So You Want to be a Garment/Product Decorator?

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

• ASI Chicago is still showing a show floor open on September 30-October 1, but now it seems at least some of the educational portion of the show will be virtual. On the website it says Education Day will be virtual, but the sessions during the show are still showing as being live. One speaker tells us that as of Wednesday this week, he’s still scheduled to speak there in Chicago. If you’re attending, be sure to monitor the ASI website.

• Instead of Industry News, I think we should call this segment, Speaking of Cancellations! And speaking of cancellations, Katie at NBM says it’s safe today to share on 2 Regular Guys that they are cancelling Charlotte. The city extended the phase 2 for another 5 weeks, so we needed to make the call. In 2021, the NBM Show will be known as Graphics Pro Expo (GPX).

  Dad Joke: What are the four stages of life and how do they involve Santa Claus?

  Stage 1: You believe in Santa.

  Stage 2: You don’t believe in Santa.

  Stage 3: You are Santa.

  Stage 4: You look like Santa.

So You Want to be a Garment/Product Decorator?

Terry: Here’s our first question. Aaron and I are going to discuss, while you submit your own answers. We’ll go over those next. What do you wish you knew before you started your business?

• What I have to offer has value… charge for it!
• Time commitment
• Competition, large and small, got nothing on you!
• Not every order is worth taking. Find your niche and focus on it.

Aaron: Here’s the next question. Regulators give us your answers while Terry and I discuss our own. What pitfall can you help our newbie listeners avoid?

• Keep up with your accounting work, expenses, revenue, other costs right up front
• Don’t base your education in the industry on YouTube videos

Terry: How much does it cost to get started?

• Being undercapitalized can be deadly, and easy to do in our industry because of the low threshold for entry
• Guesstimate your revenue, and guess low!!

Aaron: Here’s the last question. Regulators, keep it up! What one piece of advice would you give a new decorator?

• Have fun, enjoy your business, enjoy the craft, and it will be a joy to go to work in the morning
• Your friends either to your face or behind your back say you’re crazy to start a business now (or anytime). You’re not crazy, and they’re just jealous that you had the courage to do it!!
• Trust your instincts about employees, customers, new ideas, etc.

Look for a Bonus Episode coming soon to finish discussing this topic.