How a Mom Turned Bankruptcy Into a Rockets Partnership

Summary

Podcast Summary

Living Your Legacy

Episode: How a Mom Turned Bankruptcy Into a Rockets Partnership

Date: June 22, 2026

Host: Rig Gutierrez (Rudy Mawer podcast)
Guest: Christy Hoffman, Owner of T Shirts Plus, Conroe, Texas

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Overview

In this inspiring episode, Christy Hoffman shares the candid story of growing T Shirts Plus from a struggling franchise into a thriving, innovative custom apparel business, now the official t-shirt partner for the Houston Rockets. Christy opens up about resilience in the face of bankruptcy, the power of industry friendships, trade secrets in apparel, and what legacy means after more than three decades in business.

Listeners gain firsthand insights into entrepreneurship’s gritty realities, building strong client relationships, and transitioning a family business for the next generation.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Entrepreneurial Mindset and Resilience

• Christy's journey began 32 years ago, buying into what was then a t-shirt franchise.

• She emphasizes never saying “no” in business and always figuring things out, highlighting perseverance and adaptability.

  "We never say no. Like you can't say no in business. You got to figure it out."
  — Christy Hoffman (00:00, 10:07)

• Acknowledges the highs and lows: great decisions alongside some failures.

  "Just our journey. I mean, it's been a, you know, the highs and lows. Like any other entrepreneur. You have some great things that happen and some really difficult things that happen."
  — Christy Hoffman (02:21)

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2. Transforming Challenges into Opportunities

• The business went from struggling to bankruptcy toward massive deals with major clients.

• Christy describes the hustle and behind-the-scenes work to deliver for the Houston Rockets—printing up to 19,000 playoff shirts seen by millions.

  "We're now currently partners with the Houston Rockets. We print all their shirts. And when they win and they go to playoffs, then we do 19,000 shirts. You see that on TV. We're going to have all those shirts on every single seat."
  — Christy Hoffman (00:40, 02:40)

• She shares the difficulty and complexity of mass production under challenging timelines:

  "It's hard to do behind the scenes. You would really not imagine how hard that is. But we have fine tuned it."
  — Christy Hoffman (00:52, 03:02)

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3. Industry Collaboration Over Competition

• Christy rejects the notion of rivals, opting to forge friendships—even sharing resources and helping peers in her city.

  "Not to think of our other companies that are just like us in the same city as competition, but they're friends. And then once you get to be friends with them, if they have some, some piece of equipment that you don't have, then you can help each other."
  — Christy Hoffman (00:10, 09:03)

• Attending trade shows and building a network create a collaborative ecosystem.

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4. Client Relationships & Brand Amplification

• Longevity is key: Some clients, like Bluebell Creameries, have partnered with Christy’s company for over 19 years (05:52–05:58).

• Christy discusses how custom apparel carries brand identity far and wide, making fans and customers brand ambassadors.

  "You want that brand to be on everyone because that person is supporting you and now that person is an extension of your brand. They're just amplifying your voice."
  — Rig Gutierrez (06:08)

• Customized internal tags/labels (tear-away, screen-printed) to strengthen branding—a unique touch that sets them apart.

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5. Expertise, Trade Secrets, and Quality Craftsmanship

• High craftsmanship and knowledge of techniques matter; Christy shares practical advice on evaluating shirts for quality:

  "Pull your shirt. If you're trying to buy one, pull the ink and if it starts cracking then you know in the wash it's going to fall off. So don't buy it."
  — Christy Hoffman (04:32)

• Discusses Pantone color matching, the art behind design work, and trade secrets that come only with experience.

  "Pantone colors you were asking about that we do. We can mix to be a specific pantone. And there's so many colors, you know... Which color do you want? Create that pantone color."
  — Christy Hoffman (07:44–08:01)

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6. Range of Custom Products & Industry Reach

• Beyond shirts: mugs, mouse pads, chapstick, backpacks, outerwear—"anything you see on TV or you see at a shop, we can do." (08:07)
• Christy's company is deeply embedded within the broader promotional products industry and its network.

