Marshall Atkinson | Atkinson Consulting | Shirt Show 298

Daddy’s home! Stoked to finally get Dave Eggers from Multicraft on the pod, and it was well worth the wait. With a jaw dropping career path spanning military, law enforcement, and even dog food, he somehow landed exactly where he belongs in the print world. He’s got stories, he’s got experience, and he’s here to help. Buckle up. Topics of discussion include: Business picking back up, networking IRL, referral programs, his time working in Chicago PD and going undercover, deep diving into industry history and knowledge, helping for the sake of helping, vetting manufacturers, industry politics, equipment innovations, Multicraft’s print shop, custom ink mixing, dip tank etiquette, product testing, and Dave’s 4 hour commute.

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.

This week we’re joined by Cassie Green, who found her way into this industry through an unlikely place: Journalism. It was awesome hearing how she navigated her way through industry publications, to helping develop one of her own with Apparelist. Topics of discussion include: travel fatigue, blogging, imposter syndrome, finding trustworthy sources, vulnerability, shaking things up, getting support, Printing United Alliance, to linkedin or not to linkedin, the fear of failure, and songs to die to.

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.

What started as a speed to lead solution for his father’s embroidery business, is now a fully fledged ai agent solution. RD and his company Questom may be relatively new to our industry, but we’ve got a feeling they’re about to become a household name for a lot of shops out there. Topics of discussion include: Starting in the tech industry, common correspondence pitfalls, the rapid advancement of ai agent capabilities, co-founder tinder, trade shows, different uses of the agents, the onboarding process, a walkthrough demo of the custom ai agents, best practices, and rookie mistakes.

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’.

Back again for our regular checkup with the print doc, Tony Palmer is here. Our talk was loosely structured around shop essentials, but just as we'd hoped, WE GOT INTO THE WEEDS. Topics of discussion include: Being in control of your attitude, ‘Let Them’ theory, customer service agents, must have tools, types of screens, how squeegee colors lie, proper data collecting techniques across the screen room, accents, how the industry has moved away from mass production, and 80’s sci-fi.

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.

Still recovering from ISS Long Beach, but the show must go on! If anybody is able to inspire you to shake off the jet lag and exhaustion, it's Jaime. He's simultaneously worked not only multiple jobs, but multiple CAREERS over the last nearly two decades. Now that he's finally gone ALL IN (or 'unemployed' as he likes to say) we had to get the full story of the wild journey he's been on with At That One Shop. Topics of discussion include: Finding your support group, shirt kiosks, working multiple jobs and side gigs, handling failure, going all in, growing from a manual garage setup to a shop with autos, starting all over, reevaluating your life and business, and return policy loopholes.

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.