THREADX 2020 took place 23-25 February 2020. Crisp air, sunny skies, and a sense of community made for a great few days of inspiration, camaraderie, and networking.
Highlights
The event was a sold-out event. More than 200 diverse members of the apparel decorating community took in a bevy of thought-provoking presentations.
Aaron Draplin (Draplin Design Co.) had the audacity to talk about “Things No One Talks About in Graphic Design” to a room full of waiting ears. The informative presentation, coupled with his unchecked authenticity and childhood-like sense of adventure, made for the best way to spend an afternoon.
Jay Baer (Convince and Convert consulting firm) told that 81% of millennials need to “summon up the courage” to make a phone call. As a Generation X guy who actually prefers the phone to anything else, this one blew me away. Sure, I know that texting is preferred by many people in younger demographics, but 81%?
Kelly Curnutt informed of ten ways to avoid a lawsuit.
The founding fathers would have been proud. The town hall was packed with wisdom and enthusiasm and a standing room-only crowd. The diversity of our industry was on full display and the common thread of decorating clothes gave way to sharing on many levels.
With a deep dive into how to create a virtuous business culture, Pete Lovelace made everyone want to work at Booster Spirit Wear (Go Pete)!
Justin Lawrence (Oklahoma Shirt Company), Austin Crossley (Red Tuna Shirt Club), and Joel Lewis (Merch by Amazon) waxed and waned on the virtues of the T-shirt subscription model.
OmniPrint impressed, as did Epson. Stahls’ showed why they are a stalwart of the industry, while M&R tossed the moneyball around, sharing how to improve productivity and profitability.
Ted Pidcock (Chillybears) showed off his 31 years of business challenge experience (you know we love you, Ted). SanMar made us all feel good about the future and ROQ (Ryan Moor) opted for a keyboard.
Sam Adams came to the Beer and Brats event on Monday night.
Poolside networking and fireside chats made for thoughtful exchanges. Cotton mixed with poly in many different ways but that is best left until next time.
