Creating the Business of Her Dreams

Hilary Chandler of Boulder, Colorado, saw her future business venture in a dream. A decorative painter by trade, she woke one morning having dreamt about creating and installing a mural that she didn't have to paint on the wall. "I dreamt of creating a mural that you could peel and stick," said Chandler.

Chandler launched Kidecals and soon invested in a Roland VersaCAMM SP wide-format color printer to allow her to control her production. "I'm very particular, and the VersaCAMM prints are always smooth and accurate," said Chandler.

"It's all about the direct link to the consumer," said Chandler. "I enjoy being able to respond quickly to their needs. My VersaCAMM lets me produce exactly what my clients are asking for."

A one-person shop, Chandler also values the versatility of her VersaCAMM. "The print/cut feature saves me time and space," said Chandler. "This machine allows me to run my shop, my way."

Chandler's wall murals begin as hand-painted watercolors that she scans into a design software program. She uses Roland's VersaWorks software to RIP her designs, and outputs them on a tightly woven, soft wall fabric with adhesive backing.

Several years ago, Chandler recognized a market opportunity for labeling children's possessions. She found media that can be laundered and created Name Dots name labels for waterbottles, jackets, lunchboxes and other items. Chandler also produces allergy labels, as well as stationery labels and customized labels, nametags and banners for children's parties.

To streamline her process, Chandler accepts orders exclusively through her online system. When a customer submits an order, Chandler brings up her design templates, makes any needed modifications, and sends the file to Roland's VersaWorks RIP software. The file is then printed and cut on her Roland wide-format color printer. Chandler is able to offer her customers 2-5 day turnaround on most orders.

Recently, Chandler moved into yet another new market, creating graphically enhanced photo images called Canvas Creations. "I got into this market because the Roland can print on canvas," said Chandler. "Having one machine that can run so many types of media has been incredibly valuable. "