Building your T-Shirt Empire

In this episode of the Building your T-Shirt Empire podcast, we explore the benefits of using chatbots, specifically ChatGPT, in your business. ChatGPT is a cutting-edge chatbot technology that uses artificial intelligence to understand and respond to customer inquiries in real-time. By integrating ChatGPT into your website or social media channels, you can provide quick and personalized customer service, freeing up valuable time for your team to focus on other tasks.+++ Save Hundred on Printavo Shop Software. https://www.printavo.com/r/e941c4+++Some key benefits of using ChatGPT in your t-shirt printing business include: Increased efficiency: ChatGPT can handle a high volume of customer inquiries, allowing you to focus on other areas of your business. Improved customer experience: ChatGPT can provide quick and accurate responses to customer questions, helping to improve the overall customer experience. Enhanced sales: By providing personalized recommendations and product information, ChatGPT can help increase sales and drive customer loyalty. Overall, ChatGPT is a powerful tool for t-shirt printing businesses looking to improve efficiency, enhance the customer experience, and drive sales.#chatbot #ChatGPT #tshirtprinting #customerservice #artificialintelligence #ecommercePowered by | ShirtAgency.com

Longtime industry buddies John Dubois and Cole chat about where the apparel and screenprinting industry stands today going into the fall of 2022. A wide range of topics include:* DTF emerging * Big Corporate Mergers* Price increases in 2023* Fall Sales Forecasts* Shipping and Production Lead Times***Check out LAT Apparel's full line www.latapparel.comThis Podcast brought to you by- ShirtAgency.com "The only print shop Cole owns"

In this episode of Building Your T-shirt Empire Cole talks with Nicole Chang.A Harvard and Stanford Business and Law School alum, PY Nicole has had a dynamic global career that has taken her from the the trading floors of Wall Street to the corporate offices of some of the world’s leading corporations, including McKinsey and LVMH. PY Nicole is also an active advisor and investor in socially-conscious and technology-driven companies, including a kid’s coding franchise initiative, and is mother to two college students at Harvard and Stanford. www.pynicole.comInstagram: pynicoleofficialtwitter: @pynicolechang

Victor Pena started Omniprint International to empower small businesses to thrive with DTG on demand printing. Learn his business insights into the apparel space and hear how he built his own massive company. Topics:Social Media MarketingWhen to buy your first machineDTG Machine Pricing and how to make more money per print

Brett Bowden from Printed Threads takes Cole from Shirt Agency on a tour of his multimillion-dollar Texas print shop. Learn the industry tricks to screen printing tens of thousands of t-shirts per week. Detailed breakdowns of-Dark RoomArt DepartmentAutomatic Roq PressesQuality ControlReceivingInk DepartmentThis video has great insights for print shop owners of all sizes. https://youtu.be/4sxfl9uuWu4 YOUTUBE VIDEO VERSION

In this episode, Cole travels to the land of Long Beach, CA. to check out the ISS convention. During his perilous journey he chats with representatives from Hanes, Lane Seven Apparel, OvalJet and Printavo. Topics include- The supply shortages, High End DTG solutions, New Color Trends, Work from home tips, and Killer new software features. So come along on a socially distanced and fully vaxxed journey and get up to date on what some of the best companies in the industry are up to. Building your T-Shirt Empire is powered by ShirtAgency.com Shirt Agency is moving to a new building and wants to show you the ups and downs. Subscribe to www.youtube.com/c/Shirtagency/ to watch Cole spend at least half his life savings setting up his dream shop.

Gavin St. George chats with Cole about the screen-printing business and how he has stepped away from the print shop to offer an awesome new artwork service for screen-printers. Stop dealing with films and mockups in house and have Seps.io handle all the artwork for less than 3 days of an in house employee. To join the Beta head to https://my.seps.io/r/P4Q52X and enter coupon code "Cole" for 10% off your first month.

