We were lucky to catch up with Jarred Decker recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jarred , appreciate you joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

I think what I offer that is different is a very personalized approach to printing peoples work. From the fact that I serve every role at the company, from customer service, to photo editor, to printer, to shipper, I can assure the communication is really accurate between the client and myself. Because my approach is so personalized I go far out of my way to ensure we get the best results possible. I don’t just print what you send me. I will run the image through cutting edge software to enlarge and sharpen. If it’s a subpar image I also reach out to find out if there is any higher res image possible. I don’t expect my customers to understand the fundamentals of digital imagery. Many people may not realize the horrible affect simply texting a photo can have on the file. I feel like it’s my job to guide my customers through the process and make them feel like they can trust my judgement and work.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I have been a creative my entire life. I took up photography in 2013 after leaving the music industry. My day job was a construction coordinator in the film industry. When covid hit my film career slammed against a wall. On top of that my daughter was very young and was making the film job incredibly difficult. Shortly after covid hit, I reached out to a local print shop to have some images printed for a customer. The shop told me they were up for sale, and I decided to switch paths and purchase it. Since then I have been running the print shop and growing it to a much wider audience in the art community.

What I want people to know about my company is what I stated that sets me apart. You can trust that I will do everything possible to get you the absolutely best results possible from you prints. Im incredibly proud of that.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

In 2022 my wife and I separated. I was left in a very vulnerable financial situation. My shop had been supplemental income for my family, and almost overnight it needed to be the primary income for my daughter and I. I took a risk and moved the shop into my first storefront. It has grown ever since. I was incredibly close to throwing in the towel when this change happened. Im so glad I didnt. I look forward to going to work every day.

Can you talk to us about your experience with buying businesses?

I bought this business. The acquisition was pretty smooth. Fortunately I had enough in savings to pay cash for the business. But I had never done very much printing. I had extensive photography knowledge, as well as computer skills. I also spent years as a carpenter, which helped with that aspect of my shop. As soon as I bought the company I dove in to try and absorb as much information as I could from multiple source on the web like forums and Youtube.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.phototocanvaspdx.com
• Instagram: @phototocanvaspdx
• Facebook: Facebook.com/phototocanvaspdx
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phototocanvaspdx/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3VhlBFdBJf4NaOr4ZC7s0A

Image Credits
Drawings by Tomi Lahdesmaki