Meet Michelle: Chronicling a Start-Up Decorator — Part 3

SALES & MARKETING

Meet Michelle: Chronicling a Start-Up Decorator — Part 3

Join Impressions as we follow Dade City, Fla.-based start-up embroiderer Michelle Capps as she navigates the decorated apparel industry for the first time. January 09, 2012
By Sarah Goddard, Web Editor

Michelle Capps received her first piece of equipment — an embroidery machine — from Pantograms, Tampa, Fla. She had purchased it during the Atlanta Imprinted Sportswear Shows (ISS) event, which took place last Sept. 8-10. To save money on shipping costs, Capps drove to the company’s warehouse — which is about 30 miles from her home in Dade City, Fla. — to pick up the machine.

“I was so nervous and excited about getting my new equipment,” Capps remembers. “I could not wait to get it here, have it set up and start putting it to work.”

While at the warehouse, Capps’ sales representative, Joe Smalley, national account manager for Pantograms, took her on a tour of the facility, which is where the company holds its training seminars, as well as new product development and testing.

Smalley introduced Capps to several of his co-workers, including an employee named Darla — who trained Capps on how to use the machine.

“I took plenty of notes and was even more anxious to try it out after the training session,” Capps says. “Darla then verified my training class schedule and introduced me to another instructor, Michelle. They helped me load everything into my truck, and I was on my way home with my new embroidery machine.”

A Big Home Delivery
Once home, Capps immediately unloaded the machine and referenced her copious notes to ensure she set it up correctly. She also studied user manuals to make sure she properly installed the software that came with the machine. The goal was to have everything synced with her computer and design program. When that was accomplished, all Capps had to do now was wait patiently for her training class, which was in three weeks.

In the meantime, she called Steven Jackson, sales representative, technician and trainer for Imprintables Warehouse, Masontown, Pa., to inquire about the status of her newly purchased VersaCAMM VS300. Jackson scheduled an equipment delivery appointment, as well as an appointment with an installer, Irv, who would come to her home to set up the equipment and guide her through a quick training session.  

The printer/cutter was delivered, and Irv arrived as scheduled — about a week after the equipment. He talked Capps through everything that he was doing and how it all worked together. Once the VersaCAMM VS300 was set up completely, Irv trained her on its uses and applications. He installed all of the necessary components onto her computer and reviewed the step-by-step process of taking an image from the design phase to the end product. Together, they practiced on decals and stickers, as well as making shirt transfers.

Setting Up Shop
When it came to deciding where the embroidery machine and printer/cutter would be housed in her shop, Capps outlined an area for each piece of equipment that was in close proximity to all the necessary materials for each particular decorating job.

“I quickly learned that using a laptop computer is a much better — and more functional — route than trying to move a desktop computer from machine to machine,” Capps says. “Thankfully, all of the equipment is on wheels and can be moved around.”

However, her original vision for her shop layout ultimately needed some tweaking.

“I got both [pieces of equipment] in the shop and found that I did not have much room left,” Capps explains. “There just weren’t enough plug-ins for all of this stuff. I also found that there weren’t enough USB ports on my laptop for all of this. So I invested in some surge protection power strips and a multi-port hub for USBs for my laptop. This allowed me the necessary plugs that were needed for electricity and the USB plugs necessary for the equipment.”

Capps says her obstacles during the equipment delivery and setup process were two-fold. “The biggest challenges that I faced during this time were the lack of knowledge on these huge purchases I had made and finding the patience to wait for training to properly use the equipment,” she says.

She quelled her anxiety and satiated her desire to learn more about her equipment by watching webinars, reading the training manuals and further familiarizing herself with each piece. Her hope in doing this was that she would be better prepared when it came time to attend her scheduled training classes.

More Training
Each company — Pantograms and Imprintables Warehouse — had its own training programs, which were held at different locations.  

The embroidery machine training classes were held over a three-day period at Pantograms’ facility in Tampa, Fla.  

For the training classes on her printer/cutter — offered by Imprintables Warehouse — Capps traveled to Albany, N.Y., and spent two days learning the ins and outs of her machine.

“Nothing compares to being in the class and completing hands-on training on the actual equipment that you have sitting in your shop and waiting on you to get back,” Capps says. “The trainers make you feel so comfortable, and they are not worried that you lack the experience and the expertise to do this type of work. They walk you through all of it and answer all of your questions from beginning to end. I left feeling confident in what I was about to start doing. I was armed with knowledge and a binder full of notes. Each trainer gave me their contact information just in case I found myself stuck, or if I thought of a question and couldn’t find the answer.”

After returning home from the training sessions, Capps jumped right into practicing what she had learned.

“Now I have a line of products that I can say are my production results … that feels wonderful and makes me swell with pride, knowing that I have made some very good decisions in what I purchased,” Capps exclaims. “I learned quickly that there are going to be mistakes and screw-ups. I’ve had to reference my notes, training videos and my trainers, each of which I would not trade for any amount of money. They have been invaluable resources and awesome new friends.”

For more information or to comment on this article, e-mail Sarah at sarah.goddard@nielsen.com.

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