How to start a new sublimation business

Before you begin you should do some general planning and determine what kind of business you want to create. Here are some questions to consider:

• What kind of products are you planning to sell?
• What kind of demand is there for those products?
• How do you plan to sell your products?
• How much space will you need to make and/or sell your products?
• How much budget do you have to invest in start-up expenses?
• How long will it take to recoup your initial investment?
• What kind of production schedule do you need to have to sustain and grow the business?

Once you are you comfortable with the answers to all these questions, you can move on to researching what you will need to get started.

There are several types of sublimation printers, heat presses, papers, substrates, accessories and other essentials for building a sublimation studio. There are also computer systems, workspace, storefronts, websites, licensure, software, accounting and many other business-related necessities that you will need to consider buying to launch your new business.

Your next step should focus on determining exactly what you need to establish a startup. Research is key, whether it’s learning about all of the supplies in the marketplace or finding out what kind of certifications, licenses and insurance you need to operate a business in your area. Spend as much time as you need getting the right answers that fit your business.

SawgrassInk.com has lots of information that may help, including their BusinessBuilder Resources, Sawgrass Solutions page. Joining online forums and discussion groups, speaking with others in the industry, attending a trade show and contacting dealers about their products are all additional steps you should take as you conduct your research.

Now that you know what you want to purchase, it’s time to make your investment. Work with authorised Sawgrass resellers such as GJS to purchase your sublimation printers and everything else you need to get started, such as heat presses, substrates, paper, samples and heat tape. Be sure to take advantage of promotional offers, points or loyalty programs, start-up bundles, shipping discounts, financing options and other perks.

It may be tempting to purchase equipment and supplies that are off-brand or the least expensive you can find. This is a common misstep many take in the startup process.

In the digital decoration industry, you really do get what you pay for, and it is worth it in the long-run to invest in high-quality printers, inks, presses, papers and substrates, as they will last longer and produce better, more consistent output―all of which reduces your waste in consumables and time.

Your next step after purchase is to use your equipment. It may seem intimidating to some people, when those large boxes of new sublimation equipment arrive and the reality of getting started hits. However, if you look at the next phase in your business as one of trial, error and refinement, some of that feeling of being overwhelmed should fade.

There is an art to sublimation production, and it differs slightly for every user.

Work with your dealer and Sawgrass support to get your printer and software up and running. Then begin using your printer, so you can learn how the whole process of create, print and press works with your equipment. There is an art to sublimation production, and it differs slightly for every user. These differences exist because the combination of time, temperature and pressure varies from place to place, substrate to substrate and even printer to printer and press to press.

Schedule a week or two to learn about your equipment, find the right combinations of colours, temperatures, times and pressures that work for your products.

Develop a system of production, a line of product offerings, samples, pictures, palettes and other essentials you will need to bring your products to market.

Once you have defined your markets, products, systems and sales strategies, give your business a few months to test your target markets before gauging your success. Take a step back and look at what’s selling, what isn’t, what kind of feedback you’re getting and what options you may not have considered.

Maybe there is more demand for personalisation and less for off-the-shelf designs. Maybe you’ve found more success making sales locally than through e-commerce.

Based on these findings, continue to refine your approach to sales and product development.

After about six months, evaluate where your business is at, and where you want it to be at the end of your first year. Ask these questions:

• Have I recouped my initial investment? If not, why, and what can you do to make this happen faster?
• Are my profits satisfactory or am I constantly trying to keep up with expenses? If you are constantly struggling for profitability, you may have to re-evaluate your pricing strategy to ensure you are generating enough profits to pay for everything – including yourself.
• How much of my markets am I reaching? Is this enough, or do I need to figure out ways to capture more market share?
• Are there additional opportunities in my markets that I would like to pursue? If so, how can I do this and is now the optimal time?
• What do I want my business to look like at the end of the year, in terms of size, revenue, reach, etc.?
• What goals do I want to have accomplished by the end of the year? What goals do I want to set for next year?
• Am I happy with the business I have created?

These six initial steps are a strong guideline upon which to start your sublimation business journey. As you navigate your way through the ups and downs of business, keep these steps in mind and stick to your plans as much as possible.

A strategic, disciplined approach to business building is what most often wins the day when it comes to successful startups. There’s no reason you should not be a sublimation success story, too!

About the Author

For more than 25 years, Sawgrass has been the leader in the dye sublimation and digital ink industry, holding more than 160 patents to-date. We are ink makers by definition and digital pioneers by choice. More than that, we are a worldwide team of innovators, enablers, educators, collaborators and problem solvers dedicated to helping people build, sustain and scale their digital customisation businesses.