"Making A Print Shop For Your Friends" | Culture And Screen Printing With Upstate Merch

Dec 03, 2020, 01:00 PM

What if you started a print shop with your best friends – and printed for your favorite bands, companies, and celebs? That's Upstate Merch. Join owner Dylan Gilligan as he shares the story of a tight-knit shop in rural New York: "All of my core people are people I have known since I was 12 years old."
Between two podcasts – the Upstate podcast and Shirt Show (with SHIRT KONG's Andy Rudman) – Dylan spends a lot of time talking shop. "Why don’t we just let people listen to these great conversations so they can gain some nugget of knowledge," Dylan says of the reasoning behind the two shows. Check out Shirt Show here: https://open.spotify.com/show/01xVM4dONfsFILg7l9NAzf?si=aqAqbbDuQWeh-6W4BHv7tw
Upstate's focus on detailed art, intricate separations and customers that they're interested in has kept them busy despite the pandemic. Dylan doesn't hesitate to downplay his own skill and determination: "I’m not some business mastermind that thought of ways to do all of this." From finding a great deal on a building and renovating it to hiring and firing friends, this episode covers ground every print shop owner and employee can relate to – and shows what happens when you combine your passion with a little bit of luck.
The secret to Upstate's success in working with such ideal customers? "The truth? If you want to get into a certain market, find 3 people in that space that have really good art (or help them get really good art). Then all you have to do is take those designs, make a portfolio, and show the people you like and want to work with the things you did."
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