General Standard's Mission is to create the most sustainable, equitable, and economical garments in the world.Their process starts with the seed. They use single source e3 cotton seeds. They require far less water, reduce CO2, are gentle for the soil, and support US farmers. They then convert the e3 cotton into our next generation Ring Optic yarn. Their Ring Optic yarn is then knit into high quality made in USA fabric. Finally all of their garments are sewn in our Los Angeles factory.Milissa Clark joins Cole to chat about this fast growing new company. |https://www.thegeneralstandard.com/ |[email protected] |https://www.instagram.com/thegeneralstandard/ |Powered by ShirtAgency.com

You read that right. Die Epic's rabid fan base powers Daniel Dimassa's business. Learn how he grew a brand that sells worldwide from his laptop. Topics Include:Print on Demand, Screenprinting, Amazon FBA, Trademark Fights, Almost punching the Rock's stunt double, and why so many brands never make their first 10k in sales.Brought to you by Printavo.com for $50 off your first month click https://www.printavo.com/r/cole and enter promo code "Cole" | For 15% off any course or book from Teeacher.com use promo code "Cole" | & for 5% off Any ROQ automatic screen-printing press use code "cole 5%" when you talk to your sales rep. (this could save you THOUSANDS!)Thanks for listening guys! Please leave a review so more people can find the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.And as Always- ShirtAgency.com

I knew that this episode with Griff the Founder of Combat Flip Flops was going to be great when he said- "It's really cool that your selling products but how much did you spend to sell that product." Knowing that he wanted to create an amazing life for himself after retirement, Griff launched Combat Flip Flops while still an active duty Army Ranger. His precise and clear vision for his company is inspiring and his tips for optimizing your sales funnel and online marketing are fantastic. Of course, we also touch on his history with getting 3 Sharks in the Shark Tank but the really exciting stories come out of them flying around the world to make their product.Brought to you by Printavo.com for $50 off your first month click https://www.printavo.com/r/cole and enter promo code "Cole" | For 15% off any course or book from Teeacher.com use promo code "Cole" | & for 5% off Any ROQ automatic screen-printing press use code "cole 5%" when you talk to your sales rep. (this could save you THOUSANDS!) Thanks for listening guys! Please leave a review so more people can find the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. And as Always- ShirtAgency.comPowered by ShirtAgency.comand check out Griff's amazing business Combatflipflops.com

Growing a small business has always hard but now it's even more difficult as our economy remains slow. Cole talks with Eli the owner of AB Graphics and Promotionals about ways he can make more than 10k a month in his screen-printing business. Topics include- Website Best Practices, Finding your ideal client, Cold Calls, Developing relationships that lead to sales and utilizing social media. Powered by ShirtAgency.com | Brought to you by Printavo.com for $50 off your first month click https://www.printavo.com/r/cole and enter promo code "Cole" | For 15% off any course or book from Teeacher.com use promo code "Cole" | & for 5% off Any ROQ automatic screen-printing press use code "cole 5%" when you talk to your sales rep. (this could save you THOUSANDS!) Thanks for listening guys! Please leave a review so more people can find the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. And as Always- ShirtAgency.com

In this Episode, Cole talks with the incredible Andrea Lake about how so many start up t-shirt companies have no idea what they are doing. Her insights and experience into the industry are fantastic listening. Since starting her first web company in 1999 Andrea has started 14 companies, including: StickerJunkie, YogaJunkie, Delinquent Distribution (which owned the sales rights for merch on Minecraft, World of Warcraft, Call of Duty, The Walking Dead, and more), Quarantini, and Power Chick Mafia. She or her companies have been featured in Wired, Inc., Entrepreneur, Forbes, as well as on television on: Good Morning America and The Oprah Winfrey show, among others. Speaking Credits include Summit, YPO, CU Boulder, and Harvard. She is also known for her deep run as a contestant on The Apprentice. Brought to you by Printavo.com for $50 off your first month click https://www.printavo.com/r/cole and enter promo code "Cole" | For 15% off any course or book from Teeacher.com use promo code "Cole" | & for 5% off Any ROQ automatic screen-printing press use code "cole 5%" when you talk to your sales rep. (this could save you THOUSANDS!) Thanks for listening guys! Please leave a review so more people can find the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. And as Always- ShirtAgency.com

