Starting a T-Shirt Business: From Idea to Open Doors

Starting a T-Shirt Shop: Equipment, Costs, Legal Steps

You want a simple path from idea to open. No fluff. Just what to check, what to buy, and who to call. You’ll find it here.

Start with yourself. Are you ready for uncertain income, long days, and full responsibility? If you’re still on the fence, read Points to Consider Before Starting Your Business and How Passion Affects Your Business. Passion won’t print shirts, but it will carry you when things get hard.

Then talk to people already doing this work. You’ll avoid months of trial and error. See How to find critical information from the right people for a practical way to get real facts before you spend.

Is This Business Right for You?

Be candid with yourself. Are you moving toward a craft you enjoy, or running away from a job you dislike? The first path fuels you. The second drains you fast.

Ask if your family supports the time commitment. Expect early mornings, late nights, and tight turnarounds before events and team seasons. You’ll trade a steady paycheck for uncertainty.

Skills can be learned or you can hire for these positions. What matters is that the work gets done right. You can start lean and bring in help for design, bookkeeping, marketing, etc., as you grow.

Self-Check Before You Spend

Ground yourself before you order gear or sign a lease. Use these points to decide what comes next.

If you’re not sure about an item, park it and return later. The goal is steady progress, not perfection on day one.

Keep notes. You’ll use them in your plan, budget, and lender conversations.

Are you choosing this business for the right reasons? Read about motivation and fit: Passion vs. pressure.
Can you handle variable income and long hours for the first year?
Will you learn the skills you lack or hire them? List the gaps now.
Do you have support at home for the time and focus this requires?

What You Will Offer

A T-shirt shop sells printed apparel and related services. You can start small and scale your methods as orders grow.

Choose a core method: heat transfer (including DTF), direct-to-garment, or screen printing. Many shops start with a heat press, then add other processes as volume increases.

Pick channels that match your skills. Local teams and businesses buy in bulk. Online customers want speed, clear designs, and easy checkout.

Products and Services

List what you’ll sell before you buy equipment. Your offer drives your gear, space, and budget.

Keep it tight at launch. You can add options after you learn your market.

Decide what you will not offer at first. Saying no helps you ship on time.

Custom apparel: T-shirts, hoodies, long-sleeves, performance wear, workwear.
Print methods you will support at launch: heat press/DTF, DTG, and/or screen printing.
Design services: concept, vectorization, color separations, mockups.
Finishing: folding, bagging, size stickers, relabeling (keep required care and fiber labels intact).
Sales channels: local bulk orders, online store, marketplaces, wholesale to boutiques.

Pros and Cons

Every business has trade-offs. Know them now so you can plan around them.

Think about the flip side of each benefit. Low barriers mean more competition. Fast turnarounds create pressure. Compliance protects you, but it takes work.

Use this list to sharpen your plan and your offer.

Pros: Small footprint to start; clear upgrade path; repeat orders from teams and events; local connections lead to referrals.
Cons: Tight deadlines; quality risk if curing or labeling is off; environmental and safety rules if you use inks, pretreat, or solvents; extra rules for children’s apparel.

Skills You’ll Need (or Hire)

You do not need to be great at everything. You do need to cover the basics from day one. Learn, hire, or both.

Start with the process you’ll use most. Practice until your results are consistent. Track settings that work: time, temperature, pressure, pretreat, and cure.

Document what you learn. A simple checklist prevents avoidable errors when you’re tired.

Core Skill Areas

Focus on the skills that protect quality and keep you legal and safe. Add advanced skills after launch.

Use training from equipment vendors, community classes, or short online courses. Hire out what you don’t want to do.

Revisit this list monthly and tighten the gaps.

Artwork and prepress: vector files, fonts, color management, RIP settings.
Print process: press setup, ink handling, pretreat control, proper cure on each fabric.
Quality control: wash testing, defect checks, labeling compliance.
Basic bookkeeping: invoices, receipts, sales tax settings in your POS or store.
Safety and compliance: Safety Data Sheets, container labels, personal protective equipment, ventilation where needed.

Day-to-Day Snapshot (So You Know What You’re Signing Up For)

Daily work is simple but detailed. The rhythm is fast. Orders stack up near events, tournaments, and holidays.

This preview is here to help you decide fit and plan your workflow. It is not a full operations manual.

Start with small jobs. Build speed without cutting corners. Quality keeps customers coming back.

