Interview with Sarah Williams, Founder of Affordable Healthcare 123 Tees. She started this company to encourage open discussion about healthcare options and to be able to support healthcare that is actually affordable.
Sarah company makes t-shirts to evoke conversation and each t-shirt we sell helps our mission of contributing to the fight for accessible and cost-effective healthcare for everyone. In addition, ten percent of every order that we receive gets donated to advocacy groups and organizations that provide accessible healthcare options to people in need.
Tell us about yourself?
My name is Sarah Williams, and I’m a graphic designer who realized that I could be contributing to the world around me and using my skills to do so. Something that I am very passionate about is healthcare, and the struggle people are experiencing to have access to healthcare that is affordable.
The current political climate is complicating things further, so I went to a rally to see what was going on. The rally was held close to home, in Sacramento, California and I attended it wearing one of my custom-made shirts in support of Obamacare/the Affordable Care Act. While I was at the rally, numerous people came up to me and asked me where I got my shirt and where they could get one as well. I was so moved by their compliments that I decided to use my skills in graphic design to benefit my pursuit of accessible healthcare for my community and millions of Americans around the country.
What makes your organization different than your competitors?
My organization, Affordable Healthcare 123 is different from our competitors because our products are designed to encourage discussion. Our t-shirts act almost like a post-it note for people to see and to think about healthcare in our country. They are quite fashionable and comfortable as well. Our company also donates 10% of every order to organizations that help people get access to healthcare when they are unable to find help elsewhere. We have a passion at Affordable Healthcare 123 to make a concrete difference one t-shirt at a time.
How much potential market share can you achieve in the next 3 years?
We expect to achieve at least a 10-15% market share of the industry within the next 3 years.
What was the most important part of your whole business journey?
The most important part of our business journey was the beginning of building our business. We started Affordable Healthcare 123 started with passion and for a good cause. We began this business to thrust ourselves into space where disagreements are prone to happen, but where community-wide education on the real facts of the matter is very possible. The inception of how we were going to do that was with a wearable message- t-shirts that spread the word.
What are the best and worst purchases you’ve ever made?
Some of the best purchases I’ve ever made are tickets to museums, and festivals and, of course, my computer. I derive inspiration from places I go and things I see, and I create my work on my laptop. Graphic designing is a love of mine, and my computer facilitates that.
A few of the worst purchases I’ve ever made are purchases I’ve made online- especially clothing. Sometimes the items are too small, and at other times they’re too large. Taking this into account though, I’ve integrated a very detailed measuring system into our website, so that people can order perfect fitting shirts for themselves.
What takes up too much of your time?
A lot of my time is taken up by research and trying to educate myself on both the changes developing in healthcare as well as in the world of graphic design. Like most professions, graphic design has new technology that is great to learn, and I spend a lot of my time trying to achieve a very high level of skill in what I do.
What three pieces of advice would you give to college students/new startup business owners who want to become entrepreneurs?
I would tell them:
1. Begin with an idea about something you are highly passionate about.
2. Make sure you do your due diligence and have a good business plan before you get investors.
3. Have your product sell itself- marketing is critical, so having a great product is an excellent place to start, but selling that product depends on the developing an even better pitch.
Who has impressed you most with what they’ve accomplished?
I am very impressed by the accomplishments of some of our country’s past presidents- one of the most impressive people, in my opinion, is Abraham Lincoln. He faced so much adversity and grew past it all and helped our country grow as well. He was simply remarkable.
What drives you to keep going when it’s really tough?
My mission to help the world become just a little bit better keeps me going even when days are not easy, and things seem to be falling apart. We, human beings, are here for a pretty limited timeframe and if some progress can be made in my time here, I would be happy. That’s what keeps me going- the purpose of bettering myself and hopefully helping some people on the way as well.
How people should connect with you?
People can connect with me on the company’s website: www.affordablehealthcare123tees.com
You can also reach out to us on following social platforms,
