The STCH Launch Series.
Three short conversations with the founding partners on what STCH is, how it differs from a traditional buying group, and how to get involved. Independent companies, stronger together.
How STCH Differs from Traditional Buying Groups
The founding partners on why STCH keeps the best of a buying group while removing the friction between members and suppliers, and builds a real community instead.
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Daniel BendeleWe love buying groups. We think buying groups are great, really important. There is a buying group in pretty much almost every industry. They help give independent shop owners leverage to compete with larger companies. But one of the challenges buying groups face, especially as they get older, is that friction can build up between members and suppliers. Suppliers feel like they are getting beat up on price, and they are constantly having to prove the value of the incentives. We wanted to find a way to not replace buying groups or trade associations, but to evolve the model a little bit and eliminate some of that friction. So the goal here is to build more of a sense of community between the members, each other, and the suppliers, and take that friction out.
Keith KirkLet me put a little more color to that. Having been the guy who ran procurement and purchasing operations for Fortune 1000 companies, when you have large entities building supply chain answers, you end up with a continuing conversation, over and over, negotiating how the margin gets split up. Big companies are always trying to squeeze every nickel out of their supply chain. A lot of buying groups get built on the premise of doing that exact same thing, only for independent companies. And what you end up with in a pure buying group over time is the same pie getting split up a different way, over and over. It can be an unsustainable model unless there is something else that adds value. So what we are doing here is changing that model a little bit, keeping the best elements of a buying group intact, but bringing more value to both the supplier and the member as the group evolves.
The Four Pillars of STCH
Peer groups, training, connections, and the hub. What a single STCH membership actually gets you, and why the four work together.
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Daniel BendeleThe four pillars of STCH are peer groups, training, connections, and a hub. Peer groups are really the heart of it. It is a way for the owner of a shop to build an advisory board they could never afford to pay for on their own. We found this works really well in buying groups, and it is something we want to build into the community side of STCH, where you connect members from different shops, usually in non-competing areas, so they can go over all the things that make it difficult to run a shop, whether it is HR, payroll, sales, or production. All those things, you have people you can lean on for advice and assistance.
Keith KirkAnd around that, the training pillar is real education for the trade, the kind that does not get taught that often down at the micro level, the work and the business of running a business. The connections piece is a vetted bench of suppliers that we will actually stand behind, and they bring incentives, programs, and promotions to STCH members that they will not be able to get elsewhere. And then the hub is the community site where the whole network lives between sessions. There is a directory, resources, and a calendar of events. One membership gets you access and involvement in all four of those pillars.
Now Accepting Members
Who STCH is for, what is open right now, and the mission behind it. Independence doesn’t have to mean alone.
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Daniel BendeleReally two groups. If you are an independent shop owner in decorated apparel, signage, or specialty graphics, we would love to hear from you. We are accepting memberships right now and starting up the peer groups. The hub is live, so there are other members to talk to, trade jobs, all kinds of things, disaster recovery planning, all sorts of stuff. And then suppliers. We have a few suppliers we have already talked with who are getting started, and we are accepting more. Keith is the guy for that.
Keith KirkOne of the lead statements on our website, when you go there, says independence does not have to mean alone. And what we are building, that is really the mission: to create an environment and a community where everyone wins and everyone can thrive. We will have limited supplier spots available, and we are putting those in place right now. Put your information on the website and you will be able to talk to one of us directly.
What is STCH Network?
STCH (pronounced "stitch") is a community network for independent businesses in the decorated apparel, signage, and specialty graphics industries. Through peer groups, training, vetted supplier connections, and a members-only community hub, STCH helps independent companies grow stronger together.
How is STCH different from a traditional buying group?
STCH keeps the best elements of a buying group but evolves the model to remove the friction that builds up between members and suppliers over time. Instead of a pure pricing play where the same pie gets split up over and over, STCH adds value-based services and builds a real community where both members and suppliers win.
What are the four pillars of STCH?
Peer groups (a confidential advisory board of non-competing shop owners), training (real education for the trade), connections (a vetted bench of supplier partners STCH stands behind), and the Hub (a members-only community with a directory, resources, and events). One membership includes all four.
Who can join STCH?
Independent shop owners in decorated apparel, screen printing, embroidery, DTF and DTG, wide-format, signage, and specialty graphics. Suppliers to those trades can also apply for a limited number of partner spots.
Is STCH accepting members now?
Yes. STCH is accepting Founding Members and forming its first peer groups now, along with a limited number of Founding Supplier Partners. You can learn more and get in touch at stchnetwork.com.
Independence doesn’t have to mean alone.
STCH is accepting Founding Members now, along with a limited number of supplier partners. Keep your independence and get a real network behind you.