Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tony Natalizio. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Tony, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s jump right into the heart of things. Outsiders often think businesses or industries have much larger profit margins than they actually do – the reason is that outsiders are often unaware of the biggest challenges to profitability in various industries – what’s the biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?

Like any industry there are many challenges to consider but competition is a major challenge. The screen printing and embroidery business is highly competitive, with many small businesses competing for the same customers. This keeps prices down and make it difficult to maintain margins. Market competition is a great thing and forces business to be creative and offer more value. A few examples would be offering faster turnaround times, better quality, and excellent customer service. All shops are different and can offer different things and there’s always someone cheaper in just about any industry.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

My career encompasses two paths, as a musician and the owner of Ink Sounds Custom Merchandising.

Music has been my profession since 2008 after leaving the United States Marine Corps. In 2020, during the global lockdown, I sought a secondary source of income and found screen printing. This led to the establishment of Ink Sounds. I’m proud of my achievements in both careers, but always strive to learn and improve. I aim to deliver high-quality products and services as both a musician and merch maker.

I decided to start a complementary business to my music career a few years ago. After relocating to Detroit, MI in 2019, I began to develop my ideas, writing music and exploring ways to sell merchandise. Screen printing stood out to me as an option to create my own merchandise and offer it to other musicians I knew.

I learned everything I know about screen printing through watching instructional videos on YouTube. After four months of intensive learning, I felt confident to start the business. Upon returning to Houston in 2020, I got the equipment and started screen printing in my garage. However, I soon outgrew that space and moved to a production facility in Spring, TX, where I’ve been able to expand my services and grow my team.

I’ve been working as a guitar player, singer, and sound man for 17 years now. I’ve played thousands of shows, big and small, and have supported amazing artists. I’ve also had the opportunity to play original music and have had some incredible experiences along the way.

Being a musician and running a business has its challenges, but I’ve learned to adapt and find solutions to the problems I face. It’s a lot of work, but I enjoy the fast-paced environment and the never-ending learning opportunities. I have a strong drive to get things done and am always looking for new challenges to tackle.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

Ink Sounds is quickly becoming my full time gig. It started out as a side hustle but the business is growing and requiring more of my time.

My family relocated in 2019 to Detroit, MI from Houston, TX. That is when a lot of my ideas started to take shape. I began writing and releasing music while I reestablished myself as a working musician in the area. I wanted to sell merchandise along with my music. The idea of screen printing started at that point for me. I knew I could at least make my own merchandise to sell and generate some business from other musicians that I already knew and worked with.

YouTube videos pretty much taught me everything I know. I tirelessly watched instructional videos in all areas of the business. I did this for about 4 months and I could visualize the entire process and knew what I needed to do to get this in motion.

My wife and I decided to move back to Houston in 2020 and I jumped into the business. I ordered the equipment and started screen printing in our garage. I quickly outgrew that space and moved into a production space in Spring, TX, where I’ve been able to expand my services and workforce. Getting the production space was a huge milestone for me and I’ve been there for about 1.5 years.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Word of mouth and my music connections. I work with a lot of musicians, bands, venues, and businesses and do my best to be professional and provide great service and products.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.inksounds.com/www.tnatmusic.com
• Instagram: www.intagram.com/inksoundshtx, www.instagram.com/tony_natalizio
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/inksoundshtx, www.facebook.com/tnatmusic