In the latest episode of Custom Apparel Startups, we are excited to feature Howard Potter, from A&P Master Images, who brings his wealth of knowledge to the table on the topic of Direct to Film (DTF) Printing. Our discussion, " What You Should Know Before Buying a DTF Printer," covers the A to Z of preparing to make an informed purchase of a DTF pr…

CAS MiniCast – High Performance DTF Printing with Mike Angel This Episode  Marc Vila Marc Vila Mike Angel  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn Why DTF technology is superior for decorating a wide variety of fabrics How DTF technology compares to other apparel decorating methods Resources & Links Colman and Company Blo…

Mike Angel shares his expertise in apparel decorating, focusing on the cutting-edge technique called direct to film printing, or DTF printing for short. This method has completely revolutionized the world of apparel decorating, offering numerous advantages over traditional methods. It is not only faster and easier, but also more cost-effective and …

Episode 194 – Improve Online Sales with Shopify and ClickWear This Episode  Marc Vila and Mike Angel  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn How an inexpensive Shopify website can help you and your customers How ClickWear can help increase your custom apparel sales Resources & Links ClickWear: A Shopify App for the Custo…

In this episode of the CAS Podcast, we're thrilled to welcome Mike Angel from ColDesi, the brilliant mind behind ClickWear and the ColDesi OnDemand services. Mike takes us on a deep dive into the world of selling online, particularly through Shopify, and how ClickWear is transforming the custom apparel business by streamlining product creation and …

Episode 193 – It’s Time to Raise Prices This Episode  Marc Vila  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn Why you should do market research and competitive analysis before raising prices How to tell your customers about the price increase Resources & Links Colman and Company Blog ColDesi Learning Center Leasing Equipment E…

Introduction Small business owners in the customization industry are facing unprecedented challenges due to rising prices. This resource guide provides practical strategies to help your business thrive in a changing economic landscape. Market Research and Competitive Analysis Research competitors and trends - Price shop around and see how you REALL…

When it comes to growing your customization business we often talk about 'finding a niche.' What is a product / customer that you can focus on. This could be new moms, or local small businesses or tourists. However, you will find a point where growing that business becomes harder. This is why you will find a candle company that starts selling soaps…

Episode 192 – How To Diversify Your Business This Episode  Marc Vila & Holly Wood  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn Five different methods of diversifying your business Why you should diversify your business Resources & Links Colman and Company Blog ColDesi Learning Center Leasing Equipment Episode 192 – How To Div…

Episode 191 – What Is The Best T-Shirt? This Episode  Marc Vila & Mike Putnam  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn Different machines and technologies work better with different materials Other factors to consider when choosing a t-shirt Resources & Links Colman and Company Blog ColDesi Learning Center Leasing Equipme…

How do you choose the right t-shirt? You are looking to start or grow your custom apparel business. There are a ton of challenges with choosing the right equipment, making sales, pricing your apparel and so much more. However, a topic not often discussed enough is the apparel you use. Choosing the right blanks is a core part of your success. This i…

Episode 190 – Starting a Business This Episode  Marc Vila & Amir Bavi  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn How to turn your idea into a business Steps for getting started Pitfalls to watch out for Resources & Links Colman and Company Blog ColDesi Learning Center Leasing Equipment Episode 190 – Starting a Business Star…

Starting A Side Business And Growing To Full Time Everyone is looking for a way to make more money, achieve financial independence, and enjoy the work they do. One of the ways people accomplish this is by starting a side hustle, and potentially growing it to a full-time gig. But how do you do this successfully? If you are brand new, how do you get …

Episode 189 – The 4 Ps of Marketing This Episode  Marc Vila & Sara Isom  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn How the 4 Ps can help you understand your business goals How using the 4 Ps can help you make better advertising decisions Resources & Links Colman and Company Blog ColDesi Learning Center Leasing Equipment Epi…

Many small business owners get into their business with an idea, rather than a full plan. You want to make t-shirts or print signs. You know it's profitable and you've already got some referral business. It's not that hard to make some money and get overwhelmed with business. What IS hard is growing your business to achieve your dreams and goals. O…

Episode 188 – Setting up Your Social Media Strategy This Episode  Marc Vila & Jes Santiago  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn Why you should have a good social media presence What to consider before planning your strategy How to plan and implement a good strategy for your business Resources & Links Colman and Compan…

What is a social media strategy? A social media strategy is an outline or plan of your social media goals, how you will achieve them, and how you’ll track metrics. Social is talked about all the time in business, but do you need it? If yes, then how will you use it? This episode is all about finding out what is right for your business. Why having a…

