Submitted January 2018
Tell us a bit about your business.
Our business was inspired by a tight group of friends who were dedicated to making amazing content, graphic designs and a few laughs. We are a clothing line local to the Buffalo N.Y. area. We pride ourselves on putting out innovative designs on high quality merchandise, turning clothing into art!
In what ways has your business progressed recently, and what do you attribute that to? Looking forward, where do you see your business one year from now?
Reflecting back, we’ve grown quite a bit this year. We’ve become increasingly focused on the design phase, moving away from simpler designs and more into intricate line work that really accentuates the detail possible with professional screen printing. Looking forward to this year, we will be expanding our product line to more than tees by offering hoodies, tanks, dresses, raglans, leggings, sweats and more. We’ve also been experimenting with embroidery in order to bring that upscale feel to the brand and are excited to be releasing the embroidered designs soon!
What are your favorite tools or resources that help you do business smarter, and how have they made a difference?
Social media is your best friend! Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are all awesome ways of utilizing free advertising. It allows millions of people to see your presence and requires NO MARKETING budget. The key is to treat your business account as you would your personal account. People don’t want to see just ads scroll through their feeds every day. Take them behind the scenes; show them who you are, not just as a company, but as individuals. By keeping the content more personal, you develop a relationship with your customers. Keep them entertained, keep them happy, keep them wanting more. They are your lifeblood.
What advice would you offer to businesses like yours just starting up?
Friends and family are huge when you first start. They will be your biggest supporters when it seems like no one else can see you. Also, don’t worry yourself spending too much time trying to raise start-up costs. Many successful businesses started with just an idea. Wasting time saving up an excess of start-up funds might just be that, a waste of time. If you believe in your idea, go for it. Raise the money as needed, don’t think you need to have a Scrooge McDuck pool to get things rolling.
Lastly, focus on putting out a great product, not charging the most for your product right off the bat. People can tell when things are cheap. Yes, you may have made that first sale, but it will also probably be their last purchase once they have the product in hand. Believe in your ideas, create the product or service to be of the highest quality, and the revenue will come.
Where can customers find and connect with your business?
www.facebook.com/78thmeridian/
www.instagram.com/78th_meridian_clothing/
