Find Success on the Best Print on Demand Business Model – with Christopher Hamze

Have you ever wanted to create your own online business without the stress of warehouses, inventory, or shipping? The print on demand business model makes that dream possible. It’s a powerful way to turn ideas into income. It's where creativity meets opportunity, and success is no longer limited by upfront costs. While it’s easy to launch a demand store, building a truly profitable business takes more than just uploading designs. Between competition and ever-changing marketing strategies, many sellers struggle to find their breakthrough. The real question is: what separates a successful print on demand seller from the rest?

In this episode of The Best Business Podcast, host Daryl Urbanski sits down with Christopher Hamze. He is the founder of TeeLaunch, a leading print on demand fulfillment company trusted by industry professionals. Christopher shares how he went from crushing debt to leading a multi-million-dollar POD empire. From early lessons in a family-owned restaurant to becoming a demand coach for entrepreneurs worldwide. He shows the reality of building a business that lasts. His expert advice, proven methods, and digital marketing insights are truly empowering. His story shines a light on how to transform challenges into more sales and growth.

Be equipped with personalized guidance and fresh tips to help you launch and scale your own print on demand store. Want to start your own POD business? Drive traffic to your Etsy print shop? Maybe you just want to save time and money while creating new products? Well this conversation has you covered. It delivers the tools, strategies, and support you need to succeed in today’s online business world.

Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:

1. Discover proven marketing strategies to transform print on demand into a scalable and business model.
2. Learn why customer service, technology, and agility are key elements for running a successful online business and demand store.
3. Gain expert advice on avoiding financial pitfalls and building a resilient fulfillment system for your own business.

Resources:

• Christopher Hamze: X | Instagram | LinkedIn
• TeeLaunch: Website
• Best Business Podcast with Daryl Urbanski - Where you can find more insightful interviews like this one.

Episode Highlights

From Family Business to Print on Demand Empire

• Christopher Hamze grew up in a family of entrepreneurs, working long hours in family-owned restaurants where passion and discipline shaped his work ethic.
• These early lessons in owning a business taught him that sacrifice, persistence, and focus are the foundation of long-term success.
• Daryl Urbanski highlights how these roots prepared Christopher for the relentless pace of the print on demand industry.
• TLaunch emerges as a leader by simplifying the process into accessible product offerings, making it easier for sellers to join and scale.

Early Ventures and Setbacks: The Price of Learning

• Christopher’s first venture, dirtcheapscooters.com, taught him painful lessons about chargebacks and fragile cash flow.
• Retail arbitrage on eBay brought early wins, including over $16,000 in a summer before college ended.
• A restaurant experiment left him with break-even results, proving the importance of testing ideas before scaling.
• Despite law school and an MBA, his real passion was to create and sell through innovative processes like Direct-to-Garment printing.

The Founding of Christopher's Print on Demand Business

• With $750,000 in debt, Christopher risked everything by investing $30,000 in a custom app to launch his print on demand store.
• Within months, TeeLaunch scaled from silence to $1 million per month in sales, proving the resilience of the business model.
• Strategic partnerships with vendors allowed TeeLaunch to handle massive demand without collapsing under pressure.
• His journey shows that agility, tech-driven processes, and accountability fuel explosive success.

When Price Isn’t Everything in Business Success

• TLaunch thrives not by underbidding but by offering personalized guidance and support to every demand seller.
• Christopher stays accessible through Skype, Facebook, and even YouTube, offering direct advice and video walkthroughs.
• Early-adopter discounts, custom solutions, and product offerings tailored to customer needs drive profit.
• By treating clients as long-term partners instead of transactions, TeeLaunch sets itself apart in a crowded market.

What Hurricane Season Taught Christopher

• A hurricane shut down production at a critical time, forcing refunds and testing TeeLaunch’s integrity.
• The experience taught him that resilience comes from planning, not panic, and that success means protecting customers first.
• Today, multiple suppliers back every product line, ensuring access and delivery even when disaster strikes.
• His process reinforces a core principle: in business and in life, redundancy and preparation are non-negotiable.

Financial Wisdom from Past Pain

• Past financial struggles shaped TeeLaunch’s commitment to lean operations and reinvestment over extravagance.
• The company avoided VC funding, focusing instead on accountability and steady growth fueled by profits.
• A minimalist team of five works alongside contracted manufacturers to keep operations efficient and agile.
• Christopher stresses that saving, scaling wisely, and resisting distractions are the foundation of a profitable business.

Helping Customers Grow: From T-Shirts to New Products

• While t-shirts once dominated, TeeLaunch now offers diverse product offerings like mugs, journals, and headphones.
• Customers gain early access to experimental products, keeping them ahead of competition and ad fatigue.
• Wholesale TED-style innovations allow sellers to test and scale new items with lower risk.
• This model turns sellers into collaborators, teaching them to create sustainable print on demand businesses.

Importance of Email Lists, Data, and the Second Sale for Print on Demand Sellers

• Christopher highlights how most POD sellers fail by focusing only on the first sale instead of long-term customer success.
• TLaunch teaches clients to build email lists, segment data, and drive repeat sales with automated campaigns.
• Retargeting strategies increase customer lifetime value and brand recognition.
• The goal is simple: move beyond one-off sales to building a business that customers join, trust, and return to.

Understanding Seasonality for Print on Demand Stores

• Print on demand sales follow clear seasonal cycles. These are Christmas, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day are peak opportunities.
• Google Trends is a free tool Christopher recommends to track demand spikes and product lifecycles.
• Smart sellers save profits during booms, preparing for valleys and maintaining cash flow year-round.
• Seasonality isn’t a setback. It’s part of the journey that disciplined sellers can use to scale smarter.

Decoding Ad Platforms and Surviving Beyond Facebook

• Rising ad costs on Facebook threaten many sellers, but diversification keeps businesses alive.
• Christopher urges entrepreneurs to focus on Pinterest ads, Google campaigns, and YouTube videos.
• By testing new methods and exploring untapped niches, sellers can garner more sales even with higher CAC.
• The takeaway is clear: don’t build your store on rented land; success comes from owning your traffic and process.