Part 3 (Trial and Error)

Figuring other ways of selling Truth Slogans, I thought of working with small shops on a consignment basis. I thought of this Negro who owned an African boutique on Crenshaw Blvd. I went there and made him a proposition. He agreed with the experiment. I wrote out and agreement and gave it a shot. We started and ended with 6 shirts. After a month, I had not one shirt sold. But I did have a cigarette burnt on one shirt, and bird sh'ted on two others where he hung them out. And on top of all that, he would call me 2:00am in the morning, sounding drunk, just to tell me that I should change my t-shirt design. I retrieved the shirts shortly thereafter.

Another idea struck me of going into different churches to present my product to the congregation. I would donate a percentage of the money made, back in the church. To me, it was an offer they couldn't refuse. They had all to gain and nothing to lose. The slogans are spiritually inspiring and may be financially beneficial. I went to a church on Hoover St just north of Slauson Ave. The pastor seem to be interested in my offer, so he gave me his card. A week later, I called and made an appointment with him at his office.

The pastor said, "I like your shirts but I'm not a dictator at this church. " Then he gave me the brush off. "I'll take your card and give it the the other officials to decide." 

At other churches, the pastor would ask me how much would I charged to put their idea on t-shirt. I consider the offer but wasn't confident enough to do someone elses design at the time.

In April of '87, my neighbor who ran a barber shop was my first design I ever done for anyone else. He wanted me to print t-shirts for his co-barbers. Pondering over the job, I had a brainstorm. 'Go to the barber shops.' Its a place where people congregate, but yet safe from cops.

On a hunch in my VW, I drove up and down the streets of South LA looking for barber shops and salons to crash. So there I was coming out of the blew doing my pitch. Stimulating, agitating, I took the risk.  Most shops was receptive while some wasn't.

Being aware of myself, I found out that the hardest thing to conquer is doubt . For example, if I drove by a shop that had bars on it. I would think to myself:

"They wouldn't let me in"

Then if there were few people in the shop, I would think to myself:

"They wouldn't buy"

The fact is, they won't buy if I didn't try. Thus I continued to press on. As time pass, I developed a rapp/singing routine along with a partner to add flavor to the presentation. Staying with those receptive group of Barber shops and Salons, I developed a weekly Saturday route.

Early Days on Barber Shop Route '89 **

 

As in the Truth Slogans, Jazz was at one time an art form promoted to pass the time. It eventually evolved into a business.  Art Blakey, my elder cousin, was one of the pioneers of this art form. For that reason I was exposed to jazz at an early age.That exposure caused me to learn sounds of the various musicians and to keep up with its events. For more on the jazz musicians click: here

 With Art Blakey at Jazz gig **

In September at the Watts Towers, there is an annual jazz concert. In '87, I became a t-shirt vendor there. Thousands of people from across Southern California came to see the up and coming musicians including Pancho Sanchez on that day. I was ready for the crowd but the crowd wasn't ready for me. I made less sells in those 2 days than a few hours on my barber shop route. I discovered that large crowds doesn't necessarilly guarantee large sales.  I realize then that I needed to learn more about marketing.

 

Thelma Blakey (left) wears best seller 'Think Positive'

  

During the winter of '87, I took a business class at LA Southwest College. Being convinced of the potential of Truth Slogans, I wanted to learn the concept of business. Wanda Powell was my instructor for the class. She was straight forward with her students encouraging us all to take the risk of entrepreneurship. She always emphasized the importance of management and marketing. To bring the point home, she had us (the students) organize a business seminar that she gave at the end of the semester. I was even allowed to give a presentation during the event. The crowd went wild as I rambled through my pitch. It was a success.

AS A PARACHUTE, THE MIIND IS ONLY A BENEFIT WHEN OPENED

In the journey of life, there are people whom we may or may not know that briefly comes to steer us on our path. While perfecting my presentation each week at the barber shops and salons in '88, I met a brother name , Otis O' Solomon (one of the Watts poets), He sold his poem from shop to shop as I did. We would often cross paths. One Saturday while at one of those shops, he told me that I should go to the Business Builders Network (BBN) meeting to promote my business.

The BBN was an organization for Black Businesses to effectively network their good and services. The Korean businesses dominates in South LA. The BBN served as a magnet for Black business people to know one another.

Mr. Bill McButts was the founder of this organization. A carmel skinned man, I called him the Master Salesman because he communicated well. I remember the first time i went to the meeting. I didn't know what to expect.

Bill said, "Hello young man, come up and talk about your business". So I nervously went up and gave my spill. I went to the meeting religiously. Other members of the group went on to become prominent in their professions:  Muhammad Nassardeen (founder of Recycling Black Dollars), Isidra Person-Lynn (Radio Talk Host), Jowel Diamond Taylor (Motivational Speaker). I made t-shirts for some of  the members, but if only I knew at the time, how to print designs on shirt, I could have done more business.

One day in Nov. of '90, while waiting in line at the bakery, I notice a Blackman getting out of his truck to wash windows of the stores there. I said to myself, that's a good little hustle. I spoke to him about going to BBN to promote his business. He then notice my t-shirt I was wearing. He told me that he was a screen printer for a while. He said that it was allot of money to be made at it. That's what stimulated me to learn how to screen print because at the time I was limited to lettering transfers. I asked him how I could learn about screen printing. He told me to buy a book from a screen printing supply house.

With lettering transfers, I had to arrange each individual letter on a shirt. Screen printing is a 100% faster because it took only one or two simple strokes with the squeegee blade to print the design on the shirt.. I went to the screen printing supply house and purchased a book, "How to print t-shirts for fun and profit."

After reading the book, I realized that I needed hands on experience. I applied for a class at the US Screen Printing Institute from out the book. The school is located in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Fortunately, I had a cousin who lived in Phoenix which is 5 miles from the school. I drove to Phoenix and stayed at his place while I attended a 3 day crash course. Scott Fresener, founder, directed  the class along with his assistant.

Scott Fresener (right) and associate at the US Screen Printing Institute in Scottsdale, Arizona '90

Taking the screen printing class was a very exciting event. I set in the front of the class so that I wouldn't miss one ounce of information. The most important part about screen printing is the preparation technique.  This is where the hands on training is the advantage. (In school, its OK to make a mistakes because you already paid for it).

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