Republished with permission from the Entrepreneur Partner Studio.
For Libby Rasmussen, building a brand from scratch was a natural evolution of her lifelong love for eye-catching designs and vintage treasures. Whether it’s her talent for unearthing hidden gems or her sharp eye for rich, radiant branding, her strikingly colorful aesthetic infuses every detail of her two small businesses. “Both of my brands are bold,” Rasmussen says. “They’re in your face, they’re colorful, and they’re a reflection of me.”
In 2020, Rasmussen launched LIBBY & MY, a curated vintage home decor, disco ball and gifting boutique in Washington D.C.’s trendy Union Market. She also recently founded VINTAGE VINTAGE VINTAGE, a collective of twenty different vintage vendors under one roof that opened its decal-dotted glass doors incredibly fast. Rasmussen says it serves as a permanent space where the best vintage vendors in D.C. come together under one roof to showcase their collections. “We created the brand, signed the lease, and opened in less than two weeks,” she says. “It was wild!”
From there, Rasmussen wasted no time establishing herself as an influencer in crafting spaces celebrating individuality and living in full color—often preferably chartreuse, her favorite one. With 13 years of experience in digital media and content creation under her belt, she brought her maximalist design sense and storytelling to her entrepreneurial ventures. Rasmussen’s twin startup ventures embrace the beauty and preservation of fun, thoughtful gifts, original art and other timeless treasures that she’s locally sourced. And she’s doing it all with a bit of help from essential marketing tools that make bringing big branding ideas to life quick, easy, and affordable. Here’s how it all came about.
From thrifting to thriving, with passion
As a teenager in Wisconsin, Rasmussen spent afternoons scouring antique malls and vintage boutiques for one-of-a-kind finds. “I’ve always loved vintage, and I’ve always had small businesses, even in high school,” she says. Her early thrift shop hauls planted the seeds of her entrepreneurial journey, rooted equally in style and substance.
Rasmussen discovered early on that she was drawn to the essence of all manner of minutia and moments—things like colors, styles, music, and art. “It’s about capturing moments, whether it’s the vibe of a city, the warmth of a cherished memory, my grandmother’s kitchen, or an artist I admire. People love that personal story behind a brand. That’s where the magic of my business comes from.”
At first, Rasmussen planned on opening a neighborhood vintage store much later in life, but the pandemic fast-forwarded her dreams. “To spread light and joy to others during the darkest days of the pandemic, I started collecting more vintage pieces and hosting porch sales at home,” she says. The response was overwhelming, and demand took off—proof of a growing market for her hand-picked home accents, reworked textiles, and retro wares.
When she decided to turn her popular pop-ups into something permanent, Rasmussen knew she needed more than an uncommon collection of artful items. She had to have branding that would shine as boldly and brightly as her fearless vision and would feel cohesive across her marketing. . “I wanted everything to feel curated,” she says, “not just the products, but the entire experience itself, from the logo to the tissue paper to the postcards.”
Creative chaos meets innovative solutions
Starting a business, let alone two, isn’t always smooth sailing. But, to make a process that can feel overwhelming more manageable, Rasmussen takes a progress-over-perfection approach. “When we launched VINTAGE VINTAGE VINTAGE, it was about making decisions quickly and not overthinking. Just getting started is always the best policy.”
That’s where VistaPrint came in. From custom signage and branded packaging to collectible stickers, pins, decals and more, Rasmussen and her team found everything they needed in one place thanks to the online printing service’s customizable, budget-friendly marketing solutions for small businesses. “With VistaPrint, it felt like the essentials were all right there,” she says. “Everything’s easy and straight to the point, and the 24/7 support was a huge relief during crunch-time moments.”
When it came to creating a strong, standout brand for VINTAGE VINTAGE VINTAGE, Rasmussen also needed a printing partner that could keep up with her super-fast pace and one-of-a-kind vision. With VistaPrint in her startup toolkit, in just a few clicks she fulfilled her marketing material needs like attention-grabbing business cards and postcards that pop. In no time, Rasmussen checked off her to-do list and brought her store’s brand identity to life.
