# Are you a One Person T-Shirt Company?



## element88 (Aug 28, 2007)

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!

Thanks,
Diana


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## the funk (Aug 8, 2007)

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.


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## Unik Ink (Nov 21, 2006)

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.


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## rrc62 (Jun 2, 2007)

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.


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## CNRS Enterprises (Oct 21, 2007)

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.

Den 
CNRS Enterprises
Sanborn N.Y.


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## 2STRONG (Oct 17, 2007)

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.


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## martini007 (Jul 7, 2007)

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!


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## recrisp (Oct 25, 2007)

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


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## romehimself (Oct 25, 2007)

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.


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## romehimself (Oct 25, 2007)

recrisp said:


> 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...
> ...


 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...


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## recrisp (Oct 25, 2007)

romehimself said:


> 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.

Thanks, I appreciate it. 

Randy


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## romehimself (Oct 25, 2007)

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.


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## Rob (Oct 28, 2006)

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.

" The 'E' Myth" is the name of the book.


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## badalou (Mar 19, 2006)

No There are 2 of us.. I do the work and the wife spends the money..


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## romehimself (Oct 25, 2007)

badalou said:


> No There are 2 of us.. I do the work and the wife spends the money..


That's the truth there brother,LOL!!!


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## sunnydayz (Jun 22, 2007)

Lou you are too funny hehe  I also do most things myself, my husband tries to help, but I am too impatient to let him. I know his heart is in the right place and he really wants to be helpful but... well he is a firefighter not a computer person so I get really frustrated trying to teach him how to work the graphics programs and the dtg, it is just easier to do things myself. The only drawback to this is like for the last two weeks I got really sick with the flu and I still had to work because the orders still come in and I did not have anyone else to do them. sooo. no sick time when you are the only employee 

Bobbie


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## melbyj71 (Oct 1, 2007)

What you really want to ask yourself is this: which way do I make more money?
While you may have the ability to do every task yourself, sometimes it actually pays to outsource - hire a part-timer, a school kid, or someone that just wants a little spend money. If you can make $40 an hour printing shirts, and have to pay $20 an hour to get someone to do your bookwork - hire it out! You wind up making more money! (Unless your volume isn't there yet.) That's the way it is done in corporations that make mega-bucks. They identify the core competencies of their staff members and take it from there. As the CFO of a company, I wouldn't ask my degreed accountant to be the janitor. Nor would I ask the janitor to do the accounting work. If you don't know the book-keeping, and it takes you HOURS to do, hire someone to do it for you. If you really enjoy the book-keeping, but don't like taking inventory, packaging, or printing, hire someone to do it for you. Always keep in mind that this is a BUSINESS. It will only be as big as you let it.  I say this from the perspective of a one-person ESTABLISHED business. If you aren't established yet, and you are living like a pauper trying to get your business going - you have no choice - do it yourself.....


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## rusty (Feb 9, 2007)

I'm a one-man company as well. You can do it. But I am learning there is a ceiling to what kind of volume you can do as 1 person. I could have a lot more business if I could handle the volume. I don't advertise at all anymore, and stay as busy as I can keep up with. I'm just now looking at ways to expand without loading myself down with more work.


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## milestogo (Oct 25, 2007)

+1 to tha all myself thing. sometimes its hard to allow control into someone elses hands, but the work load, on top of my belt business is crazy.


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## rrc62 (Jun 2, 2007)

romehimself said:


> 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.


It's not overwhelming as ,ong as you pace yourself and understand that there is only so much you will make in an 8 hour day. Don't try to take 50 custom orders and expect to get them done.

I allot 15 minutes per customer for an average order of up to 3 items with the same artwork. That does not include anything other than putting a simple border around a photo. If I have 3 orders in front of me and you are the forth, I'll tell you to come back in an hour. You are the forth in line. 4x15 minutes = 1 hour. To pull that off, you have to be proficient with your software. 

If a customer makes an artwork request that is a bit time consuming, I have them fill out an order form and I call them on Monday.

I figure if an average order is $20, and I do 4 orders per hour in a 10 hour day, the most I can make is $800. On thee average, that's about the way it works. Sometimes one customer will want the same artwork on 20 tote bags and sometimes a customer will want 20 different photos on 20 $5 Christmas ornaments. It all averages out in the end, but the 15 minute rule holds true 90% of the time.

I had a good show today. I didn't make a fortune, but it was steady all day and I handed out 200 cards and price sheets.