Bruce Ackerman the Founder of Printavo goes in depth with Cole about the state of the industry. Topics include: The sales data Printavo is seeing at all shops, revenue being down, future opportunities and more. Don't miss out on this great episode with possibly the most plugged in businessman in the industry. Printavo.comShirtAgency.com | Brought to you by Printavo.com for $50 off your first month click https://www.printavo.com/r/cole and enter promo code "Cole" | For 15% off any course or book from Teeacher.com use promo code "Cole" | & for 5% off Any ROQ automatic screen-printing press use code "cole 5%" when you talk to your sales rep. (this could save you THOUSANDS!) Thanks for listening guys! Please leave a review so more people can find the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. And as Always- ShirtAgency.com

Milissa Clark the Sales Director for US Blanks discusses their companies quick switch to sewing masks in Los Angeles. She also discusses the longterm adjustment she is seeing the industry take to stay open.

Tim Gibson the Director of Sales for Hanes Brands talks with Cole about how the company has been pivotal in providing masks for front-line workers. After being contacted directly by the US government Hanes created millions of masks and are now able to provide them to the promotional products industry. Tim also discusses how he sees the state of the industry going forward. Additional topics include updates on Alternative, Comfortwash and Champion's upcoming releases.

Chris Blakelee the President of Bella + Canvas talks with Cole about the dramatic pivot the company made to create 100s of Millions of masks during Covid-19. He also goes into detail about what Bella + Canvas is expecting for the apparel industry moving forward. Shirt Agency.comBellaCanvas.com

Nabeel Amin the Founder of Lane Seven discusses their businesses response to the shutdown. He gives insight into PPP, Staffing and creating inventory for fall.LaneSeven.comShirtAgency.com

In this episode of Building your T-Shirt Empire Cole talks with the Founder of Ryonet and Allmade Ryan Moor. Topics include: MasksManaging StaffCreative ways to stay in BusinessThe present state of Allmade, Ryonet and Roq UsPPP loans How to reach out to new clients during the shutdownRyonet.comShirtAgency.com

Nate Goff aka @printsnate is the owner of Fresh MFG. After working at another shop he quickly built his new screenprint shop by working for retail giants Forever 21 and Zumiez. We chat about printing late into the night, finding big clients and doing whatever it takes to make the customers happy. Powered by ShirtAgency.com | The best t-shirt printing and fulfillment company in the Pico Union district of Los Angeles.

Ruben from Grandline Graphics returns with more questions on how to grow his t-shirt print shop. In this hour long conversation we discuss a variety of topics including production efficiency, outside sales, lead generation and online marketing. POWERED by | ShirtAgency.com the best screenprinting and fulfillment company I have ever built.

Bruce Ackerman is the Founder and forward thinking leader of Printavo. Starting in 2011 as successful print shop owner Bruce began coding what is today one of the largest shop management solutions in the industry. He chats with Cole about what is next for his company and why he thinks some shops are growing so quickly while others plateau. Powered by Shirtagency.com | The most incredible place to print and ship a t-shirt.

Whenever I go to a conference I almost always get sucked into a conversation about how Shirt Agency does online advertising. So in this episode I go over the basics of online advertising by breaking it into 3 difficulty sections: EASY STUFF-Facebook Boosts,Google Search ads.REQUIRES SOME EFFORT-Instagram ads,Video Ads on FB Youtube,Basic Targeting.TRYING AS IF IT WAS YOUR JOB-Pixels,Re-targeting,Funnels,A/b Testing. I also go over my strategy for creating engaging content and why I hate coupons. POWERED BY | ShirtAgency.com the greatest Printing and Fulfillment company I have ever built.

