Our First Big Mistake & Setback

Our First Big Mistake & Setback

Every journey has its challenges, and for us at Crafted Memories, our first major setback came in the form of an ambitious investment that didn’t quite go as planned. As we reflect on this chapter in our story, it’s a reminder of how far we’ve come—and the exciting path ahead as we introduce some long-awaited innovations.

A Bold Idea and a Big Goal

When we started this business, our mission was clear: to bring personalisation to the gift industry in a way that stood out. While many places offered personalised products, very few could deliver them as quickly as the next day. We wanted to change that. Our vision was to create products that we could perfect, ship the same day, and that our customers would absolutely love.

Coming off the success of our first product—the number plate keychain—we were eager to expand our offerings. The keychain had been a massive hit, but it demanded significant manpower to keep up with orders. We needed a new product that could match its success without exhausting our growing team. That’s when we discovered UV printing—an exciting technology with endless possibilities. However, the world of UV printers is a mixed bag, ranging from top-tier machines to less-reliable options.

The Rainbow RB-4060: A Risky Investment

After extensive research, we decided to take a chance on the Rainbow RB-4060, a UV printer manufactured by Rainbow Inkjet in China. The machine came with a much lower price tag than its well-known UK counterparts but boasted glowing five-star reviews on YouTube and Facebook. Encouraged by what seemed like a great deal, we pooled all of our profits and savings—a total of £8,000—and ordered the machine. Then began the long six-month wait for its arrival.

Excitement Turns to Disappointment

The day the machine arrived was nothing short of exhilarating. It was big, shiny, and full of potential. We had stock for new products ready to go, just waiting to be printed. But the excitement quickly turned to despair when we discovered that the machine was dead on arrival. It didn’t work.

Support from the manufacturer was virtually non-existent. We woke up in the middle of the night for support meetings on Chinese working hours, only to be stood up. When support did show up, their efforts were minimal at best. They would remotely connect to our computer and do little more than move the mouse—if they even did that. It became painfully clear: we’d been duped. The machine was a dud, and our first big mistake was glaringly obvious.

Turning a Setback Into Growth

Though the loss of our first profits was disheartening, it didn’t break us. In the six months we waited for the machine to arrive, our business had grown significantly. We decided to move forward, learn from our mistake, and focus on building something better.

Watch out for: Coming full Circle: The Roland MO-240