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## Kinque king (Oct 25, 2007)

I'm a one man band too! And I'm been doin it for the past 24 years, first as a part time and now as a full time since 6 years ago. I don't kill myself working, I just do whatever I can, and try not to get to many orders at a time. The only time I get help is when I know a customer takes his sweet time to pay, I send the wife to collect (she charges 10% of the total) and she wont leave without the money.


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## authenticboricua (Oct 23, 2007)

What are your takes on this? Is it possible? Some lessons that you have learned?

*It's absolutely possible, if you have the time to put in and the skills and patience to do it. It would be better to use a company that specializes in things that you need though.*


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## badalou (Mar 19, 2006)

One of the aspects of hiring people to work for you are the laws and cost involved. It is great to have family members help you do the work but if you hire an employee you have to consider that now you are obligated to pay Workman's compensation fees to the state as well as doing a payroll that also involves handling the various taxes from paychecks. Your best bet is to outsource which was discussed here. You have to be careful in bringing in a person to help you and thinking well I will just pay this person cash. Well what would happen if in handling a heat press and the person burns themselves. Now you have in issue of insurance and the hospital cost and the fact the person could actually sue you for damages.. Wow that could get ugly. If you run a business that has employees you also need to get a fed ID number as you are no longer a one man operation that can get by with using your SS. Things change so you should no the rules because they change from being a one man operation or family to actually having a staff. Those of you that do have staff may want to buzz in here and tell the others that don't know the rules just what they are. Lou


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## allthingsnamed (Oct 26, 2007)

I just joined for the same reasons. Already have rec'd (since last evening) major help in locating an art/template supplier. We should really benefit from all those who, like us, have struggled to do it all alone. Can't yet afford to hire a person full time, but hopefully early in '08. I do hire a "store sitter" on occasion so I can do marketing calls or deliveries. Have found that going that extra mile (literally sometimes) when customers can't get into the store, or when someone in the store needs a baby held while they shop, really matters to them. And, they go out and tell others. Can't emphasize enough that person-to-person getting to know the customer really works.

Attended the ISS Show recently. One of the seminar instructors emphasized "wear what you sell" and "dress according to your merchandise focus". (i.e., don't wear a pair of jeans if you are selling diamonds). Great advice and it works!
Good luck to you

waterwalker


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## dawnpoetic (Jul 9, 2006)

Add me to the list of one person business as well. Some days I'm totally overwhelmed especially when I have to do the stuff I am not very good at, like accounting. I am currently searching for an accountant but it's a slow process. Like many, this biz is my dream, my baby and I find it hard to give over control to someone who isn't as passionate about it as me. I do have an occasional assistant who works shows with me and will run errands when I just can't do it. I've tried to get my fiance involved but this isn't his thing...at all. He's not artistic, not into fashion and...he's color blind LOL. He is helpful with moving boxes and loading the car when I have an event. Other than that occasional help, it's just me and I never seem to have enough hours in the day to do everything I need to...but I manage to, somehow, get it all done.


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## element88 (Aug 28, 2007)

Thanks to everyone who shared thier experiences, insights, & encouragement It's great to hear how many of you have been successful as a one person company. As a start-up...I am doing everything on my own. Like many of you, I have the skills to do almost every aspect of the company...and not the finances to hire people out...so I end up doing everything myself. 

I also know that while I have the skills to just about everything, I don't want to wear myself to thin and burn myself out with my own dream. My approach now is to get some freelancers involved.

Would love to hear from more of you who are doing this 100% solo and how you are making it happen and managing it all. 

Keep up the awesome work everyone!


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## saltybeachdianne (Oct 17, 2007)

I just reread this post and laughed, cuz I swore i already answered and offered my 2 cents...but that is what happens when you are a 1 woman show and completely overwhelemed! 

The only thing I don't do is the screenprinting, it is hired out to some locals. Thank God for that. The rest is up to me. I know i cannot do it all, but I have no choice as I just ran out of money, Honestly. This last batch of shirts is all I have money for. How do I do it? I
I am not doing it correctly! I am putting out fires and jumping from task to task. I was a project manager/software tester in my previous life. AND you would never know it. At least back then I had a team to delegate task to. I miss them! 
I am sitting here right now at 9:11 a.m. friday having a panic attach, heart beating too fast knowing what I have to do today. with my twins in tow. PU final shirts, negotiate credit with them as I gave away too many samples and need more of my original logo tshirts screened. whoops. 
I am trying figure out how to put my tshirt inventory into Quickbooks pro, finishing writing copy for my website, need to schedule photo shoot for the final design tshirt. Get model, go to beach, download pix to web dudes. Oh yes, and I am ordering woven labels from Lisa Rosenberg, so having email/phone conversations with her. O.K. I can't type anymore becuz it is making it worse. 

