In 2015, Colin started Stencil Stop as an online stencil business; by 2026, the company was bringing in around $100,000 a month by selling custom stencils

Successful businesses can sometimes arrive from a small idea into a growing venture often beginning with identifying a simple problem and discovering a practical way to solve it. For Colin Mitchell, that opportunity happened when he and his roommate found out that they could not find a stencil featuring Clemson University’s logo. What began as a small creative project eventually developed into Stencil Stop, a Sacramento-based custom stencil company.

From a Clemson Idea to a Business

Mitchell, a Clemson University alumnus, primarily created a stencil because he could not buy one featuring the school’s logo. Drawing on his design experience, he made his initial versions by cutting rough paw-print shapes from cardboard.

He then created a website where people can buy the stencils. The site attracted its first customer on the very night it was introduced, even though Mitchell had not spent money on advertising. That early purchase convinced him that the idea could become more than a personal project.


Mitchell had earlier operated as a packaging designer for Pratt Industries, OtterBox and International Paper after graduating from Clemson. He eventually decided that a conventional nine-to-five profession was not the right fit for him and left his full-time position to focus on Stencil Stop.

Founded in 2015, the organization has increased its revenue by around 340%, while Mitchell has remained looking for ways to grow the business.

Stencils for Businesses, Artists and Events

Stencil Stop soon extended beyond Clemson-related designs. The company started producing customized stencils for artists and crafters as well as businesses looking for distinctive promotional materials.

The company has generated customized work for a range of recognizable organizations. Stencil Stop created stencils for Super Bowl LIII in 2018. Those items were used to paint fans’ faces in the stadium before the game.

Other brands that have worked with the company are Adobe, Netflix, Nike, Spotify, Lululemon and Lyft.

DIY Content Helps Drive Interest

The growth of do-it-yourself activities, mainly during the pandemic, offered another opportunity for Stencil Stop. The company started sharing project ideas and instructional material via blog and social-media platforms.

Its YouTube channel features tutorials spanning various aspects of stencil creation and use. The material contains a 45-minute lesson about designing layered stencils as well as a shorter illustration featuring how to paint a house number onto a curb.

This approach has helped the organization to establish an audience beyond customers who are simply looking to buy a stencil.

Expansion and Future Plans

As Stencil Stop has grown, the company has increased its workforce. It included more laser cutters and relocated to a larger warehouse.

Mitchell is also looking for ways to broaden the organization's product range. One possibility is including art supplies along with stencils, enabling customers to purchase more of the materials required for their projects directly via Stencil Stop website.

From a Small Online Store to a Growing Company

From a simple Clemson stencil made from cardboard to a developing custom-manufacturing business, Colin Mitchell’s journey with Stencil Stop reflects how a practical idea can grow when combined with design skills, customer understanding and a willingness to adapt. What began as a solution to one small problem has become a business established around helping customers turn their ideas into finished projects.

Source: ASI Central