We recently connected with Thomas Meyers and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Thomas, thanks for joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

My brother actually came up with the idea of designing apparel for customers that attended his church in England. He sent me some samples and I started selling them in my church in New Mexico. Over some time. we formed a small business called “50 Good Men” and we created a website, business cards and we would sell our merchandise at Christian events in Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee. We solved a problem for many Christians who desired to wear apparel that was unique and different from the typical Christian apparel. Business was going well, but unfortunately we were both in the military and reassignments, deployments hindered us from really growing the business the way we wanted. My brother stopped producing designs and he pursued a career in photography and I decided to keep the business going after my military obligations were completed.
I completed a degree in Graphic Design, obtained a business license, created a new website, increased my presence on social media and other forms of advertising. I renamed the business “Same Image Different Soul” and added custom printing services, Black History apparel, New Mexico themed apparel and Pop Culture apparel. I also expanded from just t-shirts and provided hoodies, long sleeve shirts, v-necks, tank tops, tote bags and stickers.
I knew this would work because I knew I could create designs that were not like anyone else. I did my research and I realized that people in New Mexico really love their state. I went to work and created multiple designs relating to “The Land of Enchantment”. I started applying for events and trade shows locally and had some success, then my contact information began to reach more and more important people. My vending opportunities increased dramatically and my business has been striving ever since. Because of the success of my New Mexico themed apparel, my custom design orders started to increase and my Black History apparel is gaining some traction. Today, I’n excited about introducing my Pop Culture apparel and reintroducing my Christian apparel.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I got into this industry because I love designing and creating something different and unique. I figured starting my own business is a great way to show the world what I can do and do it my way. I started with just t-shirts and then I had the desire to provide customers with more options, so I expanded to v-necks, tank tops, long sleeves and hoodies. I also love making dreams into a reality by offering custom printing. When a customer purchases a product from me at one of my shows and say, “Wow! I never seen anything like this before!” This is what makes me most proud. Even customers that do not become buyers will comment and say that my designs are so unique. I solve the problem for customers desiring designs that are “out the box” and not the same stuff they have seen before. I want that “wow” factor and I have accomplished that on many occasions. I want to let my followers or potential clients know that my designs will always be unique and different. Whether if you are into New Mexico themes, Black History, Christianity or Pop Culture you will not be disappointed. Even non-buyers will see something different and share with their friends and family. I’m always working on new designs and apparel, so the multitude of options will continue to grow.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

If you have a dream or a vision, pursue it. Don’t give up. I could have given up on multiple occasions, but I kept going. Don’t allow failure to hinder you from improving your business. Sometimes you have to fail to succeed. I’ve had equipment break down on me, I made so many costly mistakes and I created designs that didn’t work. Instead of feeling sorry for myself, I worked harder, spent more time creating better designs and always stayed confident and positive. If you want success, you have to work for it. It may not happen quickly, but keep going!

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

I started with about $1,000.00 to start my business. I bought my equipment that I needed at the time. (blanks shirts, heat press, ink, etc.). I also purchased business cards and gave them out during free events. I relied on custom printing orders to fund my business at the beginning, so my prices were cheap because I wanted customers. I slowly obtained enough money to start creating my own designs. I would only use my business account to fund my business and I did not take out any loans and rarely used credit cards. Once I was able to attend trade shows and events, and display my work, the money flow was enough to purchase equipment, maintain inventory and grow my business account. I also develop ways to safe money (discounts, business license, sales)

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sameimagediffsoul.com
• Instagram: @sameimagediffsoul
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/SameImageDifferentSoul
• Twitter: @image_same
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sameimagedifferentsoul7678

Image Credits
I own all these images