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7. Client Onboarding and Flexibility

• The onboarding process is hands-on; sometimes clients bring subpar designs, and her team steps in to up-convert them.

  "Sometimes they'll give it to us. Like all in. The image is not very clear. So we have to, you know, put it into vector form and do all that stuff... A lot of cosmic companies like us say, no, we can't do that. But we never say no."
  — Christy Hoffman (09:37–10:07)

• Emphasizes the importance of keeping clients happy and maintaining longstanding relationships.

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8. Legacy, Succession, and Forward-thinking

• Despite hopes, her kids aren’t stepping into the family business (“They saw how hard it was”), so she’s prepping to sell—with a plan to help the new generation succeed.

  "Well, I thought my. One of my kids would want to and they didn't because it was a lot of hard work. They saw. They saw how hard it was that we had to work all these years. So we actually, at our age now, are going to sell the business. But the cool thing is we'll stay on...to help make sure it continues on and gets bigger and better. And handed off to the younger generation."
  — Christy Hoffman (10:51–11:20)

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Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• "We never say no. Like you can't say no in business. You've got to figure it out." — Christy Hoffman (00:00, 10:07)
• "It's easier to keep your customers than get new ones." — Christy Hoffman (00:05, 10:13)
• "Not to think of our other companies that are just like us in the same city as competition, but they're friends." — Christy Hoffman (00:10, 09:03)
• "Pull your shirt...if it starts cracking then you know in the wash it's going to fall off. So don't buy it." — Christy Hoffman (04:32)
• "Pantone colors you were asking about...we can mix to be a specific pantone." — Christy Hoffman (07:44)

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Important Segments & Timestamps

• [00:00–00:52] — Opening insights: culture of “never say no,” customer retention, industry friendships
• [02:40–03:02] — Houston Rockets partnership & mass order logistics
• [04:32] — How to spot a quality print shirt
• [05:52–06:08] — Relationships with long-term clients and brand amplification
• [07:44–08:01] — Custom Pantone color mixing and design expertise
• [09:37–10:07] — Customer onboarding and design rescue
• [10:51–11:20] — Legacy planning and selling the business

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Closing Remarks & Call to Action

Christy closes with an invitation to reach out to T Shirts Plus for custom swag, highlighting longevity in business, commitment to quality, and excitement in passing on her legacy.

"If you need swag, you know where to call. T shirts plus and conroe."
— Christy Hoffman (11:30)

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Summary

This episode distills decades of wisdom into practical lessons for business owners, entrepreneurs, and creators. Christy’s story is marked by grit, innovation, and generosity—proving legacy isn’t just about lasting products but about the relationships you build, the expertise you share, and how you empower the next generation.

Transcript

[Christy Hoffman]

We never say no. Like you can't say no in business. You've got to figure it out.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Yeah. The moment you gain a client, you start to lose them.

[Christy Hoffman]

Yeah. Right. And it's easier to keep your customers than get new ones.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Yeah, yeah. For sure. For sure.

[Christy Hoffman]

We've always done that. Not to think of our other companies that are just like us in the same city as competition, but they're friends.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Yeah.

[Christy Hoffman]

And then once you get to be friends with them, if they have some, some piece of equipment that you don't have, then you can help each other.

[Narrator]

Christy Hoffman is a resilient, innovative and faith driven entrepreneur and the owner of T shirts plus in Conroe, Texas. Known for transforming a struggling T shirt franchise into a thriving custom apparel business, she has built her success through perseverance and creativity.

[Christy Hoffman]

We're now currently partners with the Houston Rockets. We print all their shirts.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Amazing.

[Christy Hoffman]

And when they win and they go to playoffs, then we do 19,000 shirts. You see that on TV. We're going to have all those shirts on every single seat.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Christy Hoffman]

It's hard to do behind the scenes. You would really not imagine how hard that is. But we have.

