Today we’d like to introduce you to Trisha and Sam
Hi Trisha and Sam, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
So…..COVID HAPPENED!!! lol I was laid off from my job and my husband and I decided that it was time for me to stay home, but in order to do that I had to have some sort of income. So, we decided to start our own business. The kids couldn’t go to school, and I had to stay with them, so it was our only option. So, we were going to make it work. We bought just a vinyl cutting machine and a heat press and a plasma table and a small diode laser. Although it was hard to do change our whole life’s around it was such a blessing in disguise. We found out October of 2020 that my oldest son Ashton had cancer. He had a cancer call MPNST (Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor) it was in his leg. To go back a little, he showed me a lump on his leg in August and it was the size of a marble and by October it was the size of a grapefruit. So, me being home was great because I was able to be there for all his surgeries all of his appointments and all of his treatments. Thankfully today he is 4 years cancer free.
In October of 2020 I got a big order from a customer of ours that was a memorial shirt and I needed help, so I asked my best friend Samantha Poulin to come and help me. We were able to weed and press all the shirts. She came over from time to time to come design things for her or just because.
She helped spread the word about my business and she just was so amazing about it. She literally is the outgoing one while I have the biggest fear of leaving my house. I have a fear of leaving or being out of my house (Agoraphobia) so really, she is vital to the business. She shows everyone our products even if they don’t want to. LOL Everything on my side has been strictly on Facebook. It is so easy to be confident though a screen. lol
It really worked out because she also was a stay-at-home mom and needed to have some sort of income to be able to continue to stay home. She has two kids one of which is special needs. He has a ton of appointments that would make it difficult to keep a full-time job. She works her tail off for this business and I couldn’t have it any other way. We make our workplace full shenanigans.
Honestly though we wouldn’t be who we are as a business if we didn’t have such loyal amazing customers. Word of mouth has been what has grown our business. We now have Two lasers one that does wood, tumblers, leather and acrylic and the other one can etch on metal. We have a printer to make stickers that are full color, Posters, banners, window cling, perforated vinyl for advertising.
We are right now setting up our Commercial DTF Printer where we can help other makers like us. We can print our own gang sheets. Also be able to get big bulk orders done in no time.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has been a combination of both. However, I don’t think any business is smooth. We have had where our laser caught on fire. That was FUN. lol
I was working so many hours a day and my son’s cancer and some other personal issues, my mental state took a complete tank, and I ended up in the hospital from a suicide attempt. I am so thankful i am still here today.
There was a tax issue we had this last year and whoa that was a game changer. Sometimes those mistakes make our business even better. All our mistakes and hurdles have made it so we can improve our systems.
The smooth part about our business has been our loyal customers and me and Samantha’s friendship. Alot of people can’t work with friends because things get in the way, this however, has never been an issue. We keep our lines of communication open no matter how hard the subject may be. She has been the one to help me keep it together when I fall apart, and I have done the same for her.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We are known for anything custom. Our tagline is ” If you can think it, we can make it” I mean within reason though. We love designing and we have fun with it. We have such a variety of things that we have, that it is hard to let everyone see what we do. Customer service is what we really focus on because transparency is what we make sure we have at all times, even if that means we lose a sale or we have to apologize for doing something wrong.
We offer Tumblers, Shirts, Stickers, Laser engraving and etching services. DTF and Sublimation Gang Sheet services and so much more
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Trisha:
Man, I honestly don’t know how to describe me or a lot about me growing up. I have two brothers one that is older than me and the other is younger than me. I was born in Brigham City, Utah but raised in Sacramento California untill 6th grade and came back to Willard, Utah. I loved being outside with my friends and doing anything with family or my friends. I also was a shy kid so I didn’t do a whole lot. I did play the flute.
Samantha is an only girl in her family but has 5 bothers. Growing up she was a tom boy. She lived in the country in upstate New York. She was always outside with my brothers and cousins. Her personality has always been outgoing. Her family is the closest I have ever seen.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://patriotartanddesign.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patriotartdesign/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patriotartdesign/
