Sarim Nadeem, a Tech Entrepreneur with over 13+ years of starting and scaling startups | Co-Founder rootCapture | Founder Dexpel.
In today’s fast-paced digital economy, building a business from scratch no longer requires massive capital or warehouse space. Thanks to print-on-demand (POD) models, entrepreneurs worldwide are launching profitable brands with minimal upfront investment. I know this firsthand—because I did it.
My Journey: Building A Print-On-Demand Business From Pakistan
Back in 2009, I was just starting in Pakistan, determined to build something of my own. I didn’t have a huge budget, and inventory management felt overwhelming. That’s when I stumbled upon the idea of printing on demand. The concept fascinated me—creating designs and selling custom products without needing to manage inventory.
When I founded Dexpel, a POD and custom merchandise business, what started as a simple idea turned into a thriving business. Building Dexpel wasn’t just about selling products—it was about creating a platform where artists and businesses could turn their ideas into reality.
The response was overwhelming. Our journey was even featured on Starter Story, where I shared how we scaled a business from Pakistan and reached customers worldwide. Looking back, the key to our success was understanding the needs of creative individuals who wanted to share their designs without the hassle of managing stock.
What You Need To Know To Start A Print-On-Demand Business
The POD industry is exploding, and there’s never been a better time to jump in. Based on my experience starting and running a POD business, here’s what you need to consider before jumping in.
The Products You’ll Sell
Everyone seems to want to start a T-shirt store—but is it really that rewarding? The honest answer is, “Not always.” A generic T-shirt store in a saturated market rarely stands out. However, if you choose a niche—like truck art or a specific illustration style—and position yourself as the go-to brand in that category, your chances of success increase dramatically.
With POD, the goal isn’t to reinvent the wheel. Instead, focus on keeping inventory costs low while testing designs and market preferences. Once you identify what resonates with your audience, double down on those winning products. It’s all about smart validation and gradual scaling.
The Machinery Or Partners You’ll Need
As digital POD services continue to grow in popularity, investing in high-quality machinery can significantly elevate your business. Leading brands like Roland, Mutoh and Epson offer premium equipment for DTF (direct to film), DTG (direct to garment), sublimation and other artistic printing methods. These machines can deliver precise, vibrant and long-lasting prints—ensuring your products consistently meet high-quality standards.
For entrepreneurs starting out on a budget, leasing machinery is a smart and cost-effective entry point. Alternatively, partnering with a reliable fulfillment provider in the early stages can streamline operations and allow you to focus on growth until you’re ready to bring production in-house.
The Best Platform For Your Business
When I first started, I used platforms like osCommerce, Joomla with VirtueMart, and CS-Cart. Each served its purpose at the time, but they lacked the scalability I needed and often came with technical issues, which became a major bottleneck as we grew. In 2012, I decided to migrate to Shopify, which turned out to be the best fit for our business. We later integrated a custom product designer that allowed customers to personalize T-shirts, hoodies, mouse pads and over 70 other products. Based on this journey, I highly recommend opting for a SaaS-based e-commerce platform over a self-managed solution—it saves time, reduces stress and scales as you grow.
The Business Launch And Marketing
Once your store is live, the next crucial step is visibility. Start simple—leverage word of mouth. Share your brand with friends, family and colleagues. Encourage them to visit your website and make a purchase. These early interactions help boost your organic SEO by signaling relevance to search engines. As momentum builds, it’s time to invest in performance marketing—Meta (Facebook/Instagram) ads and Google Ads can drive targeted traffic.
But remember, the real long-term value comes from building a brand. That means creating authentic content, and as the founder, you’re your biggest marketing asset. Show up. Talk about your journey. Share behind-the-scenes content—whether it’s your workspace, printing process or order fulfillment. People connect with people, not just products. That personal connection will help turn visitors into loyal customers.
Conclusion
There’s never been a better time to dive in. With POD, you can launch a global business right from your laptop. Platforms like Etsy, Amazon Merch and others allow you to operate a store within the U.S. and fulfill orders while living anywhere in the world—even from your home country.
And you don’t need to worry about holding inventory or managing logistics. Instead, you can focus on creating great designs, building your brand and scaling your business to a global audience—without borders holding you back. So, what’s stopping you?
Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
This post was created with our nice and easy submission form. Create your post!
