Today we’d like to introduce you to Clifford Thompson.
Hi Clifford, I’m so excited to have you on the platform. Before we ask about your work life, how can you bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I have been in the print industry since 2006; I used to do embroidery and direct-to-garment printing. I started in Long Beach, CA, Washington, San Diego, and Nashville. I created this AI print shop idea, sold my embroidery machines, and directed them to the garment printer. To open this new concept in Charleston. I had bought a UV printer a little over a year ago. It prints on just about any product. I have printed on Canvas Baseballs, Tumblers, Footballs, Key chains, and even a pumpkin. This would be great in a retail shop where people can get anything they want custom-printed.
The only problem was that many people would want to pay $50-$200 to have a custom logo created by a graphic designer. When I found out about all the AI art programs, It was the solution to that problem. I was in a small art building In Nashville; I needed to find a place with more foot traffic. I wanted to move to Charleston and found a storefront in the Citadel Mall. So, I sold my embroidery machines and Direct garment printer. I purchased a Direct-to-film printer, a new printing technology that is truly awesome. I print all kinds of jobs, and everything is a manageable size.
I can do one print, or I can do thousands. I print out of my retail shop for people wanting custom shirts or products. And I print large orders for businesses. I even print transfers for other printers. My shop has an area called the Dream Station, where we have 3 iPads with an AI program where people can create anything they would like, easily and free. Then, have it printed the same day; we usually have less than an hour’s wait time on retail orders. Once people catch on to using AI art programs, the demand for custom shirts and items will increase greatly. I have looked around and talked to other people in the printing industry, and I am the first store where you can come and design anything you’d like using AI in-store and have it printed on anything you’d like. Stores like this will be much more common in the future; I wanted to get ahead of the curve.
It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has not been smooth at all. Construction on the shop took a lot longer than I expected. I put all my marketing budget into an SEO guy, who flat-out ripped me off. I wrapped my car in clouds and logos to match my store. I planned to park in front of Target daily so people knew my store was in the mall. Four days after wrapping it, my engine blew. My friend let me borrow his car, and after a few months, his transmission went out. Luckily, I live near the mall and have been riding my bike since October. The business improved each month until January when my new Direct film printer went down; the techs couldn’t fix it and had to replace it with a new one. I print more with my direct-to-film printer for shirts, hats, and other garments than with my UV printer for canvas, business cards, and other products. So, January was rough; I came close to losing everything. It has been picking up since; one of our tag lines is “Can’t Kill A Dream.” It’s been rough, but I’m hanging in there.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Dream It Print It?
I print on almost anything and do it quickly; there are no minimums and no maximums for orders. I print for 3 types of customers: I print retail, for people who want to come in and print their logo or photo, or create something here using AI. I print large orders for all types of businesses. I also print for other printers. I print the transfers for them, and they press them to the garments themselves; I am the most versatile print shop I have ever seen. I am at the forefront of AI print shops. A lot will come after me, but I am the first. I plan to franchise DIPI and have it like a FedEx/Kinko for custom shirts and products. We are here to help people realize their dreams, whether it is shirts for a birthday or event or starting their brand or business. This AI art is cool and easy to use; the things it creates in less than a minute are amazing.
Can you talk to us about the role of luck?
I have had much worse luck than a good start, but I made it through, and it will turn around. But I have met many great people and businesses in my short time in Charleston; I am lucky to have great people around me.
Pricing:
- If you supply your shirt, printing on it costs $22.20 for 9 or fewer retail printed items.
- We have top-quality AS Colour t-shirts in stock. They are $33.30, getting 9 or less on the retail side printed.
- Our wholesale price starts at $6.67 for any colors and photos, and there is no setup fee to print on shirts and other garments.
- We sell Canvas retail, $22.20 to $44.40 printed the same day.
- We sell custom transfers. You can print yourself as many as you can fit on a 16.5X30 inch sheet for $33.30, and the more you buy, the price goes down from there.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dreamitprintit.com
- Instagram: @dipi_dreamitprintit
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091760833661
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cliff-thompson-660837299/