[Podcast Host]

It spans the globe like a super high Internet Elvis. Brandon. I agree. Today Apple is going to reinvent the phone. It's not over until I win the Living your legacy podcast for those who live to leave a legacy that's extraordinary. The impossible has been. Oh, that is sensational. Open Chicago with the lead. You said Paul is the fastest man on the planet. You can live your dreams.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Welcome back to another episode of the Living your legacy podcast for inside success. I am Rig Gutierrez. Joining me today and across Knocking out that door. I'm just teasing. Joining me today is Christy Hoffman, founder, owner, co founder of.

[Christy Hoffman]

Well, T shirts plus.

[Rig Gutierrez]

T shirts plus.

[Christy Hoffman]

And it used to be a franchise. So originally 32 years ago, when I bought into it, it was a franchise. And. And I actually think there are still some franchises across the United States.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Okay. I was 10 when that happened.

[Christy Hoffman]

Exactly. Well, it ages me right off the bat.

[Rig Gutierrez]

No worries.

[Christy Hoffman]

It's fine.

[Rig Gutierrez]

You're amongst your people here. Welcome to the show. We're about to film your episode for women in power.

[Christy Hoffman]

Very excited about that.

[Rig Gutierrez]

What are we going to learn about you?

[Christy Hoffman]

Just our journey. I mean, it's been a, you know, the highs and lows. Like any other entrepreneur. You have some great things that happen and some really difficult things that happen.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Oh, yeah.

[Christy Hoffman]

Make some great decisions and then some not so great decisions. Absolutely. But. But most part we really We've, we've really made some good decisions and got us to this point, which is really fun. We're now currently partners with the Houston Rockets. We print all their shirts.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Amazing.

[Christy Hoffman]

And when they win and they go to playoffs, then we do 19,000 shirts. You see that on TV. We're going to have all those shirts on every single seat.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Christy Hoffman]

So we do businesses and it's hard to do behind the scenes. You would really not imagine how hard that is. But we have, we have fine tuned it.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Christy Hoffman]

Jeff has had a lot of, a lot of say in some of that stuff.

[Rig Gutierrez]

I'm sure, I'm sure. Sure. You're talking to an uber nerd that loves to watch the YouTube channels of how things are made.

[Christy Hoffman]

Oh, that's fun. I like to watch that kind of stuff.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Everything from roller coasters to like amusements rides. I'm like, I don't want to sit in. I just want to. How did you make it about the experience? Swag is super important. I mean like, everyone needs it over, over and over.

[Christy Hoffman]

That's the great thing. It never goes away.

[Rig Gutierrez]

It's funny because I've been, I sort of manifested you because I'm like, I need someone that does shirts. We've got someone that does the inside success at our branding and that's Rudy's people. But I need my people.

[Christy Hoffman]

You need your. Yeah, your thing. That's the cool thing about our industry. It never goes away. And everybody needs it. And it not just one time, they need it multiple times for sure. Which makes us, you know, very consistently busy.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Well, let's talk about the materials you use and folks that understand good versus bad and bad versus quality.

[Christy Hoffman]

Like it.

[Rig Gutierrez]

It all matters.

[Christy Hoffman]

It does matter. So everybody's had a T shirt that either cracked and peeled or it like on it. On this color shirt, it would turn pink, you know, so man boobs.

[Rig Gutierrez]

And you're just like, great.

[Christy Hoffman]

Or they put it in the wrong spot.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Yeah, just like really? No, I don't want that.

[Christy Hoffman]

No, that matters. And the details, it's in the screen printing, you know, for the kind of ink you use. If it's. If you have a base or not. Like on this color shirt, you would put a base to make sure the white is white and then the cracking and peeling. If you have a really good dryer, we have a big ass. Can I say that? Big ass dryer.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Big ass dryer. I tend to gas dryer right on that.

[Christy Hoffman]

That when it comes out when you, when you pull. Here's the Touc, anybody can do this. Pull your shirt. If you're trying to buy one, pull the ink and if it starts cracking then you know in the wash it's going to fall off.

[Rig Gutierrez]

I love it.

[Christy Hoffman]

So don't buy it.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Those are the quick tips that I love. Yeah, yeah, that came out wrong, but that's okay. Talk about the colors. It's very difficult to find the right color. Are you using some sort of voodoo color? Like what is your principles of good coloring?