Financing is an important part of starting and growing a business. However, there are a lot of misconceptions and confusion. Many people only have experience financing a house, car, or a new couch. Yet there is a whole world of financing business equipment and software. This episode discusses financing for business and answers the most frequently a…

Episode 187 – Expert Advice on Equipment Financing – John Sullivant of Adia Capital This Episode  Marc Vila & John Sullivant  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn Why you should finance vs paying cash Financing vs Leasing Installment vs Revolving Resources & Links Colman and Company Blog ColDesi Learning Center Leasing…

Episode 186 – Getting Ahead of 2023 This Episode  Mark Stephenson & Marc Vila  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn Which issues experts are warning about in 2023 Various techniques to overcome challenges in 2023​ Resources & Links Colman and Company Blog ColDesi Learning Center Leasing Equipment ClientsFIRST Marketing…

2023 is here and what’s in store for YOUR business. Mark and I have been reading around to learn what problems the 'experts' say small business owners will run into. We then put our heads together to consider how these affect the customization business industry. So here we go... let’s get ahead of 2023 with expected challenges and resolutions! Supp…

Working with many customers can be very challenging, especially when it's repeat customers. Some customers are very needy, others are poor at communication, others don’t pay on time. So how do you handle all these different types of customers when you are trying to run your business YOUR way? You want to keep your best customers happy, so they come…

Episode 185 – How to Handle and Keep Your Customers This Episode  Mark Stephenson & Marc Vila  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn How to organize customer information and stay in contact with customers Why established policies and procedures are important, and when to bend the rules Why sometimes it’s best to fire a …

When you think of your business you may think: Maria does the printing John does the art Mark does the writing and website Etc. But how do you manage that as you grow? or if Maria is sick? Do you also think about how Maria does maintenance? Or how Mark answers chats on Google? Or how John posts to Facebook and answers comments? Further, as you grow…

Episode 184 – Your Business Butts In Seats This Episode  Mark Stephenson & Marc Vila  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn Why cross-training and a plan for unexpected events are vital Types of lists to create and keep updated Easily overlooked tasks that must be on your lists Resources & Links Colman and Company Blog …

Episode 183 – Monthly Business To-Dos This Episode  Mark Stephenson & Marc Vila  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn Criteria for choosing your monthly tasks. How a monthly to-do list might save lost sales. Resources & Links Colman and Company Blog ColDesi Learning Center Leasing Equipment Episode 183 – Monthly Busine…

One of the biggest challenges for businesses is keeping up with all of the 'tasks' that can bog you down. These things may seem redundant or not as important as your daily duties, but avoiding them will absolutely cause trouble. Review pricing Is everything still available? has pricing gone up? SHOULD pricing have gone up? Is there an opportunity f…

One of the struggles and causes of anxiety for small businesses is the competition. It's either the reality that you'll lose deals to the competition, OR just the anxiety because you might (or when will you?) "I can't make any money in my area" "No one can sell for that price" One of the best ways to combat this is by getting in front of the knowle…

Episode 182 – Analyze Your Competition This Episode  Mark Stephenson & Marc Vila  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn How to identify true competitors. How to identify your strengths and weaknesses compared to your competitors. How to use your strengths to grow your business. Resources & Links Colman and Company Blog …

The space in your shop, retail store or warehouse is essential to how much money you can make. Not surprisingly there is an entire field based on workspace optimization and customer experience. How fast you can get things done, how comfortable your customers feel and the overall space you work on can heavily impact your success. Examples: Customer …

Episode 181 – Workspace Money-Making Design Tips This Episode  Mark Stephenson & Marc Vila  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn How to evaluate your workspace to make it more efficient. Types of problems to watch for and how to correct them. Why you should also consider customers during your redesign. Resources & Link…

Episode 180 – Make a Brand That Stands Out This Episode  Mark Stephenson & Marc Vila  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn How to make your brand stand out from the crowd How to build trust in your brand How to make people want to do business with you Resources & Links Colman and Company Blog ColDesi Learning Center Le…

How To Make Your Brand Stand Out There are tons of t-shirts shops, sign shops, restaurants and insurance companies everywhere. The world is a busy place. How do you make YOUR brand stand out? How does something emerge amongst the noise? If you want to learn about standing out, watch some nature documentaries. You can see how birds spread their wing…

Maybe you never want to really grow bigger, just grow more profitable. For some people the idea of a big business with hundreds of employees and a big building with a huge sign is a dream. For others it's just to have a business for themselves. Maybe it's a small family business. A business on your terms. It could be you just want to keep it as a s…

