We recently connected with Mel and have shared our conversation below.

Mel, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

Before I opened up XioPrints LLC, I was a traveling artist who sold artwork in the form of art prints, stickers, and acrylic keychains at conventions. In our world, we typically refer to it as Artist Alley and we jokingly call ourselves “Con Artists”. After a year of doing business, I wasn’t seeing the results I wanted, so I quit to start anew. It wasn’t until the Pandemic that I saw a recurring pattern in the Artist Alley world. People were looking for a reliable, trustworthy, and fast manufacturer for acrylic keychains. That’s when I decided to take matters into my own hands! As a former Artist Alley Artist, I knew exactly what my fellow artists were looking for, so I spent the next two years doing research on the industry. I took local business courses, scoured Facebook, the internet, competitors, and eventually I got the funding I needed to startup!

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

XioPrints LLC is a really unique business. We’re an e-commerce manufacturing company that provides wholesale and retail acrylic products. We specialize in custom acrylic keychains for artists and other businesses, but we can also do acrylic pins, ornaments, signs, cake toppers, and earrings! Additionally, I can print on canvas and other promotional products or swag, if requested. I like to say, if it can be made out of acrylic and wood, we can make it! My business initially was tailored towards Artist Alley Artists, but I’m also expanding out to the pet lovers as well. I started fostering dogs in 2023 and now one of my goals is to fundraise for as many rescues and shelters in the country. I just ran my first one with my local Humane Society and it was a success! I illustrated a custom acrylic keychain for them to sell, and we took custom ornament orders. I’d love to do more artistic work while contributing to a good cause. When you shop here, you’re supporting an artist, sustaining a small business, and fighting against the pet overpopulation crisis. You’re not just a customer, you’re a business partner investing and growing with us.

Can you talk to us about how you funded your business?

To be honest with you, I’m poor and I was told that banks don’t like lending to people without money. So how did I start a business when I didn’t have money, and banks wouldn’t lend to me? You borrow it from family members, save up cash, or find lending organizations that assist low-income individuals. I borrowed money from my mom to purchase the first piece of equipment and through a business workshop, I discovered CAP Services in Stevens Point, WI. They provide a lot of different services for low-income people and one of those programs involved lending to startups. I contacted them for assistance, and I let me tell you, the staff there was a godsend. As risky as I was to lend to, they worked with me to help me get funding for the rest of my startup costs. If not for CAP Services and my mom, XioPrints wouldn’t even exist. Now I carefully budget and invest my profits back into my business to improve my products and services. It just goes to show you that even if you’re poor, you can still start a business with the right resources.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

The best resource for me is the podcast, Ecommerce Badassery with Jessica Totillo Coster. While I was preparing to start a business, I listened to her podcast daily. She gives SO many valuable e-commerce tips for free on her podcast. I also go to as many free business workshops and networking events as I can. You’d be surprised by how much there is available for free locally and virtually.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://xioprints.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xioprints/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090831452065

Image Credits

XioPrints LLC