I understand to hire out what you don't do best. But when you are out of money, then it is you, and only you. 
Advice-
1. TRY and keep your desk, floor work area organized. I finally cleaned my area up last night and today it is easier to get things done.
2. print a daily to do list! very important. Update every night and then print out to see 1st thing in the morning. be honest on this list. 
I finally put everything in microsoft project and it showed me how it is all not humanly possible for 1 person, but I can try.
3. Get some good music playing in your work area, ipod, mp3 whatever. 
4. have at least 1 friend or family member that will listen to your work/business updates. At least 1! 
5. Take your vitamins and drink plenty of water. Seriously. Once you are thirsty it is too late. 
6. Don't be afraid to ask for help...even if it means asking for help picking up your child from school on certain days, or dropping off. Having uninterrupted scheduled time to work is important. The key here is 'scheduled....uninterrupted'
I wish us all luck
Hopefully we all do not end up on Dr. Phil's show when they schedule visits to the local insane asylum. AT least we will all look pretty in our cool tshirts! 
- Crazy is as crazy does
- My tshirt is cooler than yours
- I am bi-polar wanna go up and down with me? 
ha ha ha 
Dianne


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## organicfred (Apr 15, 2008)

We were two and now we are one - me. It is very difficult to be all things. Making a daily to do list on a 3x5 index card works best for me. I carry over unaccomplished tasks, but always start with a new card to show progress. Good luck!


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## Matto (Sep 28, 2007)

I am the one and only in my business. My big hang up is the art dept. I get into creative block and find myself wasting time and frustrated instead of making money. The first thing I will be delegating when the opportunity arrives is the whole art work aspect of the company. I love doing the printing,sales and accounting. The accounting is easy if you stay caught up every day. get behind and accounting snowballs into a night mare very fast. I have a full time job on top of my screen printing business. on my lunch for my regular job I deliver shirts and do vinyl aplications. My average day is between 18 and 19 hours. busy busy busy and no it is not for everyone. There are times I think why am I pounding myself like this and for what? Then that nice juicy paycheck comes in the mail and my suffering turns to pride knowing I made that money on my own selling my product and my company and my effort has more than paid off.

I can afford to outsource some of my artwork but hell I am to greedy to part with my money which works against me some times. The old saying is "you have to spend money to make money" Just make sure when you spend that extra buck that you are making it back plus one otherwise it is not worth your money.

Good luck to everyone in the next year and have a great holiday season!


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## sjidohair (Apr 9, 2008)

All by Myself,,,,


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## rallymatt (Jul 11, 2008)

I do it all myself. Printing, Shipping, Website, Marketing, Most of the photo's. That way I can save money, and put it BACK into the company on more marketing.


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## FredericDesign (Apr 28, 2008)

I'm a one person operation in a very small town (just over 1000 people). I have a storefront and do embroidery, engraving, trophies, promotional items, heat transfers, and outsource screen printing. Have the equipment for sublimation, but haven't learned it yet. Hope to get a DTG in the not too distant future. Also hope to get a cutter -- been looking at the GX24. Don't have a website yet, but hope to get that going at some point also. Business has been OK so far; bought the business in June 2006 and moved to a more visible location in June 2008. Love what I'm doing and looking forward to doing more.


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## MizzBella (Dec 11, 2008)

I am the designer, accountant, poly-bagger, re-labeler, ahng-tagger, sku-creating, website developing packer, shipper, attorney, customer service rep,and screen printer, control freak of my licensed collegiate apparel company and I wish that it were by choice.


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## txjake (Dec 2, 2008)

My wife handles the money... I have a kid who comes in after school to clean screens... I do everything else....


...except for that 'modeling' part. That'd be a bad idea.


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## ggraphics (Nov 20, 2008)

We have 5 full-timers and 3 part-timers. Most of our competition has 1-2 employees. That gives us an upper hand in turn-around time. Not so much in payroll though


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## e-tees (Jul 19, 2007)

I do it all too, and I only do my stuff. Please don't make the same mistake I did. I put about 200 designs on my website because I was told they were funny, but I have come to realize that most of them are cartoons. People laugh,steal them for blogs and emails,but they do not buy. I guess I'm 
saying to make sure you know your target market or markets and be sure to present your ideas in
the proper format to complement your idea and market.