Quote quickly, confirm artwork, get paid, and order blanks.
Schedule jobs with buffers. Approvals slip; supplies arrive late. Plan for it.
Print, cure, and check every run. Do wash tests on new fabrics.
Fold, bag, label, and stage for pickup or ship with tracking.
Update your records and prep for sales tax filing according to your state rules.

Equipment and Software Checklist (Startup Essentials)

Your equipment follows your offer. Buy only what you need to deliver your first three products well. Add the rest later.

Power and ventilation matter. Confirm electrical loads for dryers and presses. Check local building and fire rules before you install.

Keep all Safety Data Sheets on hand. Label every secondary container. Train anyone who touches chemicals.

Design & Office

This is your control center. Keep it simple and reliable.

Back up files. Create standard folders for art, orders, and approvals.

Use one naming convention across jobs.

Computer with graphics capability and a color-accurate monitor.
Graphics software (vector and raster), plus RIP software for DTG/DTF if used.
Label printer for shipping and bin labels; small shipping scale.
Basic accounting or invoicing app; cloud storage for backups.

Heat Transfer / DTF / DTG

Great for small runs and fast turnarounds. Each path has its own workflow.

Follow manufacturer instructions for time, temperature, pressure, and cure.

Ventilate pretreat, curing, and adhesive steps as recommended.

Heat press (clamshell or swing-away) with accurate time/temperature/pressure.
DTG printer with pretreatment sprayer/booth and cure dryer, or DTF printer with curing unit and peel station.
Ventilation appropriate to your process and materials used.
Teflon or parchment sheets, lint roller, test shirts, and platen covers.

Screen Printing (If You Offer It)

Best for volume orders. Setup takes longer; per-shirt cost drops with quantity.

Plan space for a darkroom, washout, drying, and storage.

Handle chemicals safely, and manage wastewater according to local rules.

Manual or automatic press; registration system; screens and frames.
Exposure unit, emulsion, scoop coaters, squeegees, flood bars.
Flash dryer and conveyor dryer with proper power supply.
Washout booth, pressure washer, reclaim chemicals, dip tank, racks.

Finishing & Packaging

Small details make a big difference. They also reduce returns.

Standardize your fold and label steps. Keep supplies within arm’s reach.

Protect garments from dust and moisture during storage and shipping.

Folding table, poly bagger, size stickers, tagging gun, hang tags.
Boxes, tape, protective sleeves, and storage shelving.
Care and fiber labels as required for apparel.

Software to Consider

Use software to reduce errors and save time. Start light and upgrade later.

Pick tools that integrate: store, payments, shipping, and bookkeeping.

Keep your workflow simple enough to teach in an afternoon.

Storefront: website builder with e-commerce (or a marketplace profile).
Mockup/proof tools for customer approvals.
Order tracking/production board (digital or whiteboard).
Payment processing and invoicing with sales tax settings for your state.
Basic accounting and receipt capture.

Step-by-Step: From Idea to Open

Follow these steps in order. Keep each one short and concrete. When rules vary, use the “Varies by jurisdiction” line to find the right office fast.

If any step feels heavy, bring in help. You can hire for registrations, accounting, identity design, layouts, and even site selection.

Your aim is a clean launch: legal, safe, funded, and ready to print.

1) Fit Check

Confirm the model you’ll run and the limits you’ll accept. Decide what you will print and what you will not print at launch.

Choose your channels. Local bulk orders are different from online one-offs.

Decide whether you’ll sell children’s apparel; that choice affects compliance.

Pick core method(s): heat press/DTF, DTG, and/or screen printing.
Set initial offer: a few garments and finishes you can deliver well.
Decide solo vs. partners and whether you will hire at launch.

2) Research

Validate demand before you buy gear. Talk to team coaches, small shops, and event organizers. Keep notes on volumes and timelines.

Study competitors’ minimums and turnaround times. Look for gaps you can fill.

Use structured guides to speed this up.

Estimate demand and price sensitivity; see Supply and Demand.
Study location pros and cons if you need a storefront or bay; see Choosing a Business Location.
Interview experienced owners for real-world details; see Inside Look method.

3) Skillset Needed

Decide what you will learn now and what you will outsource. You can do both.

Set a practice plan to lock in print quality before you take paid work.

Document your standards in a one-page checklist.

Artwork prep, RIP settings, and color control for your chosen method.
Print and cure settings by fabric; wash testing and quality checks.
Labeling rules for apparel and care instructions.
If you prefer not to learn a skill, hire a freelancer or local pro.

