy anything from you. So start thinking of a marketing plan.

I think Brent's advice is fantastic. Start by offering simple one color jobs at good pricing, good quality and good service. Go door-to-door to local businesses. And offer them something they may need: maybe a local mechanic needs shirts for his staff, maybe a bowling alley needs shirts for their league champions, maybe a mini golf course needs shirts for someone who hits a hole in one. Anything you can think of to bring in quick, easy orders.

 

[kc6789]

(legally registered business, tax id number, permits, bank account, etc) then you should be ready to sell.

I have none of that ^^^ Please list EVERYTHING that I'll need and where to get it. I really know nothing about the business side. Thanks.



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[kimura-mma]

Please list EVERYTHING that I'll need and where to get it.

LOL... Not til you start paying me to be your accountant...

Seriously though, just Google "Starting a business in Oregon" and you should find several government resources with checklists and links to everything you need to get started. Most of what you need can be applied for online.

 

[Nancy G]

Business License etc, info can be found by doing google search, "how to start a business in (your state). Usually good websites, but you'll have to take notes and follow up with phone calls to answer more questions that you can;t figure out on the web!
Are you Portland Maine or ?

 

[kc6789]

Business License etc, info can be found by doing google search, "how to start a business in (your state). Usually good websites, but you'll have to take notes and follow up with phone calls to answer more questions that you can;t figure out on the web!
Are you Portland Maine or ?

Oh please, PORTLAND, OREGON! lol


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[TshirtGuru]

To be honest, if you don't know anything about the business side of things I wouldn't start a business. Some people just aren't meant to run a business which is why you see so many companies come and go, especially screen printers.