SHIRT SHOW

Got up bright and early to chat across the globe and across the construct of time with our friend from down under, Steve Paulson. Having started Short Batch with the mentality of no job is too small, he just may need to rebrand after all the success and growth he’s had over the years. Naturally, we’ve offered him the perfect name to switch to. Topics of discussion include: Hair product, gardening, broken parts and missed shipments, worldwide slow season, low quantity printing, advising customers, print purist mindset, boxy tees, generational divides, astrology, screenprintGPT weighs in on pushing vs pulling a manual squeegee, and dullies.

Back home from our Chicago travels, still buzzing from our Spring Break event we held at M&R. Not exactly focused, but not NOT coherent, you know? Anyway, topics of discussion include: Setting travel goals, rolling with the punches everyday, advice for our younger selves, emotional considerations, unsubscribing, procedure for names on back of shirts, and poetry.

After recently scaling back a bit, Drew is keeping things simple at West Cliff Ink. If he ever decides to scale again, it’s gonna be built on a solid foundation. In the mean time, he and his tight crew are in a great spot, and the Santa Cruz weather isn’t too bad either. Topics of discussion include: ThreadX, solar eclipse, business picking up a bit, shop growth, the importance of word of mouth, prioritizing quality, preferred tack for fleece, and friendship bracelets.

Sammy is nearly 5 years into his print journey with Branded Threads, and this former wrestler is still sweeping people off their feet, but with a little less spandex, and a lot more shirts. Operating out of his sweet barndominium setup, Sammy is burning the candle at both ends a bit, and is looking for some help, and a little more sleep. Topics of discussion include: the history of sneezes, power outages, romantic lighting, sales & marketing methods, trust issues, traction, evolution as a shop owner, hiring friends, guitar hero, and frog head settlement from Aldi.

200 episodes in and we're planning for the sweet and inevitable embrace of death, Dave and Andy bury the hatchet, Dave quizzes our print knowledge, we talk about our first jobs, the creative process, artistic instinct, and the meaning of life.

Living between artistry and industry, Zach’s retro inspired prints are fueled by a genuine love for the project itself, and the quality and integrity of his prints truly shine through. Topics of discussion include: A lil AC recap, butt rock, vintage clothing, poster printing, limited editions, scalpers, custom packaging, chasing inspiration over money, comic books, printing over seams, and the skill of saying no.

So, 2 coders and a printer walk into MIT... naturally, they put their heads together, as well as their initials, and now it looks like the pain in the ass of ordering blanks has been streamlined. Topics of discussion include: movie concessions, social media breaks, how DGI's website works for you, a demo of their purchasing experience, future developments, mulch, shark tank, and once again… Costco.

Matt Cassidy left his career on an oil rig behind him, and traded it in for ink. Passion project/side hustle turned main gig, Strength Screen Printing is crushing it in Saskatoon, but Matt is currently at a fork in the road. Traveling back and forth between Vancouver and Saskatoon is no light commute, and Matt is weighing his options on whether or not the future of Strength lies in opening up a whole new shop, a satellite location, or something that has yet to be discovered. Topics of discussion include: Sun burns, fight club, long distance relationships, the value of quality of life, fakeflation, death ladders, your personal identity being intertwined with your business, cd changers, and procurement contracts.

Having started Legacy just before the pandemic, CJ & Dan have weathered high highs and low lows at a rapid pace. But focusing on specialty garment finishing, and playing to each other's strengths have truly kept their Legacy intact, and thriving. Topics of discussion include: Dilly’s reefer madness, non competes, customer loyalty, whale customers, “missing shirts”, the shelf life of coated screens, premade flag prints, poly bagging, and delicious insects of the sea.

After learning to print in college, then simultaneously running two autos for a large print company, Brittany is out on her own now and carving her own path with No Pressure Printing. Topics of discussion include: Potato crimes, alternate careers, it’s always sunny, the slow life, print education, taking the leap, keeping in touch with your team, sign up or give up, living and loving the entrepreneur life, printing on dyed garments, discord, board games, cringe business moments, and breakfast sandwiches.

