Well, I was only semi-successful at DIY screen printing. Yes, I proudly built my own press, made my own screens, and printed a few of my own shirts. My first tee was a Hunter S. Thompson portrait, and I sold all of them rather quickly. To this day, when I wear the shirt, people stop me to ask where I got it or to say “cool shirt”.

That’s where Screenarchy comes in. It’s a business that prints shirts. I went to them a couple of years ago to see if they could “do it right” and make me a large quantity of shirts, and I chose THEM because it was a completely DIY operation, all done in some guy’s basement in a house in Minneapolis. I drove there, and picked up some super-nice t-shirts at a great price. I was very impressed with what was going on there.

Well it’s been a couple of years since I’ve seen their operation but apparently they’re still going strong and still printing tees in the basement. It just goes to show: you do NOT need a big office, a boss, a degree, or a rulebook to “make it”.

* Screenarchy has not asked me to write about them and probably wouldn’t even remember me. But they did great work and since they’re true DIY-ers I wanted to give my recommendation.

Not better companies run by smarter people offering more helpful services necessarily. It’s just that they were there first.

eBay is a superb example of this. I will tell you point-blank that eBay absolutely sucks. They are a company which, if they were human, would deserve to get their ass kicked. And if that happened, people would applaud. Because they suck. But they were there first.

1and1 is another company which I hate with perfect hatred (to get all Biblical on you). They must die. They are scumbags. No, they are something worse: I hereby coin the phrase pussbags. That’s what 1and1 is. But they do tons of business. Why? Because they were there first. (Well, one of the first to get big, anyway.)

So how do you succeed as a company in an industry in which there are tons of other players with lots more money who’ve been there first? There is one very simple answer to that: differentiate yourself.

You want to know what that means. Okay, that’s fair. Because what I just said is the type of thing you read in motivational books and business success books yet never are told how to do. So here’s a real example of a company that did that. They aren’t “bigger” or in any discernable way actually “better” and they’re not even really “revolutionary” or different than their competitors in any big ways. Except for one detail.

Compucast Interactive is a New Orleans web design company. They make websites for people who need sites. They host the sites. They’ll even get you the domain name and do all that stuff for you if you don’t know how to use GoDaddy. But they happen to be very very successful and quite well-known in New Orleans. Michael Chertoff (yeah the Homeland Security guy) even wrote about Judy Weitz, the owner because he thought Compucast was so rad. So what did Judy Weitz and Compucast do that was so nifty? Here’s what I see:

• Specialized in one industry. Compucast, from the beginning, aimed toward a couple of specific areas when it targeted clients. They were the hotels and the restaurants (basically, the “hospitality” industry). They even build proprietary applications that they allowed these clients to use (for booking, reservations, etc.) and guess what? When a few of the cool kids signed up, everybody started doing it (just like drugs, guys!) and soon many of New Orleans’ restaurants and hotels signed up because that was what Compucast was known for.
• Offered specialized services. As I mentioned above, they built apps just for use by the clients they targeted. This is worth mentioning here so that I can throw another nice bullet point up. It’s also worth mentioning because it is a truly awesome strategy even if you don’t want to aim at an industry – it could be something “general” that you offer to all your clients. But if only you have it (whatever “it” is) then you’ve instantly gained yourself the label of “Different” (which can be worth $$).
• Stayed the course. Compucast Interactive was there before Katrina (you mighta heard about it – it was a storm that just missed New Orleans), during Katrina, and are still around. That tells current and potential clients that this is a company that will not go away. Reliability and responsibility are things that people will think of for quite some time when they think of Compucast. So think about that in your ventures: when you hit hard times and challenges, sometimes just not giving up will make your business worth more money in the future.
• Showed up their competitors by doing good. Yeah, I love it when I appear to be awesome and other people look like pathetic losers. And that’s what Compucast did back in 2005 when, during Katrina, other webhosts went down like a….well like whatever goes down fast. Compucast had servers in other places and kept all their clients running, and then they started offering free web services to agencies who needed it, and it ended up they looked like heroes for helping people. And those people remembered it later. And no doubt, Compucast got some $$ and is still getting business as an indirect result of doing good things when people needed it.