Brett Bowden Founder of Printed Threads flew out to LA to work with Shirt Agency on improving our print shop. Obviously we can't tell you everything he taught us here. But in this episode we go over some of the major take-aways from his two day trip to help us up our screen printing shop's game. POWERED by SHIRTAGENCY.com also Check Out PRINTEDTHREADS.com

****NOTE: For the first time this episode was filmed live for Youtube. So please Head to youtube.com/shirtagency and subscribe.**** In this episode of Building your T-Shirt Empire, Ryan Moor from Ryonet talks with Cole about a variety of topics. Topics include: MarketingFulfillment ServicesFuture Screen Printing TechGrandline Graphics UpdateAllmade Sales Strategies80/20 Ruleand more...Check outShirtAgency.comAllmade.comScreenprinting.comGrandlineGraphics.comandtheshirtsociety.com

We invite screen printer Mark back into the room for another episode of shop therapy. Grandline Graphics discusses what is making their shop run inefficiently and how we can fix it. Topics include: Job roles, Rush Orders, Receiving, Darkroom management, and how to actually get stuff done on time. Powered by ShirtAgency.com | The best t-shirt printing company of Spring 2018

Inspired by the book "Made to Make it" by Ryan Moor we focus on what will make a print shop stand out. We discuss building customer profiles and how best to serve those clients. This leads into building a basic vision for their company Grandline Graphics. Just being a printing company is not enough! Customers need clear messaging to understand why a shop is unique. Powered by ShirtAgency.com | The shop I record these in.

On our second day of growing Grandline Graphics we dive into online advertising. After making some basic improvements to their website we now are ready to spend some money on ads. We discuss A/B Testing on Google, Instagram and Facebook. Check out future episodes where we go thru the results. Powered by ShirtAgency.com | The best T-Shirt Printing and Fulfillment company in the world.

In this first episode of our "Saving the Shop" series- Grandline graphics flies to Los Angeles to work with Cole on overhauling their entire business. This episode is an overview of their issues. This week we will be posting daily updates on how we are changing their model. Powered by ShirtAgency.com | The best print shop I own.

In this episode Cole chats with Amy from Threadbare and Gavin from Proud T-Shirts about growing their manual print shops. Listen in as they chat about the real issues that arrive when you are expanding a small t-shirt printing business. Topics include- Advertising, Production Speed, Marketing, and firing your employees ;)Powered by ShirtAgency.com | The best printing and fulfillment company in Pico Union.

Want to know how to expand your business’s reach and party at the same time? It’s simple- start live screen printing! My company Shirt Agency waited almost three years before offering live screen printing services for events and the effects on our growth have been phenomenal. I only wish we had started sooner. Live printing engages your audience and strikes conversations with potential customers in an open and friendly atmosphere. Everybody deep down wants to make their own t-shirt and setting up a live printing station transforms a simple giveaway tee into a story the party goers are happy to share with friends. This episode is our step by step guide to setup and manage live printing at parties and concerts.Powered by ShirtAgency.com | The Best Printing and Fulfillment in Los Angeles. Come to our SCREENPRINTING CLASS in LA- https://www.screenprinting.com/screen-print-experience-class-ca or check out the ThreadX conference- https://sgia.swoogo.com/threadx/

In this episode Cole talks with Brett Bowden (SGIA Chairman/Owner of Printed Threads) and Rogier Ducloo (CMO of Ryonet) about how Allmade is making a better t-shirt. This month the 3 of us, along with about 20 other screen-printers, went to Haiti to see the amazing LIFE facility where Allmade is created. Allmade pays 5X the standard wage to all cut and sew workers and is creating their own incredible fabrics right here in the US.For more info check out ALLMADE.com and to book your spot at THREAD X go to https://sgia.swoogo.com/THREADXPowered by SHIRTAGENCY.com | The best printing and fulfillment company in the World.

Recorded Live at ISS 2018 in Long Beach CA. In this episode, listen in on Cole's conversations with some of the most interesting people in the apparel industry. Learn about the newest product launches and trends brands will be loving in the coming year.Interviews INCLUDE: Ryan Moor (RYONET), Tim Gibson (BELLA+CANVAS), The Legend Dov Charney (LOS ANGELES APPAREL), Dana Pineda (ALTERNATIVE APPAREL) and More!Powered by SHIRTAGENCY.com | The best printing and fulfillment company in Los Angeles.

