• Kevin Gudmundsen
• Father/Son Team behind Proteus Apparel
• LinkedIn Profile
• http://www.proteusapparel.com
What segment of the T-shirt industry do you work in?
"Web retail - design and sales"
Tell us about your company and your role in it:
"Proteus apparel started 2 years ago as a way for my college son to try and make some money. I am the bank, he is the creative genius. We are oil and water but we somehow make it work. I throw out the ideas to my son and he messes with them to make them possible for his target age audience."
What makes you/your company remarkable?
"All the designs are done by Josh a 3rd year art student - the designs are mostly all over prints (front and back) that require a belt printer. We are building the company slowly through customer input."
Tell us about your T-shirt expertise and areas of interest.
"No expertise to be honest - just trying to figure it out as we go along. Interested in the skateboard and surf culture."
How did you get your start in the T-shirt industry?
"Started printing designs in the garage with a 4 screen press. Progressed to a professional printer."
From where do you draw your inspiration? Motivation? Ideas?
"That crazy, trend setting son of mine - he just knows what people will like, he bases it on 'would I wear this' if he never grows up we are in good shape. ;)"
What are some challenges you currently face or have overcome in your career? Lessons learned?
"Biggest challenge - awareness, web traffic, barriers to retail distribution, and the big one - money and cash flow."
What accomplishments are you most proud of?
"The designs are great - we found a very experienced and capable printing partner."
What advice would you offer to someone new to the industry? Any tips or trade “secrets” you want to share?
"Printing mass quantities of shirts before you have a buyer is not the way to go. Get better customer feedback on designs and print what sells. Estimate the amount of money you will need to get going and then double it! Prepare to be in it for the long hall, it takes a lot longer than you think it will. NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK."
What is something unique that you can contribute to the LinkedIn T-shirt Professionals group?
"What not to do, resources for printing and marketing."
What are you looking to find in the LinkedIn T-Shirt Professionals group? What types of people do you want to connect with?
"Those that have found secrets for increasing web traffic, getting into retail stores and getting publicity for their designs and website. Cross promotions and linking with other non competing web retailers."
Do you have an experience with the LinkedIn T-Shirt Professionals group you’d like to share? Have you made some valuable connections?
"Have had good advice from this group and also the group I started called simply 'T-shirts'"
Are there any favorite online resources you’d like to share?
"T-shirt forum has great ideas, links and advice."
Is there anything else you want the world to know about you or your company?
"WE ARE HERE! We are putting the finishing touches on a viral video contest with people wearing our shirts that we hope to generate traffic and interest and ultimately sales. Check out the details on our website."
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Members are welcome to complete the interview and will each be featured here for one week. If you are a T-Shirt Professional looking to make new business connections, join LinkedIn and look us up for details!
