The key here is market research: decide what your likely market will be: will your orders be small units (one to 20) or will you be working with larger outlets ordering hundreds of a single design?

This may be difficult to ascertain when you are first starting off but it is important to have some idea so that you have an indication of the level of income this will generate which, in turn, will help decide your budget.

Although this information is key for when you make that first visit to your potential supplier be ready for questions because a good supplier will not just take your word for it. They should query what you tell them so that they know that they are showing you the correct product.

Your Embroidery Services Ltd are very keen to supply the right machine for the job. If you need a single head then that is what we will recommend but if the information you give us indicates a 2 or 4 head machine then that is the direction we will point you in.

You may be worried here about being taken advantage of but this should never be a concern with a reputable supplier.

By the way, make sure that you don't just talk about the machine with your supplier: find out about them as well. Ask about the training you will receive and the support you can expect. Find out how many technicians they employ and don't be taken in by the "our machines are so good we don't need to employ technicians" statement.

All machinery can go wrong and, even when it's your fault and not the machines, you need to know that it can be up and running again as quickly as possible. But what else, other than the machine, do you need as a first time embroiderer.

Consumables are really a no brainer and you may be able to source everything from the one supplier.

A one-stop-shop service like YES Ltd offers just about everything you need, except the garments.

But not all suppliers offer that service in which case you may have to use third party companies. If this is the case then ask the machine supplier who they recommend after all, they should know what works best on their machines. Apart from consumables the most common need is software.

These days much of the embroidery produced contains text and to be able to generate this yourself will save you time and money. When looking at software don't be dazzled by "bells and whistles". Concentrate on three key areas first:

The prime job of software is to produce good quality designs so the first thing you need to be sure of is the stitch quality. Ask to see examples of small lettering as this is likely to constitute much of your work.

Check out how easy the software is to use: it is no good having a product that produces first class quality but is too difficult to use.

Lastly ask about the level of support you can expect. No matter how good you are you will never remember everything you are taught so you need to know that there is someone to call on. YES staff are trained to the highest standards and we use the same software that we sell. Not only does that demonstrate confidence in the product, we should also know it better than most and can therefore give first class support.

Once you have satisfied these three criteria then check out the so called "bells and whistles" and see what fits the bill for you.

It is never easy starting a new business or adding a new product range to an existing one but with proper support and advice it can certainly be less stressful.

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