Success Stories with Marshall Atkinson

How do you know when it is right to shift your business from one strategy to another completely?  That’s the focus of today’s Success Stories podcast, as we’ll talk to Josiah Blackmore with Red Threads in Midland, Michigan. Red Threads went from a retail focus and in-house production company to one that outsources the work and has brought in a different strategy for B2B work. Josiah will share his...

As everyone should know by now, the fundamentals of business matter.  On today’s Success Stories podcast, LaTonna Roberson - also known as the Lady Print Boss, will share her thoughts on the industry, what are the key fundamentals for running a profitable business, and her views on what’s ahead for the industry. LaTonna operates her company, T-shirt Shop Dallas, with the help of her team of family...

Just how good are the processes in your shop?  What do you do if you learn something and need to begin installing what you have learned? On today’s Success Stories podcast, we’ll dig into that continuous improvement conversation with Cory Beal with Floodway Print Co in Winnipeg, Canada. Cory’s journey started from the early days as a BMX bike rider who wanted some merch and had the desire to learn...

It’s been said that it is important to be different if you want to stand out from a crowd.  As the self-title Fairy Gothmother in Roanoke, Virginia’s Big Lick Screen Printing, Marj Easterling, has done that.   Her local Roanoke magazine dubbed her “the face of custom apparel.” This was no accident.  For Marj, what earned her that title was her emphasis on creating the “Wow factor” in everything Bi...

On today’s Success Stories podcast, we will discuss starting a t-shirt side hustle with the guru on this, Stan Banks. Stan has amassed a large YouTube following for his show “T-shirt Side Hustle,” which has over 100,000 subscribers.  But how did he get started?  What is it like to have a successful t-shirt YouTube show career?  How does Stan see the future of the industry? We’ll get those question...

What happens when both you and your wife lose your jobs and also find out that you are expecting your first child?  Naturally, you start a business and work both hard and fast to grow your new company. That’s how today’s guest Jonathan Tynes with Kick Print, started out with his shop.  Since then, he and his wife Danielle have continually evolved their entrepreneurial journey. On today’s Success S...

One of the true legends of the industry is Mark Coudray.  A master printer, forward-thinking entrepreneur, and mentor to a myriad of shops in the industry.  Mark has helped scores of businesses across the globe reach their profit potential. On today’s Success Stories podcast we’ll take a look back to the past, and also be scouting out the future, with insights from one of the most popular figures...

One of the most remarkable Success Stories in the industry is Chicago’s own, Culture Studio.  In today’s podcast, we’ll be talking with Rich Santo about providing tour merch for some of the biggest names in the music industry, how they launched their own shop software, and how they have grown over the years. Get ready to be inspired as we chat about success with Rich Santo and his shop, Culture St...

What would you do if you could spend some time with a person who has been active in this industry since 1976?  What questions would you ask?  What would you want to know? That’s what we’re going to do on this episode of Success Stories as our guest for the podcast is none other than Charlie Taublieb.  If you have attended a trade show in the past twenty years you may have taken one of his classes....

Let’s say you have a family-owned shop that has been around for over 43 years. You’ve gone from the early founding and startup years to the mega national music touring years, to the contract printing (Custom Ink) years, post-contract printing, COVID, and now a whole new era for your company. That’s what we’re going to discuss on today’s Success Stories podcast.  Will and Jackson Kulick are brother...

How can screen printing a shirt or running a screen-printing business factor in with the aspect of mental health?  What about the concept of running a business with a bigger mission mentality? On today’s Success Stories podcast we are going to hear the amazing journey of Amber Massey who runs T-shirts for Hope in Fortson, Georgia… which is 90 minutes south of Atlanta. So sit back, relax and get re...

Today’s Success Stories podcast is all about how you find new information and put it to use in your shop.  Terry Keeven with St. Louis Print Company has been refining his business since 2007 with new ideas.   We’ll learn where these ideas come from, how he is implementing them, and what it takes to get continuous improvement changes working in a business. Get ready to hear some impactful informati...

