Business focus: Offering support for companies, events

A Spokane Valley woman has founded a company that helps promote others.

Technological advances are a large part of what enabled Lynn Messmer to convert her basement family room into a production facility for banners, T-shirts and other promotional products. The desire to work from home and be able to spend more time with grandchildren was her motivating factor.

“I just decided this would be fun,” said Messmer, a one-time area real estate agent who started All In One Logos in January. “Anything that is a support to a company, organization or event, we can do.”

Messmer and her husband, Scott, participated in a five-day seminar in Idaho before investing some $60,000 in start-up costs and entering the highly competitive promotional materials market.

Her custom-printed advertising and promotional products include T-shirts, vinyl banners, car and window stickers, mugs, pens, ball caps, and other gadgets such as magnets and lip balms.

“I like the fact it’s so diverse – every day it’s something different,” she said.

The lifelong Spokane Valley woman said she has built a clientele largely through acquaintances – some as far away as the Tri-Cities area. Customers include dental offices, bowling leagues and relay teams.

She’s planning on spreading the word about her business by participating in area craft fairs this season beginning today.

Messmer is scheduled to showcase a vast array of custom-printed T-shirts and sweatshirts today at the West Valley High School Craft Fair. Prices range from $12 to $30, she said, and will feature rhinestone and screen prints.

Offering competitive prices and quick turnaround on orders, along with personable service, is what she’s hoping sets her apart from other similar companies.

“There’s a lot more promotional products companies out there than I realized when I started,” Messmer said.

She noted she’s able to help customers with stationery, even computer mouse pads and custom-printed mints, because she outsources much of the printed work through her vendors if she doesn’t do it herself.

“We often say, ‘If you can think it, we can ink it … or we can find someone who can.’ ”