UPS and the Teamsters union representing 340,000 workers are in negotiations for a new contract. The Teamsters are demanding some better working conditions and some higher pay. The current contract expires July 31, 2023 and the union members have already overwhelmingly voted to authorize the Teamster leaders to call a strike if necessary. Our garment…
Hiring people with disabilities can be a great way to improve your company’s culture and bottom line. Studies have shown that companies that employ people with disabilities have higher productivity, lower absenteeism and lower turnover rates. They also have a better reputation with customers and the community. Did you know that there are over 60…
A visit to Ikonics (Chromaline) illustrates some trends in the screenprinting world: 1. The screenprinting world is splitting into high tech and automation versus DIY, side hustle, small crafty shops. 2. The screenprinting world is consolidating. Kornit bought Tesoma. Alpha bought NES, Broder and other distributors. Gildan bought Comfort Colors, American Apparel and Alstyle.…
Tax season is coming up soon and there’s a lot of misleading business advice flying around on social media, so we asked Tyrone Gregory @TheSelfEmployedTaxGuy and Stan Banks @StanBanks to join us in a Shop Talk about Protecting Your Profits. Nothing is certain but death and taxes, so keep your books in order and make…
If you run Shopify stores as part of your business, you’ll probably see a new feature the next time you create a product. “Autowrite” will generate product descriptions for you based on a list of features and key words. It will even adjust the tone of your prose. I gave it a try with a…
I had a great tour of Los Angeles Apparel in Downtown Los Angeles. With barely any notice they gave me the run of the place and let me talk to anyone. Their claims of making all their shirts and treating their workers with respect are ABSOLUTELY true. Even after many years in a somewhat volatile…
Don’t worry if you missed some of the Shop Talks at the recent Impressions Expo in Long Beach. We’ll have every talk up on our YouTube channel in the coming weeks. First up is Rick’s talk with Dov Charney. Unfiltered as always, Dov talked to us about garment trends, imprintable t-shirt history, how to get…
Just because you can’t print a specialty item in your shop, that doesn’t mean you can’t sell it to your customers. Membership in promotional product organizations like ASI and PPAI is inexpensive and gives you access to suppliers, education, discounts, networking, marketing resources and more. This Shop Talk from the 2022 Impressions Expo Fort Worth…
Let your interests drive your niche and you’ll find customers you love to work with. John “Johnny Bomb” Herrera tells us how he became the go-to merch guy for Texas barbecue shops and how you can find your niche and be excited about your business. He doesn’t have the biggest shop in Texas or the…
It’s easy to fall into the trap of spending all your time working inside your business, but how are you working outside to get new customers and clients? LaTonna Roberson of Lady Print Boss breaks it down in this Shop Talk from the Impressions Expo in Fort Worth. Even if you are a one-person shop…