4) Equipment Needed

Buy only what matches your first products and volumes. Confirm power and ventilation before delivery.

Plan your layout on paper. Keep movement tight: receive → stage → print → cure → finish → ship.

If in doubt about space or power, ask a licensed electrician and your local building department.

Core: heat press; DTG or DTF setup; or screen printing press with dryers.
Support: exposure unit (screen), washout booth, racks, tables, PPE.
Office: graphics computer, software, label printer, shipping scale.
Varies by jurisdiction: How to verify locally — City building department website → “electrical permit” and “ventilation” guidance.

5) Planning

Write a lean business plan you can use. One page per section is enough at the start.

Map costs, timeline, and break-even. Build a simple pricing model and test it.

Use templates to move faster.

Write your plan; see How to Write a Business Plan.
Estimate startup costs; see Estimating Startup Costs.
Set pricing; see Pricing Your Products and Services.
Outline suppliers for blanks, inks, and packaging; build a reorder list.

6) Funding

Decide how you’ll pay for startup and early operations. Keep your ask small and specific.

Separate personal and business money from day one.

If you need help, talk to your bank or a small business advisor.

Open a business bank account after you have formation documents and, if needed, an EIN.
If pursuing a loan, see How to Get a Business Loan.
Assemble a small advisory circle; see Building a Team of Professional Advisors.

7) Legalizing the Business

Keep this section brief and accurate. Rules vary. Your job is to contact the right office and follow their steps.

Many owners start as a sole proprietorship. As you grow, you may form a limited liability company for liability protection and structure. Choose what fits after you review the options.

If any step is unclear, ask a local professional to handle it for you.

Entity and name: Register your business and business name with your state’s Secretary of State if required. File an assumed name if you use a trade name.
Federal tax ID: Apply for an Employer Identification Number with the Internal Revenue Service if you need one.
State tax: Register for sales and use tax with your state’s Department of Revenue if required. Register employer accounts if you will hire.
Local license and zoning: Many cities or counties require a business license. Confirm zoning or home-occupation rules; obtain a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) for a commercial space if required.
Environmental and wastewater: If you use screen printing chemicals, pretreat, or reclaim screens, check hazardous waste and industrial wastewater rules.
Varies by jurisdiction: How to verify locally — State Secretary of State portal → “business/entity filings”; State Department of Revenue site → “sales tax permit” or “seller’s permit”; City or county business licensing portal → “business license”; City planning/zoning → “home occupation” and “Certificate of Occupancy”.

8) Brand Assets

Lock your identity before you announce anything. Keep it simple and readable.

Check name conflicts. Think about how it looks on a sign, a tag, and a small avatar.

Use professional help if design is not your strength.

Search for trademark conflicts; consider a federal trademark application if needed.
Register a matching domain; secure your social handles.
Create your corporate identity package: see Corporate Identity, plus Business Cards and Business Sign.
Build a simple website; see How to Build a Website.

9) Physical and Operational Setup

Lay out your space so work flows in one direction. Keep safety in mind. Power and ventilation come first.

Post your policies where you can see them: approvals, turnaround, and payment.

If you lease, ask the landlord what documents they need before you move in.

Layout: receive → stage → print → cure → finish → ship.
Install equipment. Verify electrical circuits, ventilation, and fire extinguishers as required.
Insurance: review general liability, property/equipment, and event proof if selling at shows; see Business Insurance.
Varies by jurisdiction: How to verify locally — City building department → “electrical permit” and “mechanical/ventilation”; Fire department → “fire inspection” requirements; City planning → “Certificate of Occupancy”.

10) Pre-Launch

Run test jobs so nothing surprises you on day one. Lock your pricing and proof steps. Prepare a small portfolio you can show in person and online.

Make it easy to buy from you. Keep your order form clear. State your turnaround and rush policy.

Plan how you will announce your opening.

Test prints and wash tests for each fabric and method you’ll sell.
Set final pricing; see Pricing Your Products and Services.
Contracts, invoices, payments. Prepare sales tax settings for your state.
Marketing kickoff plan; see Create a Marketing Plan and How to Get Customers Through the Door. If you’ll host an event, see Grand Opening.

Legal & Compliance: What to Know Before You Sell

This section is here to help you ask the right questions. Requirements vary by state and city. When in doubt, confirm with the agency listed or hire a professional.

Many small businesses begin as sole proprietorships. As they grow, owners often form a limited liability company for limited liability and structure. Choose the path that fits your risk and plans.