Using VistaPrint’s practical suite of solutions, and with the help of her business partner Rajni Rao and local designer and artist friend Karla Styles, Rasmussen was able to create a rainbow of printed materials to market VINTAGE VINTAGE VINTAGE to2 the masses. “VistaPrint just has everything you need,” Rasmussen says. “Custom tissue paper, check. Blade signs for outside, check. Business cards, notepads, and pens—check, check and check.”
From sharing on social to storefront success
Rasmussen headed off some beginner branding hurdles—and attracted future customers—by establishing a brand that resonates online and off. “I was sharing it with my friends and community on social media,” she says. “I’m grateful for the outpouring of support that followed.”
By consistently sharing her behind-the-scenes process on platforms like Pinterest, TikTok, and Instagram, Rasmussen built brand buzz even before opening. “When it was time, people were ready to experience VINTAGE VINTAGE VINTAGE,” she says.
One of the biggest lessons Rasmussen learned while building her brands is that forging a genuine connection with a few interested potential customers matters more than having a massive audience.
“You can have 30,000 followers and no customers, and you can have 300 followers who feel tied to the experience and are ready to be customers,” she says. “It’s a reminder to share your brand like no one is watching because chances are, someone is, and they may be ready to shop or visit your store.” This mindset has shaped Rasmussen’s branding and how she caters to her loyal customer base, which includes customers who’ve followed her since her porch pop-up days.
Meanwhile, Rasmussen’s take on promoting LIBBY & MY and VINTAGE VINTAGE VINTAGE on social media is simple but effective: Keep it real. “I think people connect with brands that feel human, that don’t look like they’re trying too hard,” she says. “Your audience doesn’t want perfection. They want personality.”
Bringing the brand to life with color, fun fonts, and funky flyers
To tie everything neatly together, Rasmussen needed an unforgettable yet uniform look that captured and expressed the collective essence 20 vendors showcased in her store. “All of them have their own unique brands and identities, so it was important to us that VINTAGE VINTAGE VINTAGE’s branding was clear, clean and to the point,” she says.
Next, it was time to shine by designing informative, head-turning signs and other printables to drive foot traffic and return visits. “We needed signage to communicate how our store works, so we uploaded our designs and used VistaPrint’s beautiful A-Frame signage and postcards, so after customers leave the store, they can reflect on their experience here more.”
Careful to keep her branding playful, professional, and easily recognizable, Rasmussen blends creativity and consistency into her brand identity. “Our big, italic font and logo are always the same, and we have fun with the colors,” she says. Infusing a mix of lush hues on all of VINTAGE VINTAGE VINTAGE’s VistaPrint-made business cards, shopping bags, labels, and more, she kept the brand distinctive while making it engaging and exciting.
Rasmussen says the flexibility of working with VistaPrint helped her realize her brand vision without stretching herself too thin. The intuitive drop-down tabs and tools, and exceptionally beautiful case studies made the process so much easier, she says.
“Your branding is your first impression, so make it count,” Rasmussen says. “If your first attempt at branding is expressed in a way you’ll never forget—like when I unboxed my first VistaPrint aluminum folding A-frame sign—your customers won’t forget it either. There’s nothing like having my brand on something physical and so cool, right in front of me. It’s like a dream come true.”
Libby Rasmussen’s tips for launching your brand with style:
Save your funds to fuel your vision.
“Don’t go broke over trying to make money. Work with local artists and graphic designers. They’re plentiful and wonderful and will work with you.”
Let your brand be an extension of your taste.
“If your brand is coming from you, from your style and personality, echo that. If you like something, it will translate. Nothing feels more forced than a brand created only from trends or virality. It becomes translucent and void of feeling.”
Collect ideas from the palette all around you.
“Look inward, but also look outward for inspiration. When I was brainstorming ideas for the brand, I went to countless art museums. I took note of the colors I was drawn to. Notice all the details, like lines, fonts, styles, everything. Take so many photos and make an album.”
Don’t overcomplicate the process.
“You can spend years trying to conceptualize a brand, and then that time is spent thinking about launching rather than doing it. Go for it, and if you hate your branding down the line, edit it slowly, rebrand and throw a party. Make it seem like a great new brand milestone. Nothing is permanent.”
Have fun—in full color!
“Our font and logo are always the same, and then we just have a ton of fun with the colors. Our business cards are different colors, the postcards and bags are another. Mixing it up is key for us in keeping everything aligned and fun.”
