“You need to bring new merchandise assortments into a showroom once a week or once every other week. That way, consumers are intrigued, because they never know what’s going to show up next.”
Martin Brill, president, Sweetwater Consulting

“If you don’t do your own digitizing, you’ll need to develop a relationship with a good digitizer who can offer you a quick turnaround.”
Bonnie Landsberger, owner, Moonlight Designs

“To truly be successful, it’s extremely important to keep your embroidery software up to date.”
Kay Martini, owner, Martini Expressions

“If your customers depend on you to pick up a deliver orders to them, figure that time and expense into your schedule and pricing.”
Bonnie Landsberger, owner, Moonlight design

“Needle threading is sometimes difficult we all know. On the presser foot shaft, stick a small white piece of paper, (like part of a name label piece) on the foot just above the bottom ring. When threading a needle, drop the presser foot and the white background makes the needle eye more visible. I also run my finger across my forehead and then coat the thread with the “skin oil” to firm up the thread and make it more controllable to slip through the eye of the needle. Sure works well.”
John E. Matheson, owner, The Embroidery House

Hoop socks, skull caps and sweatbands, but make sure the sew-able areas don’t stretch. Stretching will cause the garment to pucker when released from the hoop. Use two or more pieces of topping on the woven material to help keep the stitches up and use fast frames to embroider hard-to-hoop items.
Allen Gripton, SWF East

Decorating fabrics with an open weave can be tricky, as stitches can be easily lost in the holes. Try doubling up on backing and water-soluble topping, and then embroider at a normal speed. When the design’s finished, peel away the excess topping. The rest will dissolve under a damp sponge.
Allen Gripton, SWF East

When digitizing a design on a sheer fabric like nylon or silk, set your density a little lower than normal to prevent puckering. Also, use one piece of cutaway and tear-away behind the design.
Allen Gripton, SWF East

Embroidering athletic shorts? Don’t automatically place a logo above the lower left hem. Try placing a design on the side of the leg for a sportier look. Or, if the design’s horizontal or diagonal, choose a bold thread color to highlight the angle of those lines.
Allen Gripton, SWF East

Reach out to find a mentor. If you read an article in a publication and an embroiderer’s quotes really resonate, contact the author or editor for that embroiderer’s contact information. Or attend tradeshows and other venues and keep all the e-mail addresses and phone numbers of contacts you meet.
Carole Fair, Amazing Monograms

Turning a sole proprietorship into a second income can be difficult. But, don’t lose heart. Many business owners don’t break even till the third, fourth or sometimes fifth year. In the meantime, look into a second job for some extra income.
Carole Fair, Amazing Monograms

Everything that leaves your shop represents you. Therefore, never let anything go out of the shop that’s not perfect, if you can help it.
Jerilee Auclair, Black Eagle Designs

Go where your heart leads you. If you have an opportunity to do something that’s going to make you happier, something you’re really going to enjoy, I would say, by all means, take the risk and do it.
Shirley Price, Owner of Double J Embroidery

Plan your route to potential clients to take advantage of saving gas. Visit businesses in a certain area on one day, another area on the next.
Debbie Hopper, Owner of Hoopin’ It Up Embroidery

Go through the Yellow Pages and make lists of all the types of business that can use your services.
Debbie Hopper, Owner of Hoopin’ It Up Embroidery

We have to hoop items to embroider them. Having a separate charge to do this can be perplexing. To avoid customer confusion and lengthy discussions or explanations, roll your hooping fees into the charge of doing embroidery.
Jeri Lee Auclair, Owner of Black Eagle Designs

When selling clothing, clients’ key considerations are color, fabric, style and name brand.
Tom Vann, Founder of Target Graphics (asi/90549)

Many times insurance agents and companies not familiar with the embroidery industry don’t think to ask about the dollar value of software. Increase your coverage by making sure the agent knows the amount of coverage that’s actually needed.
Pat McKay McKay, Insurance Agency

Fill the ditch of the front seam of a six-panel cap with underlay stitches using a running stitch and light density zigzag column to hold up the top stitches of objects that must sew over the seam.
Bonnie Landsberger, Owner of Moonlight Design

When embroidering headwear, remember caps are rarely sewn flat, so it’s safest to assume you’ll need to use an arched cap frame.
Bonnie Landsberger, Owner of Moonlight Design