Inspiring Conversations with Jennifer Schlegel of Ink Vinyl & Stitch

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Schlegel.

Hi Jennifer, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Fortunately I was able to be a stay at home Mom, but that also left me needing to find some “me” time. It began as a hobby with crafting and accessorizing (2014), then turned into vinyl on shirts (2017) before learning additional methods like sublimation. While I was making some shirts for our family, friends and selling a few on the side, it was in 2023 that my husband, Justin, and I talked about what it would look like to become a full fledged business. Justin has been a business owner since 2003 so his experience was beneficial for us to take a leap.

We turned much of our basement into a workshop and creative space, adding new tools, equipment and inventory. A whole new marketing plan, social media profiles, supplier accounts and more were born. I focus on the production and creative work while Justin handles the back end business logistics. We’ve even had our kids help out folding shirts, organizing inventory, etc so it’s a family business for sure!

While we may not be the cheapest route, we always stand behind our work and communicate, doing our best to ensure proper expectations and achieve customer happiness. It’s worked because we don’t pay for advertising; word of mouth and referrals have been the foundation for our growth & success.

Our apparel customization methods include DTF (direct to film), Sublimation, Glitter Vinyl, Gems & Rhinestone Bling, Embroidery and can go on shirts, tanks, hats, hoodies, sweaters, jackets and so much more.

Schools and sports teams have been a major focus of ours as we provide class & staff shirts plus parent swag for dozens of programs all over the valley now. Businesses also use us frequently for their work shirts / embroidered polos.

We are not limited to big orders only though… we still will make one off custom shirts! Bulk pricing discounts do apply, free quotes are always available and we can even help with artwork design so never hesitate to reach out if you have an idea.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think any business owner can say that it’s never all smooth… we’ve learned A LOT in the past 18-months, making plenty of mistakes along the way, but mostly internal with our processes and procedures. We even had a very large order of inventory stolen from our front porch, which cost us hundreds of dollars and set us behind in production for orders that had to be done for Christmas in 2023.

As you know, we’re big fans of Ink Vinyl & Stitch. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Much of this was answered in a previous section about our story, but we take pride in our work. Seeing customer faces light up when they see the finished product is super rewarding. Walking around a Centennial High School football game on Friday night and seeing all the swag we made feels pretty cool too. We also routinely donate and sponsor programs and charitable efforts.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
We really haven’t had any mentors so much. More research online with video tutorials.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inkvinylstitch
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inkvinylstitch