Jon's come a long way from printing through panty hose and renting from a questionable landlord, but We Make Shirts isn't trying to become a 30 press shop either. They're happily serving their local community, business is good, and that level of comfortability is something we can all strive for. Topics of discussion include: Our first SSSNL, Reverse bippage, new merch, remembering names, mission statements, making screens by hand, staying motivated, creative blocks, replaying conversations, promo products, and Shirt Show tattoos.

Honored to have spent our Valentine's Day with Navid at Syndicate, who is currently working through a new press install. Of all the people he could have gone on a date with, he chose us, and the conversation that followed was sweeter than any heart shaped candy on the market. Navid has come a long way from embroidering for 50 cents an hour, and we're proud to help share his story which is sure to inspire. Topics of discussion include: Muscle Milk, breakfast at lunch not brunch, hot market printing, Shirt Show Spring Break, the ideal amount of press heads, garment decoration in prisons, going from embroidery to screen printing, the unbearable weight of a chameleon, when or when not to give advice, Super Bowl commercials, and experiential marketing.

We got to meet with Neal a matter of hours before signing the lease on his own shop space. Not what you'd expect to hear from a shop with nearly a decade of business under it's belt already. You also wouldn't expect to start up a print shop of your own out of the shop you were just fired from either, but Neal found a way. Not your average print tale here folks! Topics of discussion include: Breathing exercise, Andy offending Dave Gardner, the Super Bowl, Shirt Show Camp 2024, Hotlanta, starting as a screen cleaner, specialty prints, the impact of water based inks, leasing shop space and equipment, entering into a partnership, sharing feelings, shop TVs, and Rom Coms.

Posted up at the M&R booth at ISS Long Beach, we say hi to this guy from Hello. Known for their merchandising and fulfillment for touring artists, Hello Merch has been servicing your favorite band since '08. Stoked we got to chat with Aaron Berns, and figure out just how he keeps an operation with so many moving parts running smoothly. Topics of discussion include: Making your lead printer your production manager, managing people, shadowing and training, production samples, pushing water based ink, dealing with on demand ordering, and chicken fingers in dimly lit Ubers.

A shop started post-pandemic, and raised by Shirt Show… Garret and Jessica Pratt somehow managed to create the beautiful West River Printing despite our terrible parenting. Topics of discussion include: Oregon trail, music, DIY camp shirts, getting backed by an insurance company, family businesses, getting through slow seasons, coaching customers, and Mr. Beast.

Opake is a shop that does it ALL, and Dallas & Thai are the duo behind Vancouver's favorite one stop shop. With it being January in a brand new year and all, we found ourselves not only reflecting on the past, but planning for an effective and efficient 2024. Topics of discussion include: Ear hair, the January lull, vehicle wraps, diversify or focus, online stores and fulfillment, screen printing classes, group chat etiquette, setting goals, having mentors, and sloppy joes.

So glad we got to catch up with Ranger & Pulido, the two halves of the brain behind Norman Roscoe in Denton, Texas. A unique and inarguably original shop that is dripping in nostalgia, fueled by genuine enthusiasm, and is unafraid to shoot from the hip. Topics of discussion include: Stress induced delirium, herniated discs, growing your retail, vintage tees, the importance of location, faith in humanity, dipping your toes into DTF, targeted marketing, January scaries, and Reddit.

One hundred and ten episodes later... Lee is Back! A lot has happened since we last had him on, and after nearly losing EVERYTHING, he's back on top and planning not only bigger, but better. Topics of discussion include: Printing competitions, becoming an employer, growing your team, outgrowing your shop space, educational videos and courses, what to do differently in 2024, risk, journaling, and dumb phones.

We are so stoked to bring you the inaugural yet soon to be annual... Shirtees. Co-hosted with Bruce Ackerman and Steven Farag, we are giving out this most prestigious award to our favorites of 2023 across the following categories: Favorite podcast guest, blank of the year, coolest moment of the year, shop to watch, product of the year, most innovative software of the year, event of the year, and sexiest person. The awards are then followed by our wildest predictions, and what to bet on in 2024. Cheers!

Tis the season to get your shit together, and we'd like to share the gift of Monday to help you do so. Chris has implemented Monday through every facet of his business, and even a little bit into his personal life as well, so who better to walk us through this beautiful program than him? Topics of discussion include: Christmas time, Upstatemerch.sucks, Monday implemented into production, CRM, ink/thread/transfers stock, supply ordering, blanks stock, and holiday bonuses.