Dope Tee Academy

Maaaan the last two weeks have been a doozy! If you’re watching me press and prep orders it all went to hell. Lol. Well what went to hell might you ask? My idea of removing myself from the task of heat pressing and fulfilling orders. The last few months I had outsourced that task but let’s just say it was all good until it wasn’t. To be honest I literally just thought maybe I should throw in the towel. I’m a little burned out of the one man show and since I wanted to remove myself from certain tasks maybe I should just be done completely. As an entrepreneur there are ebbs and flows. It just is what it is and this week I definitely wanted to quit. But I decided maybe I just need to stop, reset and pivot temporarily. This has been my second attempt at trying to outsource. I won’t say it all went to hell. I’ll just say it’s all a learning experience. I definitely walked away with a different perspective, new processes and a different outlook on my business overall. So ima just say 3x will be a charm. Upward and onward. No setbacks only set up for a greater comeback! So if you want to start your t shirt business just know it is not a walk in the park. But you can’t get emotional about making decisions. You have to remain strategic and you can’t be afraid to pivot.

You posting.
You got designs.
Friends saying “this hard”...
.but ain’t nobody buying.
That part? Yeah... that’s what nobody talks about.
The truth is-beginners don’t struggle with creativity...
they struggle with getting strangers to trust them enough to buy.
You don’t need more designs.
You need a strategy that brings in new buyers on repeat.
CTA:
Comment BLUEPRINT if you tired of posting with no sales and ready to change that.

Let me save you from learning this the hard way…

Your first pop-up is NOT just about showing up with shirts and hoping people buy.

It’s about:
How you set up
What you bring
How you present your brand
And how prepared you are when real customers start walking up

I’ve seen people miss sales over the smallest things…
No bags
No pricing displayed
No plan

That’s the difference between making money and just “being outside.”

I put together a checklist so you don’t have to guess or figure it out the hard way.

Comment POP UP LIST and I’ll send it to you.

Customers don’t expect perfection. But they do expect communication. If production is delayed, say something. If shipping is taking longer, update them. People appreciate honesty and transparency. Clear communication shows customers that their order matters and that your brand respects their time and money.

One thing I love doing is teaching high school students how to build something of their own.

They learn how to design, heat press, understand the business side, and most importantly walk away with a real skill they can use.

Some of them start side hustles.
Some get excited about launching their own brand.

But what I always remind them is this…

Starting a t-shirt brand isn’t complicated when you actually understand the process.

When you have the right blueprint, everything becomes a lot easier to figure out.

The same steps I teach in the classroom are the same steps I use when helping people start their own brands.

If you want to learn it too, comment “Blueprint” and I’ll show you exactly what my students are learning.

AI mockups can make your brand look polished.
They can help you visualize designs and create content faster.

But they should never replace you.

People don’t just connect with products.
They connect with people.

Your voice.
Your energy.
Your story.
Your presence.

That’s the part no technology can replicate.

It’s okay to mix in mockups for product visuals or creative concepts. But if every photo of your brand is AI generated and people never see the person behind it, the connection starts to disappear.

Some of the strongest brands today have a visible personality behind them.

If you want to learn how to actually use AI to build your t-shirt brand the right way, I break it all down inside the Dope Tee Brand Blueprint. Comment “Blueprint”

Sometimes the hardest part of creating a design isn’t the design itself… it’s knowing where to start.

For this one, I used Pinterest to help shape the direction of my latest concept.

Not to copy.
Not to blend in.
But to gather inspiration, study visual styles, pull color ideas, and get clear on the vibe I wanted the design to have.

In this step-by-step tutorial, I’m showing you how I use Pinterest as a tool to help bring a design idea to life and make the creative process feel a whole lot easier.

If you’re a brand owner and you’ve ever felt stuck trying to come up with your next concept, this is for you.

A lot of people sit on ideas too long because they don’t have a process.
This is part of mine.

Watch the tutorial and take what works for your brand.

Comment “Blueprint” if you want to learn how to create designs and build your t-shirt brand with more strategy.

Social media is powerful for exposure. But if you want consistent sales, you need a direct line to your customers. SMS and email allow you to reach people instantly without depending on algorithms. Followers might scroll past a post. But someone on your text list usually sees the message immediately. Visibility brings attention. Ownership brings revenue. So go and find you a SMS app to connect to your store. I use Post Scripts.

If you want to learn how I make 5-6k month on just SMS and Email comment “BLUEPRINT”

What kind of clothing brand owner are you? Are we rocking your brand name only or do you have a variety of styles and sayings.

When you sell online you see numbers. When you sell in person you see people. You see what shirts they pick up first. You hear the questions they ask. You learn how to explain your brand confidently. Those moments sharpen your instincts as a brand owner. Pop-ups aren’t just about the money you make that day. They’re about the experience you gain understanding your customer.