The Atkinson Knowledge Library

Featured Insight

Who Is Doing The Work When An Employee Quits?

When an employee quits, who does the work? Use the free Skill Gap Visualizer to find your single points of failure and your Owner Freedom Score.

"Your bench strength is either built on purpose or discovered by accident, usually on the day someone quits."

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The Clarity Problem

Profit ClarityRead Article

The Clarity Problem

Shop chaos is a clarity problem. Marshall Atkinson covers 5 places it breaks down (customer, yes, good, time and profit) and the homework to fix each one.

Big Picture: Strategies for When to Hire and Fire Staff

Strategic GrowthRead Article

Big Picture: Strategies for When to Hire and Fire Staff

Marshall Atkinson joins Apparelist to talk about how print shops compete for workers, hire for potential, keep good people, and know when to let go.

Can AI Separate Sim Process? We Put It To The Test

Can AI Separate Sim Process? We Put It To The Test

Images magazine reran Marshall Atkinson’s AI sim process test. See what Claude and ChatGPT did with a complex separation and what it means for your shop.

AI-Based Simulated Process Separations Round 2: Rulebooks and Scorecards

AI-Based Simulated Process Separations Round 2: Rulebooks and Scorecards

I put AI sim process separations to the test again, this time with ΔE color scoring. See how Claude and ChatGPT compared, plus my free updated instructions.

Can AI Separate Sim Process? I Put It To the Test

Can AI Separate Sim Process? I Put It To the Test

AI can now fix bad customer art and separate sim process jobs in minutes. I tested Claude and ChatGPT. See the results and grab the free instruction file.

What Will 2027 Look Like for the Decorated Apparel Industry? Help Me Find Out.

Strategic GrowthRead Article

What Will 2027 Look Like for the Decorated Apparel Industry? Help Me Find Out.

Last year, 88 conversations showed that customers see your shop as either a vendor or a partner, and that view decides your pricing power. Now I’m interviewing 100 people for my new book, "2027 Thinking," and I want your voice in it.

How to Vibe Code Your Own Shop Tools One Piece at a Time

How to Vibe Code Your Own Shop Tools One Piece at a Time

You can now build your own shop software with AI, no developer or big budget required, by describing what you want in plain English. This article walks through how to do it the right way, starting with pricing and building in phases, so you own your shop system and data instead of renting it.

Your Shop Needs a Sales Plan. Let AI Interview You to Build It

Strategic GrowthRead Article

Your Shop Needs a Sales Plan. Let AI Interview You to Build It

Your shop doesn't need more hope, it needs a sales plan built around your capacity, your best customers, and the people who actually do the selling. Copy my AI interview prompt, answer the questions, and walk away with a 90-day plan you can start working on Monday.

Custom AI Fonts

Custom AI Fonts

Custom AI fonts are revolutionizing the design process in the apparel decoration industry by enabling rapid creation of unique typography. Leveraging generative tools allows shops to reduce design bottlenecks and offer high-value custom branding to clients with minimal effort.