“When you learn, teach. When you get, give.” – Maya Angelou
If there is one quote that encompasses how I feel about life and business, it’s this one by Maya Angelou.
If you’ve been around here since the early days, then you know that we had very humble beginnings. In fact, you might remember that when I launched Sub That, I was using a Sawgrass400 that had been purchased by someone I had been dating and whom let me use it for creating tutorials even after we split up. Some of you might even remember the evolution of our workspaces as not only did we move three times in that first year, but since then I have moved our workspace three times just in the house we have resided in for 6 years. And you may remember that the reason we started it all with Sub That was because as an entrepreneur of over a decade, at that time, I recognized how frustrating it was to watch people gatekeep information, only offer ideas that they profited off of, and give out baseline information for a price, equally.
I launched Sub That with the single goal of giving those in the sublimation and heat transfer industry the very thing I didn’t have for many years and with many businesses: support, guidance, learning and community from someone who had been in my shoes, understood my needs and had something more to offer than the basics. With every year that passes, I think about ways to improve what we do and help you, the maker, be more successful. From improving the quality of our tutorials, to updating our masterclasses, to providing content that encompasses all areas of business, to building an app that puts community and learning in the palm of your hands, to giveaways and more – my goal is always to help you thrive in your craft business in ways that are duplicatable, affordable and actionable.
When I think back over not just the last 6.5 years of Sub That & Of Love and Shiplap, but also the 20 years I have been an entrepreneur, I know that my journey has been made possible by the support of others. It is because of customers, like you, that I get to do something I love every day. It is because of partnerships with companies like Uninet iColor, Johnson Plastics Plus, and various smaller suppliers that we have been able to offer more learning content and giveaways. And it is because of all the people in the last 20 years who took a chance on supporting me, that I am here to do all the things that I can to support you.
This year, we are doing something a whole lot different.
This year, I want to challenge you to put learning into action.
This year, I want to “give back” more to our community of makers who are dedicated to growing their businesses.
This year, we are happy to announce the Sub That Make & Grow Challenge and Christmas Grant.
This project is something that I hope we are able to continue for many years to come – especially the Christmas Grant as that is something I have been working towards over the years.
So, what exactly IS the Sub That Make & Grow Challenge and Christmas Grant?
Well, it’s composed of two parts. First, we have the Make & Grow Challenge.
All throughout this year, we are challenging you to do small things each week to grow your business in the most intentional way. Work smarter, not harder. Cut the dead weight of your creative process. Brush off the dust on underutilized investments you’ve made for you’ve business. Find the community of your unique craft business. Build marketing that connects with your audience but doesn’t drain your resources. Support the industry businesses that support us. Put the love back into small business. Print. Press. Profit. Thrive.
You’ll be able to track all of the weekly challenges in the Sub That Learning Library App with the free default access plan. When you join the conversation in our in-app community, work on your business, tag us in your social media content, and share the app with your friends – you’ll be entered to win one of our monthly prizes which includes gift cards to our favorite suppliers, blanks bundles, app upgrades, and business services.
We want to encourage you to do the work you need to grow your business strategically while we incentivize with things you need to keep your business growing. Details will be sent out each Wednesday in the Sub That Learning Library App (make sure you turn on your notifications) and via email.
Now, let’s talk about the Make & Grow Christmas Grant!
Over the course of this year, we are taking 1% of sales generated by our coupon code SUBTHAT that is spent at Uninet iColor, Johnson Plastics Plus, PNW Blanks by Anna, Hawkins Dye Sublimation and (soon) Ninja Transfers and allocating it for a Christmas Grant. The Christmas Grant will consist of $250 and $500 grants that are awarded to crafters who have been taking part in the Make & Grow Challenge during the year. We want to be able to give away as many of these grants as we can to give a boost to the creative printing community.
This is the start of something that has been on my heart for a few years and I hope that we can grow more in the years to come. I have many ideas for how that can look but we don’t want to get too ahead of ourselves. For now, for this year – this is what we can do.
Why are we building the grant around these sales?
I am a very big advocate for community over competition. You probably have noticed that over here at Sub That, we just mind our own business and don’t get involved with industry drama – that is by design. What we do around here is different from other people and I am proud of that. We are living in divisive times with much uncertainty. The only way to combat that is with more community built with intention. We build community best when we invest in our community with our ideas, conversations and dollars.
Our entire goal this year is to help you put out better products, increase your profits and create stability that surpasses the uncertainty. Supporting the companies that support us with high quality blanks, equipment, and materials and customer service is one of the best things that we can do. Our desire to make an income cannot be void of making an impact in the bigger sphere around us. Shopping with these suppliers supports families and our country’s economy (for the US and UK; I will try to work on getting a discount code for a Canadian supplier) as well which is something we all should be striving for right now.
Remember, time will pass regardless of anything else happening in the world around us. The question is where you want your business to be in 6 months, 12 months, 4 years and beyond.
Be sure to turn on your notifications for the app, check back on Friday’s and/or sign up for the Sub That email list so you don’t miss out.