We recently had the chance to connect with Tiffany Ditto and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Tiffany , thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
Oftentimes, the process of creating decorated apparel is simplified and skimmed over when speaking directly to consumers. I think that, often, clients don’t realize the amount of work and time it takes to produce a quality garment. It can be easy to assume all we have to do is press a button and the design goes from screen to shirt; however, that’s not the case. Often, pre-production —getting the art ready to be screenprinted, embroidered, etc. — takes longer than the production itself.
For example, embroidery projects require digitizing, or re-drawing the artwork in a special software that converts the shapes into various thread and stitch types. This process can take several hours, depending on the complexity of the artwork!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Tiffany, owner of Zoza Ink, an apparel decoration studio serving DFW.
Proudly based outside of Dallas, Texas, Zoza Ink was born from a passion for creativity, community, and craftsmanship. We specialize in screen printing, embroidery, direct-to-film (DTF), and vinyl, offering high-quality, customized solutions that help businesses, nonprofits, schools, and teams stand out from the crowd.
Our mission is to create high-quality custom apparel that helps businesses make their mark on the community.
At the end of the day, we’re here to make the process easy, fun, and something you’re excited about. If you’ve got a vision for your brand, we’re here to help make it happen.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
I think my mom taught me the most about work and work ethic. When I was growing up, my mom worked full-time, attended college, and managed my stepdad’s business —all while raising a young me. She instilled in me at a very young age that if you work hard, have grit, and want something badly enough, you will eventually achieve your goals.
I like to say my mom gave me “the audacity.”
There are so many things in life I’ve never done, but thanks to her, I usually say, “Well, I’ve never done that, but how hard can it be? Let’s give it a go!”
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Speaking from my personal experience, I would tell my younger self to “be kind to herself. There are many times you will fail, and things won’t be perfect, but you will learn and grow along the way. Give yourself the grace to make mistakes, and don’t beat yourself up so much when you make them.”
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
It’s easy to see yourself as a leader and assume you’re the smartest person in the room. However, I think this is where many leaders and other smart people are getting it wrong. It’s important to realize and acknowledge that there are people in your corner who may have more expertise on a specific topic than you do, and that doesn’t make you any less smart. As leaders, it’s essential that we surround ourselves with people who challenge our ideas and ways of thinking, allowing us to continue growing and, in turn, enabling our businesses to thrive.
I also think that many intelligent people are placing too high a value on artificial intelligence. From the standpoint of attracting customers via marketing and advertising, when everyone is using these technologies, they no longer become special. The “standout from the crowd” aspect that the business received from using these technologies will no longer work because only those using real people will have differing content. Also, I’m a firm believer that great customer service requires a human touch (think about all of those times you have been stuck in a loop because the robot doesn’t understand your issue via chat or phone call, and you can’t get through to a live person).
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
I’d like to think customers would miss our attention to detail and stellar customer service!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.zoza.ink/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoza.ink/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zoza-ink/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zoza.ink
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/zoza-ink-rowlett
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ZozaInk
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zoza.ink/
Image Credits
Photo Credit: Zoza Ink, LLC
