We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lisa Hoeg a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Lisa, thanks for joining us today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

I originally never intended to have a business from something that was a hobby. However, I had a ton of support-friends telling me I should launch a business. I thought they were just being kind, after all there’s a ton of custom tees businesses already out there. But when I began scrolling Instagram, I stopped on one post that used an audio saying that yes there’s a ton out there, but you aren’t.

That was when I decided to go for it. I spent months in budget research, market following, SEO reading and learning. I looked up different t-shirt suppliers, trying to find the best quality. I looked up different types of vinyl brands. It really was so much reading and learning before I finally launched in January. I had to make so many changes that I didn’t expect as well. Word changes, more SEO research, branding. But I love learning, so it has never felt like a bother.

My husband was such a huge support! He helped me rearrange rooms in the house so I could have my own little indoor office and still feel a part of the family. My daughter helps too! She loves to be my videographer. My toddler helps keep everything clean and organized, while my baby gives me snuggles when things feel overwhelming. My entire family is a big part of it and plays a role.

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

My “regular” job is teaching, which I have been doing for 3 years now. After teaching I create custom designed t-shirts. They can be personalized as well. I tend to make mostly for women and children, but I do have designs for men as well.

I started selling them after being encouraged by many. I make custom tees for my students as well as a classroom incentive once they’ve earned enough class money. The kids have been very impressed with what I was able to make them.

Overall my designs show my mindset and aesthetic; however I do have a custom option for clients to put in their ideas. A lot of my tees are geared toward teachers, being one myself. I also make a lot of bohemian themed shirts, and simple quote shirts that gear towards a sarcastic audience. I love using cursive typefaces, and my words written large. These two combined, I feel, create a good combination of strength and femininity in my shirts.

The main thing I want people to know is that I’m not a huge business. I’m not a corporation. Before anything, I’m a mom. I’m a mom making t-shirts in her own little business corner. I make them myself, and they are made with love and care. I do my best to make them as beautiful as I can. I’ve gotten burns and cuts as I’ve learned and I’m still learning new things. Most importantly, I absolutely love sharing something I’ve made with others.

How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.

This is an ongoing, always changing question. I currently sell on Etsy and Tedooo. I say ongoing because I’m also looking into Shopify, my own website, and Amazon (I have Amazon business now). All of them have pros and cons. I feel because of that, it’s best to have different outlets. On top of that, different outlets give you multiple client ranges.

I use Instagram and Tiktok (though less because I’m not a big Tiktok fan) to advertise. Instagram automatically links to Facebook as well which is nice. On Instagram I post pictures of the latest additions to my Tedooo and Etsy store. It was on that app that I found Tedooo to begin with.

Tedooo was where I started. It is great because it has no fees whatsoever. It was quick and easy to set up my shop. No listing renewals are handy. It’s very easy to manage. The cons with it though is it’s harder to get sales on because it’s currently being pushed towards sellers. Well you get a bunch of people selling their craft but there’s no buyers. That’s slowly shifting. The community on Tedooo is fantastic. Definitely a positive bunch! Everyone is very encouraging.

Etsy is great for its professionalism. The fees are a bit tough and it’s hard to begin due to all the competition. However, I love how much information I get from it in regards to my listings. I can see what’s most popular , what’s not, and
picot my designs that way.

Shopify and Amazon I’m currently researching. They have fees as well. Amazon, May be the most worth it and what I have my eyes set on next. In one of my seller tools Amazon is the biggest seller for my product, with Etsy being in second. Amazon dominates the market though.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I’m still building. I’m four months in and my business is still so very new. The whole idea of owning a business is still grand to me. First I connected to similar businesses and moved to ones I loved as well and would shop from (and have!). I make sure to constantly post (though this week was less due to my day job taking so much time. Us teachers call it testing season). I ask questions, show my behind the scenes, and each post has hashtags that correlate with just that post.

Facebook built much faster, and much more easily. However quantity and quality are very different. That was a lesson I had to learn. Instagram got better once I made my first giveaway. I gained 70 followers in 2 weeks. For me that was huge. And the best part was that they stayed! Advertising definitely helps, but it’s expensive. The most important part is to stay active. Be a part of the community. Don’t just make a post but post on others, make responses, and ignore the scammers.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/shirtsbytheway
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Shirtsbytheway