SHIRT SHOW

The band dude to merch dude pipeline is alive and well! Nate Skinner is the longtime Operations Manager at Relentless Merch, and after years of dealing with the chaos of artist merchandise firsthand, Merchcast was born. A platform that helps artists and shops forecast sales, manage inventory, and avoid a whole lot of unnecessary headaches. Topics of discussion include: tornados, college degrees, the madness of band merch, four-day workweeks, developing Merchcast, sales forecasting, using the platform outside of the music industry, leveraging AI to be more human, and finally ditching the walkie-talkies.MERCHCAST: https://landing.merchcast.com/

The band dude to print dude pipeline is real, and the path is usually pretty predictable… but Luke took a little detour in between. Before landing at Real Thread, he built a career at Publix that gave him an outside the box perspective on this industry. Not only has it helped him thrive in his role as Director of Operations, but it also made for a great conversation. Topics of discussion include: Apparel Decoration Summit, having fresh eyes on operations, applying outside wisdom into a different industry, being an engaging leader, how culture affects productivity, overestimating your own capacity, self-auditing your life, trading one bottleneck for another, finding a balanced approach to management, utilizing AI, The Midnight, and Toy Story 5.

Josh NSFW Wheeler is back on the pod to catch us up on what he’s been up to for the last 5 years, how his shop has evolved, and how he’s ensuring SURVIVAL in this business. Topics of discussion include: Keeping it simple, automation, prioritizing quality, maintaining relationships, the Jerry Maguire approach, maintaining your humanity in business, Righteous Gemstones, and tRuStInG tHe UnIVeRsE.

Raise your hand if you've ever spent an unreasonable amount of time hunting down product images, making mockups, or trying to convince an online store to look the way it does in your head... same here. Seddi was originally built to create 3D models of fabrics and garments for the fashion industry, but somewhere along the way they realized their tools could help printers and decorators work smarter. Julianne and Harrison are here to share how the company got started, and how they're collaborating with printers to help make our wildest dreams come true. Topics of discussion include: auto mockups, tech packs, online stores, turning physical fabric into digital fabric, the importance of collaboration, and good old-fashioned survival reality TV.

Jared has had a long career in screen printing, which was always the plan from the start. From growing the family business at GSG, to eventually selling the company, and now diving back into the print world with ROQ, Jared has seen this industry from a lot of different angles. So naturally… we unpacked a bunch of them. Topics of discussion include: shop scooters, business finances, growing and operating a family business, golf and business, flexible manufacturing, listening to customer input, the importance of industry events, taking ownership of your workspace, the painstaking process of selling your business, finding like-minded people, being vulnerable, good culture, and being a real person.

SUPERBASE 2026 TICKETS: https://shirtshowofficial.com/pages/superbase-2026There’s been a lot of turmoil and mental health issues with printers and shop owners in our community as of late. This podcast is just two printers sharing their personal experiences, and what they’re seeing and hearing from their peers. Bottom line, you’re not alone. Topics of discussion include: Long drives, business plateaus in our industry, stress and uncertainty, the experience of closing shop, how business affects family and relationships, commiserating with peers, counseling, how John found his way back into the industry, post tear clarity, isolating yourself from your company culture, shop music, SUPERBASE ’26, and zombie apocalypse plans.

SUPERBASE 2026 TICKETS: https://shirtshowofficial.com/pages/superbase-2026Zach Achorn is EVERYWHERE, but today the Can of Corn himself is back on the pod to fill us in on his latest endeavors that he’s jumped into head first. Topics of discussion include: Suitcase living, being an industry sponge, fitness, becoming a ROQ tech, learning your personal impact on your business, how shop processes affect hiring and firing, dream shop and dream lifestyle compatibility, print education, Print Plugz, helping other shops grow, not fearing failure, the importance of having a van, and Lola Bunny.

Stoked to say we are FINALLY joined by Ryan Moor (yeah… that Ryan Moor) of Ryonet, Allmade, MADE Lab, and about a hundred other things you’ve probably benefited from whether you realize it or not. Sure, we dip into his origin story and the wild ride he's been on since starting screenprinting.com, but what’s Shirt Show without diving headfirst into life talk and feelings, ya know? Co-hosted with our favorite Dewey Halpaus of Light Thriller, this one’s been a long time coming. LET’S GO! Topics of discussion include: Dewey’s door-to-door adventures, approaching people you look up to, DIY band days, helping others succeed, the early days of Ryonet, starting new businesses, an entrepreneur’s perspective, planting seeds, developing content, sharing your failures, starting Allmade and MADE Lab, bringing education to trade shows, The Rudy Press, health hacks, and Goo Goo Dolls.

So, a diesel tech and a graphic designer walk into the e-commerce space and buy a frickin laser… Full disclosure, Brandon & Hailey sent over THE BEST care package full of promo products that they design and create in-house. No joke, it was seriously impressive. So we had to get them on here and get their story, and unpack their approach to how they elevate their product. Topics of discussion include: changing careers, moving all over the country, their thoughtful approach to promo products, trending items, expanding your service offerings, setting a cap for your business growth, financial planning, low quantity vs bulk orders, outbound leads, diving into apparel, and takeout.

EPISODE FRICKIN 300 BABY! Stoked to ring in this momentous occasion with Dave Swart from New Buffalo. A legendary shop, a legendary dude, you're gonna love this one. Topics of discussion include: Going from IT to learning production, how company culture changes, the print truck, live events, opening a shop in Honduras, printing for major brands like Disney and Nike, getting acquired by Gildan, screen printing variables, getting the New Buffalo band back together, Ted Lassoing life, goals for 2026, insurance claims, and bike rides.

Marshall Atkinson is an industry veteran. He needs no introduction. We’ve been talking about having him on for a while now, and today we stopped talking about it and started - well, talking. We dove into his journey that led him to becoming the industry vet we all know today, and the important pillars he drives home with the shops he consults. Topics of discussion include: Falling into printing at architecture school, bridging the gap between the art dept and production, becoming a consultant, common shop shortcomings, recording data and learning from your data, sales, how the industry is shifting, customer expectations, and Marshall’s new (and free) book ‘2026 Thinking’.

Learning Adam & Kato Machin's print journey was a breath of fresh air, because it is truly unique. Prepare to find out how a wardrobe stylist and a tattoo artist joined forces in Brooklyn, fell into printing in upstate New York, and operate Thunder House Prints in Reno, NV. Spoiler alert- It's a bumpy ride. Topics of discussion include: Back injuries, impulsive decisions, learning on the fly, asking questions and being coachable, proofing your shop for hardship, becoming your own moving company, near death experiences, live printing, ghost tours, and turkey necks.

One does not simply print water-based in New Zealand, but Chris & Jon aren’t afraid of a challenge. With nothing but love for their craft in their hearts, these two Kiwis started as modest hometown printers, and journeyed their way to becoming heads of an international printing operation. Topics of discussion include: international shop visits, importing their inks, how water-based printing helped differentiate themselves from their competition, landing their first client, organic growth, small town living, elevated packaging, custom socks, promo products, working with international manufacturers, developing tech and fulfillment capabilities, company culture, employee benefits, business coaches, specializing staff roles, expanding into Australia, and a most unfortunate courier disaster.