What 66 Embroidery Shops Told Us About Pricing Last Night
Last night didn't start perfectly. My internet went down five minutes before we were supposed to go...
What actually works (and what doesn't) when growing your embroidery business.
From pricing strategies that pay you what you’re worth, to simple marketing that fills your calendar.
I’ll help you stop spinning your wheels and finally build an embroidery business that’s profitable, not just busy.
You want steady customers. You want to get paid what you're worth.
But right now? You’re working harder than ever and still wondering if you can make next month’s machine payment.
I GET IT. I’VE BEEN THERE TOO.
I’m Jennifer Cox, and I know exactly what it’s like to pour your heart into beautiful work—and still have nothing left over at the end of the month.
After 35 years in the embroidery industry, I’ve helped thousands of embroidery business owners stop guessing and start growing. As the founder of the National Network of Embroidery Professionals, I’ve seen what works in every kind of market, at every budget, at every experience level.Â
But here’s what really matters: I’m known for making the business side simple for people who’d rather be creating than selling. No complicated tech. No pushy tactics. Just real strategies that work in the real world
as featured in:
Free Guide - My Top Marketing Strategies!
The 10 Marketing Hacks Every Embroidery Entrepreneur Needs
(No Big Budgets or Tech Skills Required)
Simple, low-cost strategies to attract more customers, build your reputation, and finally grow the business you’ve always dreamed of—without feeling overwhelmed or salesy.
Does any of this sound familiar?
You’re working 12-hour days at your machine, but when you look at your bank account, you wonder where all that effort went.
You love the process of making embroidery – the creativity, the satisfaction of a perfect stitch-out—but the business side? It feels like a foreign language. Pricing makes you anxious. Marketing feels pushy. And every time you think you’ve got a system figured out, something else falls apart.
Maybe you’ve caught yourself thinking:
- I can't compete with the bigger shops...
- I don't know if I'm charging too much or too little...
- I'm great at embroidery, but I have no idea how to find customers..
- I'm so disorganized—if only I had a month to get everything in order..
HERE’S WHAT I NEED YOU TO HEAR: YOU’RE NOT ALONE, AND YOU’RE NOT DOING ANYTHING WRONG!
These are the exact struggles I hear every single day from talented embroiderers who are incredible at their craft but never got a roadmap for running the business.
The good news? There’s a simpler way. And you don’t have to figure it out alone.
From Overwhelmed to Thriving Here's How I Got Here!
When I started out, I believed what most embroiderers believe: if I just work hard enough and do great work, the customers will come.
So I put my head down. I ran machines around the clock. I said yes to every order even the ones that barely paid. I hoped that word of mouth would eventually kick in.
It didn’t.
I was busy every single day. But I wasn’t profitable. And I realized that I had zero control of my time.
I remember weeks where I’d write out checks to suppliers, look at what was left, and want to cry. All that work and nothing left for me.
Everything changed when I stopped thinking like a machine operator and started thinking like a business owner.
I figured out how to price my work so I actually made money
—not just covered costs. I learned how to market without feeling salesy. I built simple systems that brought customers in consistently, instead of waiting for the phone to ring.
And slowly, I went from drowning to thriving.
Now I’ve made it my mission to help other embroidery entrepreneurs skip the painful lessons I learned the hard way.
Through NNEP, I’ve worked with thousands of business owners who were exactly where I was—talented, hardworking, but stuck. I’ve seen what actually moves the needle (pun intended) across every kind of market, every budget, every experience level.
My goal is simple: help you build an embroidery business that supports your life—not one that takes it over.
Through NNEP, I’ve worked with thousands of business owners who were exactly where I was—talented, hardworking, but stuck. I’ve seen what actually moves the needle (pun intended) across every kind of market, every budget, every experience level.
My goal is simple: help you build an embroidery business that supports your life—not one that takes it over.
What Happens When You Stop Guessing?
What Happens When You Stop Guessing?​
★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5
4.8 / 5 rating
Thank you for replying so quick! It was the answer I wanted! Love the group, I have already learned so much!
Diane Collins
Collins Embroidery
I read your member email this morning. By 11 AM, I applied what you said and I closed a sale for $4,700! Thanks for helping me stay focused on the important things and showing me how to get them done.
Derryl Caldwell
The Mad Hatter
We really like the sample letters in the Manual. We use the pricing worksheet all the time. You never disappoint when we need help!
Brenda & Carol
Classic Screenprinting & Embroidery LLC
I joined this morning at 9 AM. By 9:30 AM, I already knew that I got my money’s worth, in my first phone call to NNEP! I sure wish I had known about NNEP 3 years ago.
Blanka Barnett
Stitchin’ Frog LLC
Free Industry Tools from NNEP
Two tools every embroidery shop should use.
Both are free. Both take less than 5 minutes. And together, they show you something no embroidery shop has ever had access to before.
For Your Shop
Embroidery Pricing Diagnostic
Answer 10 questions based on how you actually price real orders. You'll see your pricing score, your category, and exactly where your system is breaking down — not in theory, in your shop.
Check Your Pricing System →Free — takes about 3 minutes
For the Industry
National Embroidery Pricing Benchmark
9 anonymous questions about what you actually charge. Your data joins shops nationwide to build the first-ever State of Embroidery Pricing report — publishing June 21. Complete both tools for a shot at top prizes in the NNEP drawing.
Contribute Your Data →Anonymous — takes about 2 minutes
Ready to Stop Spinning Your Wheels?
The NNEPtv Show Getting real about what it takes.
An ongoing conversation about how to build a profitable embroidery business without burning out.From pricing that actually pays you, to finding customers who value your work, to building systems that don’t depend on you being chained to your machine.
All to help you go from overwhelmed and underpaid to confident and in control—with more revenue, more freedom, and more joy in your work.
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