Meet Shonda T. Norman | CEO & Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shonda T. Norman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shonda T., can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
The number one reason for starting my printing business, I wanted to offer a fast and convenience service to customers who didn’t necessary need a large quantity of garments printed. The printing industry makes the bulk of it’s money from requiring a minimum orders. I don’t require a minimum. When I discovered that I was able to offer a print on demand same day service, I knew I had a leg up on most larger printing companies within my city.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I believe what sets me apart from others in this industry is my character, my integrity, my heart and my ability to build personal relationships with my customers. When my customers come into my shop, they get the feeling as if they have known me for years. They feel so comfortable around me, that they tend to sometimes express what they are going through or have been going through at that particular time. What sometimes supposed to be just a garment drop off ends up turning into a healing and release session.

Many don’t know this, but I’m the only black female own, print shop in Greenville, SC, and I actual have a meditation and healing room located in the back area, where I go for guidance and peace. I call it my secret place. That room was the foundation of what has now been birth as Same Day Printing & Embroidery. “He that dwelth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadows of the almighty” Psalms 91. My favorite scripture. My print shop is no ordinary print shop….lol.

I will say this, my journey hasn’t been an easy one by all means. Someone asked me “Who taught you the printing and embroidery business?” My answer. NO ONE! I taught myself, countless hours of research, LOTS of money spent messing up before getting it right.

I’ve also been asked, “How long have you been doing it?” Six years printing, two years embroidering. What I do is not a fly by night business, skill or talent. It took hard work, dedication, disappointments, tears and sacrifices.

Everyday I give God the Glory for every customer, contractor and prayer warrior that plays or has played a key part in my success, but most importantly I thank my husband, because Lord knows he held it down for me, and without God and my husband support and sacrifices to help me to fulfill my dreams none of this would be necessary.

If I don’t know nothing else, I do know that obedience, sacrifice and consistency is the key to success. Owning a business isn’t easy, no one talks about the lonely days and nights, the late night hours working once you leave your place of business, the self funding from your own pockets to try to keep things going, and praying that a customer will walk through those doors each and every day, to keep you an your business a float. Those are the times when you really have to speak words of affirmation and continue see your way through it, even when you can’t see it happening in the natural form at that moment, you have to know that God is still in the blessing business.

What I would like to for the world to know about me and my brand, is that I love to give back to the community. And by doing this, I open up my doors to many young designers who are entrepreneur, allowing them the opportunity to come in and print and press their garments, while teaching them the process of owning and running a business the right way. I also have varies classes setup, from printing, crafting and embroidery that are offered to those who’s looking to get into this type of business.

My heart is big and I love helping others. My saying is “There’s enough to go around for all of us to eat”.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
To be honest, I don’t have many friends, literally..lol. And I don’t go many places, except when I’m with my family. My life is pretty plain….lol. I’m all about my business and thinking of more ways to expand. But I do enjoy going out dancing with my husband, whenever we have a chance to.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to shoutout my husband Shaun Norman. If it wasn’t for his support, I don’t believe I would have been able to accomplish as much as I have accomplish. He really held the household down, while allowing me to pursue my goals and dreams, even when half of the time he didn’t understand some of my decisions, he still supported me and had my back in the time of need. And I also, can’t forget my prayer warriors, who consistently prayed and spoke life into me and my business. They know who they are. There were many of them.

Website: www.samedayprintingembroidery.shop

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/same.day.printing/

Twitter: @SDPrintingEMBR

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SameDayPrintingService

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/same-day-printing-and-embroidery-no-title

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe1_qypH0Va9ZNIUmCJ6-Qg

Image Credits
Photo Credits: DelShaun Brooks