For anyone who has taken the time to read some of my posts or has become a fan of my Facebook page I would like to, once again, thank you for your time. I use the term “fan” loosely as that is Facebook’s terminology, not mine. I tend to think of them all as people who are too nice to click the “No longer a fan” button or whatever it’s called. They put up with my incessant artwork and babbling and I truly apologize for enabling their masochistic tendencies. Just kidding folks, I love ya. Now keep reading, puppets.

With all my delusions of adequacy concerning my bid to take over the world, the least I could do is to pass on, from time to time, a few tips on graphic design or even entrepreneurship, if you so desire. I’ve spoken to a few people, offline, about what I do in my spare time and eventually, after they stop looking at me like I have lobsters crawling out of my ears, they ask how to do it.

The truth is I don’t have the best answers in the world on how to successfully run an online business like this. I don’t have a business degree nor do I claim to be successful enough to quit my day job for this type of work. But, I can tell you ten things that have at least allowed me to turn a profit in one way or another. It all depends on your willingness to make an effort and your sense of accomplishment. Everyone is different and 99% of you are more business savvy than I am. I’m just a man with a warped sense of humor and an Internet connection.

Those two things are probably going to pay for Christmas this year. Now, it’s nearly the middle of November and Christmas isn’t far away. Hopefully, you’ve started shopping. I haven’t. But, I have a dresser drawer that contains enough money to pay off this year’s intended spending for the holidays and I still have two more checks that will be issued this month and next month. If all goes well, I should not even have to have a credit card balance beyond January.

What does this mean for you? If you are really serious about taking the plunge and starting your own POD business you need to get cracking. At least you can pay off those cards when they are due next year. Realize that if you were to start today and make a sale that commission stays in pending status for 30 days. This is the period of returning product for the customer just like any store. Once the 30 day window closes you bank that commission. Once you reach your level of minimum payout, which usually starts at $25, you get a check towards the middle of the month for that amount. So, a sale today plus 30 days takes you to the middle of December and unless you sell enough to get you at least $25 in commissions, you won’t see a check until January. I only mention this because if you had any grand schemes of buying an LCD HDTV and figured you could pay it off with shirt money, it ain’t going to happen for a couple of months.

With that said, be on the lookout for my ten tips for successful shopkeepers. Each one will be a blog post since I can’t just say two sentences and be done. I have to go to Erie to tell a story my wife says. But once I post a tip I will hyperlink it back to this post.

1. Know Your Limits: There’s No Bailout For Shirt Designers
   
2. Dream Big, Start Small: World Domination Starts With a Street Corner
   
3. Think Globally, Act Locally: Paint Brush, Corner, Doh!
   
4. Play To Your Strengths: Exploit Your Weaknesses
   
5. Spread Yourself Out: Right Click On Red
   
6. Stay Tuned: Veg Out
   
7. Research and Development: An Excuse To Be On the Internet
   
8. Be Social: Pimpin’ Ain’t Easy
   
9. Experiment: The Mad Doctor Is In
   
10. It’s a Secret But a Very Important One