Inspiring Conversations with Gregory Liggins of Red Coat Design Studio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gregory Liggins.

Hi Gregory, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
From a young child, I was always interested in art and design in every aspect but never knew which route would be my path to fulfill my dreams in the field. Upon completion of high school in 2003, I initiated my studies in architecture but that was short-lived because of my desire to be hands-on and technical from day one.

I quickly changed my studies to computer technology and completed an associate’s degree. It was at this time I started discovering illustrators and different aspects of graphic design and printing. I started printing simple shirts here and there with a simple off-the-shelf transfer paper but was never satisfied with the quality.

My life took me in a different direction and I felt it was my duty to serve my country during a difficult time I enlisted in the US Army as a Combat Engineer in 2007. Served in this capacity on several tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2013 I transitioned into a different capacity in the special operations community and it is at this time that I began my journey back into my true love and passion for printing and design.

I enrolled myself in Full Sail University to achieve my Bachelor’s in Graphic design and on day one of the class is when I also established my company RED COAT DESIGN STUDIO, LLC. I started with creating designs and t-shirts in a small room in my home with a simple vinyl cutter and heat press that I found on eBay.

I continued this glide path over the course of 2 years until I created enough revenue to expand my equipment and business to a facility in my backyard in 2016 and the company began to take off with Sublimation. Between 2016 and 2020 there was some success and some downfalls. Being the sole operator of the company and still serving full time in a high capacity with frequent deployments my company was put at a standstill just about every year for a period of 6 to 7 months.

Because this was not sustainable rounding the end of 2020 I developed my own line of apparel for sublimation to cater to the demand of printers like myself and hobbyists who were looking for an alternative to just plain white t-shirts. This took off in a major way and gained great progress for the company to which I owe all the credit to my wife and kids. Over the course of 18 months, they processed, packaged, and shipped over 20,000 shirts, hoodies, and other apparel across the United States and Canada.

This tale of events is what allowed the birth of the facility that we have now in Fayetteville, NC which is the first of many more to come. While the business is geared towards custom printing supplies it also granted me the opportunity to expand my nonprofit organization called ESTABLISHING MEN FROM BOYS, INC which was established to give young men a safe haven to come and create and bring their ideas to life.

To help fuel their desires as entrepreneurs from a young age and guide them on some good paths to business and independence.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s been a rough journey overall. I’ve operated for 8 years from my private residence and storage units due to a lack of funding, time, and resources.

This accompanied by being a full-time Soldier created several obstacles but through persistence, I was able to overcome them.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Red Coat Design Studio, LLC?
Specialize in custom printing and design for Apparel, Banners, Backdrops, signs, and more. We also have a premium line and selection of sublimation apparel blanks for those at all levels of printing.

What sets us apart from others is that every custom design/print we do is unique in its own way. We don’t use templates or reuse designs over and over again.

We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Covid-19 has changed the face of the world and how we operate in every aspect of life. But mostly it has shown that with the support of the community local businesses can survive and thrive through hard times.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Contact No.: 910-779-2338
• Website: www.redcoatdesign.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redcoatdesign
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/RedCoatDesign