Lessons for Growing Screen Printing Shops: How All Quality Graphics Scaled Through Automation
- Cristen Sousa
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
Starting a screen printing business often begins with a simple idea, a small workspace, and a willingness to learn. For Jessica Tillery, owner of All Quality Graphics in Sacramento, California, the journey started in 2013 with a manual press in her garage.
At the time, Jessica wasn't planning a career in apparel decoration. Her background was in sports medicine and corporate wellness. Like many successful shop owners, she found her way into the industry unexpectedly. More than a decade later, All Quality Graphics has grown into a thriving 10,000sqft production operation serving customers throughout Northern California.
Along the way, Jessica learned lessons that many decorators face as they transition from startup mode to sustainable success. Whether you're launching a new screen printing business or looking to scale an existing operation, her experience offers insights that can help you navigate your own journey.
Lesson #1: Start Where You Are
Many successful screen printing businesses don't begin with state-of-the-art equipment and massive production floors.They start with determination, a willingness to learn, and a commitment to serving customers.
That's exactly how All Quality Graphics began.
Jessica launched the business with a manual press in her garage, focusing on building relationships and delivering quality work. Like most entrepreneurs, she didn't have every answer on day one. Instead, she learned as she went and built the business one order at a time.
Takeaway
Don't let the perfect setup prevent you from getting started. Many of today's successful print shops began with limited resources and expanded as opportunities emerged.
Lesson #2: Growth Creates New Challenges
Success is exciting, but it introduces challenges that many new shop owners don't anticipate. As customer demand increased, Jessica quickly realized that manual production was becoming a bottleneck.
Maintaining consistent print quality required skilled operators capable of keeping perfect pressure and angles throughout production. At the same time, turnaround expectations continued to increase.
What worked when the business was small was becoming increasingly difficult to sustain as order volume grew.
Signs You May Be Outgrowing Manual Production
Production schedules are constantly full.
Turnaround times are becoming harder to maintain.
Consistency depends heavily on operator skill.
Labor requirements continue to increase.
Output increases only by adding more people.
Takeaway
Every stage of business development brings new challenges. Recognizing bottlenecks early allows you to address them before they impact customer service and production efficiency.
Lesson #3: Know When It's Time to Automate
About two and a half years into the business, Jessica made a decision that would significantly impact the future of All Quality Graphics: investing in an automatic press. The goal wasn't simply to print faster.
Automation helped the shop:
Increase production capacity.
Improve consistency.
Reduce reliance on highly specialized manual labor.
Create a more efficient production environment.
Many decorators view automation as a cost. Jessica viewed it as a way to create consistency, improve efficiency, and position the business for its next stage of production. Eventually, the company upgraded to a ROQ system as its operational needs continued to evolve.
Takeaway
If your equipment is limiting your ability to deliver quality work efficiently, it may be time to evaluate automation solutions.
Worried about automation? With the right approach, automation can help you overcome obstacles and unlock real growth.
Find out your Automation Score. 60 seconds to reveal how soon You can expect to automate Your business the right way.
Lesson #4: Choose Partners, Not Just Equipment
When Jessica began evaluating higher-end equipment, she looked beyond specifications and production numbers. She wanted a partner she could trust.
According to Jessica, ROQ's culture immediately stood out.
From the company's presence at industry events to the support offered after installation, she saw an organization focused on customer success.
That support became especially valuable over time.
Jessica notes that many of the minor issues her team encountered over the years were resolved with a simple phone call, minimizing downtime and keeping production moving. For any shop owner, responsive service and technical support can be just as important as the equipment itself.
Takeaway
The true value of a machine isn't measured on installation day. It's measured by the support and partnership you receive throughout its lifetime.
Lesson #5: Optimize the Entire Workflow
One of the biggest improvements at All Quality Graphics didn't come from the press itself. It came from improving the workflow around it.
Jessica describes the addition of a split belt dryer as a game changer for the operation. The system allows the shop to run two presses side-by-side while curing different garment types simultaneously. Polyester garments can run on one side while cotton garments run on the other, eliminating the need to stop production and adjust settings between jobs.
The result is greater flexibility, improved efficiency, and fewer production interruptions.
Takeaway
Production efficiency isn't determined by a single machine. The most successful shops evaluate their entire workflow—from printing to curing to material handling—to identify opportunities for improvement.
Lesson #6: Think Beyond Today's Production Needs
One of the reasons All Quality Graphics continued to evolve was Jessica's focus on long-term planning.
Rather than making decisions based solely on current production requirements, she evaluated how each investment would impact the business in the years ahead.
Whether adding automation, improving workflow efficiency, or upgrading equipment, each decision supported a larger vision for the company.
Takeaway
The best investments don't just solve today's challenges—they create opportunities for tomorrow.
Final Thoughts
Every screen printing business follows a different path, but many of the challenges are remarkably similar. Jessica Tillery's experience highlights several principles that apply to shops of all sizes:
Start with what you have.
Focus on serving customers well.
Recognize operational challenges early.
Invest strategically.
Choose partners who support your success.
Continuously improve your workflow.
Jessica's journey demonstrates that successful screen printing businesses aren't built through a single breakthrough or equipment purchase. They're built through a series of smart decisions made over time. From embracing automation to improving workflow efficiency and choosing the right partners, each step helped position All Quality Graphics for continued success.
For decorators at any stage of their journey, the lesson is simple: build systems that allow your business to operate more efficiently, serve customers better, and adapt as opportunities arise.
Interested in learning how ROQ automation solutions can help your shop grow? Contact the ROQ team today to explore equipment, workflow solutions, and support designed for apparel decorators at every stage of growth.
You can follow Jessica's journey and see the shop's work on social media at @allqualitygraphics or visit their website at allqualitygraphics.com.
Have questions about automation orReady to take the next step in your shop's growth?
Reach out using the form below, connect with the ROQ team to discuss your goals and see how the right automation strategy can support your long-term growth.
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