[Christy Hoffman]

Are you talking about coloring for the anchor coloring of the shirt or both?

[Rig Gutierrez]

Everything. All of the above. Like to get that right color, that right pantone or you know, the difference between the RGBs, the CMYK is like, what is your philosophy? Because anyone these days is, I'm gonna do a startup. I'm an entrepreneur. No, you're not. You're just self employed. Like I just got a little thing with a shirt. Like, look at me go.

[Christy Hoffman]

Everybody thinks they're a T shirt designer.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Yeah.

[Christy Hoffman]

I mean seriously, they walk in and they're like, no, they don't want to use our experience. They want this.

[Rig Gutierrez]

It's like your designs in real estate.

[Christy Hoffman]

Reel them back in to what, what works, what doesn't work, you know, in our industry. So we really do have to do that. But we also have, you know, it' it's an art, you know. And our employees, I've got employees have had for 22 years. I mean I got her at 17, I still have her.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Nice.

[Christy Hoffman]

That's been my life for the best. I know they're awesome. She's very talented and you have to have some talent and know what for your customer, what their needs are, what they would like.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Yes.

[Christy Hoffman]

And for us now at this point, this far in we have. Bluebell is one of our big customers too.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Yeah.

[Christy Hoffman]

We've had them for 19 years and we kind of know what they're what, what they like, what sells for them. So it's, it's pretty easy for us to figure it out.

[Rig Gutierrez]

It's. It's so important. That's one of the relationships that is very important. Very eager to like continue this conversation offline because it's important because as a creator, as someone that is understands brands, you want that brand to be on everyone because that person is supporting you and now that person is an extension of your brand. They're just amplifying your voice.

[Christy Hoffman]

Yeah.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Talk about some of the clients or some folks that you've amplified through your work.

[Christy Hoffman]

This is. You just teed me up perfectly. Thank you. So with, with Bluebell and others. Rockets other and others. You know, you've, you've been. Everybody has bought a shirt that has moved around the screen, printed inside the label, where it's custom label. And I always thought that was cool. When we go, we travel a lot and then of course, everywhere we go we take pictures of designs. Oh, let's do that one. Let's do that. You know, just change it up so easy.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Yeah.

[Christy Hoffman]

But when you see a shirt that has their branding on the inside, and it took me a while, a few years, a few years ago that I did the research, it's interesting. All the shirts that we buy wholesale, they always have a shirt that is a tear away label. So you can tear that away and then you screen print the, you know, the size and the logo, whatever it is. And so we got into that and now some of our customers are loving that. Yes. And it's not easy to replicate like other T shirts. Companies can do it.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Yeah.

[Christy Hoffman]

But it takes a while to figure it out. Like.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Oh yeah, for sure.

[Christy Hoffman]

It's not easy.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Sorry to interrupt. I was gonna say a lot of folks kind of hire you for that because it's, you're, it's 30 something years of experience. You said. I'm like, that's what's the values at. Because that's why I was trying to. My point at, everyone can make T shirts now. I know it's really about trade secrets. Here's how you mix your real reds with this and that. That's the stuff.

[Christy Hoffman]

Pantone colors you were asking about that we do. We can mix to be a specific pantone. And there's so many colors, you know, and, and sometimes they want a specific cool pastel something, you know, and so we just get that big books, you know, fan it out. Which color do you want?

[Rig Gutierrez]

Sure. Yeah.

[Christy Hoffman]

Create that pantone color.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Right on. Beyond shirts and hats. What, what other swags, what other fascinating things do you create for clients?

[Christy Hoffman]

Cool stuff. Well, I mean, promotional items that. Cups, mugs, sure. Mouse pads, chapstick, backpacks. I know, Jackets, everything. Anything that you see on TV or you see at a shop, we can do.

[Rig Gutierrez]

By any chance you make giant scissors for cutting ribbons? Because I, because I actually, I interviewed the founder of that company. Her name is Kimberly something, but she is a founder of the giant scissors and she sold off that company. So I'm kind of curious if you all work together or rubbed elbows because you're all in the same ballpark. Yeah.