There are obviously other companies in New Orleans who offer web design and do web hosting, etc. And probably a few of them are really cool, great companies who do great work. But the lessons I learn from looking at what Compucast did are really easy to implement for a guy like me who might not have a huge advertising budget – this is free stuff that anyone can apply in almost any business. And the cool thing is these things can make you a giant in a highly competitive field of well-established businesses.

The show is The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch.  This is one of his recent guests:

But she’s not the reason you should watch the show, because he (more) often has balding old guys on his show and not young pretty ladies.  She was a fluke.

The real reason you should watch The Big Idea is because Donny Deutsch is hilariously funny (even though he isn’t trying to be) and every show features people telling how they made millions or how they started a successful business that will make millions.  And Donny gives them advice or elicits really great advice from these people and in turn you the viewer learn something new. (You can’t usually pay for good advice like that, because you wouldn’t know where to find it or who to pay.)

Oh yeah, and I also must say that while my wife and I find Donny hilariously funny you might not. We have a different sense of humor when compared to most people (of any age). But for some reason it’s just funny to me when he gives totally random examples of things and the way he interrupts his guests and makes them get to the point. But this guy is awesome. He even has his own plate (yes that is the definition of success):

Call it gray-market candy if you will. I was an underground capitalist, making cash in the seedy underbelly of the junior-high market for illicit goods.
Selling candy like this was not allowed by the school because it competed with the school vending machines. And if we were ever caught (as was bound to happen) then the teacher would confiscate all our candy and pocket our money, which was usually between $10 and $30 on any given day – depending on if we had sold all our inventory or not. I did that for two years and then other kids caught on and the competition made it less profitable, especially when your 13-year old competitor tattled on you so they could put you out of business for a day!

So I moved on to tutoring and babysitting – more conventional and socially acceptable ways of earning a few bucks. In New Orleans ever’body gotta have a lil side-hustle. I knew a few others who also were hustling for a few dollars; there were quite a few boys mowing lawns (I tried doing that, too, but nobody wanted to hire a girl!), and a friend of mine was busing tables at a Chinese restaurant and making some money under the table. All of us were young entrepreneurs earning cash in on the underground economy.

And by the way that’s what all these jobs had in common – they were all CASH ONLY jobs. But cash only jobs aren’t just for kids. There are lots of different people who do all sorts of things to make some extra CASH.

1. Childcare. The old standby. And it’s not just for kids. Many women and men (I met a man today who does daycare) are out there doing part-time babysitting or regular, full-time daycare. I have known several stay-at-home-parents who took on one or two more kids to make some extra cash. And the money you earn for yourself can add up, too, depending on how many children you watch and for how long. Depending on the laws where you live, though, at some point you may have to get a license and comply with local laws to stay out of trouble. But, if you keep your numbers down then you won’t have a problem.

2. Housecleaning/office cleaning. While many won’t even consider this for a job, you can make a pretty penny doing light housecleaning or even the heavier stuff. Rich old women, office buildings, wealthy busy moms, and other people all need their places cleaned. Again, it can just be a few extra dollars or you can build up your clientele and really make some cash.

3. Yard work. So common, it’s probably the first one you think of when you think of cash-only jobs. Sure, it’s hard work – but remember you can make some money for yourself and usually get paid in cash.

4. Running errands. This is becoming more popular as people seem to be getting busier by the year. Busy people need everything from their dry cleaning picked up, to groceries being bought, to having their fish tanks cleaned!

5. Actually, cleaning fish tanks can be it’s own category. I worked in a pet store for a bit and saw how much people spent to purchase, set up, and stock a nice saltwater aquarium. And maintaining it can be a hassle, especially if you do not have a “blue” thumb. The “fish guy” at our store was always talking about how he was going to quit and start this exact business since he already knew so many salt water fish enthusiasts who thought nothing of dropping $100-$400 every week for supplies or new fish (if they were really bad at maintaining such a fragile ecosystem). He never did do it, but it’s a totally doable and needed service.

6. Walking dogs. And other pet-related duties, like grooming. If you like animals, this might actually be fun. But I don’t like animals that much, myself.

