Threads Not Dead (E-BOOK Review)

Jeff Finley, part owner of Go Media, wrote a book about everything you need to know about being successful in the t-shirt business. The book reads like a one on one conversation and covers any and everything you can think of, and things you never thought of.


I am just going to jump right into this because I don't know where to start. This book is amazing. It's hard to even call it a book. I think a better term would be "treasure chest."

The book is an e-book, so you download a PDF file and read it from your computer or smart phone. The file is filled with links to articles and "how to" videos from all the contributors and Jeff Finley's pages. Every time a point is made or a topic ends, there is list of links for you to click on to read even more about that topic. Jeff does an awesome job with the link placement and deciding when a link is necessary.

The book starts out with the chapter "An Artist With a Dream." Here he describes the best job ever and all that it entails. This chapter goes on to give some great insight on what a solid portfolio should contain.

Every topic is discussed in this book, whether you are freelancing, trying to make it into retail with your line, or just want to take your hobby to the next level. He details the work load from the idea to the execution. Valuable information is discussed about client relationships and little "tricks" to keep your clients happy without selling out. Jeff shares his shameless plugs and tells you what you should and shouldn't do when trying to gain exposure.

Some of the most valuable information for me was in chapter 6 "Branding and Marketing." This chapter starts off with the fundamentals of branding what exactly branding actually IS. I am a faithful watcher IATT.com episodes because of Adam's passion for branding and I could tell he was heavily involved in this chapter. But what I took away most was how important a your blog is to your brand. Jeff gives all the "do's and don'ts" of blogging, and social media etiquette for that matter. He talks about how relationships trump followers and how to promote your blog. (After reading this chapter and applying Jeff's advice, my blog traffic has dramatically increased!)

The book is amazing and I had a hard time putting it down. With all the links to articles, websites, and videos it really is an endless fountain of information. I already find myself going back to certain chapters looking for links that I bookmarked. These links alone make the book a must have for anyone looking to get in the t-shirt industry. A special thanks to Jeff for all his efforts and creativity. He has absolutely inspired me and given me confidence to jump in this industry. You can purchase the book here. Also watch Jeff's recent talk at Columbus Creative