# Help with Feasibility Study



## Earthdome (Feb 25, 2011)

Okay, so I am getting "Aid" to start a business, I have nearly a whole screen printing shop (minus a conveyor dryer) , have vinyl cutter and heat presses. 

I know location is going to be important. Just looking for input in making this shop a for sure winner, possibly justifying a DTG machine? Or focus on marketing. Any help, or comments or input would be helpful !!

I am still in stages of deciding if I should include retail or not or if I can justify the overhead. Also thinking of looking for some one that may have shared space. Any input on that would be helpful as well. 

Thanks


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## harrydaone (Aug 2, 2011)

As with starting any new business the majority of your time and energy should go into marketing so you can achieve sales and once the orders come in then worry about all the rest. 

Try to spend as little as possible before any sales are got as keeping cost at a minimum especially in the early days of a new business is extremely important. So dont buy any more machinery until its justified by sales.

When you mention retail are you talking about selling your own label only in its own shop? If so like before everything comes back to sales. You would need to have your name out there first, try get into boutiques and do as much sales as you can online before you consider your own store.

Keep cost at a minimum, less overheads will give you more time and energy to make the business a success and give it the time it needs to grow.

Hope this helps and good luck.


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## Earthdome (Feb 25, 2011)

harrydaone said:


> As with starting any new business the majority of your time and energy should go into marketing so you can achieve sales and once the orders come in then worry about all the rest.
> 
> Try to spend as little as possible before any sales are got as keeping cost at a minimum especially in the early days of a new business is extremely important. So dont buy any more machinery until its justified by sales.
> 
> ...



Thanks Harry, yes it does help for sure. Well, I am getting funding help through the DVR (my local department of vocational rehabilitation), they either help with schooling or with starting a business, since I already have been acquiring the equipment I was thinking they could help me get to a commercial level fast. I think I know the right area that has a huge gap, and like no printers, but a high demand for it , and is also a growing community. 

Though I don't have contacts through this community I feel with my marketing and sales background it won't be hard to start getting some customers.

BUT I was also thinking of trying to integrate a retail business into the plan, I know a lady who just has a shop only selling local team items, a few custom designed items and a few things for the local teams, like pads, hats, etc. 

But she also has a heat press and a few images on the wall and let's customers chose custom designs, she orders them and presses. Well I have a heat press, a hat press, and a vinyl cutter so could I justify the "retail" overhead by starting out like this ? (And also offer screen printing) . 

Was thinking I would like to offer sublimation also for promotional items. I am feeling if I go this route I likely will need to include an employee into the plan. Possibly even a business partner. (which I would like to avoid) obviously. 

But I think i'd be in over my head (especially if I offered all these services) to do it all alone. Also I don't have a lot of hands on experience screen printing, but know graphics decent, and my accountant is going to be my mother. 

My aunt owns an embroidery shop closer to me (than my ideal area) , and close contacts could drum up a lot of business. But there are 3-4 other screen printers in this area and it's a small town! So, I feel if I want to get any where quick I need to go where there is a NEED. 

Any other thoughts much appreciated !!


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## On the Rocks (Aug 2, 2011)

I am a total novice in tee shirts but from a business point of view they are no different to anything else.

Your most difficult time is at the start.

You seem to be concentrating on the manufacturing kit.

I see many many tee shirts out there and most of them are crap.
Rubbish quality and or rubbish designs. Better for polishing the furniture with than wearing.

You can have the best kit in the world capable of turning out lots of tee shirts but it is no good at all if you aren't selling.

How are you going to market and sell product? Have you done the research and are your designs drop dead gorgeous?

What is the competition doing?
There may be other printers in the town but your horizons must be much wider than this.

There are 5 million people in my county but I will be looking at opportunities over the whole country and the European Union. Doesn't matter who is operating next door then.


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## harrydaone (Aug 2, 2011)

I think you want to do too much all at once.

Also how serious are you about creating a successful label? 
Why I say this is if you are going to be doing so many different things well its going to be hard to concentrate on your designs. A jack of all trades is a master of none.


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## Earthdome (Feb 25, 2011)

I feel I I have given the wrong impression of what I want to accomplish. 

I am NOT trying to start a new clothing line. (at least not yet)

I want to be a print shop but also offer vinyl signs.
Also (if I can justify it) would like to add a retail entity. If it can prove the market is there and the traffic. 

I am trying to find the best combination of services that will potentially be the most profitable right away.

I guess I am the only one that can see the potential gap in the market area I chose, and need to do my own research to make sure the plan is solid. 

I know people who have a retail setting just doing school items with a heat press and she runs it just fine. 

I do feel I am trying to combo too many services all at once. And I do feel I spread myself thin. And by nature it's hard for me to stay focused on one thing, I am too concerned about expansion. 

A lot I need to consider here.... Thanks for your opinions guys. Just recently got laid off again , sucks... but I am now going to focus 100% on making this fly no matter what it takes. 

I believe to start I can outsource a lot of work , and may save the retail for something in the future, when I can enhance my own products and gain more raw skill.


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## harrydaone (Aug 2, 2011)

Good luck with everything and one last bit of advice. Dont worry too much about expansion at such an early stage, as you have to have something successful to expand on first if you know what I mean.


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## Red Leaf (Feb 2, 2011)

My advice is to hold of on the DTG printer and try and build a bit of a client base first. market yourself, get orders and then see what people are asking for before you commit to a big purchase like a DTG printer. Hope this helps. Get your name out. Marketing. Hit every website that will put your brand in front of people. Linked in, Company.com, Yelp, everything.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Retails great but you need to make enough for rent, insurance your salary etc.

One important think is business breeds business.

You can out source what you don't have. 

A DTG is a good idea if you know how to make it work for you.

What can it print, Tshirts, mugs, cups, coasters, mouse pads?

Here's your homework: what else can it make and in what ways can it make money? I.E. For whom?


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Don't forget small business networking groups.

BNI. LeTip, meetup, Chamber of Commerse, Make your own, PTA, bowling, sports groups, etc.


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## Earthdome (Feb 25, 2011)

selanac said:


> Don't forget small business networking groups.
> 
> BNI. LeTip, meetup, Chamber of Commerse, Make your own, PTA, bowling, sports groups, etc.



Thanks a lot for your input Paul.. Much appreciated...


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## tiedupcustom (Aug 10, 2011)

you make networking groups


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Just like t-shirts.


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