7. Haircuts, hairstyling. Years ago a friend of mine brought me along with her to get a haircut at someone’s home; this woman (the stylist) used to work in an upscale salon but now cuts hair from her house for a more reasonable price and at her convenience. It cost me $20 for a $50 haircut, and she was done with us both in an hour. Everyone was happy.

8. Massage. Last year I really wanted a massage, but shelling out $75 for a one hour massage and going to a stuffy day spa was not going to happen. Then I found an ad for a woman who does massage from her home and later that week I had a great 1 hour massage for $40, sans the snobby spa experience. She had a room set up in her home that was just like at any spa and she did a great job.

9. Food service/prep. Food is a big industry, so why not take a piece of the cake for yourself? I knew of a guy in Louisiana who was Cajun and a great cook, so he made up lunches every day and then drove to the local shipyards and sold his edible wares to the hungry workers. Similarly, a stay-at-home mom did the same: she made up lunches and would sell them to office workers down her street. People need to eat and get tired of fast food or of paying too much for restaurant food. And most people don’t pack their own lunches every day.

10. Cakes & pastries. Another avenue of the food industry is selling cakes. I don’t know about you, but I hate paying those bakery prices for a decent cake. Well, you don’t have to. There are people (like my sister) who are professionally trained bakers and can make a beautiful and delicious cake and who are happy to have a paying customer. Start-up costs are pretty low, too.

11. Auto mechanic. We recently needed a vehicle serviced. Since we did not have any references, I went to Craig’s List and found a hippie-guy who did the job and did it well- in spite of having a duct tape bandage on a finger that had the tip severed the day before. Our car was fixed the next day at a great cash price. I was just glad he didn’t have any other accidents!

12. Computer services. If you have any knowledge of computers – networking, repairing, programming, web design, etc. then you have highly marketable skills. Why not use those skills to make some extra cash?

13. Painting. Another cash job stand-by is painting. There will always be people needing rooms painted in their homes, businesses needing offices painted, and apartment buildings needing units freshly painted for new residents.

14. Junk hauler. I am not exactly sure what these junk traders do with the stuff they get, but it works for them and those wanting to get rid of stuff the trash man won’t haul away. Maybe they sell it on eBay. Use your imagination. And be aware that what some people call “junk,” other people call “collectibles”.

15. Market peddler. Maybe you can grow produce/plants and sell them at the local farmer’s market. Or maybe you can sell miscellaneous wares at the local flea market. Either way, it’s all good clean cash.

Well, I think 15 is a good number to stop at. Of course, there are many other things people do to earn cash, and maybe you know of one that most people aren’t familiar with. But the truth is that anyone with any type of skill and/or goods and a bit of gumption can easily make a little or a lot of extra CASH.

New Orleans probably isn’t as polished, professional, or progressive as Minneapolis. But it’s in my blood. I miss it.

This summer we are returning home, and since New Orleans has been on our minds (and in our plans) lately, I sought out an entrepreneur from the area to share some business advice with us.This week we have an interview with Blake Haney, the owner of Dirty Coast Press. Dirty Coast makes some of the coolest New Orleans shirts I’ve ever seen. Growing up in New Orleans, I saw a lot of just-plain-awful “Nawlins” tourist tee shirts in the French Quarter shops: these are not those kinda shirts. The closest comparison I can make to Dirty Coast is possibly Threadless shirts, except Dirty Coast t-shirts have local flavor and speak to the people from NOLA directly. (If you’re a Louisianian, you’ll possibly think they’re cooler than the Threadless stuff. Even though Threadless has some spectacular shirts.)

Blake has created a company that makes some super cool shirts, and it looks like it keeps getting better. Sure, some of the t-shirts might not mean much to someone from another part of the world…but that’s part of the appeal. And he’s using American Apparel tees (made in the U.S.A.!) , local New Orleans designers, and a local New Orleans screenprinter (La Chiva) to create everything Dirty Coast sells.

Name of Business: I have a few but the one in question is Dirty Coast Press.

Owner(s) Names & Ages: Blake Haney, 31

Location: Down in the dirty of course. New Orleans.