[Christy Hoffman]

Yes. No, I mean it's amazing. It's cool. In our industry we also really are networking through and know each other, you know, and it turns it. It's been a fun 32 years in business because we go to shows and we know a lot of people that sell to us and then a lot of people that have shops just like us. And. And Jeff also taught me in the industry not to think of our other companies that are just like us in the same city as competition.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Sure.

[Christy Hoffman]

But they're friends.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Yeah.

[Christy Hoffman]

And then once you get to be friends with them, if they have some. Some piece of equipment that you don't have, you can.

[Rig Gutierrez]

The friendly rivalry begins, then.

[Christy Hoffman]

No. Then. Then you can help each other, you know.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Friendly rivalry. I know what you mean. I know what you mean. What, what, what do you. Do you work with a lot of, let's say, YouTube creators. I see some of their side hustles as their Patreon page selling Polaroids. A lot of folks are into shirts. Do you find a lot of customers that kind of send you over a design?

[Christy Hoffman]

Oh, yeah.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Or yeah. What's your process? Like, what's an onboarding? Typical onboarding for our customer?

[Christy Hoffman]

Well, it depends on the customer. There's a lot of customers that have their own logo that they've created and they want to use that and we take it and sometimes they'll give it to us. Like all in. The image is not very clear. So we have to, you know, put it into vector form and do all that stuff.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Good for that on you. Look at you go. You have. Remember back in the good old days, they would just be kicked back. No, the bleedings. You can't do that.

[Christy Hoffman]

And then a lot of people do. So that's where the expertise comes in. Because they still do that. A lot of cosmic companies like us say, no, we can't do that.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Why are you doing the low resin?

[Christy Hoffman]

But we never say no. Like, you can't say no in business. You got to figure it out.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Yeah. The moment you gain a client, you start to lose them.

[Christy Hoffman]

Yeah. Right. And it's easier to keep your customers than get new ones.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Yeah, yeah, for sure. For sure.

[Christy Hoffman]

We've always done that.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

What.

[Rig Gutierrez]

What is the best way folks can follow you and look. Look you up?

[Christy Hoffman]

Well, our website and I said. I don't know if I said it. T shirts plus Conroe tx.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Oh, right on. Cool.

[Christy Hoffman]

Or email me. Christy. Shirts plus.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Right on.

[Christy Hoffman]

Yeah. It's a dot plus, not a net or a column. It's a dot. I know.

[Rig Gutierrez]

No, I love it.

[Christy Hoffman]

My son made that for me. He's in. In Computer science. So he.

[Rig Gutierrez]

I was just gonna say I'm glad you brought him up so. So casually, naturally. You've been in the business for so long. Trade secrets. How are you handing this down to your. To a legacy.

[Christy Hoffman]

To a legacy? Well, I thought my. One of my kids would want to and they didn't because it was a lot of hard work. They saw. They saw how hard it was that we had to work all these years.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Sure.

[Christy Hoffman]

So we actually, at our age now, are going to sell the business.

[Podcast Host]

Wow.

[Christy Hoffman]

But the cool thing is we'll stay on, as you know, is to help make sure it continues on and gets bigger and better. And handed off to the younger generation. The girl that I told you earlier, Manager, Carla, of 22 years, she's only 40, so she's got a long way to go with this industry.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Right on.

[Christy Hoffman]

They will make it bigger and better and we will watch it. It'll be fun. But that's our next next chapter.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Right on. Anything you want to say for folks that are watching, listening. Any closing comments?

[Christy Hoffman]

Oh, well, if you need swag, you know where to call. T shirts plus and conroe.

[Rig Gutierrez]

Right on, Christy. Well, Christy, so thank you so much for your time and energy. I am eage. Learn more about you after your interview. You're in for a treat. I believe you're filming with Lauren. Lauren is my apprentice. She's awesome. Or they're awesome. Yeah. So, Christy Hoffman, look them up, follow their journey. I will definitely grab your business card because boy, do I need shirts for my brand and so much more. And with that, this is Christy Hoffman. I am rigatierz and we are inside success.