10 Things We Would Like to See in 2022

Our regular listeners know this, but 2 Regular Guys are all about garment decorating, a bit of fun, and no rants or lectures or selling. We are not doing this for our employers, but rather for our industry. Since February 2013, The 2 Regular Guys have been the first and the most listened to garment decorating industry podcast on this planet! We are humbled by all of you tuning in each week. We work hard to bring you information that will make your business better, and our industry better. Take a look at our incredible weekly guest list and you’ll understand where this industry goes for news, interviews, and the heartbeat of garment decorating. Thanks for listening!

News

• Graphics Pro has a Sublimation Survey out. Take this industry survey and receive the Summary of Findings, plus a chance to win a $100 gift card! 

• S&S Activewear promotes Frank Myers to the president and welcomes Christopher Kodosky as CFO. They announced the strategic promotion of chief financial officer/chief operating officer Frank Myers to the president of the company. S&S also announces the hiring of Christopher Kodosky as CFO, beginning January 2022. Kodosky has served as the CFO and VP of finance for manufacturing and services companies for the past 17 years.

• A couple of quick SkillsUSA announcements. 

1. They are looking for a volunteer who will take on the National Technical Committee Chairman role for the Screen Printing Competition. If you would like to volunteer and be involved in this great program that will help feed our industry the labor and young people needed, please contact Ray Weiss at rweiss@printing.org or Bill Pope at bpope@printing.org. 
2. I’m going to be assembling the committee for the Sublimation Competition this month, so if you would like to volunteer to be a part of that, please reach out to me at aaron@2regularguys.com. For the committee, there is not any required travel, but I am looking for people also willing to come to the national competition and be judges in Atlanta this year on June 23rd and 24th. Plus I am looking for companies that would be willing to donate blank substrates to decorate during the competition. We are also going to need heat presses and in-kind donations as well. You will be featured at the event as supporting members which not only build your future customers but put you in front of a lot of schools that will be looking to get new supplies and equipment now. Just reach out to me by email and we can discuss how to make it a win-win for everyone. I think this is a truly unique opportunity.

Dad Joke: Why can’t drummers come back from retirement?  

Because there will be repercussions!

10 Things for 2022

We’ll be starting the show today with a quick chat with Jamar Laster, the Content Director for Impressions Magazine, and Russ Turner, the new Show Director for Impressions Expo.

Aaron: Welcome back to the show Jamar. 

And so good to meet you Russ, welcome to the show and the industry.

Terry: Russ, as the new show director, let’s cut to the chase. Where are we with the Long Beach show? 

Exhibitors, Attendees, the city of Long Beach

Aaron: Jamar, talk to us about what’s happening back at the Impressions Magazine Booth

Terry & Aaron: UNTRUE Rumors we should make sure they cover:

The hall is limited to 500 total people – Safer at Home Health Order from City of Long Beach

Vax card or negative test required – daily test?

Are all or most of the vendors on board?

Not a rumor but how are seminars being handled? Speakers masked?

Aaron: Where should potential attendees watch for updates?

https://impressionsexpo.com/longbeach/health-safety/

Last Year… 10 Things We’d Like to See in 2021

1) Terry: I’d like to see maybe some regional concepts where we can still get out and kick the tires, without putting anyone into danger.

2) Aaron: I’d like to see continued innovation and more user-friendly services that allow for personalization on people’s webstores. (I’m currently looking at something that might fit that need, but not sure it is in the right hands to take it to the masses – I was correct, not in the right hands. They don’t get it.)

3) Erich: I’d like to see more people adopt ‘design thinking’ to apparel decoration and promotions. Design thinking being the attempt to understand the user, challenge assumptions, and redefine problems.

4) Terry: I’d like to see more people become experts at what they do.

5) Aaron: All of us to start acting like we are the big global industry that we are. Adopt an investment mentality and realize we are part of the soon-to-be $50 Billion dollar industry.

6) Erich: I’d like to see businesses of all sizes, specialties, and strengths in this industry seen as working in a more integrative rather than exclusive way. 

