Necessity is the mother of invention.
That statement holds true for Cain Anderson, owner of PrintPression.
As a college student studying to become a history teacher, Anderson knew that the way he organized his life in high school was no longer viable. The go-to-school and figure-out-something-to-do after model did align with the need to create a schedule and goals for life.
But the planners that were available for purchase — especially those that allowed him to explore his creativity — were expensive.
“I quickly wanted to create a planner that worked for me and that’s what I did,” Anderson said.
That spiral-bound planner made from supplies found at JoAnne Fabrics caught the attention of many of his classmates and followers on Etsy.
“Fast forward to 2021, we have a 3000-square -foot office warehouse and employees,” he said. “I feel like we’re killing it for the little goal that I originally had, fueling my creative space and outlet. I was just looking for a hobby, but my hobby ended up turning into a career I never imagined I would have. But here we are.”
Now Anderson enjoys creating a multitude of products for people also looking to tackle their goals today in a creative way.
For Anderson, and his thousands of followers on Facebook and Instagram, that means being intentional with each day so that goals become reality.
His method is simple: set three goals as a way of personal accountability. Those small goals fold into larger ones that help set the tone for years to come.
That planning, the reflection and the ability to look forward, is taking PrintPression, an online outlet, into a new realm.
Anderson said that because his annual goals are consistently met: producing everything from travel pouches to growing the brands’ customer base, he is now dreaming outside of what’s been on his radar.
He hopes that within the near future, his products could become available in the same markets he first sought to purchase from.
“There’s a quote where, ‘if your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough,’” He said. “And so I want to be scared. Right now I’m not scared.”
The products which PrintPression now stocks are exactly what Anderson has used to grow his business — hard-bound planners of all sizes, stickers, dividers, inserts, wallets, purses, and specialized organizers. While everything is available online, PrintPression also has a design studio located at 2012 Tin Cup Rd.
Anderson carries a hardbound planner: a tool that is always with him. He stores lists, notes, and ideas that oftentimes get transferred into a spiral planner where he keeps the day-to-day plans, appointments, and goals. At the end of each day, or sometimes at the end of the week, Anderson transfers that material into a memory planner, which he refers to as a “modern-day” scrapbook.
“That way I can look back on it and reminisce and enjoy it, and that’s where it’s kind of full circle,” he said.
And just like each life circumstance, Anderson understands that the tools used to achieve those moments need to be customizable. In the PrintPression community it’s called “seeking planner peace.”
“You’re looking for that ideal planner that works perfectly for you, it functions perfectly,” he said. “I feel like that’s where PrintPression comes in a lot of the time; you have all these different avenues and different routes that you could go with your planner setup that is all in one spot.”
The uniqueness of Anderson’s creation is that in an individual world, he has formed a community of people, willing to share their lives, ideas and successes through their love of planners.
“I think a lot of people are more open to sharing online now because I think the whole idea of a perfectly curated Instagram feed is kind of going away,” he said. “Especially as we kind of move into a lot of these celebrities saying no more filtering, no more making me look perfect, that’s not me.”
This has led to people in PrintPressions groups sharing the reality of their lives, showing the pages of their planners, with all of the triumphs and disappointments.
Seeing people come out of their shells through the candidness of sharing ones’ life and creative process, is something that Anderson wouldn’t have expected in 2017.
He also didn’t expect the opportunity to grow a team — from his right-hand, Kaylee, who joined the team after Anderson moved from Arizona to Mahomet — to artists that bring a new perspective and variety to Anderson’s designs.
Without a storefront, Anderson has used tools such a Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to reach new customers looking for the same growth strategies.
Coming up on the company’s four-year anniversary in July, PrintPression is going back to some of the basics — designing seasonal bundles that help people align for all stages of life. Anderson knows the quality and variety of selection is what has led some customers to order over 50 times.
Yet, Anderson said he’s ready to “evolve again.”
Those hundreds of customers who continue to come back and refer their friends to PrintPression’s product show him that there’s still more work to be done.
“I’m just ready, ready to find the next chapter because we’re here. We’ve done it, and we’re continuing to do it,” he said.
“At the end of the day, all you have to do is focus on what you want and create the steps to get there. You’ll get there; that’s just how it works.”