In 2013, Brendan Wenzel realized he was on to something when he sold 100 t-shirts on Facebook with zero advertising. Fast forward to present day and Brendan has built himself an e-commerce empire with $6.5 Million in t-shirt sales. In this episode, we talk about Facebook ads and building the strong social presence businesses need to sell online. Topics include, Ad Manager, Influencers, Ad Costs, KPIs, hiring graphic designers and more...Powered by ShirtAgency.com | The Greatest Printing and Fulfillment Service in the known Galaxy.

Nabeel Amin started Lane Seven apparel to bridge the gap between premium and cost conscious fleece hoodies for the wholesale market. His rapidly growing company sold 400,000 hoodies this year alone and he has plans for MASSIVE GROWTH in 2018. Learn how he started out in Pakistan on the factory floor and took that first hand knowledge to the US to take on the big manufacturers. Topics include: Market Trends. Manufacturing Methods. Global Production. Powered by: ShirtAgency.com | The Greatest T-Shirt Printing and Fulfillment service in the known universe.

Carissa and Cole walk thru the entire Bella + Canvas factory and discuss every step in the production process of creating a t-shirt. Take a look behind the scenes to see how the tees you print on are actually manufactured right here in Los Angeles. Plus learn some secrets about the upcoming 2018 Fast Fashion releases. ShirtAgency.com | The Best T-Shirt Printing and Fulfillment in the world!

Charley Pangus has been designing for over 8 years now specializing in merch design and brand identity. In 2013 he started a Youtube channel and uploaded a tutorial teaching people how to make a t-shirt design. Within 1 years time the video accumulated over 400k views which motivated him to keep making more videos. Fast forward to 2017 and he's still making videos and managed to gain 40k+ subscribers. Listen to our chat on the state of modern merch design and how you can improve your skills.

In this episode, Cole goes further into detail explaining how to do artwork separations for full color designs. Recorded live at one of Shirt Agency's screen printing classes. Learn about how to use Accurip, Separation Studio and Illustrator to create amazing print ready artwork. To attend a class in person head to screenprinting.com click on the learn tab and sign up for the Los Angeles location. Powered by ShirtAgency.com | Screen Printing + Fulfillment

Our good buddy Nathan Harbison stops by to ask Cole questions about starting his own screen printing shop. Topics include: How to get new customers, marketing, partnerships, basic printing tips and how Shirt Agency first started to get large orders. Sponsored by ShirtAgency.com

Pulled directly from our monthly screen printing class this episode takes you thru the process of creating print ready artwork. Cole goes over all the steps needed to create a customer mockup, convert your artwork to a vector and output films. To learn more come to one of our classes in LA. You can register at screenprinting.com As always Building your T-shirt Empire is sponsored by ShirtAgency.com the best printing and fulfillment company on planet earth.

In Building your T-Shirt Empire's first Video podcast Cole takes you through the pros and cons of Direct to Garment printing vs. Screen Printing. Learn the strengths and weaknesses of both t-shirt printing methods and learn even more about specialty inks by watching the video ShirtAgency.com made with Bella + Canvas HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIzBb4o5AjI

Noah and Chris stop in to talk about the do and don't of DTG T-Shirt printing. Learn about the hottest trends and biggest mistakes brands are making every day. If you ever wondered how to make awesome DTG printed t-shirts this is the episode for you.

In this episode Cole gives a quick update on what he thinks are the biggest trends in blank t-shirts and specialty inks. Learn about what the best brands will be selling this summer.

Ryan Moor returns to talk about his new project Allmade. Two billion t-shirts are made every year, using fibers like industrial cotton, which is often grown in regions with minimal regulations—directly exposing workers and the environment to deadly pesticides and herbicides that are outlawed in the U.S.These materials are then transported across the globe using bunker fuel, a heavy oil residue so toxic most countries won’t let ships using it within 200 miles of shore.They are then spun into yarn, knitted into fabric, and sewn into garments by workers, often in sweatshop conditions, for a wage that does not allow them to meet even their most basic needs. In countries like Haiti this translates to an increase in orphans, many of whom’s parents were forced to give them up because they couldn’t afford to care for them.Allmade, has decided it’s time to make it better.

