On September 29th, the Daviess County CEO Cohort traveled to southern Daviess County for an engaging visit with Toby Hancock, Owner/CEO, and Alex Frederick, COO and Creative Director of Stickers & More.
Toby shared valuable insights from his entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing hard work, dedication, and smart hiring. “Hire people smarter than you,” he advised—a principle that has guided much of his success.
Toby’s business journey began in 1994 with the creation of Indiana Forms and Labels. Just a few years later, in 1997, he entered the sticker industry with The Sticker Guys, which later grew into the thriving, rebranded company Stickers & More.
Throughout the discussion, Toby shared several key lessons for young entrepreneurs:
The 80/20 Rule: Focus on the top 20% of efforts that produce 80% of results.
1. Diversification: Always have a backup plan.
2. Competitor Awareness: Know your market and your competitors.
3. Hiring: Surround yourself with smart, capable decision-makers.
4. Niche Identification: Find and dominate your unique market space.
5. Brand Identity: Know and stay true to your brand.
6. Persistence: Keep pushing—success takes time.
7. Networking: Attend trade shows and conferences.
8. Personal Connection: Never underestimate the power of face-to-face sales.
The visit concluded with a tour of the print shop, where Toby and Alex led a Q&A session and shared a behind-the-scenes look at their processes.