On today’s Success Stories podcast you are in for a real treat, as we have legendary industry character Pete Junior on board to talk about his family business, New Era Apparel in Oceanside, NY. Pete’s father started the business in 1989 with a single table-top press, and now they are one of the go-to shops in the northeast and New York City.  We’ll learn about New Era’s roots, and how Pete’s backg...

On today’s Success Stories podcast we are going to focus on what it takes to change the focus of your business from one type of customer base to another.  That’s what Ron Augelli with We Talk Shirty in Scranton Pennsylvania did, and he is going to share his insights with that journey. So grab some paper and a pencil and come along for the ride as we walk you through that journey of getting from A...

In today’s Success Stories Podcast, we will be hearing from Bobby Harris with K&B Promotions in Arlington Texas about how he’s built his shop around an excellent proactive culture, with the main ingredient being based on teamwork. Bobby’s shop is a contract decorator, and they handle screenprinting, embroidery, DTG, banners, and other work for their customers.  They are all about quality and a...

On today's Success Stories podcast, we're going back to school. Shirt School that is, with the one and only Kerry Egeler.  Kerry runs a highly successful online program that helps teach people how to succeed in the apparel industry. Whether it is with a Shopify store or another online platform, he has helped folks grow and manage their business with his educational workshops and videos....

On today’s Success Stories podcast we are going to focus on what it is like to build out a family business that actually works.  Heather Streible is the leader of a woman-owned apparel decorating company, Replica Screen Printing , that she runs with her family in Cave City, Kentucky.  Their dedication to perfection, friendly customer service, and reputation for doing high-end detailed work have ga...

Sure, you've been in business for a few years... has the daily grind wear you down to a knob?  Have you lost your passion for what you thought was an earth-shattering career move a few years ago?  That absolutely is not the case with today's guests on this episode of Success Stories. Austin, Texas-based Tony Diaz with Industry Print Shop has been cranking out some of the most creative ar...

When something is sales are booming, we often call that action a “trend.”  This is when you want to strike while the iron is hot because we all know that trends can come and go. On today’s Success Stories podcast, we’ll speak with one of the leading experts on trends, Jessica Gibbons-Rauch with Trendependent as she’ll help dissect what it takes to stay on top of the latest trends.   Trendependent...

Have you ever wondered how the top sales professionals in our industry actually build their success?  Where do they start?  How do they identify the right opportunities?  What helps them sustain the growth with the most profitable clients? On today’s Success Stories podcast, we’ll be discussing all of that and more with one of the top sales minds in the business, Justin McKibben with Melmarc and a...

I have a quick question for you?  Are you in alignment with your customers that help you maximize your profitability? That’s the topic of conversation on this episode of Success Stories.  Shawn LaFave with North Georgia Promotions in Alpharetta, GA will help decode the mysteries surrounding this idea.  He’ll give tips on what you need to do to change your business to make more profit. If that is s...

Many shops in the decorated apparel industry have tied their success to a social mission or maybe they support a cause. On today’s Success Stories, we’ll speak with Patrick Bardsley and Josh Mirsky with Port Washington, NY-based Spectrum Designs on their mission to employ staff members that are on the Autism Spectrum.  Instead of only fundraising and giving to a cause, they are directly impacting...

If there's one person as uniquely qualified to discuss the future of the industry is Paul Bellantone.  With HALO Branded Solutions, he recently made the switch from running PPAI, an organization dedicated to the advancement and education in the promotional products industry, to a senior VP role of sales at HALO.  In this Success Stories podcast, we'll discuss the transition from his serv...

For creating unique designs for apparel, what medium do you use and typically stick to for orders? How do you learn something unique?  On today's Success Stories podcast, we'll speak with Artem Ionitsa owner of Logo Unlimited in Woodinville, WA about he has created a unique approach to satisfying customers by offering a wide range of decoration methods. Logo Unlimited employs traditional...

If you've ever wondered how a recording artist or brand has so quickly developed a merchandise line of their own, chances are someone like Todd Moen with KREATIV LAUNCH was behind it. Todd's company specializes in bringing ideas to life. With over 25 years of experience in production, distribution, and licensing, KREATIV LAUNCH has been the go-to partner for many well-known brands, such...