Which Length Edson Tiller Arm?

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ethelberttaylo

Building A Winning POD T-Shirt Team: An Expert Advice

Starting a print-on-demand (POD) t-shirt brand may begin as a solo passion project, but scaling it into a thriving business requires building a talented team. Who better to learn from than Mike Driscoll, an industry veteran who has created multiple POD apparel companies that went on to generate millions in sales.

In this post, he shares his top tips for constructing a skilled staff equipped to elevate your POD startup to the next level.

Structure Your Team Thoughtfully

According to Mike, one of the first steps is determining what roles you need on your core team based on your own strengths and weaknesses as a founder. For example, if you handle design yourself, focus first on hiring help with marketing, operations, and customer service. If coding is your specialty, you may need a creative director and photographers sooner.

Mike stresses the importance of understanding your business priorities and unique capabilities when deciding which positions to fill in order to complement your skill set. Don't default to copying another company's org chart if it doesn't align with the growth goals for your specific brand.



Choosing POD t-shirt to have high quality products

Seek Out Specialized Talent

Industry expert Mikel advises complementing versatile generalists with specialists. Given startup budget constraints, leverage freelance sites like Upwork to access niche experts for targeted projects. For instance, hire an Instagram consultant to refine your social strategy or an influencer manager to craft partnership campaigns. Mike also suggests tapping your networks to uncover fresh POD talent. Even if you can't yet fund full-time roles, project work with specialists allows startups to cost-effectively fill capability gaps. The key is determining which focused skills could provide the most value to your core team right now. Specialized talent can propel POD ventures forward.

Empower Your Team's Strengths

Once hired, avoid pigeonholing team members into rigid roles advises Mike Driscoll - Pioneering the Future of POD as an Inspirational CEO. Instead, grant autonomy for staff to flex their unique value. If your designer proposes an inventory solution, embrace their strategic thinking rather than dismissing it as outside their scope. Or loop in your customer service rep to inform product development based on consumer insights uncovered. Welcome perse opinions and cross-collaboration. Empower each person to operate in their genius zone, not just defined responsibilities. Enable staff to think expansively, share bold ideas, and maximize their capabilities. When you fully leverage your team's superpowers, their talent can take your POD business to new heights.

Invest In Ongoing Training

With frequent changes in ecommerce and production, ongoing education is key for POD apparel teams according to the expert. He advises allocating a quarterly budget for impactful professional development to elevate team capabilities over time. Consider relevant online courses in areas like digital marketing and design to enhance competencies. Pursue paid certifications to signal commitment to growth.

Attend virtual industry workshops on emerging POD trends. Schedule "lunch and learn" sessions where experts brief the team on latest platforms and innovations. By facilitating continuous training on emerging topics, founders can ensure their POD staff stays updated on critical skills needed to remain competitive and thrive. Foster an agile, growth-oriented culture devoted to regular upskilling. The payoff is a highly skilled team equipped to elevate the business over the long term.



A good choice for girls who love fashion

Foster An Entrepreneurial Culture

Strive to build a cohesive culture where everyone contributes ideas and takes ownership according to Mike Driscoll - CEO and Marketing Communications Manager of Lion King Shirt. Maintain open communication channels and transparency. Foster scrappy startup energy and passion.

Organize creative brainstorming "think days" outside regular office routines to ignite fresh perspectives. Continue collaborating one-on-one on team members' personal goals and professional growth.

Instill a collaborative environment where bold thinking, problem-solving, and entrepreneurial initiative can flourish. By developing shared values of innovation and collective success, your POD team can achieve exponential growth.

Conclusion

Building a standout POD team takes intention and investment. But the payoff can be immense. Apply the expert's tested team-building framework:

First, make strategic initial hires in foundational roles based on current business needs and your capabilities as founder. Next, empower those team members to maximize their superpowers through autonomy, cross-training, and leadership opportunities. Also, facilitate ongoing learning to keep team skills industry competitive. Finally, unite your team around entrepreneurial values of transparency, collaboration, and growth mindset.

By hiring strategically, nurturing strengths, enabling development, and promoting supportive culture, you can cultivate a talented staff equipped to elevate your POD brand. With Mike's wisdom guiding your team-building approach, you're set up for exponential success.

KeelsonGraham

The shorter one - absolutely. There's not much room in there.
2006 Catalina 34 Mk II. Hull No:1752. Engine: M35 BC.

Noah

10 inch on my MKl. In either case, MKI or MKiI, it is not a job for the faint of heart!
1990 hull #1014, San Diego, CA,  Fin Keel,
Standard Rig

KeelsonGraham

On the Mk II the 10" arm connected to a Raymarine Type 1 linear drive gives you an assembly that almost reaches the side of the hull. You'll need a SS bracket and, as Noah said another thread, you need to reinforce the hull.

This is what my bracket looked like before and after being glassed in.

2006 Catalina 34 Mk II. Hull No:1752. Engine: M35 BC.

KeelsonGraham

2006 Catalina 34 Mk II. Hull No:1752. Engine: M35 BC.