How one Teespring creator turned a $100 loan into a fortune

Mohammad K. A. (aka Khorshed) was born and raised in Chittagong, the commercial capital of Bangladesh. He became a self-taught graphic designer through YouTube tutorials and online resources and began working as a freelance graphic designer in 2012 Upwork. Khorshed also earned a degree in business studies from the National University in 2015 – his smarts matched with his willingness to learn new selling methods have contributed to his ever growing success on Teespring.

 

Mohammad K.A. (aka Khorshed) 

 

How did you discover Teespring and why did you decide to start selling?

My journey began in March of 2015, when I was looking for ways to put my design expertise to work. I met Zafi, our Bangladesh Country Manager, who told me about a better way to make money beside Freelancing – Teespring! I did not find success at first, but focused very hard on learning new niches and marketing techniques. Zafi introduced me to brand new marketing methods – free marketing and paid marketing – which led to my first sales! Since I didn’t have money to invest in paid ads at the time, I first focused on free marketing. 

After I got the hang of free marketing I decided to take my chances with paid marketing. In September 2015 my friend Zakir and I borrowed $100 from a friend and started working together on paid ads. I got my first sales (success) in November 2015 from a Christmas campaign. After that I just kept going! My first big win as a seller was in April 2016; one of my campaigns sold 511 units. After that I hosted an official Teespring meet up and started sharing my success story and tips with other members of the Teespring Bangladesh community. Now I enjoy helping other new sellers and being an active member of the Bangladesh community with Zafi,  Robiul, Mehdi and my other friends. Teespring has given me a huge opportunity to change my life and I am determined to keep pushing the limits to reach new heights as a seller and entrepreneur.

Khorshed & Zafi (Teespring’s Bangladesh Country Manager)

What were some of your biggest challenges at first when selling?

My biggest challenge was not having enough money to invest at first. I took a step back and realized that I had to be smart about investing in very specific niches. I was intimidated when it came to finding t-shirt ideas and also had little knowledge about paid ads. I discussed niche ideas with Zafi and he shared advice on some of his successful niches and made some niche suggestions. Then I looked into “sports” for niche market opportunities; I selected a trending sports niche and developed my own design for it. I used my $100 loan on paid ads and once I started getting sales I was able to reinvest the funds to sell even more.

What advice would you give other sellers who are just starting out?

For new Springers, it is very important to understand the whole business system, i.e. what sells, what doesn’t, how to maximize profit, etc. If they don’t understand the system fully there is a chance they’ll fail in the beginning…I have personally seen a lot of marketers fail for this reason. Also, people need to understand it is almost impossible to succeed without hard work; new sellers need to dedicate time to studying designs and marketing methods. Personally, I believe if someone spends quality time learning new techniques, researching audiences, and has the determination to succeed…they will. It has worked for me and I hope it will work for new Springers too.

How has becoming a Teespring seller impacted your life?

At one time I was just a normal freelancer working job to job. My father insisted that I work at his shop or to try to get a government job like my other siblings…but I wanted to be my own boss. When I first decided to sell on Teespring I had to overcome a lot of difficult challenges to get where I am today…but now I am very satisfied with my current position and my family is also happy for me; I am loved and respected by my family and my community. Teespring not only helps me earn a substantial income, but it also made me famous in my country. I am so thankful to the Almighty and also to Teespring for my blessings in this life.