The Art of Building A Custom Print Business

When Elizabeth Schroer and her husband moved back to Schroer’s hometown of Somerset, Kentucky, there were no jobs available like the one she left behind, so she began teaching high school business classes. Schroer often asked her students, “What would your business be?” One day, after creating enlarged “bitmojis” to decorate her mom’s classroom, she decided to ask herself that same question.  
 
Today, her shop, Reimagines, sells one-of-a-kind items designed by artists and custom- printed on high-quality products like Moleskine notebooks and Omie lunchboxes, as well as decals, posters, canvases, and wall and window graphics.  

We talked with Schroer about how she built her custom print business, how she attracts artists to work with, and what lies ahead for this passionate entrepreneur. 

What led you to launch your custom print business? 

Elizabeth Schroer:  I created some personalized door décor for my mom’s classroom, and I began getting requests from her friends and colleagues for similar items. That’s when I realized this could be a viable business. 

“I had no previous experience in design or signage – but I was willing to try.”

The personalized goods market is huge – everyone wants something with their name on it or that represents them. Teachers wanted bitmojis or other graphics that represent them and things they say. My mom’s friends told their friends about my business, and from there, things unexpectedly began to take off.  

 
I had no previous experience in design or signage – but I was willing to try. I launched Reimagines in 2019 and worked nights and weekends before I was able to go full time. It was a hard balance to strike, but one that was totally worth it. 

Tell us about your shop – where do you produce your products?  

I started at home, working on my dining room table, but my business grew quickly. There was a building in downtown Somerset available and we renovated to make it fit my equipment, and my life. I often bring my young children with me to the workplace, so we built a playroom within the office. My business is primarily e-commerce, and to date, we have shipped to all 50 states and 17 countries. 

When did you decide to invest in professional printing equipment? 

I quickly realized I needed something larger than my mom’s craft cutter to keep up with demand. I wanted to be able to print in full color and on a machine that could handle my production needs for years to come. I did my research and chose the Roland DG TrueVIS VG2-540 printer/cutter. In addition to Roland’s reputation for quality and reliability, I liked that the TrueVIS offered printing and cutting in one machine. This saves me both time and space. It also prints on a wide variety of materials, including cling, removable vinyl, banner vinyl, and canvas. With that one versatile device, Ican expand my offerings to include just about any product I’d like to print.

I recently added a Roland DG VersaUV LEF2-300D flatbed UV printer to help remove some of the seasonality of my business and make it more of a year-round product line. Now, I’m able sell custom-printed notebooks and other products for corporate gifting. I also provide printing on custom items, and now have the optional Rotary Rack which lets me print on round or cylindrical objects like candle holders and glassware.  

How was the learning curve for you? 

Since I had no experience using printing equipment, I took copious notes as the technician trained me on how to operate and maintain each device. My customers really pushed me to learn how to make use of all the features. As they gave me new ideas and requested new things, I learned to do them.  

Now I feel confident creating anything someone asks me to create. I feel like if I can learn to use printing equipment, anybody can, as long as they’re willing to try new things. 

How did you decide to incorporate the work of local artists?  

I’m a self-taught designer and with my production responsibilities, I don’t have a lot of time to create designs. My aunt is a graphic designer and often designs things for her own children, or specific clients, or just for fun. I thought it would be great if we could share her work with a larger audience.  

Artists generally have many pieces of work they’ve created over the years– and they may not be able to take their art as far as it could go. Their work keeps our design collections fresh, and I can apply their art to canvases, stickers, personalized notebooks, T-shirts, and other items. The arrangement I have with the artists provides them with commissions, while I handle the marketing, sales, and production. I’m currently looking for additional artists to partner with. 

What are some of your best-selling items? 

We started out selling to teachers and parents, so back-to-school products are big for us. We create a ton of custom decals for classroom doors and windows out of static cling material. We also offer customized whiteboard clings to help teachers organize the day for the students. We produce a lot of kids’ products, including Omie bento boxes that we customize with a child’s name and fun graphics.  

Our offerings also include higher-end corporate gifts like Moleskine notebooks customized with the company logo, the employee’s name, or both. 

Where do you get your product ideas? 

Some of my best products are a result of a customer asking me to produce something new. We’ve had customers suggest theme ideas for birthday parties –for example, a Halloween-themed “Boo he’s two” collection. Parents want their kids to have a personalized experience when it comes to parties and gifts. It’s a refreshing change from the cookie-cutter “sameness” of many popular themed products. 

My website has a design request page so people can let me know what they’d like. I can usually make whatever they are asking for. 

I also see a lot of demand for customized products coming from companies and we are adding to those product lines. My corporate clients are always looking for personalized gifts. Promotional products can be cheap and disposable, but if you print a name on it and it’s a good brand, then you’re providing a high-quality alternative, and a thoughtful and unique gift.  

How important are inks for your business? 

It’s important to me that the color quality and image quality of whatever we print is excellent. Roland DG equipment is state of the art – and that technology in combination with the high-quality inks produces amazing graphic results. 

With my Roland DG printers, what you design on the computer looks just like what you print. Customers like that too! They are always impressed – they can’t believe that what they see on their screen is exactly what they receive when their product arrives.  

When I first started out, I provided great customer service, but so did a lot of other companies. I realized that I needed another way to differentiate my business. Purchasing the Roland DG TrueVIS VG2-540 allowed me to produce vibrant, full-color graphics that were way beyond what I could do with my mom’s craft cutter. The TR2 inks are also GREENGUARD Gold certified for indoor air quality. I use the CMYK plus the Green and Orange inks, which helps create realistic skin tones. 

My UV-LED flatbed, the Roland DG LEF2-300D, lays down ink just like my eco-solvent wide-format printer, but it cures it immediately. I can also add a gloss or matte finish on top, and highlight certain areas with a texture, which creates a three-dimensional look and feel. I use Roland’s V-BOND Inks which are cost-effective and have excellent adhesion and scratch resistance. The durability these inks offer is especially important for our top-selling products like notebooks and lunchboxes. V-BOND Inks are also compliant with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), so they are safe for use on products designed for kids and pets. I am really impressed by the absence of any odor when using V-BOND ink – in fact, when I’m using these inks, I sometimes forget to turn on my air filter. I do my printing in an office building that has other tenants and can't use inks with a strong odor. I also bring my young children to work with me, so they’re around the equipment all the time. I appreciate that V-BOND inks are essentially odor-free, emit low VOCs, and are safe to use around my family and customers. 

What lies ahead for your business? 

I recently got the all-metal Rotary Rack accessory for my UV printer and have been using that a lot. My customers are so excited about the opportunity to print on round substrates. I can create high-end packaging that doesn't need a label. I printed a custom design on Bourbon bottles for a family keepsake and have printed on candle tins and glass vessels for Somerset Candle Company. I am also working with an artist to create a custom line of water bottles. The opportunities are endless for the UV printer and I'm excited to expand my product offering with the new Rotary Rack. 

We are growing and growing. I wouldn’t be able to do it without my Roland DG equipment – the special touches we can add and the wide range of colors we can offer are what make our products so special.