DEE'S SWEET TEES' HEADQUARTERS IN LAKE WORTH, FLORIDA. business is to get a mentor. You should find a local screen printer and see if you can volunteer. If you really want to be in this business, you'll want to learn firsthand from someone who has already been where you're going. I did. My mentor was actually the one who told me to get an infrared gun and check the plate of my first heat press. AP: Have you had more subscribers to your online courses during quarantine? How has COVID-19 affected your business? DW: While Dee's Sweet Tees has adjusted well by supplying customized masks and gaiters to the industries that have been going strong the entire time, COVID-19 has indeed stifled growth for the Heart and a Heat Press platform. I had just started getting students into the course when the virus hit. Two weeks after signing up my first student, she informed me she had been temporarily laid off. DW: Although word of mouth marketing is the most effective (and it's free), having a strong website and social media presence is just as important. The magic comes from mixing high-quality work (product and/or service) with a strong online presence. For example, create a high-quality T-shirt, take a crisp picture of it, and post in on your social media while tagging your customer. Creating that type of presence leads to more opportunities to marry high-quality work with your online network. I am constantly trying to come up with new ways to grow my online presence organically. SCAN FOR A FREE, ON-DEMAND MASTER CLASS LED BY DEE ON THREE HIGHLY PROFITABLE T-SHIRT DESIGN SECRETS. AP: Can you talk about the importance of having an online presence (website and social media)? JUNE + JULY 2020 | SCREENPRINTING 09