Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Justin Casey. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Justin thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

The company’s roots date back to around 2011 or so. A friend and I began making custom buttons for a band I was playing in at the time, as well as for other local musicians. After some modest equipment upgrades, it sort of just became something I do. My friends knew that I could provide them with high quality buttons, and they would refer their friends to me by word-of-mouth.

It wasn’t until 2023 that things started to ramp up. The company I had been employed at for 10 years unexpectedly ceased operations on my 40th birthday, leaving me unemployed. At the same time, my brother’s income was becoming less and less reliable. So we decided to invest a few thousand dollars to turning my garage into a custom merch shop.

With the contacts I made over the years, alongside some grassroots marketing – which I also enjoy – the idea seemed like a viable way to take control of a bad situation.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Our current menu of custom items is fairly small, but it will be growing substantially over the next few months. At the moment, we provide die-cut decals, coffee mugs, magnets, and pins of course. We pride ourselves on helping small businesses, influencers, and musicians add more items to their merch tables on nearly any budget. Our items run as little as 25 cents a piece, making it very affordable to get creative with new concepts and designs.

We’re also quick to help with any questions that people may have, giving a personal touch to services that are typically automated by larger competing web sites. When someone reaches out to us, it’s clear they’re getting answers from a real person who will help guide them in the right direction.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Funding for Loud Wave came directly out of our pockets, and has been sustaining itself ever since. We have no investors looking over our shoulders or urging us to make changes. We are very much the epitome of a family owned and operated business. We handle everything ourselves, and every penny we spend on supplies or equipment comes directly from sales we have made.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I personally handle the company’s social media presence, and it’s helped us network with a lot of folks who would have otherwise shopped elsewhere. After developing a routine of posting at least a few times each week (preferably each day), it’s become easier and easier to create worthwhile content to share.

One tactic we’ve started using has proven quite fruitful, in which we sponsor Instagram giveaways for bands and small businesses. In essence, we are putting ourselves in front of their audiences by asking people to follow both accounts and engage with the post. Winners are randomly selected and receive a free merch package. This not only allows us to grow our numbers, but it also creates a strong bond between us and the other brand.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://loudwavemerch.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loudwavemerch/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557546135814
• Twitter: https://x.com/loudwavemerch
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@loudwavemerch

Image Credits
Dave Crimaldi