Keep your paperwork tidy. Save confirmations and registrations in one folder you can reach quickly.

Federal

Federal steps are straightforward for most T-shirt startups. Do these before you sell.

If you will sell children’s apparel, expect more steps. Build time for that work.

When unsure, ask a qualified advisor to review your plan.

Apply for an Employer Identification Number if you need one.
Follow apparel labeling rules: fiber content, responsible company, country of origin; include care instructions.
Meet clothing flammability standards; children’s sleepwear has its own stricter rules.
If you sell children’s products, follow children’s product safety rules, including testing and tracking labels.
Worker safety: keep Safety Data Sheets, label containers, and provide personal protective equipment as required.

State

Your state sets the rules for business formation and taxes. Check their official portals for exact steps.

If you hire, you’ll register employer accounts. Do that before the first paycheck.

If you screen print with chemicals or pretreat, check state environmental rules.

Entity formation and business name with the Secretary of State.
Sales and use tax registration with the Department of Revenue if required.
Employer accounts for withholding and unemployment if you will hire.
Environmental rules where applicable: air permits, hazardous waste, and wastewater.
Varies by jurisdiction: How to verify locally — State Secretary of State portal → “business/entity filings”; State Department of Revenue → “sales tax permit”; State environmental agency → “printing air permit” or “hazardous waste generator”.

City/County

Local rules affect where and how you operate. Some cities require a business license.

Confirm zoning for production and retail. Home-based rules can be strict about equipment and visitors.

Ask about inspections early so you can schedule work around them.

Business license if required by your city or county.
Zoning or home-occupation approval; Certificate of Occupancy for a commercial space.
Wastewater/pretreatment requirements if you reclaim screens or discharge process water.
Varies by jurisdiction: How to verify locally — City/county business licensing portal → “business license”; City planning/zoning → “home occupation” and “Certificate of Occupancy”; Wastewater utility → “industrial user permit”.

Pricing, Suppliers, and Your First Offers

Keep your first price list short. Price a few common options well. Make it easy to quote and approve.

Choose suppliers you can reach by phone. Ask about stock levels, lead times, and return rules.

Run small test orders with each supplier before you rely on them for a deadline.

Set Your Starting Prices

Use simple tiers for quantity and color count. Add a rush fee if customers need faster service.

Review your model once you have real costs, not estimates.

If pricing is new to you, use a structured guide.

Map your cost per shirt by method, garment, and quantity.
Include setup time, consumables, packaging, and reprint risk.
Refer to Pricing Your Products and Services to build your baseline.

Your First Marketing Moves

Keep marketing simple. Show real work, real clients, and clear steps to order. Avoid clutter.

Start local: teams, clubs, events, and small businesses. Word of mouth works when you deliver on time.

Plan a small launch push and a weekly rhythm you can keep up.

Essentials to Launch

Get the basics live and polished before you announce. Keep copy short and direct.

Make your ordering steps obvious. Remove any extra clicks.

Offer one easy way to reach you fast.

Simple website with samples, pricing ranges, and a clear order form; see How to Build a Website.
Corporate identity in place: logo, sign, and cards; see Corporate Identity, Business Sign, and Business Cards.
Marketing plan with three weekly actions you will actually do; see Create a Marketing Plan and How to Get Customers Through the Door.
If you want an event, plan a simple launch; see Grand Opening.

Your Next Step

Pick your model and write a one-page plan tonight. Then call one agency, one supplier, and one experienced shop owner tomorrow. Small steps. Steady progress.

If a task feels heavy, get help. You can hire for registrations, accounting, design, and layouts. Doing it right matters more than doing it alone.

Before you spend, confirm the rules in your city and state. Keep your notes in one place. Then open with confidence.

101 Tips for Running Your T-Shirt Business

These tips give you clear, practical moves for a U.S.-based T-shirt business. Use them to plan your launch, protect quality, and build steady demand. When rules vary by state or city, confirm with official offices before you act.

Read straight through once, then act on one group at a time. Small steps done well beat big plans you never start.

