We recently connected with Kevan Knight and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kevan, thanks for joining us today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you in your creative career?
Back in 2020, I was laid off at the start of the pandemic for the first time. This was the end of April. This had become a long journey. I was still getting paid for a few months. That is the beauty of working at a company for about 5 years. The funny thing is that it was suggested by a friend to try the gig economy. I can kick myself now because at that time being locked up in the house people were paying a high premium plus tips to get things delivered to their home for a few years. I did experiment with it later on (a few years later), but I think I was too late. Anyway, I did get hired again for another job as a Database Developer in November 2021.
However, I came across someone printing on a T-shirt using a heat press, which appeared to be done at home. It was not the first video I had seen around that time and I was so intrigued. I thought it was an industrial machine that was too much to buy or for the home. I remember the video to this day. I started the job and for weeks or maybe a month it was still on my mind. I did not want it to sit there, because I realized during this time and endless job interviews that you can just lose your job and the income stops. This was the start of me thinking about things I could do to make money outside of my degree and this one required creativity. I did find some influencers who did it full-time and made very informative videos. One tip I got was to look into buying some equipment second-hand if you can to save money. I took some Christmas money I got and made it up with some of my own, and I asked a relative of mine who was a big fan of Offer Up and Facebook Marketplace to show me the ropes and I found my Heat Press Nation Signature Series Heat Press (HPN). People who had the same ideas as me were getting rid of their equipment after a failed hobby or business venture. I knew mine was here to stay for a while. It was not my first choice and after a few failed buys I accepted that things happened for a reason. I created a list of wants in a heat press. The HPN checked off everything I wanted and it was overlooked by me the whole entire time. Thanks to my young uncle’s killer negotiation skills I got it for the exact amount of money I had. My hobby was here to stay. The next problem was what do I put on the shirts? I went back to Offer Up maybe a week or so later and bought my first Vinyl cutter, which was a Silhouette Cameo 3. Now it was time to get started.
The job I had as a full-time database developer was something I wanted for years after I finished college. I loved working with data. I did not think I would get bored or always have new interests. Those were not even on my mind remotely. I thought I would be at a company for about 10 years, buy a home, get married, have kids, and all that other grown stuff, but that’s not how life works for everyone. No one told me about layoffs or how disposable you are in the private sector. I found out around this time. Later in March 2023, I was hit with another layoff, unfortunately. It was no fault of my own. I took it as a sign and this time I leaned more into my creativity.
Looking back now, I was craving color and I did not know how to tap in. I will say this: before this happened I was getting bored of the black and white I seen og writing database code and creating reports daily. Maybe for like a year, I was itching for color. I asked a friend of mine to teach me how to use the basics of Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and Premiere Pro. I started experimenting with editing videos, photos, and editing vectors in Illustrator. I even bought different cameras and played with YouTube. Ironically, Adobe Illustrator I now use often for creating designs for t-shirts. Also, Photoshop is what I use to create mock-ups for said shirts to show customers or myself.
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?
Hi everyone! I am Kevan Knight. The people closest to me call me Kev. I have a background in Information Technology. From a young age, I was pretty techy. I was known to my cousins for having a lot of gadgets: the latest cellular phones, gaming devices, 2-way pagers, and MP3 players. Let’s not forget about me always knowing my way around computers (software). Remember MySpace? Endless hours doing simple HTML and CSS coding to make sure I get the perfect aesthetic for my page. I did not realize that moment in my life would be a stepping stone to getting me where I am today. Also, I was one of those young kids constantly making mixes or burning CDs. I found myself always techy. I always wished I was one of those kids who could draw, paint, or make bubble letter wording. Little did I know that creativity can be expressed in many other ways. I learned that once I got older.
I stepped into the garment decoration and the printing industry during the pandemic. It was just shirts at first, but then I stepped into stickers, vinyl decals, and more. What’s crazy is that vinyl decals were popular online years ago and now I started making them at home. Where was this when I was in college? What problem do I solve? Sometimes you have an idea that you want to put on something like a shirt/jacket/hoodie/sweater/sticker/sublimated aluminum plate/puzzle, or the one I get often is that you may need business shirts for your new business. That is where I come in.
One thing I get from others is that I am very determined. If I do not know something that is ok. Just give me some time to figure something out and I can get it done. One of the recent projects I had was to help get a Med Spa up and running with an unfinished website, Instagram, Canva, a lack of an appointment scheduling system, and an endless amount of paper intake forms now paperless. The owner told me and others that I am determined to get it done even if I do not know anything about it. Just give me some time.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
You know what? There are a few people on Instagram and YouTube I have watched over the years who are successful and even become millionaires: Jesseca Dupart, CEO of Kaleidoscope Hair Products (IG: DaRealbbjudy); Raynell Stewart, CEO of The Crayon Case (IG: Supa_Cent); TS Madison Hinton who is an all-around entertainer. Ironically, they are all women that taught me a lot. They are transparent; I am sure they are not going to tell us everything, which is understandable. When they do share, they encourage supporters. I watch all of their interviews once they are available. They will throw out gems or tell stories. I love that we get the good, the bad, and where they messed up.
Pivoting is one thing I have seen them do in many ways, or being nearby someone who might know someone who can help them in the right direction. I forgot to mention in the T-shirt space, BigBrandoh from YouTube. I learned a lot of things from him that got me going when it came to production, pricing, business structuring, customer interactions, and more. I cannot believe I forgot to mention him. There is one more person: Craig Stewart (YouTube: CraigTheWriter) who is a writer and author. His story as a struggling writer got to me. One thing he said to do is lean into what the universe is telling you. The path you think you should be on might be the wrong one. Pay attention and stay present.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
It was my lay-off in April 2020 and then to turn around and have it happen again in March 2023. It showed me nothing is forever and your career is not an absolute end all be all. The big lesson here is that everyone should still have the means to keep at least $20 coming in without a consistent paycheck (legally of course). In the words of TS Madison, “Five 20s equals 100.” I am accepting that I am someone who likes to learn new things and try new things. In other words, I get bored easily. It is ok to say “I don’t like what I do anymore” and seek a new career. This is what I find makes life interesting and fun. It gives you some kind of motion to continue living, and having something to look forward to. During my unemployment both times, I became a Notary, t-shirt decorator, sticker printer, and video editor. I was trying things that added color and see what I liked and disliked. Trust me, I still have a few career shifts left in me while I am alive.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.printfulthoughts.com
- Instagram: PrintfulThoughts
