Printavo PrintHustlers Podcast

What if your shop could do the same volume of work with fewer employees—and you didn’t have to answer every customer email yourself? In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, we sit down with John from The Graphic Hive in South Williamsport, PA to talk about implementing lean manufacturing, using AI to streamline front-office tasks, and how his real estate strategy helps the business thrive.

In this solo episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, Bruce introduces a powerful mindset shift for business owners: the Signal vs Noise framework. If you’ve been feeling burnt out, overwhelmed, or stretched too thin in your shop, this episode is for you. Bruce breaks down how identifying your “signal” tasks—the high-impact activities that actually move your business forward—and eliminating “noise”...

What does it take to grow a print shop 4X in just four years? Matt Pasut, owner of Team Outfitters in Sarnia, Ontario, shares how he went from running a marketing agency to scaling a decorated apparel business by blending smart systems, Printavo, AI tools like ChatGPT, and deeply rooted community branding.

Thinking about selling your shop one day? This episode is for you. Steven and Bruce sit down with Professor Jeffrey Kurtz — their former business school instructor and now a seasoned business broker — to unpack what it really takes to sell a small business like a print shop.

Are you using AI in your print shop… or are you about to get left behind? In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, Steven Farag sits down with Matt Marcotte (ScreenPrintGPT, Sound & Fury) to break down how AI is transforming every department in your shop — from sales and marketing to artwork and operations.

In this solo episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, Bruce shares 15 hard-hitting business lessons inspired by the book Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson (the founders of Basecamp/37signals).

In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, we sit down with Kevin Watson of Good Ink and Michigan Awesome to talk about one of the boldest moves a shop can make — scaling down to grow smarter.

What happens when a dream merger turns into a business nightmare? In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, Leeah Calvert of 918 Design Co. shares her incredible story of merging with another print shop — only to discover that their CFO wasn't telling the full story!

In this episode of Behind the Signs, we’re joined once again by Lee Stuart — screen printer, content creator, and now the founder of Rogue Transfers. Lee opens up about the mental health struggles he’s faced while growing his business, how he’s building systems to run his shop without him, and why he changed his mind about Direct-to-Film printing.

In this Print Hustlers Podcast episode, Justin Lawrence of Oklahoma Shirt Company reveals the human-first systems that helped grow his shop. From humble beginnings printing in a hallway to running a massive operation, Justin shares how emotional intelligence, team empathy, and dialed-in systems were the real growth levers—not just marketing or machinery.

In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, we sit down with Justin Moore of Barrel Maker Printing and LivePrinting.com . Justin shares the raw, behind-the-scenes journey of building a powerhouse print shop—including how live printing became a massive revenue stream, why Profit First has guided his daily financial habits for 8 years, and the reality of launching side projects like Second Chance...

DGI Apparel—the “Expedia of blanks”—just got shut down. So what happened… and what does it mean for your shop? In this solo Print Hustlers Podcast, Bruce and Steven break down the surprising shutdown of DGI Apparel, a software that allowed decorators to compare prices across major garment manufacturers. The platform had to close its doors—leaving shops with fewer sourcing tools and big questions a...

ThreadX just wrapped—and Steven’s back with a full recap of what went down. Hosted at Robert Redford’s Sundance Resort, ThreadX 2025 brought together shop owners, CEOs, and thought leaders for an intimate and powerful weekend.

Is your screen printing shop running you… or are you running it? In this episode, we sit down with Michael Richman, certified EOS implementer and Fabric. Ink coach, to talk about why so many shop owners feel stuck—and how the right systems can help them get unstuck. Michael shares lessons from building and selling a custom manufacturing business, the real-world application of EOS (Entrepreneurial...

What if the secret to business success isn’t hustle—but calm? In Part 2 of our conversation with Andy Rudman of Shirt Kong, we dive deep into the emotional and practical evolution of running a shop for 16+ years. From legacy and burnout to customer service as marketing, Andy shares raw, honest lessons that every print shop owner needs to hear. 🎧 Topics Covered: • What Andy wishes he knew on day o...

What’s holding your shop back from the next level? In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, we sit down with Andy Rudman, owner of Shirt Kong, to talk candidly about the real challenges screen print shops face when trying to grow—from leadership mindset to hiring strategies and building sustainable systems. Andy shares: • Why most owners wait too long to let go • What he learned from merging...

If you don’t know your shop’s profitability until it’s too late… you’re not alone. In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, we sit down with Nick Gowerluck, founder of PrintProfit.com , to break down the exact numbers every print shop owner needs to track—no fluff, just real data that can change your business. Nick shares: • The “contribution margin” method for real-time profit tracking • Wh...

In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, we’re joined by John Gibbs, founder of Logo Daddy Graphics, as he shares how he built a $3M+ print shop that doesn’t rely on him to operate day-to-day. From designing a business that supports his lifestyle to hiring the right team and maintaining profitability through market shifts, John gets real about what it takes to scale and step back.

Most shop owners are buried in the day-to-day. Orders, emails, interviews, production — it never stops. But what if just 1% of your time could change everything? In this solo episode, Bruce Ackerman breaks down a tactical, three-part framework for using 1% of your time each month (just 2 hours!) to slow down, think, and define where you actually want your business — and your life — to go. He share...

Bruce and Steven sit down to talk shop — literally. No guests, no fluff — just two print industry veterans breaking down the realities of running, growing, and surviving in the custom apparel world. They dig into: • Why most shop owners never make time to think strategically • The 5 stages of business growth (and where most shops get stuck) • How to avoid burning cash during busy season • What rea...

In this solo episode, Bruce from Printavo breaks down what it really means to reach peak performance as a shop owner — and how to build a business that doesn’t run your life. After over a decade of running Printavo, helping thousands of shops, and reflecting on leadership at scale, Bruce shares his vision of the “Mecca” for print shop owners This is an honest, tactical look at how to stop grinding...

Hiring the right production manager can transform your shop — and hiring the wrong one can set you back months. In this episode, Billy McDevitt returns to the Print Hustlers Podcast for part 3 of his hiring journey. Billy opens up about what went wrong with the first candidate, how they revamped their hiring process, and how Josh — their new production manager — changed everything. From trial days...

In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, Bruce and Steven go deep. From the long-awaited receiving feature launch in Printavo, to scaling with better tools like Zapier and Gusto, to what shops are getting totally wrong about buying DTF machines — this one’s full of sharp insights, hard truths, and software that actually saves your sanity. They also share what they’ve learned running Fabric.i...

What does it take to build a powerhouse sales and customer service team in the print industry? Zach Corn, VP of Sales & Customer Experience at Barrel Maker, breaks it all down — from managing live events across the world to crafting intentional hiring and training systems that actually work. Zach shares the lessons learned from cold-calling at Groupon, managing massive live printing gigs, and...

In this episode of the Print Hustlers Podcast, we sit down with Clive Ormerod, CEO of AS Colour, one of the most respected premium apparel brands in the world. Clive shares his approach to leadership, brand building, innovation, and why obsession with detail separates good companies from great ones. From his time at Nike to growing AS Colour globally, Clive’s journey is packed with real, practical...