Full Time or Part Time Embroidery: Which Business Type Is Best for You?

Before you jump into an embroidery business, you may want to weigh the pros and cons of part-time vs. full-time work.
April 29, 2008

By Steven Batts

One nice thing about starting an embroidery business is that it's the type of business you can ease into. You actually have a choice of whether to go into it full time or part time. If you have the time and resources, you can jump into it full time. If you're unsure or you're just looking for a side income, it can work that way, too.

So how do you decide which way to go? If you do start part time, how do you decide when it makes sense to go at it full time? Let's look at the factors in both and see which one works for you.

Part-time Pros
Starting any business is tough. You have all the issues of finding a clientele, purchasing equipment, keeping records and so on. When you add to that the strain of producing income immediately to provide for your family, it can become overwhelming. This is why many people choose to keep their day job when starting an embroidery business. The pressure to produce income is not there. Indeed, income isn't the only factor. Company benefits are a huge factor.

Medical coverage is by far the biggest of these benefits. Replacing your company's health plan with an individual plan of your own can cost $400 to $1,000 a month, depending on coverage. However, this isn't the only benefit you may lose. Paid vacations and sick leave are others.

A part-time embroidery business is a great way to generate side income. It also lets you test drive the business to see if it's going to work. Most importantly, it lets you grow the business slowly with less risk.

As the business grows, you will see the point where you can justify the step of going full time. You will already know what revenue the business can generate and what amount of income you need to replace. Of course, if the business takes off and booms, you can always quit the full-time gig and jump into embroidery full force.

Part-time Cons
So what's the downside of starting your business as a part-time venture? The most obvious one is time. By the time you work 40-plus hours a week at one job, you may not really feel like coming home to another one.

The hardest thing small embroidery shops have to deal with is the balance of time spent finding jobs and time spent producing those jobs. Having even less time to work with makes this balance even more difficult. If you can overcome this challenge, when the moment comes to go full time, you will not only survive, you will thrive.

Another drawback is the perception that your business cannot be taken seriously. A good sales job should be able to overcome this concern, but it's a valid consideration for your clients. How can you provide adequate customer service when you aren't even there all the time? These are some of the details and concerns that need to be worked out.

These are the pros and cons of being a part-time business owner. Look for the next Impressions Newsletter to learn how to recognize the right time to jump into the business full time.


Which best describes your type of business?



Approximately 25% of decorated apparel companies are part time, according to the 2007 Impressions Decorated Apparel Universe Study. Within the primary business segments, 34% of embroiderers indicated that they operated their businesses part time.



Steven Batts, a 14-year veteran of the embroidery industry, is a regular speaker at the Imprinted Sportswear Shows. He owns Righteous Threads Embroidery, Greensboro, N.C., which offers digitizing, embroidery, machine maintenance and repair, and consulting. Call him at (336) 379-9380 or e-mail righteousthreads@gmail.com.

For Further Reading:
"Part-Time Business Requires Full-Time Effort"
"Part-Timers Succeed in Screen Printing and Embroidery"
White Paper: "Business Longevity in the Decorated Apparel Industry"

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