Great Lakes Wire

Matt and Josh Stephens, brothers and co-founders of Sticker Blitz in Warren, are making strides in the sticker printing industry. Their journey is described as “built on grit, willpower and determination.” The brothers’ educational backgrounds—one in illustration and the other in computer science—have given them an innovative edge.

Their hard work has earned them several awards including Best Small Business for Macomb County 2023, Michigan 50 Companies to Watch 2024, and the Inc. 5000 List of Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America 2024. “These honors reflect our commitment to excellence and innovation, driving us to reach even greater milestones,” says Stephens.

The company aims to continue advancing the field while maintaining high-quality printing, customer service, and fast speeds with a team of 40.

Sticker Blitz was founded to offer customers a quick and easy way to order custom digital printing. "We embarked on this adventure in 2020," says Stephens. Frustrated by delays from other printers for their own projects, they decided to take matters into their own hands.

Stephens highlights that they offer an experience that pushes boundaries: "Our love for technology, exceptional quality and fast results inspired us to develop our own proprietary software."

Developing proprietary software has allowed them to provide offerings like next-day printing for up to 10k units with no minimums. They also offer free unlimited proofs at high speed.

For successful growth, Stephens advises offering a "10-star experience" for every customer. Their growth has been organic, driven by positive customer experiences.

To promote Sticker Blitz, they incentivize referrals with discounts and support local communities through events like Manufacturing Day and donations to organizations such as the Shades of Pink Foundation and Connect Macomb.

Employee satisfaction is maintained through a positive work culture that values work-life balance and celebrates achievements. Gourmet snacks and pizza parties are part of this culture.

Their involvement with SBAM has provided valuable resources, networking opportunities, educational benefits, and insights into regulatory environments.

Stephens shares advice for other small business owners:

- Don’t go it alone; build a supportive team.

- Focus on long-term systems and processes.

- Avoid dependency on any one person.

- Be slow to hire until it's necessary.

- Stay focused without being overwhelmed by worries.

This article was originally published in SBAM’s September/October 2024 issue of FOCUS magazine by Bona Van Dis.

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