About the Company

Stencil Stop is a stencil manufacturing business started by Colin Mitchell in 2015. They produce a wide range of stencils, with custom designs being one of their top-selling items. Their stencils are known for their durability and versatility, which makes them ideal for both business and personal use. From large outdoor branding projects to intricate artwork, the stencils cater to various needs. The company’s core strength lies in its custom mylar stencils, which can be reused multiple times.

Stencil Stop’s customer base is broad, ranging from companies using the stencils for branding purposes to individual artists looking for precision in their projects. Businesses often use these stencils to paint logos on walls or even for creative marketing on products like coffee foam. The DIY community has also embraced the product for street art, mural painting, and various craft projects.

Idea Behind Company

The inspiration for Stencil Stop came while Colin was working as a packaging designer after graduating from Clemson University. He had access to a packaging prototyping machine and was testing new ideas when a friend suggested creating stencils. Colin noticed that detailed logos, like Clemson University’s, were difficult to replicate by hand. Surprisingly, he couldn’t find stencils for such logos online, which presented a business opportunity.

To test the waters, Colin created a simple website and listed a stencil of Clemson’s logo, which sold on the first night. This early sale validated his idea, encouraging him to continue developing the business. At that point, Colin was juggling multiple business ideas, but Stencil Stop showed consistent potential despite its slow initial progress.

Creating the Company

Colin’s first prototypes were basic cardboard stencils made using a packaging machine. These stencils, designed using Adobe Illustrator, were hand-cut, making the process time-consuming and limiting scalability. Nevertheless, this early stage helped refine the product, and he pursued licensing to sell official collegiate logo stencils, starting with Clemson University.

To minimize costs, Colin first presented product prototypes to local Clemson shops and secured interest before applying for a costly licensing agreement. This strategy allowed him to gain business orders without risking upfront costs. After receiving approval, Stencil Stop began selling to these shops, marking the company’s first big milestone.

Launching the Business

Stencil Stop’s growth was slow in the early years, with revenues in the low hundreds each month. Colin bootstrapped the business, reinvesting any earnings back into it. He launched the business on Shopify and Etsy, with custom stencil orders becoming the company’s main revenue driver. Eventually, the business expanded enough to invest in a laser cutter and move into a small airplane hangar to handle production.

Despite challenges with platforms like Etsy, which included unilateral updates and rising competition, Colin eventually transitioned away from it, focusing on Shopify and other direct sales avenues. By 2018, Colin quit his full-time job to focus on Stencil Stop, resulting in a 5x revenue increase within a few months. Although the journey lacked explosive growth moments, persistence and hard work kept the company moving forward.

Earnings
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Stencil Stop now generates around $100,000 in monthly revenue. Most sales come from their direct website (60%), with the rest coming from platforms like Amazon. Custom stencils are a significant portion of their business, and the company has become a market leader by eliminating unnecessary fees and offering transparent pricing.

Colin plans to continue growing the business by expanding into new materials and refining internal processes. Marketing strategies like Google Ads and Facebook video ads have proven effective in driving sales, and the company is also working on scaling up its SEO efforts. For the first time, the company is making a profit and aims to expand further in the coming years.

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