Darla Thompson has been screen printing for years, but through a relationship forged between the Louisville Urban League and the AMPED Russell Tech Business Incubator (RTBI), she received the opportunity to expand into sublimation printing as well. Leveraging computer printing equipment provided at no cost to her, she is now able to provide a wider range of customized products for corporations, organizations, and individuals–be it t-shirts, hoodies, hats, mugs, photo frames, keychains, stadium seats, and more. Darla has received comprehensive business planning and operational support through her involvement in the RTBI intensive-incubator program. And she is locating her new venture, Sow Journey, LLC in the Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center where she is offering a range of merchandise for venue guests and customers throughout the city and beyond. When customers do business with Darla, they are supporting not only a printer, but an artist, a barber, and a writer. They are supporting a Black business owner who constantly reinvests in her community. With a firm foundation now established, Darla is poised for growth thanks to her hard work and the committed partnerships between the League, RTBI, and Paul Neumann, and Arloa Eckels- generous donors to both organizations who made the sublimation expansion possible.
