From Basement to Brand: The T-Shirt Journey

This chapter explores the entrepreneurial journey of an individual who started a t-shirt business in their parents' basement and grew it into a successful brand. It highlights the challenges, learning experiences, and strategic decisions made along the way, including a significant acquisition during the pandemic.

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#422 How do you grow a t-shirt hustle from your parents’ basement into a $6 million brand? Today’s guest, Tom Rauen, did just that! As the founder of 1-800-Tshirts, Tom shares how he scaled his custom apparel business from a local screen printing startup into a national brand — without relying on paid advertising. Hosted by Brien Gearin, this episode dives into how Tom partnered with his mom as his first employee, figured out when to wear multiple hats versus hire help, and used outside-the-box marketing stunts (like breaking a Guinness World Record) to fuel viral growth. You’ll also hear how he uses personalized customer service, branded online stores, and high-quality swag to help small businesses turn merch into a profit center. This is a masterclass in scaling, branding, and customer experience!

What we discuss with Tom:

+ From basement startup to $6M brand

+ Partnering with his mom early on

+ Scaling to 42 employees

+ Navigating hiring and delegation

+ Acquiring the 1-800-Tshirts brand

+ Creating branded online stores

+ Turning merch into a profit center

+ Prioritizing customer experience

+ Unique marketing stunts and PR

+ Competing with big players like 4imprint

Thank you, Tom!