Business name: All American T’s
Address: 1231 Larkin Ave., Elgin
Contact info: www.aa-shirts.com; 847-571-7403
Owner’s name: Daniel Cox Jr.
Number of years in business: 5
What does this business do? “Screen printing and embroidery.”
What was the impetus for starting this business? “A very out-of-left-field conversation with another dad at a peewee football practice. After that and many years of wondering how the process was done, he helped us get into the business that he had been in for over 20 years.”
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What is the best thing about being in Elgin? “Friends, family and name recognition. My grandfather has owned businesses in this town for over 50 years. My dad was an Elgin firefighter for 30 years.”
What is the biggest challenge? “Location. Sometimes we are too far away from the city, other times not far enough.”
What is the most popular service you provide? “Screen printing. Most of our clientele is small businesses in the area, so providing uniforms for bars, landscape companies, electricians, plumbers, etc. We also do a lot of work for local schools for spirit wear and classroom T-shirts as well as local gyms.”
What kinds of businesses do you target as customers? “All small businesses. Being a local business in Elgin, we love helping other local businesses.”
What advice would you give when it comes to brand promotion? “Be consistent. Always be willing to put yourself out there and be true to yourself.”
What sets your company apart from other similar businesses? “Service quality and ease.”
What is the thing you most like to do as part of your business? “I am currently working on launching a clothing brand called Quenched410 that is based around three of our passions: faith, food and fitness. We design shirts that not only inspire you to give it your all at the gym, but also give it your all in everyday life. With a very big focus on our faith and the message of John 4:10.”
What is your least favorite thing to do? “Work late nights. I love being home with my family. But sometimes you work until the job is done.”
What is the best thing about owning your own business? “Flexibility. My wife and I spend a lot of time driving our daughter to dance at a local dance studio and serving at our church. Being a business owner allows us to have that flexibility.”
If you weren’t doing this, what line of work would you be in? “I am a part-time firefighter. My dream job would have been being a full-time firefighter for Elgin and serving my community just like my dad did for 30 years.”
What do you wish someone had told you before you started? “Be ready to fail. So many times I’ve gotten jobs that I thought were going to be easy and then turned out to be difficult.”
Erin Sauder is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.