In the basement 7490 Mt. Sherman Road the first roar of a printer fired up. This roar was the day one for dynamic designs printing. Dynamics designs printing is on day 9,490 sees over 500 clients and has its own office.
This company started back in 1992 by Richard Crist. Rich, like most men in his time, did not go to college and went directly to work at a trade. This trade was for IBM as a graphic designer. Rich enjoyed his work and his coworkers, still communicating with them today, but he had to quit for one reason. His boss gave him a promotion with a cost. He either had to leave and go to Albuquerque, New Mexico or Minneapolis, North Dakota. As you can expect by his options, he declined both, so he can stay in Colorado. Thus, Dynamic Designs was born. At first this small company did what most small companies do, handled small jobs that consumer could get for cheap. After a year of small jobs, the company grew and gained a new worker. Scott Richardson an IBM employee who took the promotion Rich did not. Like Rich predicted it was a bad idea and Scott felt the same, so he moved from Albuquerque to join the dynamic designs team. Together they would soon start building their company to be even bigger. Rich knew he could not compete with the larger and medium sized companies, so to give him an edge he kept his prices low and his customers close. Anyone who walked down those basement doors left with either placing another order or giving a name of someone who needed an order. “Everyone needed print material, so I knew each of my customers had to know someone who needed work. Without that I don’t think we would have grown as fast.” said Rich. This word of mouth marketing started pushing the business into a medium market were Rich finally gave up his first office. “It was bittersweet moving out of Grandpa’s basement, I mean it was nice, but I was very happy to leave and actually have a storefront. I do not know if many customers liked Grandma’s living room as a store front.” said Rich happily remembering his time at his parents’ house. Rich moved to his new office in 2003, where he had five printing machines and a storefront to display his work. “It was crazy when we got more machines because it gave us so much more potential to take on bigger jobs who helped us find better jobs.” said Rich. This new front and potential also lead him on the path to make new friends. “ As we got bigger we meet people who could help us with the really big jobs so it was at a point where I wouldn’t say no to a job because I always had help” One of these friends was Shannon DeLoach a printer salesman who became a valuable business partner in spreading the word about dynamic designs as well as a lifelong friend. This rapid success though would only last for five years.
In 2008 the recessions hit, business was down, old clients were going out of business, and everyone was cutting back on marketing to save money. “Print is expensive which is why it made sense to see this drop off in business, it was hard, most days we wouldn’t go in because it was cheaper to keep the lights off,” said Rich. Rich was one of many businesses that got hit hard by the recessions and was one of the few that did not go out of business. He was very fortunate to have “recessions” proof clients like a Superior Dental, and Eldorado K-8. These clients were able to keep ordering because everyone needs the dentist as well as school. Throughout the recessions increasingly more businesses fell and most of them were print shops. “The big guys that were around us couldn’t keep up with the lack of income. There were too many people on their payroll. While I have myself and my coworker, we did not need to pay full salary’s, which overall helped. It was scary though I hated waking up and not going to work because I knew I didn’t have anything to do.” Said Rich. The only way out of this recession was compassion. Rich gave his clients more time on their payments and people gave him more time. Thus, creating a low-pressure system to where everyone could get paid and stay in business. “If it wasn’t for the connections I made and the people I know, I don’t think I would have come out of it.” Said Rich. While the recessions lasted, officially for 2 years most businesses did not feel like it until 2012 when dynamic designs was one of the only print shops left in Longmont/ Northern Colorado. Six larger print shops in Northern Colorado went out of business at the end of the recessions. Giving dynamic designs a competitive edge because there was a smaller market.
Ever since the end of recessions rich has a new challenge. Trying to keep up with work. “After all of that happened I had to decline jobs because they were too time consuming or not efficient which is weird. I’m used to accepting everything.” Since 2012 dynamic designs has a larger office, 8 machines, and a larger storefront with a variety of print and design products. “I have been in business for 26 years, and you know, it’s been a heck of ride, I’ve learned every day to get to where I am and I’m not going to stop growing and making the best quality of work I can.” Said Rich. With Rich’s business growing he can afford to send two of his sons to school, as well as many vacations each year across the country. The business has been a success even though it hit rough times it is now one of the leading print shops in Longmont and into Northern Colorado.