We wanted to be normal. A t-shirt business was a venture that lay far from our minds. If you read our About or our first blog post, you know that we needed money. We were very upfront about that.

If you’ve been in church awhile, I’m sure you’ve heard a similar statement about tithing, “Electricity is not free.” I chuckled as I wrote it because it is so true. When the children’s ministry needs new markers, or the bathrooms need toilet paper, it does not come free. And so it is, in our very real and natural (physical) lives. The mortgage company expects to receive money regularly. I know my belly looks for a meal far more often than I tend to find convenient.

I say all of that to say money is a present reality we all must face. Designing t-shirts was such a light bulb moment for all of us. It gave us a creative and artistic avenue to share God’s love for His people.

However, immediately into our research about current business trends, we found ourselves disturbed. We realized we didn’t want to do the titillation marketing bit. The thing that gets people on the hook with ‘free,’ and then offers something compelling at a cost. We didn’t want to do the cheap ads that show up everywhere. We barely wanted an Instagram page, no matter how much it’s the “thing to do.” We didn’t want to sell a popular item like t-shirts within a Christian niche.

What we would prefer, are customers who value the product and are personally invested in the mission (the cause of Christ). But we would be fools to pretend like tried and true business strategies don’t work!

So, here is our compromise:

1. Our ads are to let people know we exist and to know about us.
2. Our articles and blog posts will be related to this business and Christian faith. No other advertisements, affiliate links, or other such things.
3. There will not be free items to bump up the value.
4. There are no hidden costs and no hidden agendas.

Our desire is not to cast shade on anyone else. There’s nothing wrong with blog advertisements, affiliate links, or other similar approaches! Do what makes the most sense for you. We want to stay focused on the mission and encourage others to purchase a shirt as they feel led.