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In the frame: Jack's business is on course for sales of half a million pounds after five years

Jack Pyne, Managing Director, The Shirt Framing Service (centre), with members of the team including his parents Neil (right) and Sheila. Picture: Dorset Biz News.

By Staff Reporter [email protected]

Published: November 10, 2022 | Updated: 11th November 2022

Football lover Jack Pyne still can’t quite believe how far his business has come in the last five years.

From a DIY job framing a treasured gift to a company employing six people with customers worldwide and annual sales forecast to hit half a million pounds.

And it all began with a signed football shirt.

Jack, Managing Director of The Shirt Framing Service (TSFS), said: “I’m a Plymouth Argyle fan and my friends had bought me a signed shirt.

“Wanting to capture and display everything this shirt symbolised to me I went looking for a cost-effective yet professional framing solution.

“I was shocked at being quoted upwards of £250 so, instead, I bought a frame from The Range and did it myself for a total cost of £10.

“Friends started getting in touch after I put it on Facebook and then Gumtree and it was clear I was onto something here.”

At the time Jack, who’s now 31, was working as a sales adviser for Poole-based Commercial Washrooms and living with two housemates in Wallisdown.

He decided to move back with his parents, Neil and Sheila, and use their garden shed to frame shirts in his evenings and weekends, often working until midnight.

Such was the demand that he left his full-time job in 2017 to devote all his energies to the newly incorporated The Shirt Framing Service Ltd, at that time charging £25 a frame.

It was the first lockdown which turbocharged the business.

Jack said: “Things really started to take off because we were set up for online framing.

“Nowhere else was open but we could operate because we were online.

“We accelerated what we did, pushed it out really hard and then we absolutely flew from there.

“People were sitting at home with a shirt on the side thinking I need to get that done.

“Instead of going to their local shop, we could offer a system where we’d send DHL to collect the shirt – they didn’t even need to leave the house – we’d frame it and within a week it was back with them.

“That kicked us off and once we had those customers who ordered once, we had them again and again.”

Later in 2020, Jack’s business had another breakthrough.

He was contacted by the Football Association to do the framing for its Lionhearts campaign, recognising 23 inspirational individuals who had gone above and beyond during the nation’s fight against Covid.

Jack said: “When they said we’ve got these shirts and you’re going to do all the framing, it was just amazing.

“I’d be watching an England game and Beckham would be holding our frame up and I was thinking: ‘what’s going on here?’

“A couple of times I got a little emotional.

“At 21 I felt I had no hope, no chances and all of a sudden I was seeing our frames on TV.

“The best footballers in the world holding our stuff up, presenting to the likes of Captain Sir Tom Moore.

“It was just incredible.”

Fast forward to now and TSFS has official tie-ups with six football clubs and hopes to eventually work with all 92 league clubs.

Apart from football shirts it also frames other types of sporting memorabilia and is introducing new services including framed vinyls for music bands.

Prices start from £52.95.

From 184 reviews on Trustpilot, 182 give the business five stars.

TSFS is also a keen supporter of two charities, The Dorset Children’s Foundation and Friends Fighting Cancer.

Jack said: “Whatever you’re framing it’s about a memory.

“Whether it’s a moment in football or a vinyl where you’ve watched a gig, you’re capturing that memory.”

Having moved several times over the last five years, the business is now based on Poole’s Nuffield Industrial Estate.

The TSFS team is joined by Jack’s parents who come in and help a couple of times a week with his dad’s jokes to camera becoming something of a social media hit.

Neil, 68, pictured, said: “Jack’s done brilliantly.

“He waited until I retired at 63 and then said: ‘I think it might be a good time now to go on my own.’

“With that he set up the business and I helped him.

“We spent hours down the shed working together at the beginning.

“He’s a good lad.”

Mum Sheila, 67, added: “Ever since the word go he’s had a lot of drive and determination.

“It’s incredible and amazing what he’s done and we’re so proud.”

Jack, who was born and brought up in Poole and is a former student at Poole High School, is now being business coached by Gary Hales of ActionCOACH.

Gary, pictured left, said: “I think he’s an inspiration for young people in Dorset.

“He saw a gap in the market and has capitalised on it.”

Despite the company’s success Jack said he was determined not to get complacent.

He said: “I think it’s really important to keep grounded.

“It’s lovely to get nice compliments but I try to make sure that we are focused on doing more things.

“I don’t want to get big-headed.

“I’ve been fortunate to have so much help from my parents, who are absolutely brilliant and come in and help but never ask for anything, and my girlfriend, Mel.

“To be honest, it’s all still a bit of a shock.”

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