SHW - How to Start a Print on Demand Business- Spotlight #87

Read more to find out how you can start this profitable side hustle today plus tips and tricks to make starting a business easier

Author

Ryan Rincon
December 31, 2025

Welcome Back To Side Hustle Weekly!

I’m excited to share with you another great side hustle you can start today! Today we will be discussing how you can start a low effort print on demand business.

Shirts, Hoodies, and More!

Design Once, Sell Forever: How to Start a Print-On-Demand Business From Scratch

Turn simple designs into real products—and build a scalable online business that can reach $5K–$10K+ per month without inventory or shipping.

Print on demand (POD) is one of the most beginner-friendly online businesses you can start today. You don’t need a warehouse, you don’t need to buy inventory upfront, and you don’t need to handle shipping or customer returns.

Instead, you create designs, list them on products like shirts, hoodies, mugs, and posters—and only when someone buys does the product get printed and shipped for you.

With the right niche, designs, and marketing strategy, print on demand can evolve from a side hustle into a high-income, mostly automated business.

Here’s exactly how to start.

Step 1: Understand the Print-On-Demand Business Model

Print on demand works like this:

  1. You create a design (or hire someone to do it).

  2. You upload the design to a POD platform.

  3. You connect it to an online store or marketplace.

  4. A customer places an order.

  5. The POD company prints, packs, and ships the product.

  6. You keep the profit.

You focus on ideas, branding, and marketing—everything else is handled for you.

Margins typically range from $8–$20 per product, depending on pricing and product type.

Step 2: Choose a Profitable Niche (This Matters More Than Designs)

The biggest mistake beginners make is selling generic designs. Profitable POD stores target specific audiences with emotional or identity-based messaging.

High-performing niches include:

  • Fitness and gym culture

  • Pets (especially dogs & cats)

  • Humor and sarcasm

  • Careers (nurses, electricians, truck drivers)

  • Hobbies (fishing, gaming, hiking)

  • Faith-based designs

  • Relationships and family roles

  • Motivational and mindset themes

A niche makes your store feel personal—and personal stores convert better.

Step 3: Create Simple, High-Impact Designs

You don’t need to be a graphic designer to succeed.

Winning POD designs are often:

  • Bold text

  • Simple icons

  • Clean layouts

  • Easy-to-read fonts

  • Emotion-driven phrases

You can create designs using:

  • Canva (beginner-friendly)

  • Photoshop or Illustrator

  • Kittl or Placeit

You can also outsource designs to freelancers for $3–$10 per design.

Focus on clarity over complexity.

Step 4: Choose Your Products Wisely

Not all POD products sell equally.

Top-selling POD items:

  • T-shirts

  • Hoodies & sweatshirts

  • Hats

  • Mugs

  • Tote bags

  • Phone cases

  • Stickers

  • Posters

Start with t-shirts and hoodies—they have consistent demand and strong margins.

Step 5: Pick a Print-On-Demand Platform

These platforms handle printing and fulfillment:

  • Printify

  • Printful

  • Gelato

  • Teelaunch

  • SPOD

Most integrate seamlessly with online stores and marketplaces.

Always order samples to check print quality before scaling.

Step 6: Set Up Your Storefront

You can sell POD products on:

Marketplaces (Beginner-Friendly)

  • Etsy

  • Amazon Merch

  • eBay

Your Own Store (Best for Scaling)

  • Shopify

  • WooCommerce

Many sellers start on Etsy for fast exposure, then transition to Shopify for brand control.

Your store should include:

  • Clean product photos

  • Clear descriptions

  • Simple branding

  • Strong call-to-action

Step 7: Price for Profit, Not Just Sales

Your goal is sustainable income, not just cheap products.

Example:

  • T-shirt base cost: $8–$10

  • Sell price: $22–$30

  • Profit per sale: $10–$15

Selling 20 products per day at $12 profit = $7,200/month.

Higher-priced hoodies and bundles increase profits even more.

Step 8: Drive Traffic With Smart Marketing

Great designs won’t sell if no one sees them.

Effective traffic strategies:

  • TikTok organic videos

  • Instagram Reels

  • Pinterest pins

  • Etsy SEO optimization

  • Facebook groups

  • Paid Facebook or TikTok ads

  • Influencer shoutouts

Short-form video content is currently one of the fastest ways to scale POD stores.

Step 9: Automate and Scale

Once sales are consistent, automation takes over.

You can:

  • Schedule content

  • Use auto-fulfillment

  • Hire a virtual assistant for customer service

  • Hire designers to release new collections weekly

  • Outsource ad management

This turns your POD business into a hands-off income system.

Estimated Monthly Income Potential

Here’s what’s realistically achievable:

Beginner (1–3 months):

  • 2–5 sales/day

  • $500–$2,000/month

Intermediate (3–9 months):

  • 10–20 sales/day

  • $3,000–$8,000/month

Advanced (Scaled Store):

  • 30–60 sales/day

  • $10,000–$25,000+/month

Some top POD brands earn far more with multiple niches and paid ads.

Products & Tools to Buy for Best Results

You don’t need much, but these help tremendously:

  • Laptop or desktop computer

  • Canva Pro

  • Mockup tools (Placeit)

  • Paid font packs

  • Ring light for content

  • Smartphone tripod

  • Shopify subscription

  • Paid ads budget (optional)

Websites & Software You’ll Need

  • Printify / Printful – Printing & fulfillment

  • Shopify – Storefront

  • Etsy – Marketplace exposure

  • Canva – Design creation

  • Placeit – Mockups

  • TikTok & Instagram – Traffic

  • Fiverr / Upwork – Hire designers

Requirements to Start

  • Internet access

  • Basic creativity

  • Willingness to test designs

  • Consistency with marketing

  • Patience during early growth

Pros

  • No inventory or shipping

  • Very low startup cost

  • Easy to automate

  • Scalable worldwide

  • Works with any niche

  • Passive income potential

Cons

  • Competitive markets

  • Requires testing to find winners

  • Slower at the beginning

  • Profit depends on marketing skill

Summary: How to Start a Print-On-Demand Business

  1. Choose a niche with strong emotional appeal.

  2. Create simple, bold designs.

  3. Upload to POD platforms and connect a store.

  4. Price for profit, not volume.

  5. Drive traffic with short-form content and SEO.

  6. Automate fulfillment and customer service.

  7. Scale with ads, new designs, and outsourcing.

With consistency and smart execution, print on demand can grow into a $5K–$10K+ per month business that runs quietly in the background—earning while you sleep.

That’s A Wrap

I hope you enjoyed today’s post and if you have any questions about the post, upcoming posts, how to advertise, or anything else, feel free to reply. See you next time with another money-making post, helping you boost your income!

Disclaimer: This newsletter is for informational and educational purposes only and reflects the opinions of its editors and contributors. The content provided, including but not limited to real estate tips, stock market insights, business marketing strategies, and startup advice, is shared for general guidance and does not constitute financial, investment, real estate, legal, or business advice. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information provided. Past performance is not indicative of future results. All investment, real estate, and business decisions involve inherent risks, and readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence and consult with qualified professionals before taking any action. This newsletter does not establish a fiduciary, advisory, or professional relationship between the publishers and readers.

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