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

Nicholas, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

The journey of starting my business has been anything but conventional. Unlike most entrepreneurs, the concept for my business evolved in stages, with multiple pivots before finally solidifying into what it is today. Reflecting on that journey, I realize how each step, no matter how small or big of a step it was, ultimately brought me closer to my vision.

It all started during the pandemic— or as I called it “house arrest.” At the time, I was working as a Pharmacy Technician at Kroger Pharmacy when one of the pharmacists I worked with had just become pregnant with twins. After years of trying, and following a heartbreaking miscarriage. Finding out about the news of her pregnancy was monumental. Immediately I knew I wanted to do something special for her and her twins. Something that they could keep forever. So, I ended up making a three-piece canvas drawing for her twin’s nursery, and a baby Winnie the Pooh and friends painting for their playroom. No one knew I was an artist, it wasn’t something that I just flaunted around. I always kept to myself and did in my free time, but to my surprise, my coworkers and even patients that had seen the paintings I made were blown away, and people began asking me to create custom pieces for them.

At that time, I didn’t charge people for my work; painting gave me a creative outlet that I just enjoyed being able to express myself with. It also gave me something to do and kept me busy during the lockdown. As demand started to grow, my colleagues had mentioned that I should turn my art into a side hustle. That’s when I first conceived the thought of Iconic Techniques. After weeks of planning things out and doing some research I felt like I was ready to start my first website. I ended up paying for an entire year subscription upfront, and started designing my website. Until I realized that focusing solely on my artwork wasn’t going to be enough. For one I was struggling with being able to keep up with demand, because it would take me weeks sometimes months to complete a painting, and for two I didn’t have nearly enough pictures of my own work to showcase nor did I have random paintings of mine just lying around that I could sell.

So, I had to think of a backup plan, because I done paid for an entire year for this website. Then one day I was talking to a friend of mine and they were expressing how they were having issues with finding buyers to purchase their work, and that’s when it had hit me. As an artist, I’ve always loved supporting local talent and helping people, especially children! I liked helping them figure out ways to express themselves through art. Which ended up changing my vision of my business completely. I decided to make my business not only be a place where I can showcase and sell my work, but it can be a stepping stone to help other local artists gain exposure, and use to showcase their own work as well. Which this passion ended up sparking the idea behind my slogan, “Making Your Creativity a Reality.” So, I ran ads trying to find artists who would be interested for weeks, but in the end it didn’t pan out as expected, and I was back to square one again.

Then, one day, our youngest son had came to me and asked me if I would make him a pair of customized shoes featuring his favorite anime character, Naruto. I couldn’t say no, so I created a pair of hand-painted Nike Forces with Bart Simpson as Naruto and Homer Simpson as his nemesis, Pain. When I posted the finished product on my social media, I was inundated with so many requests from people wanting some kind of custom apparel done. People I’ve never even met was messaging me asking me for something, and that is when my business truly began to take shape.

I realized there was a strong demand for personalized, custom-made products—especially in apparel. After some research, I discovered that many artists were charging hundreds of dollars for custom work, making it inaccessible to many people. So I wanted to find a way to offer high-quality, custom products at prices that were more affordable. That’s when I found out about DTF and UV DTF printing techniques. These methods would allow me to produce high-quality items at a lower cost, enabling me to be able to provide reasonably priced custom products to my customers, but first I had to be able to purchase such a printer. Which these printers are up in the thousands of dollars just for one.

So to fund my first DTF printer, I worked overtime at my pharmacy job—putting in 120 hours every two weeks for six months until I was finally able to get my first DTF printer. Once I got the printer, I started small, creating custom shirts, hoodies, and hats for family and friends. Then one day I had a local company, Elite Therapy, reach out to me. They were in need of branded shirts for an upcoming event they were hosting. I eagerly took on the project. The Clincal Manager, Stephanie, and I started brainstorming on ideas for additional products with their logo on them that she wanted me to do as well, and the collaboration ultimately helped me decide on what my vision for my business was finally going to be.

My business, Iconic Techniques, LLC, is built on the idea of empowering self-expression for individuals, businesses, and organizations. We help people stand out from the crowd by providing unique, high-quality, customized products at a reasonable cost. Whether you’re an entrepreneur looking to elevate your brand, an event planner in need of memorable swag, or someone who simply wants to make a statement, we’re here to help make that happen.

