I was dreaming. I saw myself getting up every morning, putting on cleanly pressed Mercy shirt, and heading out into the shark infested waters of screen printing competition, power-brokering massive-shirt deals, hammering out the details that would make me sore above the competition.
“I can compete” I told myself. “But I have to be able to do everything. I have to be a diverse provider, in a diverse market.” That is a seductive line of reasoning, and in spite of everything I’ve read to the contrary, I still bought into it. It’s not only the biggest bunch of crap, it’s also the single biggest mistake that all new business owners make. It caused me to purchase equipment I can’t afford, and extend myself beyond the constraints of what my family, my faith - my life - can bear.
I should have taken my own advice.
If you’re a small startup, then do the right thing; Be a Small startup. When researching your market think small. Think tiny. Think Infinitesimal. Then strip it down even more. When you get to the point where, if you remove any more markets you’ll be out of business, you’ve found a niche small enough for you can handle - at least till you can hire someone to help you.
Allow yourself to rethink the idea of the niche. Many people believe it’s just about finding a select, untapped microcosm of people, and it can be that. But that’s not an easy thing to just do. A better way to think of Your niche is to consider who you are to your customers. How do you stand out? Finding a niche of untapped people who need a screen printer is unlikely, since everyone who needs a screen printer has probably already been approached by a salesperson from a larger company. So quit trying to find that perfect niche group and get personal.
I did it like this. I can’t be the biggest, the greatest, fastest, most efficient screen printer in the valley. I would be lying to my customers if I said I could. However, I am the only one who uses a great portion of my profits to support missionaries around the world. That means anyone who holds the same desire will likely go with me, even if it means they have to spend a little more to do it.
Carve out what this business means to you, and then stick to it.
2 comments ↓
I stumbled onto your site. I am a newb (I’ve only purchased the Epson 1400 with accurip software) and am finding your advice fasinating. Just today I stumbled into a screenshop and low and behold there was a 6X6 Riley Hopkins press for sale (like new). $5000 for that and a flash dryer and a small belt dryer. I am now tempted to bild my own from the plans out of the book “Screen Printing for fun and profit”. I used to be a machinist and think I can handle it. I suppose a four color press is ok for starters.
Feed back on this would be greatly appreciated.
Hey Vernon!
I think you’re heading in the right direction. My friend Randall, whom I reference often on this site, has been doing this for about 15 years. He built his press using those very same press all those years ago, and to this day, it’s the only one he’ll use.
And he is a fantastic screen printer.
As for AccuRIP if you’re going to go with a RIP, it’s the only one I would recommend. You don’t need it if you’re only going to be printing simple spot color jobs, but if you ever get into some really serious color separations and simulated color, it’s indispensable.
If you used to be a machinist, then you’ve got more than enough skill to build that particular press. I think you’re going about this the right way.
Finally, if you decide that this is something you really like doing, I do recommend eventually getting a conveyor dryer like the one the gentleman has for sell in his shop. It’s the only “big” piece of equipment I recommend purchasing.
Anyway, thanks for the comment, and happy screen printing! If I can be of assistance somehow don’t hesitate to drop me a line. beau@screensplinters.com
God Bless!
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