June 18, 2025 • 7 mins
Join Mo and Mark as they uncover why blaming equipment isn't the answer and how proper business strategies can transform your DTG shop into a profitable enterprise. Learn how to calculate costs, establish a strong brand, and shift your mindset to succeed in the custom apparel industry.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Alright, let's rip the Band-Aid off.
(00:01):
If your DTG shop isn't making money,
stop blaming your printer, your ink,
or, for the love of coffee,your customers!
Because-newsflash-it's not them.
It's you.
Mo, you are absolutely right!
You can have the best printer on themarket,
but if you don't know how to price yourproduct,
how to position your brand,or how to sell effectively,
you're spinning your wheels.
(00:22):
And, honestly,that's where most people trip up.
Yup,
every time!
I mean, let's be real-I've been there.
Early in my career, I blamed everythingunder the sun for why my stuff
wasn't selling.
The market's too competitive,my designs aren't flashy enough-yada yada.
You know what I realized?
What was it?
It was me.
Like... my whole approach was a hot mess.
(00:44):
I wasn't pricing things right.
I wasn't really thinking about,
you know, telling people why they shouldeven buy from me.
It was like, "Here's a shirt!
Please love it like I do!" Doesn't worklike that.
That's such a common
trap.
Business fundamentals are really what itboils down to.
DTG printing can be insanely profitable,
but it's all about understanding whatyour costs are and making sure
(01:10):
you're building a solid pricing structurearound that.
And branding?
Absolutely crucial.
People have to know who you are,
why you're different,and why make the switch.
Exactly!
Look, folks, if you're still thinking ofthis as a hobby-just a little
t-shirt side hustle-then you'll neverscale and scale correctly.
(01:30):
Period.
It's a mindset shift.
The second you start treating your shoplike a real business-tracking
your costs,understanding your profit margins,
capacity, volume, and thinkingstrategically-everything changes.
But too many people ignore those piecesand then wonder why they're not
seeing results.
Mhmm, but they keep blaming the tools,
(01:53):
right?
Like, "Oh, my printer's too slow." Or,
"Ink is just so expensive thesedays."Right,
but those are just excuses.
The truth is, until you get your pricing,
branding, and sales game in order,
no printer in the world is gonna save you.
It's like trying to win a race with aFerrari when you've never driven
a car.
Hah, or when you're, you know,
(02:15):
driving with the parking brake on.
Same energy.
Exactly.
So let's dig into the details,
Mo-like calculating costs and profits.
This is where things can really start toclick for people.
Speaking of
driving with the parking brake on,
let's get into the numbers.
Ignoring costs is probably the first bigmistake most shop owners make
(02:37):
right out of the gate.
You have to know exactly what it takes toproduce each product-otherwise,
it's like driving blindfolded.
Right,
and guessing doesn't pay the bills.
So what's the first thing they usuallymiss?
Labor.
Hands down, labor!
Folks forget to factor in what itactually costs to handle the production.
The
time you spend pre-prepping, printing,
(02:58):
quality control, prepping for shipment,
an packaging.
Even if you think, "Oh, it's just medoing everything," your time needs
to count as a cost.
Yes!
Like, your time has value.
You think Amazon's dropping packages offfor free?
They're accounting for every second.
Exactly.
And then there's the material side.
Look, a shirt isn't just a shirt-it's theblank garment,
(03:19):
the pretreatment, the ink,folding and unfolding,
counting, the packaging.
Every little thing adds up.
For example,if the total cost of a shirt is about,
say, 10 and a half bucks,and you sell it for 24,
you're making 13 and a half in profit pershirt.
But that only works if every cost isaccounted for.
Okay,
(03:41):
but let's be honest-how often are folksactually doing that calculation?
Rarely.
And that's where they go wrong.
I remember when I started my shop in mybasement.
I had this mindset that if I just keptprinting,
kept moving,the money would magically appear.
It didn't.
Not until I sat down and really figuredout my costs.
That was a game-changer.
Oh, you mean likespreadsheets-on-a-Saturday-night
(04:04):
kind of vibe?
Pretty much.
But it paid off.
Suddenly I knew exactly how much I neededto charge to make a profit
and, more importantly,where I was bleeding money.
It's not flashy, but it works.
Honestly, that's how I started scaling-byfinding those holes and plugging
them.
See?
And that's the kind of detail people skipbecause-what?
They think it's boring?
Right.
(04:25):
Or they think branding or selling willfix everything when the foundation-knowing
your numbers-isn't even solid.