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## kriscad (Dec 18, 2006)

I started it by myself - with a *great wife* who supported the idea and never complained. My mother-n-law and extended family used to help pull shirts and anything else we needed when we started. 

I remember how consistently hard we worked - long hours 7 days a week to make it work. But it was my passion! 

I also remember my first set of employees - they had to think I was smoking something bad when I kept telling them my dreams and goals for the business.

Today our shop manager was a senior in high school who we hired 7-8 years ago when we started, and now runs our production.


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## gaseousclay (Nov 14, 2007)

I hope to be joining the ranks of individuals out there going solo soon. for me it's about independence and freeing myself from the yolk of my current employer. if I can make a living at it then great but i'm not expecting it to be easy or to make a lot of money doing it. i'll be handling everything from design and web maintenance to shipping and overseeing production. the thing I like about going into business for myself is that I get to call the shots and if mistakes are made there will be no one to blame but myself. but i'm gonna try to have as much fun doing it as humanly possible


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## Castaway (Dec 20, 2008)

I'm 14 years old, i do everything by myself, my parents have never helped me design or research or anything, they have no clue how i do this.

I love it, it's great, i design everything, and package everything, and mail everything out.
http://www.myspace.com/castawayclothing


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## veedub3 (Mar 29, 2007)

I realized early on that I could not do it alone. I have three businesses and with each one I have at least an assistant. With my Commercial Appraiser business, I have an assistant and a runner, with my real estate business I have my husband to lift the heavy items, and I contract out 60% of the work. The rest I tackle myself between the other jobs. My tee business, I have one assistant, that mainly does small things like answering phones, emails, order pulling, packing, and shipping, and I use a student at the University to create designs because my drawing skills suck. All this while attending school full time finishing my degree.

Whew I am tired just thinking about it.

Katrina


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## txjake (Dec 2, 2008)

kriscad said:


> I started it by myself - with a *great wife* who supported the idea and never complained. My mother-n-law and extended family used to help pull shirts and anything else we needed when we started.
> 
> I remember how consistently hard we worked - long hours 7 days a week to make it work. But it was my passion!
> 
> ...


That's pretty damn inspiring man... pretty much the vision I have for my shop. My 'senior in high school' is a hard-working kid who does a great job. If his path for the future keeps him around here, there's nothing more that I'd like to see than him running my shop one day. We're situated in a small town, so I'm sure that limits my growth to a degree... but we've done work for people in several states, as well as a Navy unit stationed in Sicily.
We're still in our first year (this time...) so things are still financially rough... but we're excited for our future. Everything points toward good things.

And I love what I do


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## DTFuqua (Jun 26, 2008)

Well I'm only about a half person setup. My wife is my main job and I am trying to get things setup so I can do almost everything at home to care for her. I have had other endeavors and found reliable help and competent help were never available in the same person. After accidents and C Y A type doctors and slimy lawyers, I wind up with a small mobile home and private lot to live in without mortgage and my wife receives a small disability that will pay the few bills we do have. I did try to run a garage and fixed up old cars for resale here at home but got a few letters from the city saying I can't do that and I ran a wrecker/ repo service for a while but then the wife got worse and and I had to stop running the wrecker and so here I am, setting up a t-shirt and sign shop at home and will always work alone.It pays to be flexable in my case but some others are better suited to a fairly ridgid or structured way of doing things. Just keep an open mind and try to have some fun with whatever you work out as your plan to keep it from turning into a grind. Good luck. 
Terry


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## billm75 (Feb 15, 2007)

I'm a one man operation, with a little family support thrown in. I do it all from web site, to marketing, to purchasing, to selling, to production, bagging, tagging, delivery. However, I do have a teenage son that helps with weeding vinyl transfers (BIG time saver) and a wife that will do whatever she can to help with folding/bagging or whatever.

I work a full time job from home, so I no longer have to commute from work to home (just to work again) but it's overwhelming. Especially when you're like I am, and have 2,000 new ideas in your head at any given moment. I've got at least 6 web sites out there that I'm working with to broaden my sales nationally (hopefully) and I've got about 12 more ideas in the starting gate. 

