Sublimation is more than a printing method for small business owner Cheryl Kuchek; it is a die-hard passion born of the pull of possibility. While modern sublimation printing excels at producing full-color designs with superior vibrancy, detail, and finish, early technology had its limitations. Such roadblocks did not stop Kuchek from experimenting.
“Anything that could take heat, I was testing and finding a way where there wasn’t a way before,” she says, noting there was a lot of trial and error. “If 350 degrees was the recommended temperature and I wasn’t seeing results on a certain material, then I would adjust the settings, retest until I achieved success in getting something to press or stick.”
Kuchek says she wanted to “rewrite the book” on sublimation and share the latest technology and techniques with fellow makers. She launched an exclusive Facebook sublimation group to chronicle the labor of love alongside fellow hobbyists. She focused on effective tips and tricks, how-to segments, equipment recommendations, and eventually, live-streaming sessions with industry experts.
Fascinated by the science behind crafting, Kuchek continued experimenting with unconventional techniques, such as sublimating store-bought white wrapping paper to create personalized wrapping paper and sublimating acrylic to make headbands and bracelets.
Further Growth
As Kuchek continued experimenting with substrates and sublimation techniques, her online following grew.
“I was an affiliate and influencer before they were a thing and soon [dubbed] the queen of hard substrates,” she says.
Eventually, she developed several working relationships with industry suppliers, leading to further collaboration, product beta testing, and special vendor discounts for the group. Creative and savvy, Kuchek also promoted and sold her sublimation creations to the captive audience.
“It was becoming less of a hobby and more of a business opportunity,” she says.
In 2009, with encouragement from her followers, Kuchek launched Just My Imagination DeZigns as a business for her personalized products. She continued blending various personalization methods to create one-of-a-kind glassware, mugs, coasters, cutting boards, plaques, and ornaments for clientele.
“Part of my secret sauce has always been to learn how to do everything with anything they say you can’t do,” Kuchek says.
Once business operations evolved from a side business to larger repeat orders, Kuchek relocated to a 1,600-square-foot commercial space.
“It became my personal playground,” she says. “At that point, I was experimenting with white toner, laser, sublimation, and much bigger equipment.”
Although she was producing commercial projects at lightning speed, Kuchek always made time to stay engaged with loyal followers who elevated her from a hobbyist to a professional. The successful blueprint, built on a proven foundation of relationships, quality, and collaboration, served as inspiration for her next venture.
Climbing to New Heights
Kuchek drew on her vast knowledge and creative ingenuity to launch a new passion project, Sublimation Summit, an exclusive conference designed to inspire crafters and entrepreneurs in sublimation and heat-transfer customization. The goal was to create an accessible, hands-on educational experience featuring subject matter experts, workshops, and unique substrates.
The dream became reality in 2019 when Kuchek signed a contract to host the event at the Peachtree Conference Center in Georgia. With just three months to plan the inaugural Sublimation Summit, Kuchek tapped her contacts and organized 92 classes as the main attraction.
“The best of the best were there to present [and represent the industry at large]. It was a huge success,” she says, noting hundreds of attendees showed up in support.
As a result, participants explored untapped potential, and Kuchek says attendees walked away with proven tools to scale their hobby or business to the next level.
This success warranted a follow-up performance. While the Sublimation Summit pivoted to a virtual platform during COVID-19, it still offered an effective way to gather, share insight, and collaborate in the spirit of creativity.
“I wanted to differentiate the virtual Sublimation Summit and make it the best it could be [given the circumstances],” she says.
The online event featured a welcoming 360-degree viewpoint, allowing attendees to easily interact with virtual booths, participate in e-learning, and shop related products. While Kuchek was initially reluctant to host the summit virtually, it was well attended and inspired a handful of subsequent virtual events.
“The vendors and attendees loved it,” she says.
Push Past the Brink
With mounting success and thousands of followers, Kuchek doubled down by furthering her hands-on training.
In 2023, she started beta testing an Epson direct-to-garment printer, “pushing every boundary to produce hard substrates on something you aren’t supposed to,” she says. An xTool F1 laser followed, with UV and direct-to-film printers soon thereafter.
Every day it was the same process: test, record, refine, and repeat. Any insight gained was an insight shared with Sublimation Summit supporters and loyal social media followers.
Her individual findings led to new professional opportunities, including a 12-week course and custom application development designed with makers in mind.
Looking ahead, Kuchek considers herself on the front lines of artificial intelligence (AI).
“I’m all in,” she says, emphasizing the desire to play an integral role in the positive impact. “How will it help makers do what they do better, faster, and more affordably?”
Kuchek is both intrigued by and committed to the ethical rollout and integration of AI, with plans to continue educating her community of loyal followers on how to rise to the occasion.
“When you combine laser, UV, and sublimation, it’s the biggest game changer out there. Add AI into the mix, so you can create these amazing designs that no one else has, forget it!”