Episode 179 – Keeping it SMALL – Steps to Create the Business YOU Want This Episode  Mark Stephenson & Marc Vila  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn How to define your goals Why you should track your time How to focus on tasks and jobs that help you meet your goals How to be more efficient Resources & Links Colman an…

Can you guess how success in your customization business is like success in a fitness, financial, or weight loss program? If your goal is to lose 20lbs by September 30th, you can't start working on that on the 25th and expect to be successful If your financial goal is to save up $20K for a down payment on house, or pay cash for a car, you're probab…

Episode 178 – Building Good Business Habits This Episode  Mark Stephenson & Marc Vila  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn Daily, weekly, and monthly habits that can help you succeed Tools to help you stay organized Resources & Links Colman and Company Blog ColDesi Learning Center Leasing Equipment Episode 178 – Build…

Being a business owner means you wear many hats. Project Manager. Production Manager. Financial Officer. Customer Service. And yes… Sales Person. Chances are you aren’t starting your business with a full time sales person on staff. You might be fortunate and be a natural born sales person. Or maybe your business partner is the sales person for your…

Episode 177 – The Truth is… Now You’re in Sales This Episode  Mark Stephenson & Marc Vila  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn Sales tips and techniques Great closing techniques to help you close more sales – faster! Resources & Links Colman and Company Blog ColDesi Learning Center Leasing Equipment Episode 177 – The …

While we're not always running an advertised promotion, they ARE a powerful tool for increasing sales, creating awareness and maximizing contact with current and future customers. But if you're not IN the promotion business - where do you start? During this episode we'll break down some simple approaches to great promotions and how to get them up a…

Episode 176 – How to Design a Promo/Sale This Episode  Mark Stephenson & Marc Vila  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn How to decide what type of promotion or sale to run How to decide what to feature in your promotion or sale Different types of promotions and sales How to create an effective message Different publis…

Oftentimes when people are shopping to start their t-shirt, embroidery or other customization business, the mind is one track. Which machine do I buy? How to I get the best one? How to I get the best deal? How fast can I get it? But after this decision, many are left with a 'what's next?' mindset, unsure where to go. Further, others get frustrated …

Episode 175 – What You Need to Start a Custom T-Shirt Business (besides a printer) This Episode  Mark Stephenson & Marc Vila  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn Accessories and add-ons that you may need Business considerations, such as a license or tax ID number Accounting considerations, such as accounting software,…

Word-of-mouth marketing is still one of the most effective ways to generate leads and sales How to generate Word of Mouth Label your shirts Do great work Be the "I met a guy/lady/ the other day that does this" Ask for referrals Encourage your customers to refer their friends and family members to your business Friends and Family Plans There's a rea…

Episode 174 – The Best Referral Marketing Strategies for Custom T-shirt Businesses This Episode  Mark Stephenson & Marc Vila  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn Techniques that actually work to increase referrals from customers, friends, social media, and many other sources Resources & Links Colman and Company Blog C…

Episode 173 – How to Order (or Build) Your Website This Episode  Mark Stephenson & Marc Vila  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn Things to consider before taking the first step toward creating a website Whether you should DIY or hire someone How much it costs, and how much is involved in building a website Resources …

Having a website for your business can be very important. We aren't saying every business needs a website, but most will. So how do you go about getting a website made for you? Should you make it yourself? These questions are answered by going through the list below. Once you have gone through all of this you will be in the right position to either…

So you want to start a t-shirt business on a budget. The two cheapest / lowest cost ways to start are with sublimation and HTV (Heat Transfer Vinyl). But what is the difference between Sublimation and HTV? Which is better: Sublimation or Heat Transfer Vinyl? Which is cheaper? In this episode we are going to deep dive into both Sublimation and HTV t…

Episode 172 – 2 Cheapest Ways to Start a T-shirt Business – Sublimation vs Vinyl This Episode  Mark Stephenson & Marc Vila  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn Differences between sublimation and vinyl methods of decorating t-shirts Pros and Cons of sublimation vs vinyl How to determine which is best for your new t-sh…

Episode 171 – Guaranteed Success Plan for your Side Hustle / Small Business This Episode  Mark Stephenson & Marc Vila  customapparelstartups.com  CAS Podcast  ColDesi You Will Learn How to budget your time and money when you’re getting started How to set realistic goals you can achieve Resources & Links Colman and Company Blog ColDesi Learning …