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

Alright, Thomas thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

My passion for print and design can be traced back to my church roots, where I spent significant time working on various programs for Youth Day, Church Anniversaries, and the College Ministry. I would also often create party invitations, flyers, obituaries, and other projects for myself or friends and family. While designing a youth program for my church in summer 2019, I was looking for someone who could print the programs for a reasonable cost. My dad actually told me, “You can make some money from this.” That’s when the Lord gave me a vision to go into business where I could design and print myself. I didn’t know anything about printing but I started learning quickly and experimented with different projects.

Thomas, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My brand exists to help connect others to those who matter the most. Whether it be your friends, family, clients, etc., Creative Soulz Printing has products to get your message across. We offer various printing solutions such as business cards, banners, labels, flyers, tablecloths, canopy tents, and more. I understand how important it is to stand out above others and get your brand noticed. Unlike big box stores, in addition to printing, we offer design services for those who need help before printing. We work one-on-one with our clients to help them create a distinctive look.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

It definitely has not been a smooth road. One of the challenges I’ve had is trying to narrow down what products I actually wanted to specialize in. When I first started, my main clientele was my church congregation and they would really like ordering Christmas cards and a variety of greeting cards. As I started to expand my business, I grew to learn that I really didn’t like doing cards all the time so now I only offer them as seasonal collections. As a new business I wanted to get all the business I could, but over time I had to learn to say no to certain projects. I had to take into consideration the time it would take for me to learn how to do something, the production time, and if it was worth it for the end costs. Was I even making a profit after it was all over? I have been growing and constantly evaluate what products I want to focus on to elevate my business. I had to learn it’s ok to have a variety of products, but focus on those that clients need the most and those that will bring more growth to my business.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

What has been most effective for me is getting to meet my clients face to face. Word of mouth helps grow my business tremendously. I like to go and support the local vendor events and this helps grow my clientele. Most of my clients are small business owners so I like to go where they are. During these events I introduce myself and explain the services I provide, which can help grow any business. I will also leave my business cards with them and answer any questions they have on the spot. I will also grab one of their business cards so I can follow them on social media as well as send a follow up email in a few days. This allows me to make a personal connection with my clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.creativesoulzprinting.com
• Instagram: creative_soulz_printing
• Facebook: Creative Soulz Printing
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-kelly-b2a454a0/