February 9th 2025
I’m REstarting this journey with a little bit of a head start. I own a print shop, have so for almost 5 years now. I also own another clothing company that has two retail locations, and has been in business for almost 3 years now. So I kind of know what I’m doing, but only the basics (maybe intermediate). When I started my print shop I started out like most new freelance creatives, happy enough just to pay the rent, eat each month and carry on making things. Back then that’s exactly what I was doing too, making my own designs, selling them, and paying rent. A few clients, employees, pieces of equipment and blood/sweat/years later things are stable and growing. I never had the time to revisit my initial drive that led me into buying a printer though, and that was to create for me, and pay rent.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t restarting Samuel William™ for money, which I definitely am, but it’s much more than that. I also want to regain something that has been missing from my life the last few years. Something that I can call my own, something that is me, something that feels good to make and is a brick by brick process of one idea leading to the next. That is what the creative life is afterall… working on one idea as the next one comes to mind, building upon the last one and improving here and there. We’re all creators, and to create is to live.
To be honest I was just aiming to add a “shipping and returns” page to my site when I saw a template for “blog” and thought, fuck it. I’m not really sure what I’m doing here, but maybe you’d like to know more about Samuel William™. I am Samuel William™, and I love to make things using all the techniques that I have accumulated over the past decade of making. From printing to embroidery, hand stitching and sewing, you name it - there is something about adding my own hand to each and every garment that makes me feel fucking good inside. I’m restarting my brand after taking a few years off, so I hope I still have customers - but if not, this is a true 5k and a dream story. One of my biggest motivators is Michael Jordan, and when he was wrapping up talks about his journey he said, “it started with hope” - that’s what I’m starting with, hope and $5,000. Let’s see where it goes!
SW
