Meet Julie Williamson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Williamson.

Julie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I have always wanted to have my own business after serving in the US Army in the early 2000s.

From selling on amazon in the early 90s to owning a bookstore and even having a mortgage company. However, my ultimate goal was to be able to have an online business making money while I slept.

In 2014, I relocated to Florida from Baltimore, Maryland to enjoy the warmer weather and be closer to family.

I had been a business owner my entire adult life and I felt like I was burned out from my last business venture as a spa owner so I closed the business, sold everything I owned, packed up everything I could fit into my SUV, and headed to Middleburg, FL to stay with my brother who had relocated a few years earlier. I needed to take a break from the daily ups and downs of being a business owner so I decided to take a 9-5 position as a web designer.

After 3 years of maintaining this regular job of being a website designer, I got the itch again to start my own business and that is when doyou247.com was born. I started Doyou247 in 2016 which is an acronym for Design On Your Own Unlimited. This was an online clothing brand where customers could customize their own clothing with images they provided.

The e-commerce store quickly took off and fast forward a few years has now become a full-time company offering custom printed clothing, t-shirt printing, heat transfers, as well as resources and workshops on how to start your own t-shirt business from home.

During the Covid quarantine in 2020, while others were enjoying time at home with family I was thinking of ways to expand the business. I started a Facebook group called eboss247 geared to crafters with the goal of teaching others how to make money with an online business. This is when I discovered t-shirt heat transfers and saw how easy it was to be able to print and sell your own T-shirts from home.

In August 2021, after launching a new service to the business and outgrowing my home office I decided to open the very first t-shirt transfers showroom located in Downtown Jacksonville where customers can come in to physically shop different designs of t-shirt heat transfers. This was the birth of Sip. Learn. Press! where we teach others how easy it is to start their own T-shirt business using a professional heat press and our state-of-the-art heat transfers. Our first Sip. Learn. Press! Party was held in October 2021 and was a huge success. This summer we will be launching our first youth program this summer where we will be teaching young adults how they can start their own T-shirt business as well.

I am excited to say that I have finally been able to consolidate all my talents and years of experience into a fun and growing company that is now helping others realize their dream.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Being a business owner often comes with its challenges. My biggest struggle is having access to the financial resources necessary to scale a growing business.

Currently, our business is located in a coworking space in downtown Jacksonville. However, our goal is to find a storefront where we can be more visibly accessible to the general public. I believe that will allow our business to grow even more.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a website and graphic designer by trade. I am most proud of our online Facebook group which has grown to be over 3,000 members.

Within this group, I have been able to help many of the crafters and entrepreneurs start and scale their own businesses by offering products and services to assist them in doing so.

The group continues to grow rapidly as the word gets out. We are known for offering high-quality T-shirt transfers, excellent customer service, and our willingness to help others achieve their goals which set us apart.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
The best part of Jacksonville is the loyalty of the residents.

People who have lived here most of their life take pride in the city. Coming from the DMV area I was used to a more artsy and lively scene, so I would say the thing I dislike most in my opinion is the lack of diversity and a more inviting downtown area.

Pricing:

• $8.97 for T-shirt transfers.
• $5+ for blank T-shirts.
• $12+ for T-shirt printing.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.siplearnpress.com/eboss247
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/doyou247
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/siplearnpress
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/siplearnpress
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC6_oAPAMEi2A5YLYrOXzRA
• TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@siplearnpress