Alternative Apparel CEO Evan Toporek calls in to talk about what makes their apparel so unique. Cole and Evan discuss tips for start up businesses and trends they see in the industry. Since 1995, Alternative have set out to re-create that soft, lived‑in look and feel of your favorite vintage tee. Their sustainable practices and premium fabrics have made them a critical player in the t-shirt market.

I have been trying to make an episode like this for a year. In this first interview with Ross Carrel and Jordan Lamb of East Coast Cotton we talk about spending $500,000 in Facebook ads in 2017 alone! These guys are killing it with online t-shirt sales and give an incredible overview of their marketing strategies. Look out for future episodes going into more detail with them.

In this episode Cole interviews the apparel industry legend- Danny Harris. In 1992, best friends Danny Harris and Marco DeGeorge were just out of high school when they started their screen printing company. Their big break came when Sega launched Hedgehodge and the duo got a huge order from Sega. That order launched their scrappy little garage business into a screen printing giant named Color Image. And from that the pair spun into the world of retail and into apparel manufacturing.The company’s headquarters in Los Angeles, California are set up like a campus with three buildings. They have sales, production, quality control in one building that is attached to a production factory where 300,000 units are produced in a single week. There is also a community kitchen and a gym with a yoga studio studio for employees. This sense of community is an important component of the brand. Another important characteristic of the Bella + Canvas brand is an eco-friendly sensibility.

In this episode Ryonet Founder Ryan Moor stops by to discuss the print industry. We discuss what it takes to make it in screen printing and how he thinks most people can grow their businesses.In early May of 2004, the website www.silkscreeningsupplies.com went live and within the first two months website sales combined with Ebay sales reached over twenty thousand dollars. Ryan was able to hire help and quit his part-time odd jobs. By building a team, adding to the website and attending online marketing conferences Ryan's website www.silkscreeningsupplies.com and the newly formed Ryonet Corporation continued to increase profits each month climaxing at the end of that year with over fifty thousand dollars in monthly revenue. Ryan partnered with StoresOnline (the company that sold him websites) as a testimonial speaker and was featured in their road seminar/sales events. He also continued to learn about screen printing by hiring industry professionals and a cast of young, eager and talented friends who learned right along with him. In 2005, Ryonet's first full year in business, the company grew over 1000 percent in eclipsed revenues of four million annually. In 2010, shortly after its six year anniversary, Ryonet was honored with their inclusion on the Inc. 500/5000 list as one of the fastest growing privately held companies in the United States. Above the company's financial accomplishments, Ryan is most proud of how the company continues to focus on client development and service—proven by their six year standing accredited “A+” rating with the BBB.Building your T-Shirt Empire is powered by ShirtAgency.com | Printing+ Fulfillment

Learn the many processes needed to create a retail ready t-shirt. Host Cole Lundstrom will walk you thru the steps and include insider tips for starting a brand. Topics Include:Screen PrintingDTG (Direct to Garment)SublimationCut and SewCottonPowered by ShirtAgency.com | Printing + Fulfillment | Brought to you by Printavo.com for $50 off your first month click https://www.printavo.com/r/cole and enter promo code "Cole" | For 15% off any course or book from Teeacher.com use promo code "Cole" | & for 5% off Any ROQ automatic screen-printing press use code "cole 5%" when you talk to your sales rep. (this could save you THOUSANDS!) Thanks for listening guys! Please leave a review so more people can find the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. And as Always- ShirtAgency.com

In this episode host Cole Lundstrom breaks down the five ways to take your t-shirt company from a side hustle to a thriving business. Learn basic business tips for your custom t-shirt business and SUBSCRIBE for more episodes about DTG, screen-printing, internet marketing and interviews with professionals from the apparel industry. Powered by ShirtAgency.com | The best T-Shirt Printing and Fulfillment in LA. Brought to you by Printavo.com for $50 off your first month click https://www.printavo.com/r/cole and enter promo code "Cole" | For 15% off any course or book from Teeacher.com use promo code "Cole" | & for 5% off Any ROQ automatic screen-printing press use code "cole 5%" when you talk to your sales rep. (this could save you THOUSANDS!) Thanks for listening guys! Please leave a review so more people can find the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. And as Always- ShirtAgency.com