I'm great at start up, not so much with follow through. Once I get an idea started, I'm ready to start the next one. So I've been learning to slow down, concentrate on what I already have and go from there. I have a hard drive full of things to try when one of the current ideas grabs hold and takes off.

It's not easy to do it all yourself, but I'm the type of person that takes great personal pride in knowing that I CAN and HAVE done it all myself. Can't wait to move to the next one though! LOL


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## kriscad (Dec 18, 2006)

txjake said:


> That's pretty damn inspiring man... pretty much the vision I have for my shop. My 'senior in high school' is a hard-working kid who does a great job. If his path for the future keeps him around here, there's nothing more that I'd like to see than him running my shop one day. We're situated in a small town, so I'm sure that limits my growth to a degree... but we've done work for people in several states, as well as a Navy unit stationed in Sicily.
> We're still in our first year (this time...) so things are still financially rough... but we're excited for our future. Everything points toward good things.
> 
> And I love what I do



Thanks!

We too are in a small town - population 50k in the county.


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## 321go (Aug 13, 2011)

Im a one man band also, it is indeed very very very hard, time consuming and stressful. For the past 6 or 7 months i have litteraly lived on my laptop, learning how to use inkscape, photoshop, corel draw, Gimp, learning about copyright law, advertising and marketing, SEO, how the internet and websites work, how to build a website, learning screen printing, dye sublimation printing, injet transfers, learning about different t shirt types, weights, brands, labeling, of course learning the hard lesson of wasting lots of money by making bad decisions... all that jazz..
I am finally about 2 weeks away from launching, just in time to hit the royal mail **** ups as its christmas. I made my first complete prototype last night. I have a photoshoot next saturday, with me as the model (luckily i wasnt hit by many ugly branches) and the first bit of help will be from my little 17 year old brother who is learning photography at college and is borrowing his tutors majot major expensive camera, and getting him to professionaly develope the snaps which im super excited about. 
Although its been very stressful, not just on me but with my newish girlfriend (started this venture just 3 months into the relationship, after just moving in with her) our relationship has suffered quite alot, as i wake up with her and her kids at 7am, hit the laptop and dont usually get off it again until maybe 4.30 the next morning unless we go shopping or something. Thankfully she is very supportive and understanding, and is even working extra shifts as a mental health carer to pay our bills as i quite my job as a chef to persue this. 
Hopefully in a few months when production is running smoothly and i have advertising in place i can sit back (just a little) and enjoy the benefits of not working for that fat, ugly, hairy, liverpudlian **** for minimum wage anymore.

Although id like to eventually expand a little, just to hoodies and doing other colours than just white, id never want it to get too big, i dont wan a factory full of workers, no matter how much money i could make. I will be selling my tees for £14.99, about £5 cost price, so my ultimate goal is to sell just 10 shirts per day to bring in £100 per day/£700 per week. I dont think thats too much of an unrealistic goal, and i dont care if it takes me 5 years to get there.

Nothing beats the feeling of doing it yourself.


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## ElratonPrinter (Dec 22, 2011)

I do everything, I take calls, do quotes, call back customers, make designs possible for printing, design from scratch, prep up my screens, print t-shirts, fold, box, seal, deliver if the order is local, ship if its not, try my best at keeping my books in order, reclaim screen, clean up messes. Most of the times when I'm done printing orders is well past midnight, and having to wake up at 5:30 am..... not an easy lifestyle.


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## BassSlayer (Mar 16, 2011)

I started about a year ago. It's just the wife and I. I do most of the technical work and she takes care of the money. I will be moving from the house to a shop this year. I think I have printed over 15 thousand shirts this year. And I am starting off the new year with a 7 thousand shirt order.

Steve


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## sjidohair (Apr 9, 2008)

Good going Steve,, wohoooooo


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## rcmsellers (Aug 20, 2010)

My shop is just my wife and I. She does all the orders and deals with money and I do all the work. We have been in business for a year now and still looking to grow. I would have to say that our total amount of work for the year was probably about 1500 to 2000 t-shirts, hoodies, etc. But, I would love to get way above that, so, I don't have to get up at 530am in the morning to go and drive 60 miles one way to work for someone else, when I could be home, doing what I like.


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## lben (Jun 3, 2008)

My business is just me, too. Some days I want to scream because there aren't enough of me's to go around. Yes it can be very overwhelming at times, but I plug along. Someday I hope to be big enough to hire someone, but for now I can't afford it.


