About

About Michael Kazma

At 22, Michael Kazma is a young entrepreneur focusing on retail. He owns Iowa Custom T-Shirts & Hats in Des Moines, Iowa. Michael opened his first retail location at 18 and has since opened an additional store, with a third one on its way. The company also operates an online presence, reaching customers throughout the United States.

About Michael Dean Kazma’s Iowa Custom T-Shirts & Hats Business

Iowa Custom T-Shirts & Hats provides same-day custom apparel and accessories, including T-shirts, hoodies and sweatshirts, polo shirts, hats, tumblers, bags, keychains, and anything a customer can think of. Michael’s business provides custom printing and embroidery for its high-quality products. Customers can select from a variety of designs or upload their own designs or photos.

The stores are located at 3800 Merle Hay Road, Suite 300, Des Moines, and 4444 1st Avenue NE, Suite 216, Cedar Rapids. Both locations are open Monday through Sunday for customers’ convenience.

Bringing His Customers’ Vision to Life, Delivering Customer Service Excellence

When Michael Kazma started the business, he wanted to give customers the ability to bring their stories and ideas to life exactly the way they envision. He also wanted to provide best-in-class customer service and does so with key features: no minimum orders, a same-day service option, quality products, a 100% satisfaction guarantee with custom apparel, no hidden fees, and design options. It’s a winning formula as Michael embarks on opening a third location.

The process is simple for Michael’s customers. All they have to do is choose the product and color they want, add their custom design (they can either order online or go to one of their retail stores, and Michael and his team will help them), review their custom product, with the ability to request final adjustments before printing and place the order.

As owner of Iowa Custom T-Shirts & Hats, Michael hires and manages a full-time staff of four at the two current locations, provides exception client servicing, and manages weekly purchase orders and inventory. He is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Michael Dean Kazma’s Work Experience

Before opening his business, Michael held several jobs, getting to know the retail industry from the inside and having hands-on experience in small business development. This experience not only ignited Michael’s entrepreneurial spirit but also gave him the tools to make his business successful.

Michael’s first job was as a Head Shift Leader at Cold Stone Creamery at the Jordan Creek Mall in Des Moines. His responsibilities included hiring, maintaining, and managing a staff of twenty, creating and promoting sales goals for the staff, and training employees to serve guests with “The Ultimate Ice Cream Experience.” He also promoted up-sells with crew members to bring higher average order volume to the store; worked with customers to create a high-quality experience as well as a great product; reconciled cash drawers nightly with frequent cash drops throughout the day; batched credit terminals; and decorated ice cream cakes, cupcakes, and other desserts, both in pre-packaged and to customers desired specifications.

Michael later worked as a Barback at Summit Bar in Iowa City, where he opened and closed the bar for regular service, stocked the bar throughout his shift, assisted bartenders with customers, stock, and other issues, and collaborated with other barbacks to create a more efficient workflow.

At Panera Bread at the Coral Ridge Mall in Iowa City, he was a Team Manager. Michael’s responsibilities included overseeing a staff of eight to 13 employees, maintaining customer satisfaction and providing additional customer service support where needed, creating daily purchase orders to manage food inventory, and analyzing daily reports to keep customer satisfaction high, produce food at the correct levels, and keep speed of service low.

His Education

Michael Dean Kazma graduated from Valley High School in West Des Moines. He attended the University of Iowa from 2021 to 2023, studying Business Management & Marketing. While he didn’t complete his college education, Michael partook in several clubs and organizations, including the National Retail Federation (NRF), the world’s largest retail trade association. Members include department stores, catalogs, Internet, independent retailers, restaurants, grocery stores, multi-level marketing companies, and vendors. The association represents over 3.8 million retail establishments, supporting more than 52 million employees.

On the Personal Side

An Iowan from birth, Michael Kazma currently lives in Des Moines, where he enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He also plays recreational hockey in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines. He once was a speed skater and traveled the country competing with his team.

He also takes time to continue expanding his knowledge in retail and business. As his business grows, he wants to be ready to take on the challenges of growth.

Having achieved success at a young age, Michael is committed to giving back to the community. His stores currently donate $1,000 monthly in merchandise to local organizations.