How did you get to be such a BadA**?

[NTZ-Deanna]

I've been watching and reading here in the forums, social media etc, mostly just a silent stalker....we all (I think) have those shops or people in the industry we watch and idealize over....or maybe your the one being drooled over...so how did you get to be such a BadAss and when will I be one?  Some days I look around and think ya we're pretty awesome - then we have a rash of screw up messes and I'm back in check.  In my mind (my shop), we're never good enough and always need to do better - perhaps I should really be worrying when I stop wondering?    If I could have one wish - I'd be a fly on the wall of my idealized peeps,shops and businesses for a day. 

[DrivingZiggy]

In my mind (my shop), we're never good enough and always need to do better

Sounds like you already are (bada$$).

[zanegun08]

we're never good enough and always need to do better

Keep this attitude, and you can push your craft forward.  The "Badass" shops only show you a curated sliver of their business, every shop does boring prints, bad art, bad color combos, has employee issues, jobs go wrong, unhappy customers.

The internet makes it easier to portray yourself as bigger and badder than you really are, it's just marketing.  Everyone deals with the same trials and tribulations, hone your craft, do constant R&D, Wash Tests, carve out a niche, get better at less things that mediocre at lots.

And have fun, share your findings, and put out good work.

[Colin]

Research
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practice=making lots of mistakes

Now you are an overnight sensation!!!!

[tonypep]

Don't forget:
Fail
Learn

[KevinO]

I looked you up on google and your shop looks very clean and that in my opinion is Badass

[alan802]

Some of the "Badasses", like me, are full of crap.  We come here to the internet to inflate our numbers so that people will think we are the best at what we do. Because we get no credit or respect from anyone inside the loop we can be supermen/women here online.  All the numbers I quote as far as jobs printed, 7 color setups in 12 minutes, 1000/hr production rates, one hit khaki on military green shirt, printing 5500 shirts on one press in one shift, etc...all BS.  At least double every number that you read here from the top tier shops.  And if you don't believe me, take a look at some of the shops that used to be on the forums blowing smoke that no longer operate a screen printing shop, because they "got out of the business while on the top of their game"...yeah, sure you did buddy . 

I now have to go set up a 5 color job on darks.  Should take me about 10 minutes to set up, 2 test prints max, 198 pieces, I'll have it done from setup to teardown in 35 minutes.

And that's THAT!!!

[Sbrem]

Define BadA**, I guess. For instance, high end printing on a massive scale is BA, or making a couple million a year printing the boring stuff is also BA. Or maybe, just getting by but producing good quality work to a group of loyal customers who know will do a good job for them, whatever makes you happy in the end. And, as others have noted, it sounds like you already know, just keep pushing.

Steve

[Homer]

smoke and mirrors, we're all just a hot mess. Some can control (hide) it better than others. 

[blue moon]

agreed with Alan and Homer, most of us just bring it up when we do something well. The other 90% of the time even the best looking shops are as big of a mess as anybody else.

pierre

[mimosatexas]

This forum has made me a much, much, much, much, much better printer.  Some days everything goes right and I can point to dozens of things that I have learned over time that made those days possible.  Other days I am up against deadlines with multiple things going wrong and putting out work I would never share, even when clients are thrilled with the results.

Like you said, if you have an attitude of I "always need to do better" you will get better.  I dont think there is ever a point where you will feel like you can't get better honestly as you can always be more efficient, get better equipment, better inks/emulsions/consumables, etc.

[brandon]

Yup, everything above is true. I always start any serious screen printing conversation with "I only know about 1% of screen printing" because I learn something new every day. Especially when someone like Rick Roth comes to your shop. You really feel like you know nothing! 

[Nation03]

I wouldn't consider myself a badass, but enjoying your craft and wanting to get better is the best thing you can do for your business. Thanks to this forum I learned a few tricks which come in handy a lot. Today I ran 352 Champro mesh football jerseys and was able to do a passable one hit white on them. And I did so because this forum opened my eyes to s-thread mesh, different emulsion and coating methods, controlling your squeegee pressure etc. You get out what you put in.

[ScreenFoo]

And if you don't believe me, take a look at some of the shops that used to be on the forums blowing smoke that no longer operate a screen printing shop, because they "got out of the business while on the top of their game"...yeah, sure you did buddy . 

I think those people do tend to leave at the top of their game, it just isn't printing.

[NTZ-Deanna]

Love the feedback! Made me Smile  .  I think my shop is pretty sweet when a take a step back....but I think I need to figure out how to step up my game in the graphics world and sales world of gaining bigger clients outside of my small town.  Those are my week spots, I don't have a problem with admitting it, so some how I need to find the right people to get me there....oh ya that's my other week spot lol - hiring people!  Perhaps I'm too nice, or not scary enough in my 5' tiny stature.  Finding the right people...just a needle in a hay stack right?  Keep on keepin' on.  Thanks guys - I hope I meet you all sometime or get to be a fly on your shop wall.