Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Squier.
Hi Amanda, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I have worked full time in and out of the printing industry since 2003. But I grew up in the printing industry because of my dad. I remembered coming home from school when I was real little to help him out with printing projects that he brought home. By the age of 12, I was working summer jobs with my dad at the print shop he worked for. By the age of 17, I decided I wanted to do something different and switched paths to only be drawn back into the printing industry.
In one of the last print shops I worked at I had this amazing boss that saw my dream of wanting my own print shop and he took me under his wing and starting showing me the ropes of things I needed to know in order to achieve that dream someday. Many years passed and my boss decided to sell the shop (unfortunately I was nowhere near financially prepared to buy it). So he sold it to another couple we decided that my love for the industry and my dream of having my own shop one day was to much of a threat and they let me go. This was the kick in the rear I needed to figure out my next step.
So a couple weeks after being let go, I met this amazing couple that had a print/sign shop that wanted me on their team as they knew my dreams we tried to make things work out for both parties but in the end, I said its time.
So I left there near the end of April 2019. I got home talked to my husband and said it’s time. Even though I was not financially prepared yet I was going to make this work. So By May 1, 2019, I started “Squier Ink” and built my own basic website and worked out of the house as a print broker. My July I had outgrown my house and rented a small office, I remember walking into that office and thinking I would be there for atleast a year or 2 and little did I know I was going to outgrow that not even 3 months later. So I contacted my property manger and asked do you have anything bigger available. and they did but it was 6 times the size that I was in at that moment. I took a big swallow and said lets do it. I walked into that 2,000 sq foot building and said I will be here for a couple years before I could out grow it.
Well, long story short on that building we ran into so many issues with the building its self that it was not possible to stay in that one if I was to start buying equipment. So I moved again but this time to a 4,000 sq foot building. I started buying equipment so I could become a real print shop. After being it that building for close to a year and with all the equipment I was getting I started running out of space. And then COVID hit and it hit me hard as it did for a lot of small businesses. I was complicating whether I needed to close up shop and call it quits as I knew I would not have the funds to make it through the pandemic. One day one of my regular customers came in and we always talked shop I told him I was thinking of buying a screen shop to broaden my capabilities and to help me out during the print side slow time of year.
Well, needless to say several weeks passed and I could not get the loan to do so when this same customer comes back in and he asked if I was going to be able to do it and I told him no. By this time I could see business picking back up but as I used my cash flow to try to stay open I no longer had the cash flow to buy the supplies I needed with business picking back up. So we talked about that a little, he looked at me and said “Let’s do it” I was like let’s do what? He said Let’s partner up then added I see that you have the “WANT” to do this and that you have worked hard to get to where you are at. So after a lot of talking and going back and forth, I partnered up with them and may I say this was a blessing in disguise and they saw my work ethic and what I can do and they helped me grow and make it through the pandemic.
The beginning of 2021 was going to be different for sure. January of 2021 we brought the screen shop and moved yet again but now into a 20,000 sq foot building. We rebranded to Creative Color LLC, for many reasons but the main one was no one could spell Squier..lol.
We purchased bigger and better equipment and started remodeling the shop. My goal with Creative Color LLC is to be a true one-stop print shop. As most print shops call themselves a one-stop-shop, they still have to outsource quite a bit. My goal is to build this as a true one-stop-shop where we do it all in house at a very competitive pricing. I have been doing tons of research over the years with the market and I strive to be below other shops pricing without sacrificing quality and customer service.
With many more plans set ahead for next year we are on the way to having a true one-stop-shop.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, not a smooth ride at all. Covid was a huge factor but were making it through it. In the beginning of the business and trying to grow it and not having money available to hire someone. It was just me for the longest time doing everything. till I was able to hire 1 person to help me out. Still, even with a large shop and 11 employees I still work 70+ hours a week. There was even 1 week with a major rush job that I had but it was 152 hours in, in a span of 7 days!!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are known for our customer service and helping provide solutions. Currently, here at the shop, we offer Screen Printing of apparel and Printing of all sorts From Business cards to vehicle wraps to non-lit signage. We also offer Embroidery, Promotional projects and trade show products. I am proud of the team we have and the love we all share for what we do.
I strive to have exceptional customer service and getting out customers the best pricing possible.
How do you think about luck?
Luck.. I would not call it luck. Hard work and dedication will get you anywhere you want to go, you just have to work for it. Nothing will be truly handed to you if you do not work for it. If I did not work for it then my business would have failed. Luck did not make this happen but my dedication and work ethic did.
Contact Info:
- Email: amanda@creativecolorllc.com
- Website: www.creativecolorllc.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CreativeColorllc
