A viral pitch promises print-on-demand will pay your bills while the platform takes a small cut. I checked both claims — one against the published fee schedules, one against five years of my own sales data. The numbers point the other way round.

A local school asked for a logo and "some merch" for its 200th anniversary. Here is the whole process, from reading the brief to sourcing three suppliers to 300 finished badges, with the real numbers and the judgment calls that don't show up in a spec.

A client emailed me this week — her long-term supplier had quoted higher than usual, and she was ready to start over. I told her not yet. There's one question worth asking before you switch suppliers, and the answer almost always changes the conversation.

"Lightweight cotton, natural colour" can mean ten different things depending on who's reading it. That's not a factory problem — it's a specification gap. Here's how to write a brief that removes the guesswork before sampling begins.

Ordering 25 units instead of 5 was the right production decision. It was also completely wrong. The MOQ wasn't the problem — the sequence was. Here's the calculation most product businesses skip before placing a production order.

"How many should I order?" is the wrong first question. This post breaks down first-order vs second-order production decisions — with real margin data at 25, 50, and 100 units — so you stop guessing and start ordering based on evidence.

This week I'm sourcing badges, mugs, clothing, and accessories for one client. Same five sourcing questions. Completely different answers. Here's what changes when you apply the same framework across multiple product categories—and how to compare unlike things strategically.

My husband needed 200 custom rulers. I had no idea how to source 3D printing. After years briefing manufacturers for fashion and products, I was hesitating before sending that first email. Here's what being out of my depth taught me about asking better questions - and the 6-question email template that works for any product, any manufacturer.

I uploaded my 2023 business data into Claude and asked it to show me what actually happened. I already had theories. I wasn't good at marketing. I needed better sales skills. The timing was off. Claude looked at the data and said: "You built a mini-department store before you had a single proven bestseller." Then it showed me numbers I'd been telling myself didn't matter.