Running a business or a design company are two completely separate entities. But what if you could combine the two? No doubt your passions lie in being creative or designing for other companies as a freelancer. If you decided to run a business, there are many start-up opportunities that you could use as a platform for your creativity. For example, a very popular and cheap method is to start a screen printing business. It is a lucrative venture which works to the benefit of your creative outlet. If this is something you have thought about doing, here is a quick guide to getting yourself set up.
Get The Paperwork Right
Make sure you obtain the relevant and necessary permits and licenses. If you are starting the business with a partner, or you are going it alone, you need to file the business type and apply for a business license. Once you are registered as a business, you can then start to trade.
Get Your Location Up And Running
What type of business are you doing? Are you running a t-shirt business on a large scale or are you setting up a small shop? If you need to get a large scale operation up and running, then you may need to think about renting out Warehouse space with a small office so that you can greet customers or potential clients. If you are operating from your home in the beginning, just make sure you have enough space for your boxes of supplies and equipment. It will take up a lot of space!
The Equipment
Equipment can prove to be very expensive at the beginning of any business. So you could lease screen printing equipment in the short term. With businesses like t-shirt printing, a lot of industrial equipment are needed. Like drying racks, brushes, screens, and chemical supplies like solvents and emulsion. These can be costly upfront!
In addition to this, you need to make sure that you have the correct business software to make sure your business runs efficiently. The Shop Worx screen print supply vendor survey 2016 is here. It was completed by nearly 150 screen printing and other promotional products companies across the US and Canada. It gives insights into what companies are looking for when choosing a print screen supplier.
Getting Employees
Ideally, you would need people that have experience in customer service and screen printing. Although if you are starting out as a very small business, you may want to choose someone that has screen printing skills over customer service skills. The more money business earns, you can then invest in better-equipped staff or pay for short training courses.
Trading And Payment
A lot of Ecommerce sites take payments exclusively via systems like PayPal. Some small businesses have portable credit card machines. But at the beginning of the business, you need to make sure you set payment deadlines. A standard is 30 days, as this is how people get paid. So make sure you define your terms up front!
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