Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Walker.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up in Dripping Springs, went to college at UT Austin, and moved back in2015 with my husband to raise our two girls here. I worked for 16 years as a commercial interior designer in Austin. In 2022 I decided to leave that life and while I was figuring out my next career move, I took a temporary position as the cheer coach at Dripping Springs Middle school. While there, I realized that there was a need for fun, trendy and original apparel for teams and organizations in Dripping Springs. For an anniversary gift that year, my husband bought me an embroidery machine (I got to decide on that or an upgrade on my wedding ring, but I loved the idea of building something new). I started doing a couple of small tshirt and hat jobs for friends and the cheer moms. And little by little, I got a select baseball team here and a non-profit there. Soon after I built a website to host a bit of my Drip and Tiger swag, and started posting on social media to get the word out. I also partnered with a local elementary school in the district who wanted me to create and sell spirit swag that was specifically for their school. Last summer in June of 2025 we made the decision that we wanted to expand our offering to include more. Collegiate, summer camp, seasonal and holiday and just a fun gift store for people to grab a personalized gift that means more than an Amazon quick buy. And now a year later we have our brick & mortar.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Building the business and becoming what we are today has been so amazing. Its been slow and organic. I havent paid for any marketing or ads. It really has been word of mouth growth and Im proud of what I have built. There are always late nights here and there getting out a big project, or stressing that the product is right.
But building the storefront was challenging, as any construction project can be. There were delays and missed steps by the architect and GC. And having been in that industry for so long myself, and on construction sites 50% of my days, it was frustrating to see that our project wasnt running as smoothly as we had hoped.
Additionally, this January my dad passed away unexpectedly. He was a huge part of getting this project off the ground financially but also knowing he was super proud of me and what I had built.
We’ve been impressed with Drip Swag Shop, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Drip Swag Shop is a spirit apparel and gift store. We specialize in creating spirit swag for teams and organizations using DTF heat press and embroidery applications. We also just built a storefront to provide even more offering of spirit and gift items that range from seasonal/holiday, collegiate, personalized gift (totes, bags, acrylic), women and men, baby and kid, back-to-school, camp. We have an “Embroidery Bar” where you can bring in your own item, or chose one of ours, to personalize. We sit with you and mock up your design so you can select everything and see it in person, first hand before we ever stitch it. We’re always adding more inventory and I’m hoping our store can be a destination for a unique gift or that special item for your next event or holiday.
Id love for our store to be a place where we can host small groups and get togethers, laughter and hugs. I love our community and what it has given me. I hope that we can give back and create a fun atmosphere for them.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Every day I utilize Adobe Illustrator. Its how I create all my graphic designs for tshirts and hats. I could not live without it. Im always looking for inspiration on pinterest and etsy, and I grab inspiration from all over.
Pricing:
- Shirts range from $20-30
- Hats range from $20-40
- we have gift cards
- no one item in the store is over $70
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dripswagshop.com
- Instagram: @dripswagshop
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092700698961