You can't ignore your costs and expect tosurvive.
So,
knowing your costs is the foundation,
but let's talk about taking it to thenext level.
If you're still thinking of your shop asa side gig,
you're never gonna hit that next level,
(04:45):
and you will fail miserably.
I promise.
The mindset has to shift; you've gottastart running things like an actual
business.
And part of that shift meansunderstanding that it's not just
about creating cool designs.
It's about building a brand.
People need to know who you are,
what you stand for, and why they shouldchoose you over someone else.
(05:08):
You have to provide a value addedservice.
Right,
and branding isn't just about slappingyour logo on some packaging.
It's the whole package-your messaging,
your visuals, the way people feel whenthey interact with your shop.
You've gotta look professional,
even if you're still working out of yourgarage.
Exactly.
(05:30):
And let's not forget about sales.
Look,you can be the best printer in the world,
but if you can't sell your product,
it doesn't matter.
Getting out there,marketing to the right people,
following up with leads-those are thethings that make a business thrive.
And
sales is where a lot of people freeze,
(05:50):
right?
Like, "Oh, I'm not a naturalsalesperson." But here's the thing-selling
doesn't have to be pushy or sleazy.
It's just getting people to see the valueof what you're offering.
Right,
it's about education, not pressure.
You're showing them why what you'reoffering solves a problem or meets
a need.
And that only works if you're confidentin your product and your brand.
Confidence
(06:14):
is key.
And, you know, a little self-reflectiongoes a long way too.
If something isn't working,don't double down on bad habits.
Pivot.
Improve.
That's how you shift from hobbyist toentrepreneur.
Exactly.
And if this all feels overwhelming,
just start small.
Tackle one thing at a time.
Maybe focus on your pricing this week,
(06:35):
your branding next week,quality the week after.
Build momentum.
Totally.
Progress, not perfection, right?
And hey, if you need some guidance or apartner to handle the heavy lifting,
check out contract-dtg.
com.
We'll help you get those orders out thedoor so you can focus on building
your brand.
You've got this.
(06:56):
Take the leap, make those changes,
and get after it.
You might do something this way next week,
and find out next week a new method thatstill yields quality.
You need to be willing,flexible and motivated.
Alright,
folks, that's it for today.
Thanks for Talkin' Shirt with us.
" Keep us posted on your progress-send usthose success stories!
And, as always, run your shop.
Don't let your shop run you.
Alright, let's rip the Band-Aid off.
(00:01):
If your DTG shop isn't making money,
stop blaming your printer, your ink,
or, for the love of coffee,your customers!
Because-newsflash-it's not them.
It's you.
Mo, you are absolutely right!
You can have the best printer on themarket,
but if you don't know how to price yourproduct,
how to position your brand,or how to sell effectively,
you're spinning your wheels.
(00:22):
And, honestly,that's where most people trip up.
Yup,
every time!
I mean, let's be real-I've been there.
Early in my career, I blamed everythingunder the sun for why my stuff
wasn't selling.
The market's too competitive,my designs aren't flashy enough-yada yada.
You know what I realized?
What was it?
It was me.
Like... my whole approach was a hot mess.
(00:44):
I wasn't pricing things right.
I wasn't really thinking about,
you know, telling people why they shouldeven buy from me.
It was like, "Here's a shirt!
Please love it like I do!" Doesn't worklike that.
That's such a common
trap.
Business fundamentals are really what itboils down to.
DTG printing can be insanely profitable,
but it's all about understanding whatyour costs are and making sure
(01:10):
you're building a solid pricing structurearound that.
And branding?
Absolutely crucial.
People have to know who you are,
why you're different,and why make the switch.
Exactly!
Look, folks, if you're still thinking ofthis as a hobby-just a little
t-shirt side hustle-then you'll neverscale and scale correctly.
(01:30):
Period.
It's a mindset shift.
The second you start treating your shoplike a real business-tracking
your costs,understanding your profit margins,
capacity, volume, and thinkingstrategically-everything changes.
But too many people ignore those piecesand then wonder why they're not
seeing results.
Mhmm, but they keep blaming the tools,
(01:53):
right?
Like, "Oh, my printer's too slow." Or,
"Ink is just so expensive thesedays."Right,
but those are just excuses.
The truth is, until you get your pricing,
branding, and sales game in order,
no printer in the world is gonna save you.
It's like trying to win a race with aFerrari when you've never driven
a car.
Hah, or when you're, you know,
(02:15):
driving with the parking brake on.
Same energy.
