In Q4 of 2025, I set out to write a book.
My idea was to get as many people in the decorated apparel and promo industry as possible to speak with me in a candid conversation to help me understand their point of view on one simple question: “What do you think next year will be like?”
My goal was to interview 100 people. I got to 88 and had to stop to actually write the book. The book, “2026 Thinking: How Shops Will Win, Stall, or Fail in 2026,” was published right before the ISS Long Beach trade show.
The group was comprised of owners, suppliers, equipment manufacturers, software companies, consultants, marketers, and educators. Most were in the United States, but I also spoke to folks in Canada, Israel, England, Switzerland, India, and Italy.
The book has been read nearly 6,000 times. If you haven’t read it, you can grab it free on my Books page.
Are Your Customers Treating You Like a Vendor or a Partner?
My biggest takeaway from the discussions was the epiphany that the difference between a shop with mediocre success and one with amazing results is whether customers see you as a vendor or a partner. That viewpoint determines your pricing power.
One industry veteran put it perfectly. “Customers don’t want to manage the job. They want to trust that someone is driving it. That’s the difference between a vendor and a partner.”
From these discussions, it became apparent that there was a Relationship Maturity Model for our industry. This idea describes 5 levels of how customers see your business. Size, company age, or revenue doesn’t determine your level. Identity does.
- Transactional Vendor. You’re interchangeable. Price is the only thing a customer can compare.
- Reliable Supplier. You’re dependable, and it feels comfortable. But you haven’t earned influence yet.
- Problem Solver. You’re who customers call when something breaks. This is where the relationship starts to shift.
- Strategic Partner. You’re helping shape the customer’s plans, not just filling orders. It’s rare, but it’s 100% achievable. I talked to shops that operate here every day.
- Embedded Ally. You’re structurally inside the customer’s business. Some of these shops even have space inside their customer’s facility.
This matters because the further the shop moved away from being transactional, the better it held its pricing and profit.
Stop asking, “How can we win this order?” Start asking, “How do we help them win?”
What Else Did I Discover From 88 Conversations?
Plenty. Here’s a top overview of what turned up repeatedly.
- Leaner shops made better profit. I saw shops make more net profit in 2025 on less revenue. They tightened up labor, added automation, and got choosier about which orders they said yes to.
- Uncertainty became the normal state. Tariffs, consumer confidence, and politics had buyers hesitating, then making short, hasty purchases rather than long-term commitments.
- More volume isn’t the answer. When shops added sales to an already stretched system, it “didn’t relieve pressure. It amplified it.”
- Owners are tired of being the safety net. Owners told me they want out of being the person every decision runs through. They were unsure about how to hand things off.
- AI went operational, but it isn’t trusted yet. The shops using it still double-check every output.
- People want proof, not inspiration. Real costs, real timelines, and real results beat vague promises.
- Experience gaps are widening. Knowledge isn’t getting passed from veteran staff to newer team members.
At the end of the book, I wrote, “You can be the judge in January of 2027 if I got it right.”
January is coming. Let’s find out. Would love your feedback.
What’s Different About “2027 Thinking”
The process last year of interviewing and processing what I heard was incredibly impactful to me. So much so that I’m ready to do it again.
That’s right, there is a new book launching. “2027 Thinking” will again debut right before the Impressions Long Beach trade show in January. It will also be free.
I’d like you to take part. I want to find out how you see the print, promo, or decorated apparel industry. What is it like in your neck of the woods?
Some FAQs:
- You don’t need to have read or participated in last year’s book to take part.
- The goal is still 100 conversations (at least).
- Interviews will run through December 15th, 2026. Then, I have to stop to write the book.
- All new questions. 2027 will have a different set of pressures, so I’m asking different questions.
- Still 100% free to read. Again, the book will launch the week of the Impressions Long Beach show in January 2027.
Why Does Your Interview Matter?
I’m sure you’ve taken your share of surveys before. You check a box, or give a 7-word answer to a question. What can anyone really glean from that?
What makes this book work is that its research is grounded in conversations. Human to human. When someone says something interesting or vague, I can ask a follow-up question or two. Frequently, the answers with the shiniest gold are several layers past the original statement.
I want to stress your viewpoint counts. This book is about range. That’s why I need shop owners, distributors, suppliers, software companies, consultants, educators, marketers, production folks, and artists. I want to speak with people outside of the United States. Everyone sees things differently from their own seat. The more seats at the table, the clearer the picture gets.
Your seat counts.
How Does the Interview Work?
I learned a lot doing all of those interviews last year. My goal is to have a relaxed 30-minute conversation on Google Meet. Here’s the whole process:
- Book a time below. Anytime on the calendar works. The time shown is where you live.
- Show up and talk. It’s a video call on Google Meet. It’s a conversation, not a sales call.
- No prep needed. You already have 100% of the answers to the 10 questions I’ll ask.
- Your words are captured accurately. The call is recorded and transcribed. I’ll get your words right.
- You won’t be quoted by name. Quotes in the book aren’t attributed to anyone, so people can speak freely. Everyone who contributed to the book is credited at the end.
- Can’t do a live call? I understand. People travel, or have other commitments. Written answers work too. Just let me know.