PPB August 2018

Cr a i g S t ephens C raig Stephens knows an opportunity when he sees it. In 1998, when the internet was still in its infancy, Stephens decided to explore potential opportunities in online sales. Domain names were wide open at the time, and imprintlogo.com was available, so he bought it. Thanks to his family’s background in the printing and promotional products industries, Stephens had the knowledge and experience to take the plunge. His grandfather ran a large commercial printing business in the family’s hometown of Sandusky, Ohio, from 1943 to 1969. And when Stephens wasn’t playing along the banks of Lake Erie, he helped his parents with their business: Stephens Publishing, a promotional products company that focuses on fire prevention education. After the successful launch of Imprint Logo, Stephens took note of the increasing demand for custom sport spirit products. Seeing his parents’ success in serving a niche market, he purchased minithrowballs. com. And, at the end of last year, he made the seemingly old-school decision to open a traditional storefront. What were some of the obstacles you encounteredwhen starting out? Most suppliers back then would not offer EQP unless you Going Against The Grain After making Imprint Logo a successful online business, owner Craig Stephens went retro. by Terry Ramsay Stephens with his daughters, Canna and Kamil, at one of their many sporting activities. 76 | AUGUST 2018 | CONNECT