What started as a home-based screen-printing business has grown into a thriving family operation for GetYourTees.com. Owners Amee Porter-Willems and Kevin Willems say moving into the EDC’s small business incubator gave them the space they needed to take that next step.
Kevin launched the business in 2006 after years of working in graphic design and screen printing. Over time, what began as creating logos and artwork for clients naturally expanded into custom apparel.
“Clients would love the designs and then immediately ask where they could get shirts made,” Amee said. “That’s when Kevin realized he should be the one making the shirts, too.”
Today, GetYourTees.com specializes in custom apparel for schools, spirit wear programs, local businesses, and organizations, with every order handled by the family. Kevin focuses on graphic design and production, Amee manages customer relationships and sales, and even their children play a role in the business.
The company experienced major growth in 2023 after taking on customers from another screen-printing business in St. Peters that was closing. The increased demand quickly made their home workspace too small.
“We went from working out of our home to needing a 3,500-square-foot space almost overnight,” Amee said. “We knew if we wanted to keep growing, we needed a place that could support that.”
Because Kevin had previously attended small business and marketing classes through the EDC, the couple already knew about the organization. When they needed a larger facility, the EDC became a natural first call.
“The process was unbelievably easy,” Amee said. “We talked with them on a Friday, met with an electrician on Monday to make sure the building could handle our equipment, and by Wednesday, we had signed the lease. It truly felt like everything fell into place.”
Since moving into the EDC in January 2023, GetYourTees.com has continued to expand its customer base throughout St. Charles County and beyond. Amee says the support they’ve found in the local business community has made a lasting impression.
“St. Charles County is such a welcoming place for small businesses,” she said. “It feels like businesses here genuinely support each other instead of competing with one another. We may not live here, but it feels like our community now.”
What sets GetYourTees.com apart is Kevin’s deep understanding of both graphic design and the screen-printing process, something Amee says many companies cannot offer.
“He knows how artwork needs to look before it ever goes on a shirt,” she said. “He takes the time to perfect every design so customers get something that really stands out.”
That attention to detail, combined with Amee’s personal approach to customer service, has fueled much of the company’s growth through referrals and repeat business.
“I always say I’m not really a salesperson,” Amee said. “Our customers become our biggest advocates because they know how much we care about every project.”
As GetYourTees.com continues to grow, the Willems family says the EDC has given them more than just space; it has given them a foundation to build their future in St. Charles County.