Shop Hacks

Don't Fear Failure

Creating a culture of low-stakes failure is one of the most valuable management habits a print shop can adopt. When team members feel free to...

Squeegees < Pallets

Using a squeegee wider than your pallet is a silent killer in screen printing. It may look harmless, but once the rubber edge extends past...

One to Rock, One to Stock

“One to rock, one to stock” is a rule every print shop should live by. It’s not about excess—it’s about being prepared. When a pressure...

Use a Password Manager

Running a shop without a password manager is asking for chaos. Every distributor, supplier, and platform needs its own login, and using shared Google Docs...

Anti-Crush Boxes

Shipping fragile products demands precision, not shortcuts. Cheap boxes lead to costly replacements, bad reviews, and wasted time. For delicate items like coffee mugs, anti-crush...

Flag Priority Orders

In every print shop, certain orders demand extra attention—whether it’s a picky client, tight deadline, or special instructions that can’t be overlooked. The TLC labeling...

Invest in People

Investing in people pays dividends no machine can match. Employees who feel supported and valued push harder, think sharper, and stay longer.  The best shops...

Daily Top Ten Tasks

Feeling unproductive at the end of the day often comes from chaos, not laziness. A simple fix: make a daily top-10 task list. Write it...

Force Reply-All

Few things derail shop communication faster than customers who ignore “Reply All.” When multiple team members handle art, pricing, and production separately, skipping others on...

Dog-Ear Screen Tape

When taping the back of your screens, add a “buddy tab” to make your reclaim crew’s life easier. Instead of fighting to peel tape that’s...

Nail Polish Pin Holes

When printing with water-based inks, the screen’s underside often becomes damp, making traditional tape useless for patching pinholes. The moisture prevents tape from sticking properly,...

Table Top Ink Scraping

A table with a built-in screen slot is a simple but powerful addition to any print shop. By cutting a narrow gap between a plywood...