7 Custom Prints Business Success Stories [2024]
Custom print businesses often focus on printing everything, including business cards, photos, and even custom T-shirts.
To start an online custom prints business, choose a niche to help your business stand out and attract the right target audience. Then, focus on producing quality prints of different sizes, materials, and designs. You may hire designers online or search for designs in online design communities. Then, validate the designs before you begin mass production. Finally, set up an online store, and launch the business.
Remember that with the growth in popularity of selling custom prints, expect to face stiff competition. Therefore, you should market your custom prints on social media to maximize your reach.
In this list, you'll find real-world custom prints business success stories and very profitable examples of starting a custom prints business that makes money.
1. Underground Printing ($36M/year)
UGP co-founders Rishi Narayan and Ryan Gregg started their business in 2001 as a t-shirt company called A-1 Screenprinting. They focused on providing exceptional customer service to college students and quickly expanded their production capabilities by acquiring another screen printer, which led to a name change to Underground Printing. They opened their first retail storefront in 2008 and have since grown to 35+ locations nationwide, generating over $1 million in revenue in their first year. Their commitment to customer service and investment in manufacturing and technology has propelled their success.
How much money it makes: $36M/year
How many people on the team: 250
National custom printing apparel and promotional products provider, Underground Printing, shares their start-up success story which has led them to be ranked amongst Inc. Magazine’s 5000 fastest-growing companies for three years running, with a customer-centric business model driving strong word-of-mouth promotion.
2. Dexpel ($1.44M/year)
In 2009, Sarim, a programmer and digital marketing expert, started Dexpel with a budget of $2,000 and a small A3 printer, laminator, and cutting system. Frustrated with the limited customization options available when shopping for apparel and merchandise, Sarim researched manufacturing processes and discovered that he could create these items in-house. With the introduction of an online customizer, Dexpel became the first company in Pakistan to offer this feature, leading to rapid growth and expansion into a full-fledged facility with over 30 employees. Their revenue has grown from $2,000 per month to $165,000 per year, but Sarim measures success by the team and product line growth.
How much money it makes: $1.44M/year
How much did it cost to start: $3K
How many people on the team: 10
Dexpel, a Pakistani custom print store, grew from a budget of $2,000 for just a few vinyl customization products to over 200+ unique products and $165,000/year in revenue, by prioritizing online sales and developing in-house technology for order fulfillment.
3. Ryteprint ($300K/year)
Olawale Awani, after working in the print industry and facing challenges with long payment terms and price wars, decided to start his own online printing business in Nigeria. By offering upfront payment and focusing on providing excellent customer service, Awani found success and now has an average monthly revenue of $25,000 with a net profit margin of 20%.
How much money it makes: $300K/year
How much did it cost to start: $400K
How many people on the team: 9
How a Nigerian-based online printing business servicing over 5,000 active customers generates an average $25,000 monthly revenue and a net profit of 20%, with a monthly order fulfillment of approximately 500 and 45% YoY growth.
4. Wave Connect ($300K/year)
After working in banking and transitioning to a sales role, George El-Hage noticed that sales teams wasted countless hours managing new contacts. Frustrated by the inefficiency, he built Wave Connect with just $5,000, a digital business card solution now generating $25K in monthly revenue.
How much money it makes: $300K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 2
Discover how George El-Hage built Wave Connect, a sales and marketing tool that helps professionals exchange contact information and manage leads efficiently, resulting in monthly revenues of $25K per month and a customer base of 12,000, primarily acquired through organic LinkedIn outreach.
5. Framed Tweets (Now its Sticker Mule) ($114K/year)
Zach was avoiding a New Year's party his parents were hosting downstairs and scrolled through Twitter - suddenly he thought "what if you could frame a tweet?" That night, he built a simple website & tweeted a link to some random people he found on Twitter, and the next morning woke up to find Framed Tweets featured on Product Hunt, Mashable, Uncrate, and a few other websites.
How much money it makes: $114K/year
How much did it cost to start: $999
How many people on the team: 0
Framed Tweets, an online store that offers customers the opportunity to frame tweets as art, started by grossing $20k in its first year and increasing to $110k in the second year, and now has monthly gross sales of $20k from Instagram ads, spending about $300 a day.
6. PinAround ($44.4K/year)
Erika Holm, the founder of PinAround, had always dreamed of being a business owner since she was a kid. After years of traveling and working odd jobs, she came up with the idea of producing wall maps with pins. With a clear goal and a determination to learn along the way, she launched the business and saw rapid growth, making $44,000 in 2017 with a 35% increase in every quarter.
How much money it makes: $44.4K/year
How many people on the team: 0
PinAround, a Swedish company founded by a 23-year-old entrepreneur, produces wall maps with pins and made $44,000 USD in 2017, with approximate 35% increase in every quarter, using effective marketing strategies such as Instagram, Facebook ads and influencers.
7. Periwinkle Greetings, LLC ($12K/year)
Candace McGinn, the founder of Periwinkle Greetings, came up with the idea after surviving cancer and embracing her passion for photography. Inspired by the beauty of a full moon reflecting over the ocean, Candace used a unique printing technology to create stunning metal greeting cards. With a focus on artistry and sustainability, Periwinkle Greetings aims to revolutionize the greeting card industry.
How much money it makes: $12K/year
How much did it cost to start: $15K
How many people on the team: 1
Periwinkle Greetings uses Dye-sublimation to create unique metal greeting cards that can be displayed as art, with an average monthly revenue of $1000, and plans to pivot to B2B sales in 2023.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
