While contemplating this month’s editorial, I came across the following pair of African proverbs, both of which couldn’t be more applicable to not one but two of the articles published in our May-June issue. The first, “Only a fool tests the depth of a river with both feet,” i.e., only fools rush in, sums up Dennis Condusta’s article “What to Know Before You Grow Your Decorated Apparel Business” to a tee. His thesis? Think first before buying that new auto (or that new embroidery machine or heat press). And whatever you do, don’t just invest in all kinds of new equipment for the sake of “keeping up with the Joneses” or—worse yet—in the hopes an avalanche of new business will somehow come magically pouring in as a result.
The other, “Tomorrow belongs to people who prepare for it today,” in addition to speaking to Condusta’s article, is also the perfect corollary to Nicole Rollender’s piece “Big Decorated Apparel Orders, Big Wins, No Problem!”
As is the case with having the latest new piece of decorating tech to play with, who doesn’t dream of receiving mega-order after mega-order as a means of further elevating their business? There’s all the difference in the world, though, between landing these kinds of orders and actually fulfilling them.
Lacking the necessary staff, equipment, inventory and/or the requisite tried-and-true production and quality-assurance processes can result in catastrophe. It’s one thing to rally the troops in order to pull an all-nighter in an effort to get the job done. It’s another to rally the troops in order to pull all-nighter and come up short. Not only can the latter result in serious financial issues, but the loss of what might have otherwise been a great new customer.
You only ever get one chance to make a first impression. It’s in everyone’s best interests you make it a good one!