Exactly.
So let's dig into the details,
Mo-like calculating costs and profits.
This is where things can really start toclick for people.
Speaking of
driving with the parking brake on,
let's get into the numbers.
Ignoring costs is probably the first bigmistake most shop owners make
(02:37):
right out of the gate.
You have to know exactly what it takes toproduce each product-otherwise,
it's like driving blindfolded.
Right,
and guessing doesn't pay the bills.
So what's the first thing they usuallymiss?
Labor.
Hands down, labor!
Folks forget to factor in what itactually costs to handle the production.
The
time you spend pre-prepping, printing,
(02:58):
quality control, prepping for shipment,
an packaging.
Even if you think, "Oh, it's just medoing everything," your time needs
to count as a cost.
Yes!
Like, your time has value.
You think Amazon's dropping packages offfor free?
They're accounting for every second.
Exactly.
And then there's the material side.
Look, a shirt isn't just a shirt-it's theblank garment,
(03:19):
the pretreatment, the ink,folding and unfolding,
counting, the packaging.
Every little thing adds up.
For example,if the total cost of a shirt is about,
say, 10 and a half bucks,and you sell it for 24,
you're making 13 and a half in profit pershirt.
But that only works if every cost isaccounted for.
Okay,
(03:41):
but let's be honest-how often are folksactually doing that calculation?
Rarely.
And that's where they go wrong.
I remember when I started my shop in mybasement.
I had this mindset that if I just keptprinting,
kept moving,the money would magically appear.
It didn't.
Not until I sat down and really figuredout my costs.
That was a game-changer.
Oh, you mean likespreadsheets-on-a-Saturday-night
(04:04):
kind of vibe?
Pretty much.
But it paid off.
Suddenly I knew exactly how much I neededto charge to make a profit
and, more importantly,where I was bleeding money.
It's not flashy, but it works.
Honestly, that's how I started scaling-byfinding those holes and plugging
them.
See?
And that's the kind of detail people skipbecause-what?
They think it's boring?
Right.
(04:25):
Or they think branding or selling willfix everything when the foundation-knowing
your numbers-isn't even solid.
You can't ignore your costs and expect tosurvive.
So,
knowing your costs is the foundation,
but let's talk about taking it to thenext level.
If you're still thinking of your shop asa side gig,
you're never gonna hit that next level,
(04:45):
and you will fail miserably.
I promise.
The mindset has to shift; you've gottastart running things like an actual
business.
And part of that shift meansunderstanding that it's not just
about creating cool designs.
It's about building a brand.
People need to know who you are,
what you stand for, and why they shouldchoose you over someone else.
(05:08):
You have to provide a value addedservice.
Right,
and branding isn't just about slappingyour logo on some packaging.
It's the whole package-your messaging,
your visuals, the way people feel whenthey interact with your shop.
You've gotta look professional,
even if you're still working out of yourgarage.
Exactly.
(05:30):
And let's not forget about sales.
Look,you can be the best printer in the world,
but if you can't sell your product,
it doesn't matter.
Getting out there,marketing to the right people,
following up with leads-those are thethings that make a business thrive.
And
sales is where a lot of people freeze,
(05:50):
right?
Like, "Oh, I'm not a naturalsalesperson." But here's the thing-selling
doesn't have to be pushy or sleazy.
It's just getting people to see the valueof what you're offering.
Right,
it's about education, not pressure.
You're showing them why what you'reoffering solves a problem or meets
a need.
And that only works if you're confidentin your product and your brand.
Confidence
(06:14):
is key.
And, you know, a little self-reflectiongoes a long way too.
If something isn't working,don't double down on bad habits.
Pivot.
Improve.
That's how you shift from hobbyist toentrepreneur.
Exactly.
And if this all feels overwhelming,
just start small.
Tackle one thing at a time.
Maybe focus on your pricing this week,
(06:35):
your branding next week,quality the week after.
Build momentum.
Totally.
Progress, not perfection, right?
And hey, if you need some guidance or apartner to handle the heavy lifting,
check out contract-dtg.
com.
We'll help you get those orders out thedoor so you can focus on building
your brand.
You've got this.
(06:56):
Take the leap, make those changes,
and get after it.
You might do something this way next week,
and find out next week a new method thatstill yields quality.
You need to be willing,flexible and motivated.
Alright,
folks, that's it for today.
Thanks for Talkin' Shirt with us.
" Keep us posted on your progress-send usthose success stories!
And, as always, run your shop.
Don't let your shop run you.
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