What to Do Before Starting

Be honest about your motive: are you moving toward work you enjoy or only away from a job you dislike? The former keeps you going when deadlines get tight.
Interview three likely customers—schools, clubs, or small businesses—and ask what they buy now, how often, and what frustrates them.
Tour a shop or jobber and watch a full run from art approval to packing; note bottlenecks you can avoid.
Pick one primary print method for launch—heat transfer/DTF, DTG, or screen printing—based on your first customer segment and order sizes.
Define a small starting offer: a few garments, a few finishes, and standard turnaround times you can hit every week.
Build a startup cost worksheet that lists equipment, electrical work, ventilation, furniture, software, initial blanks, and safety gear.
Check power needs for dryers and presses; confirm circuits and venting with your landlord and local building department (varies by jurisdiction).
Learn apparel labeling basics: fiber content, country of origin, responsible company, and care instructions must stay with the garment.
Decide on your legal structure and check business name availability with your state’s Secretary of State (varies by jurisdiction).
Get insurance quotes for general liability and equipment coverage so you understand proof-of-insurance requirements from landlords and events.
Open a business bank account after you have formation documents and, if needed, an EIN; keep business and personal money separate.
Test suppliers by ordering sample blanks in common colors and sizes; check fit, shrink, and color consistency after washing.

What Successful T-Shirt Business Owners Do

Standardize proofs and require written approval before production; it prevents disputes and protects your schedule.
Run a cure test for every new fabric and ink or film set; log time, temperature, and pressure so anyone can repeat success.
Keep a Safety Data Sheet binder and label all secondary containers; train anyone who handles chemicals.
Maintain an equipment checklist for daily, weekly, and monthly tasks; small routines stop big breakdowns.
Use a job board that shows each step—art, blanks received, press, cure, finish, ship—so nothing stalls.
Collect deposits or payment-in-full on custom work before ordering blanks; cash flow stays stable and waste drops.
Track spoilage and reprints by job; review patterns monthly and fix the root causes.
Keep a size and color sample library your clients can touch; real samples close orders faster than mockups.
Set reorder points for common blanks and packaging so you never halt a job over a missing box of mediums.
Build a short list of backup vendors for blanks, films, inks, and shipping to protect against outages.

Running the Business (Operations, Staffing, SOPs)

Write a one-page order SOP so every job gets the same data: garment, color, sizes, art file, placement, due date, and contact.
Create art preflight steps: correct file type, font handling, color space, and sizing for the chosen method.
Use a consistent file naming convention that ties art, approvals, and invoices to the same job number.
Stage each job in bins: blanks, art printouts, films or transfers, and packing materials together.
Schedule work by press time and cure capacity, not by guess; keep a visible calendar with buffers for delays.
Document press and dryer settings per fabric and ink; post the charts at each station.
Cross-train staff so at least two people can run art prep, press, finish, and ship without a scramble.
Hold a five-minute kickoff for rush jobs to align on steps, risks, and who signs off at each stage.
Set a cutoff time for same-day changes; late edits create errors and missed deadlines.
Keep spare parts and consumables—belts, fuses, platen covers, filters—on hand to avoid stoppages.
Back up art and job records daily to the cloud; use simple, automatic tools so it never depends on memory.
Post emergency procedures near exits: power shutoffs, spill response, and fire extinguisher locations.
Run a weekly “quality walk” and pull three random orders to inspect print, placement, labels, and packing.
Set a simple bonus or praise system for error-free runs and on-time shipments; you get what you reward.

What to Know About the Industry (Rules, Seasons, Supply, Risks)

Busy seasons cluster around back-to-school, sports, graduations, festivals, and holidays; book capacity early.
Children’s apparel brings extra rules for safety and tracking labels; build time for those steps or avoid that niche at launch.
Clothing must meet flammability standards; understand how fabric type and finish affect compliance.
Fiber content, responsible company, country of origin, and care instructions must remain with the garment; relabeling cannot erase required info.
Sales tax rules vary by state and by channel; confirm when you must collect for in-state retail and any out-of-state sales.
Solvents, inks, and pretreatment can trigger waste or air rules; check state and local guidance before you install equipment.
Some cities require a business license and a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) for commercial space; ask early to avoid delays.
Popular colors and sizes go out of stock during peak seasons; hold alternates and write clear substitution rules.
Unauthorized logos and characters can cost you; use only licensed or original art and keep proof.
Shipping delays ripple through your schedule; pad lead times for blanks and packaging during peak months.

