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Picture it,
you’re in the middle of corporate America. A soul-sucking, never-ending 9-to-5
train going nowhere fast. You dream of freedom; being in control of your income
and your time. Fortunately, it’s 2018 and it’s never been easier or more
possible now to start a side hustle. It’s going to take a lot of work to get
your side hustle off the ground, so here are a few tips to get going.
1. Decide how many shirts you want to be
printing each month. This is an important question to ask yourself. You
don’t want to settle on a number that’s too low; or it won’t be worth your
time. You also don’t want to take on too much in the beginning because you can
easily get burnt out. A good idea to get an estimate on how many shirts you can
do per month is to get a few jobs lined up beforehand. If you already have work
lined up, and you know there’s demand in your area for shirts, then you can
better prepare yourself for the coming months. Most shops will offer customers
a 24-piece minimum, so you can also start there.
2. Decide on what equipment to start with.
Texsource offers the best equipment in the industry with many startup packages
to choose from at startup friendly prices. For this article, we’re going to
recommend this https://bit.ly/2NZU2NE
small business kit from Genesis. It’s competitively priced and includes a 4
color/ 2 station press. Sure, you can spend hours sourcing all the supplies and
equipment you’re going to need, or you can save tons of time and money by
investing in a package that’s convenient and suits your needs. The package we
mentioned above includes absolutely everything you’ll need to start printing
shirts in no time. We’ve included 11 colors of ink, 6 standard size 110 mesh screens
and all the emulsion and chemicals you’ll need to get started in the right
direction.
3. Consider where you’re going to operate your
side-hustle. Next you need to find and dedicate a space for your screen
printing side hustle. The package mentioned earlier will easily fit in a 10x10
space. There are many successful screen printers who started out in their
garages. Just like any work from home scenario, make sure the space you pick is
specifically for work. In this case, screen printing. Consider things like ink
storage, cleanup, spills, screen storage, the area needed for your press and
other equipment. Etc.
4. Obtain necessary permits and licenses. Because
you are starting out as a side hustle from home, you’re not going to be looking
at a building or office space; however, you’ll need to apply for a reseller’s
permit from your state department of revenue. This will allow you to buy
wholesale from suppliers and not pay sales tax. You’ll be charging your
customers tax and then paying it back to your state. Legal formation of your
business should also be considered. Are you going to be a sole proprietor, a
partnership, a corporation or LLC? Companies like LegalZoom offer incredible
resources for new business owners. Decide what formation works best for you.
5. Get trained on how to use your new
equipment. They say an investment in yourself is always a wise choice; we
highly suggest getting some training on the basics of screen printing. This
will give you tons of confidence going forward in your new venture. Texsource
offers some of the best educational material in the industry; including an
intro to screen printing class. If you’re near our North Carolina facility, we
have a class coming up on November 16th. All our classes feature
individualized hands-on instruction. For more information on our classes, visit
www.screenprintingsupply.com.
Youtube is also a great resource for beginners and even printers with years of
experience. Start with the basics, and as you go along you’ll be able to offer
more services to your customers.
6. Start your screen printing journey.
Screen printing can be a very lucrative and enjoyable business to be in. If
you’re looking to escape corporate America or just want to earn some extra
money on the side, screen printing is a great vehicle for that. We hope this
little guide gave you some insights and considerations that will make jumping
into the world of screen printing a littler easier.