I have my eye on a new machine, but it costs €16,000

“My friend and I always wanted to start a business. When she drew a cool illustration during the pandemic, we thought it would be fun to put it on socks and T-shirts and sell them.

Unfortunately, embroidered socks were pretty expensive, and most websites had a high MOQ. So we decided to roll up our sleeves and learn how to embroider ourselves. It’s a really fun hobby, but also very time-consuming: hand-embroidered items often take more than 10 hours to complete.

We kept getting orders but didn’t have the capacity to fulfill them, so we decided it was time for the next step: buying an embroidery machine and embroidery software.

Three thousand euros poorer, but with a ton of motivation, we went for it. It was a craft with a steep learning curve, but incredibly interesting. Shortly after that, I also launched our first website: www.ticenits.be.“

Personalized embroidered items

“For Tice Nits, I embroider clothing and accessories for individuals, youth movements, and businesses. All items are fully customizable, allowing customers to be truly original. I always work with high-quality and sustainable clothing. For example, I’ve embroidered on sweaters, T-shirts, tote bags, blankets, aprons…

I think Tice Nits’ personal approach really makes the difference. People buy from a small business, not a multinational corporation. I also try to support charities. Among others, I support ‘Armoede Maakt Moedeloos.’”

Combining travel & entrepreneurship

“I spend a lot of time abroad, which means I have to put Tice Nits on the back burner during those months. I love keeping myself busy with all sorts of different things: traveling, guiding trips, snowboarding, skating, hanging out with friends… Afterward, I have to put in a bit more effort to find customers again.

The thrill you get when you make a sale again is incredible. It’s also incredibly rewarding to realize how much I’ve already learned through entrepreneurship. Since you’re doing it on your own, you have to be a jack-of-all-trades.”

Just a little more saving to go…

“I have two big goals. First and foremost, I’d like more people to find Tice Nits through Google, so I can reach people far beyond my own circle. My second goal is to buy a new machine. I’ve got my eye on one, but it costs €16,000. So, just a little more saving to go…”