Marketing (Local, Digital, Offers, Community)

Show real work with clear photos and a short story behind each job; customers want proof you can deliver.
Claim your business profile on major map platforms and keep hours, phone, and service area accurate.
Publish an order guide that explains artwork specs, timelines, and minimums; it reduces back-and-forth.
Offer a starter bundle for teams or clubs that includes shirts, a banner, and a reorder code.
Build a simple website with samples, quote request, and easy contact; remove anything that slows a buyer.
Create one irresistible offer for new local customer, such as free size labels or bagging on first bulk order.
Collect permission to use photos of finished orders; ask for a short testimonial and the client’s logo.
Join community groups and attend school or league meetings; relationships move faster than ads.
Set response rules: reply to quotes within one business day and proofs the same day when possible.
Use an email list for seasonal reminders—team signup windows, holiday deadlines, and early-order perks.
Post process clips that teach, not hype; show pretreat, press setup, or a cure test to build trust.
Offer a reorder path with saved art and sizes so clients can buy in two clicks.
Bring a small sample rack to local events and price sheets with simple quantity tiers.
Track which channels actually convert—referrals, search, events—and spend where results are steady.

Dealing with Customers (Trust, Education, Retention)

Set expectations at the first contact: timelines, art rules, payment terms, and what counts as a change.
Explain fabric trade-offs—cost, feel, and print results—so customers choose what fits their use, not just the lowest price.
Teach simple wash care for each method and include a card in every order.
Offer two proof rounds in your price and charge fairly after that; you protect time without hurting goodwill.
Keep clients updated when blanks are back-ordered and present approved alternates right away.
Use plain language for print limits: placement margins, color matches, and edge detail by method.
Suggest a small test run when the art is complex or the fabric is new; proof saves reprints.
Store client art and size history for quick reorders; it feels like white-glove service and saves time.
Mark VIP clients by lifetime value and set faster response rules for their orders.

Customer Service (Policies, Guarantees, Feedback)

Write simple policies for approvals, payments, deadlines, changes, defects, and shipping; publish them and follow them.
Take a deposit or full payment on custom work before ordering blanks; it prevents abandoned jobs.
Guarantee print quality and cure; if a defect is yours, remake or refund fast and document the fix.
Confirm delivery method at order time—pickup or ship—and provide tracking the day it leaves.
Handle complaints in two steps: listen fully, then propose the fix with a clear timeline.
Send a short survey after delivery and ask for a review only after you confirm they are happy.
Keep a log of issues and what solved them; update SOPs so the same problem doesn’t return.
Offer a reorder window discount within 30 days to encourage quick repeats.

Sustainability (Waste, Sourcing, Long-Term)

Choose lower-VOC products when possible and ventilate work areas according to product guidance.
Set up labeled waste streams for rags, containers, and chemicals; use approved disposal paths where required.
Reduce water use by containing washout and following local wastewater guidance before discharge.
Recycle cartons and cores; designate a clean area to keep material dry and compact for pickup.
Donate misprints and overages to local groups when branding rules allow; track donations for records.
Offer on-demand or small-batch options to cut overproduction and storage.
Stock a few sustainable garment options—recycled or organic—and explain who benefits from them.
Measure energy use for dryers and presses and schedule batches to minimize idle time.

Staying Informed (Trends, Sources, Cadence)

Subscribe to updates from federal safety and labeling agencies so you catch rule changes early.
Join your state revenue department’s email list for sales tax notices and filing reminders.
Follow equipment makers for firmware and safety bulletins; apply updates during off-hours.
Review recalls and safety alerts for apparel that could affect blanks or trims you use.
Set a monthly one-hour review to scan industry news, supplier changes, and shipping conditions.
Keep a “watch list” of new methods or films and test them on slow days before offering to clients.

Adapting to Change (Seasonality, Shocks, Competition, Tech)

Build flexible capacity with part-time help or a reliable contract partner so you can absorb seasonal spikes.
Pre-book school and league windows and reserve blanks early; publish deadlines and stick to them.
Diversify channels—local B2B, events, and online—so a dip in one area doesn’t stall cash flow.
Keep a small emergency fund and a vendor credit line for supply shocks or equipment repairs.
Pilot new tech on internal jobs first; adopt only when it improves quality or speed you can prove.
Run a quarterly price check on blanks, inks, and shipping and adjust quotes with clear notices.

What Not to Do

Do not print copyrighted or trademarked art without permission; unlicensed work can lead to take-downs and penalties.
Do not skip cure tests or care instructions; returns will spike and reputation will fall.
Do not accept verbal approvals; require written sign-off to lock art, sizes, and dates.
Do not ignore local licensing, zoning, or the need for a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) when required; opening before approval risks fines and shutdowns.

Sources: U.S. Small Business Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, OSHA, EPA, United States Patent and Trademark Office, U.S. Copyright Office