7) Terry: I’d like to see a broader range of garments available that are already pretreated for DTG printing.

8) Aaron: I’d like to see some new innovations and creative thinking out of the blanks product space. Specifically garments. 

9) Terry: The industry could use a refresher course in Customer Service in 2021.

10) Aaron: Some sort of a group, organization, or regular coming together of our industry as a whole to work in the spirit of raising the tide for everyone. 

What We Would Like to See in 2022

Terry: Is it too easy and cheap to just say I’d like to see more trade shows happen this year? Most of us like to touch and feel new products, and more and more new industry participants need to be face-to-face with not only equipment and supplies, but vendors, instructors, and other decorators. 

Aaron: What Printing United Does in the Garment and Personalized Product Space? This is not necessarily something I’d like to see that I’m not seeing, more of a hope to see what comes from our industry’s trade association. My concern is the packaging and printing worlds that they’ve acquired push out the garment space. But I know there are some fantastic people there like Amanda, Josh Carruth, and Cassie Green. So I’m optimistic, just more of a cautionary tale. I’m happy to participate be on panels or support so I’ll do my part.  I’d also love to see more sublimation and embroidery representation. ThreadX?

Terry: Fewer snake oil salesmen. That sounds like a negative but I’m just asking for people to do their research before handing over your CC. There are a few companies in our industry that cause you to cringe when someone says “I just bought from…” 

Aaron: Less “Cliques”. We are all decorators and I know we all have our own communities and what we are drawn to, but how do we support the greater good?

Terry: Shop checkup checklist. When I talk to decorators in a variety of areas about an issue they’re having, I always have them walk step by step through their process. There are certain things consistent from shop to shop I’m looking for. A checklist could be applied to almost any decoration method to get everyone “on the same page.” Maybe suppliers could put together a loaner kit to use for testing.

Aaron: A USA-made Vacuum Press – I thought back about 5 to 10 years ago there was some interesting stuff happening in the 3D sublimation world, but when people stop buying cell phone cases the interest in 3D sublimation seemed to die. I think the only way to resurrect that is to really improve the quality of the presses available.

Terry: More panel discussions like older days of trade shows. I always loved watching these panels of experts and you still see them now and again, but not like in the past. We’ve done it ourselves at DAX. And, if we’re short trade shows again this year, pretty easy to do as an online panel discussion.

Aaron: Embrace the power of the Mastermind – and I’m talking about a real mastermind. There is a specific formula that has been proven over and over again. In fact back to the time of people like Andrew Carnegie. I see these so-called masterminds pop up frequently that are more of just a tribe or social gathering with a little teaching. A real Mastermind is about accountability working with a limited number of people in a very specific format where time is kept and an agenda is adhered to. I know I run masterminds but I’m not even talking about just mine, I’d like to see it be something that is more readily used and common in our industry. My Mastermind group is invaluable to me and I know the people that are in The Mastermind groups that I run will tell you how much it is changed their businesses. So I just like to see more people be open to the concept and be willing to playful out.

Terry: Side hustle guides. I talked about this once before, suggesting distributors put together equipment packages for people who want to be somewhere between a crafter and a full-time decorator. But I think there’s another part to this. You’ve got 10 hours a week you’re giving to this side hustle. Here’s what you should attempt and here’s what you should avoid making the most of your limited hours and minutes. A focused niche, product line, technology.

Aaron: Disruption of Distributor Model – I found myself going back and forth on titling this disruption or changes, but unfortunately I feel like the distributors have already squandered their chance. From the outside looking in from both my vantage point and the vantage point of many of their customers who are not small by any stretch of the imagination, they seem to value bigger profits over customer relationships.

Be Part of #5Things

If you would like to present your 5 Things, five quick points on any subject whether it be advice or five instructional steps, we would love to hear from you. You can come on the show and present them yourself, or we will share your list with our listeners or even play a recorded video of you sharing 5 things. Whatever is easiest.

Reach out to us at info@2regularguys.com, Contact Us or at our Facebook Page.