Today, Iconic Techniques has grown and now offers eight different customization techniques, including DTF printing, UV DTF printing, embroidery, vinyl, sublimation, screen printing, laser engraving, and airbrushing. These techniques can be applied to a wide range of products that we offer as well. While we’re still in the process of learning to grow our brand and build our client base, we are extremely grateful for our partnership with Elite Therapy. They have been a loyal supporter throughout our journey, and we can’t thank them enough. We’re excited for what the future holds as we continue to expand our reach and get our name out there to people, and hope to one day be the ultimate one stop shop for any and all things customized.

Nicholas, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m the founder and President of Iconic Techniques, LLC, a business rooted in creativity, self-expression, and supporting others through personalized, high-quality custom products.

At Iconic Techniques, we believe in the power of self-expression and individuality. Our mission is to help you stand out from the crowd by providing unique, high-quality customized and personalized products that reflect your personality, brand, or message. We specialize in bringing people’s unique ideas to life! We offer a wide range of customization services, including DTF printing, UV DTF printing, embroidery, vinyl, sublimation, screen printing, laser engraving, and airbrushing. These techniques can be applied to everything from apparel and accessories to promotional products for businesses and organizations.

What sets us apart is our commitment to making creativity accessible to everyone. While many providers in the customizing industry charge high fees, we focus on offering high-quality products at affordable prices. We believe that self-expression shouldn’t be out of reach, whether you’re creating something for yourself or for your business.

I’m most proud of the fact that Iconic Techniques isn’t just about selling products; it’s about empowering others to express themselves. From entrepreneurs wanting to stand out in their industry to individuals looking to express themselves through their own personal flair, we help our clients create something that truly reflects who they are. I’m also incredibly grateful for the support of our first major client, Elite Therapy, who believed in our vision from the beginning.

For anyone considering working with Iconic Techniques, you can reach us on any of our social media platforms. As well as on our website www.iconictechniques.com. I also would like to let everyone know that we’re more than just a customization business—we’re your partner in bringing your creativity to life. We pride ourselves on our commitment to excellence by delivering exceptional customer service. We are dedicated and passionate about making sure your experience is one you will never forget. We are here to help you make your statement with style and quality and by your side through the entire process from beginning to end. So don’t just settle for just anyone. Come to Iconic Techniques and let us help make your creativity become a reality. Where you too can become Iconic!

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

I am currently focused on growing my social media audience, which has been a challenging process. However, I am determined to succeed. After conducting research on strategies to expand my reach, I came across an article that highlighted how businesses can boost engagement and attract new customers through contests and giveaways. Inspired by this, I decided to launch a contest of my own.

I created The Rise of an Icon Contest, a weekly challenge series designed to engage participants and build excitement around my brand, Iconic Techniques. Each Monday at 3:30 pm EST, I post a new challenge with a specific theme, which participants must complete by Friday at midnight. The challenges vary weekly, with different rules and unique themes, and the prizes are all customized products created by my business. In addition to winning the weekly prize, winners also have their names entered into a grand finale drawing on New Year’s Eve, where one lucky person will be crowned Icon of the Year and receive the grand prize.

Participants can enter the grand finale drawing multiple times, but only by winning a weekly challenge. To add an extra layer of excitement, I’ve also hidden special rewards, or “hidden gems,” within 10 of the weekly challenges. These gems grant special abilities to participants during the competition, but only the first person to find each hidden gem will benefit from it.

The first challenge began on August 26, 2024, and the contest will run until December 27, leading up to the grand finale drawing on December 31 at midnight.

Although the contest is still in its early stages, I’ve already noticed a significant boost in my social media presence. The contest has helped me reach new followers, increase post engagement, and generate more interest in my page and content. I’m thrilled with the results so far and excited to see how much more impact this contest will have by the end of the year when it concludes.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Not only am I in the process of starting my own business, but I’m also a full-time student at Western Governors University (WGU), pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. I chose this degree because, while I have the passion and vision for my business, I recognized that I lacked experience in management and business ownership. I want to be fully prepared and equipped with the knowledge necessary to make my business successful, and I believe a degree in Business Administration will provide that foundation.

While many business owners go on to earn an MBA, I saw it as a smart move to start with a solid grounding in business fundamentals through this bachelor’s program. So far, even though I’m only in my first term, the coursework has been incredibly beneficial. It has opened my eyes to concepts I hadn’t previously considered, such as the importance of cultural sensitivity in business operations. Additionally, it has helped me refine my communication skills, particularly in how to communicate more professionally and effectively.

I’m excited to continue learning and growing through this program, knowing that each new skill and insight will directly contribute to the success of my business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.iconictechniques.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iconictechniques
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iconictechniques