*I missed last week as I was traveling Iowa. Part 2 of award winning shirts will be next week. This is too important to skip this week. Shout out to Mike McSorley for calling me out!
The Identity Crisis: Why Most "Gurus" Are Wrong About Your Shop
In this industry, we often see two distinct worlds. On one side, you have massive, fully automated manufacturing facilities. On the other, you have the Print Shop.
If you’re the owner and you started behind a squeegee,if you’re still running the floor or spending your afternoons in production-you are a print shop. Whether you’re rocking a manual press or a couple of autos, the rules of engagement are different for us.
A lot of consultants will try to sell you "standard business" growth strategies, but most of them haven't lived the grind. There is a fundamental difference between a corporate entity and a shop where the owner’s hands are stained with ink. This Technical Tuesday, we’re focusing on the reality of the shop owner: how to stop "working" and start producing.
Efficiency is King (The DIY Way)
In a print shop, time is your only non-renewable resource. We are a resourceful breed. We pride ourselves on the DIY fixes and the grit it takes to get a job out the door. To scale without losing your mind, you have to find affordable ways to be more efficient. I’ve visited over 500 shops in the last year, and 90% of them fall into our category.
Here is the "Batch Processing" workflow I used to reclaim my time and keep my team firing on all cylinders:
The Weekly Roadmap
Monday-The Prep
Burn screens for the week, unbox shipments, and stage jobs on carts with production sheets.
Tue - Thu-The Hammer
Pure production. No distractions. Hardest jobs first; easiest jobs last.
Friday-The Reset
Reclaim and coat screens, print films, order supplies, and get out of the shop to sell.
Pro Tip for Low Minimums: If you have a stack of 12–24 piece orders, don't sprinkle them throughout the week. Set up your 8-color press with eight different one-color jobs at once. You’ll knock out a day’s worth of work in an hour by treating them as one giant run.
Why This Matters
Success isn't always measured by the number of zeros in the bank account. For most of us, we started this journey to work for ourselves, make a decent living, and—most importantly—have time for our families. We all know that last one is the hardest to achieve. If you feel like you’re constantly scrambling, it might be time to stop acting like a "standard business" and start mastering the art of the Print Shop.
Stay efficient, stay resourceful.