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## sjidohair (Apr 9, 2008)

I am with you guys,, a One woman show here as well.

We work very hard but we get to do what we love,, that helps alot,, 
Sandy jo


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## proworlded (Oct 3, 2006)

Some nice stories. I started as a one man show so I know what is like. We are all fulfilling 'The Great American Dream'.


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## dekid (Jun 11, 2009)

I am a one man business, or as I tell people, just the three of us. Me, myself and I. Started in 1975 as a 20 year old. Had 16 partners and moved 5 times in first 1 1/2 years. Finally my Dad told me if I was really serious about the business I could move it back home and run it out of the basement if I went back to school and got a business degree. Oh Yea, he also would be my last partner. Unfortunately he died a year later, but I did get my business degree while running my small T-shirt company. Get a job working nights for US postal service and ran business during day, figured working for capital better then borrowing it. Got married, wife was supposed to help run business but found out fast she is allergic to physical work. So she got different job. Have been working alone for many years. Some of the ways I have found to increase my production have been to upgrade equipment. Computer graphics of course not only cut time down at least 75% but also costs. Replacing my home made conveyer dryer I built with my Dad with a professionaly made one also sped up things. But as my business grows despite me it does take a toll. Am considering bringing in help, especially since a new customer says he has an order for 8000 2 sided printed shirts in Feb. Have already told a few unemployed neighbors that I maybe needing their services.


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## 84hooded (Dec 28, 2011)

What a useful thread!! I been rockin by myself....DIY because some ppl my not be on the same mindset and at time it can be a big set Back!!


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## lben (Jun 3, 2008)

Shana, welcome to the forum.


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## JOHNSY (Dec 20, 2010)

Yep solo show here too. from when I use to do "public" screening to now when I just do my designs. Ive done it solo. I just enjoy the entire process from sketch to production.I have recently been sseking out some artist for the branch out lines im working on but have not found the right people yet.


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## ElratonPrinter (Dec 22, 2011)

Many of us enjoy deeply the t-shirt printing process, from coating screens to reclaiming them. Even though it always tends to get tedious after a while, I love seeing the end results on something I created from start to finish. Something I had no idea how to do, and then became almost natural. I'm no expert on the matter, nor extremely skilled, but it's something that right now I'd rather do by myself. And as of doing overwhelmingly large runs (1000+ units), given the fact of being a one-man-band, is a territory better not explored for me. Given the fact that many of us work our screen printing business/hobby out of our own homes, it's clear that we don't have access to equipment that can manage such huge, time-devouring tasks. In my case, with what I have, I can comfortably print 100 (one side depending how big the print is) tee's a day, without killing myself too much, that's leaving no room for living a life, just working. Don't get me wrong, I'm dying to get big jobs, my biggest has been 800 tee's (2 sides/ 2 colors), and I was pulling my hair, stressed and angry, frustrated, but it was a lesson well learned. I've been lucky I guess for having the amount of customers I've had. Even though I had to stop for many reasons, I'm grateful it turned out to be popular in such a short time. As far as hiring untrained help, that's a risk I wouldn't run, unless their responsibility is minor, and on major runs, many mistakes could get skipped and returns is the worst a small, home-based business can have.


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## kriscad (Dec 18, 2006)

txjake said:


> That's pretty damn inspiring man... pretty much the vision I have for my shop. My 'senior in high school' is a hard-working kid who does a great job. If his path for the future keeps him around here, there's nothing more that I'd like to see than him running my shop one day. We're situated in a small town, so I'm sure that limits my growth to a degree... but we've done work for people in several states, as well as a Navy unit stationed in Sicily.
> We're still in our first year (this time...) so things are still financially rough... but we're excited for our future. Everything points toward good things.
> 
> And I love what I do



Thanks!!!!

I wish i could of made a video to show all the new employees what its like to print on a manual! Or the all Growing pains it took to get where we are now... such as no heat in the offices during the winter time LOL

Just stay passionate and the rest will follow. I still love it! I am blessed to have some amazing employees, and my good decisions have out weighed my bad ones.


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## JoesJunction (Dec 29, 2011)

I have just started about 2 weeks ago, not entirely alone, as I use cafepress, which is used as a sort of guideline. However, I will tell you even with that help the site provides it is still a lot of work. From building up a client base, to getting hits on your site, and developing designs, it is a lot of work, but in the end, if all works out it will be worth it.


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