ImagesMagUK_July_2021

IS DECORATOR PROFILE www.images-magazine.com 32 images JULY 2021 adds: “We don’t want to be massive.” The company’s shops in Devizes and Swindon reopened last month after being closed to customers except by appointment since March 2020. The website was refreshed and the company is increasing its work for charities. “We are almost back on track,” Jemma adds. “It has been an exceptionally hard year… but we have just put our noses down to the grindstone and worked with our exceptional team as hard as we can. We are a smaller team than we were a year ago, but things are looking good.” Squeegee & Ink The outlook is also “very positive” for Squeegee & Ink in Newbury in Berkshire, according to Chessie Rosier-Parker. The company has changed its focus over the past 12 months. A year ago, Chessie and co-founder Emily Rosier-Parker were reviving print and embroidery orders through stronger links with local businesses alongside developing online training for other decorators. But since then, they have started doing less for customers and building their own T-shirt brand, Blind Maggot, featuring designs from tattoo artists. “We’ve always wanted to do our own work,” Chessie explains. “Customer orders are great, but they also take up a lot of time doing quoting and mock-ups and figuring what’s in their heads. We can see higher profit margins printing our own stuff.” Squeegee & Ink continues to do print and embroidery work for customers, but Chessie and Emily have streamlined this by shifting exclusively to using Stanley/ Stella garments for everything, including Blind Maggot. “The ethical side is a massive bonus, but it’s just reliability and quality. They print beautifully and the customers really rave about them. It’s sped up everything. We don’t just dump a catalogue on people. We say, ‘This is the range you have to pick from’ and they don’t get that overwhelming choice either. All our quoting is easy as we know the prices off the top of our head and don’t have to go research that.” Over the past year, Squeegee & Ink has built on its success with video sharing site TikTok, which continues to translate to orders more than any other social media platform [see the February 2021 issue of Images ]. Chessie has also embraced Clubhouse, the app for audio-only chat rooms, which has allowed her to connect with other screen printers around the world [see the March 2021 issue of Images ]. With YouTube video training and a new Blind Maggot podcast, this is part of Squeegee & Ink’s efforts to support the increasing number of people setting up print and embroidery businesses over the past year. Demand for its service providing screen templates for other printers has soared. “I think it’s because the industry is opening up as a whole,” Chessie suggests. ”We’re all talking to each other on platforms like Clubhouse and podcasts, whereas everyone used to be a little bit closed off before. I feel like the information is there for the new people.” Alongside small improvements such as a new dip tank and more racks, Squeegee & Ink has streamlined operations by adopting Printavo printing software, which has freed up time so it can concentrate on higher revenue-generating tasks. “Covid gave us that respite from just reacting to what was coming in and then we got to build what we wanted the business to look like for the future. Covid gave us some time to step back and prioritise what we really enjoyed. It’s been actually super-positive for us having that rest, building and focusing on what we enjoy.” Pubs reopening has brought in uniform orders at OHM Clothing The industry is opening up as a whole Squeegee & Ink achieves higher profit margins printing its own-brand Blind Maggot designs Emily and Chessie Rosier-Parker at Squeegee & Ink