Website: http://dirtycoast.com

Type of Business: Apparel and Stickers

Start Date: April 2005

Startup Costs: 20k

Annual Income: Everything goes back into the company now.

Number of Employees: 1 full time, 2 part time.

Why did you start this business?
The initial idea was rather simple. I had a design studio in New Orleans and therefore access to the talent and capability to produce nice shirts completely local. Then when Katrina happened, it took upon a greater significance and has become a call to action to help spread the local pride and support around the country and locally.

What lessons have come from your experience running The Dirty Coast?
Surround yourself with the right people and have clear priorities. With capacity humming along, things get done and move forward. Whether they move as fast as they should or could – I never can tell, really. I am just happy with progress and creation.

What’s the most fun part of what you do?
The reactions we get from fans of what we are trying to do for the city and area; it is very rewarding.

What’s been your biggest success with this business, so far?
200,000 “Be a New Orleanian” stickers around the country.

Where do you see this business going in the future?
Expand the line to bags, dresses and then open a retail physical store in the next year. From there, we shall see.

What advice can you offer to young entrepreneurs?
Set small goals. Work with smart people (as smart or more skilled then you). Build a network of mutually beneficial creative and active entrepreneurs. If you have a collective you can depend on to float ideas and bring them into fruition, the mutual support will help everyone involved. Push your work, their work and build a community around it: Then you can’t lose.

Who have been your main role models, mentors, or sources of inspiration in starting and running your business?
There are those who have achieved success on their own who I ask for advice and try to collaborate with. There is not one person in my life as a mentor but anyone who is self-reliant and could care less what the critics say is a role model and inspiration to me. That is the hardest part: getting work out there and pushing through the nay-sayers.

What’s been the biggest surprise (or obstacle) you’ve encountered in your work?
How easy it is when it is supported by a community. They give you the ideas and energy to keep expanding and going at it. Without the community support in a retail business you are finished.

Which forms of advertising do you recommend for entrepreneurs and why?
Stickers, because folks love them, share them and wear them as a badge of identity. But of course, make the sticker cool – I would never put a Nike swoosh on my car.

Be very creative with copy writing. Use it to create a “meme”: a concept that can spread and be linked to your brand.

What are your favorite books (business related or otherwise)?
I read non-fiction but less than I would like. I am too busy. It is sad actually; I used to read all the time.

Read The War of Art. Read Emerson’s Self Reliance. Read Vonnegut short stories. Read The Tao Te Ching.

What is the single biggest factor that has made you successful?
I stay busy and get excited about creating reality.

How would you describe the business climate in New Orleans right now – for entrepreneurs specifically?
New Orleans has always been the type of place where if you do anything, it will be successful and embraced by the community. We love our neighbors and creative endeavors. You won’t make millions, but you will have an enriched life and be able to live off a lot less then elsewhere. (Although, since the storm things have gotten tighter in the housing market and more expensive.)

How has Katrina affected what you do?
Everything I do matters more than anyone could ever realize. You have to live here to understand it. We are trying to save a good friend, mother, cultural hero and historic icon while living our small lives. It is a struggle – but one that makes everything more important.

What do you want people to know about New Orleans’ current condition?
Like I said, if you have an idea and want to get it out there, New Orleans is a great place to give it a shot. That is, unless it is a server farm – keep that on dry ground!

If the idea is one that engages people, the city will embrace you – but only if it does not aggressively advertise or shove itself in folks’ faces. We don’t react well to that type of marketing. It is more organic here, word of mouth.

What are your favorite things about New Orleans?
The people, when they are happy to be with each other (Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, second lines, crawfish boils, etc.)

What are your hopes for New Orleans in the next few years?
Green Architecture. A stronger more progressive school system. Political leaders that give a shit.

What do you want to tell our readers that can help them, inspire them, or instruct them?
Ride your bicycle in gangs and rediscover where you live. Don’t like it? Move.

So there you have it – a very interesting profile of Dirty Coast and advice from the man behind the shirts, Blake Haney. If you haven’t already, check out their website – help keep New Orleans on people’s minds by buying a shirt!

If you want to read more about Dirty Coast, click here and here.

If you enjoyed the interview or want to know more, please leave a comment!