Today we’d like to introduce you to LaQuinda Patrick.
LaQuinda, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My name is Quinn for short. I am a married mother of three, with two bright sons (Jalynn, 7, and Glenn, 4) and a fiery young lady (Riley, 2). INC & Company launched December 5, 2017, with a goal of providing inexpensive clothing and apparel for women. INC is actually an acronym for Inner Confidence–I wanted to make unique, uplifting designs geared towards lifting the confidence of my fellow ladies.
INC is much, much more than just a tee-shirt design company. Yes, we will bring your own ideas to life through the form of a custom tee, but my vision for INC goes beyond that. Through trendy lines such as the “Be Bold,” “Mother HustlHER,” “TRAP (Take Risks And Prosper),” and “So Extra” designs, I wanted to make a statement that it’s okay to be YOU, it’s ok to be feisty, and, most importantly, that YOU are ENOUGH!
INC has blossomed from an idea to a full-fledged operation. Coming in, I had little knowledge of how this would work. After working at a pharmacy for seven years, I knew I wanted to do something different, and for myself. The idea came to me, and after that, it was time to put pen to paper and get started. I did not know much about graphic design, but through countless hours using my old dear friend, the Internet, as a guide, I began to put the pieces into place. First, I needed a printer. Without the necessary capital to buy a printer and cutter upfront, I outsourced my first few designs and custom orders to a local printer. After watching some of my art come to life, I figured it wouldn’t be too hard to do the entire production on my own.
I invested my first profit into buying a heat press and a Silhouette Cameo. After unboxing everything and setting up the machines, my first thought was “Wow, this might be more of a challenge.” And it was. But you know what? I had made it this far, and I wasn’t going to let some unfamiliar technology defeat me. I am proud to say that I now know the ins and outs of both tools so expertly now that people are approaching ME for lessons. Not bad for someone who’s completely self-taught, right?
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not always been a smooth road. Despite my low prices, there are always people looking to lowball you. I keep this phrase top of mind: all money isn’t good money.
Also, due to the size of my business, marketing has been a bit challenging, especially at the onset. We rely on word of mouth and social media marketing, and it has led to many success stories.
Please tell us about INC & Company.
INC & Company can do it all, with full in-house 360 production from start to finish. We do our own procurement, from the materials used to print to the actual apparel that we print on. Our solutions go far beyond tee shirts. At INC, we produce: shirts, leggings, hats, backpacks, fanny packs, makeup bags and cases, cups, wall and car decals, bags, lanyards, and much, much more. In addition to apparel, we also print flyers, invitations, logos, and other stationery needs. Essentially, you think it and we print it. And we won’t dare stop there. INC is already in the midst of expanding its product lines to cater more to affordable women’s fashion. We won’t stop until we fill the needs of the ever-expanding affordable women’s apparel market. Our goal is to provide inexpensive apparel to meet any budget. It is imperative that our merchandise is affordable–my motto is if I wouldn’t pay that price, why would I charge it? And although our solutions are relatively inexpensive, doesn’t mean we sacrifice quality. Our goods come from the same outside vendors that more expensive brands use. Price does not always equal style!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I had to start over, I’d definitely set aside funds to get my own equipment. I have a great relationship with the local printer I used initially, but after grasping the concepts on my own, I think it would have been more beneficial and easier to bring my ideas to life if I had started with my own tools and equipment.
I also have some contacts that I took on knowing full well that the other party was not operating in good faith. Again–all money isn’t good money. If I could go back, I wouldn’t have taken that contract.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 6787702408
- Email: quinn@incandcompany.com
- Instagram: @INCandCompany
- Facebook: INC Apparel
Image Credit:
LaQuinda Patrick
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