“The Magic is in the Process”
A recap of Season 1, Episode 17 with Britt Rohr of Swell Press Paper
When we started dreaming up Hot Off The Press, there were a few names we secretly hoped we’d one day have on the mic. Britt from Swell Press was right at the top of that list.
She’s someone we both had been aware of since the beginning of our print journeys, but also someone whose work consistently pushes the boundaries of what’s possible with letterpress. So it felt surreal, a little bit full-circle, and honestly just really special to sit down with her for the finale of our first season!
Britt’s story, in many ways, mirrors our own. She fell in love with the process after taking a private letterpress lesson, then stumbled upon a Vandercook press online, placed a bid, won, and suddenly had to figure out what she’d just gotten herself into. Like many of us, she started in a garage. But unlike most of us, that garage eventually gave way to five more presses, multiple studio expansions, a full team, national press features, and now—what feels like a final dream realized—a brick-and-mortar studio with a retail front in Los Angeles.
Of course, the journey hasn’t been linear. Britt talked candidly about the weirdness of hearing praise while feeling overwhelmed. “It’s a funny time to reflect,” she told us. “Because while it looks like everything’s thriving, I’m really just trying to keep up.” That honesty set the tone for the whole conversation. She doesn’t sugarcoat the chaos, but she also doesn’t let it eclipse the joy. For her, the work has always been rooted in integrity—creative, personal, and business-wise.
Not-so-slow Growth
Like so many of us, Britt’s trajectory was altered by the pandemic. She had just moved into a new studio in early 2019, with plans to host workshops and eventually open a storefront. But COVID put those plans on pause. In-person teaching, which she loved, had to stop. Instead, she found herself taking on odd branding jobs and unfamiliar projects just to keep the business running and her employees paid. But through the disruption came clarity. She found ways to run her business with more intention. And—surprisingly—she loved the slower pace. “I think for the first time in my life, I worked a 40-hour week,” she said. “I’d never had that before.”
That taste of balance stayed with her. In early 2023, she moved the studio once again—this time, just next door, into a bigger space with an actual retail storefront. When we recorded this episode, she was in the thick of designing that retail experience, finally bringing to life the dream she’d put on hold for years. “For so long, I assumed it just wasn’t possible,” she told us. “But somehow, it’s all coming together.”
Britt has tried a lot of things over the years—including a greeting card line that, as she put it, “felt like a massive failure.” But she doesn’t regret it. “It taught me that what works for others doesn’t always work for you,” she said. These days, she’s focused less on chasing trends and more on producing things that feel authentic. Instead of a greeting card empire, she envisions a small collection of intentionally designed products—stationery, candles, journals—items that are sustainable, meaningful, and make sense for her. “I don’t want to put out crap,” she said. “I want to make things I’d actually want to use or gift.”
Her studio in general isn’t about mass production. It’s about exploration.
One of the greatest advantages of owning her own equipment, she said, is the ability to experiment without pressure. If a client can’t visualize a mockup, she can print it. If an idea strikes, she doesn’t need anyone’s permission to see it through. That ability to prototype on demand has made her a better designer—and given her freedom to take risks that might otherwise feel impossible.
Britt’s creative partner in crime is her longtime presswoman Kate, who started as an intern and now runs most of their production. Britt swears Kate is the best printer in the country—meticulous, fearless, and endlessly patient. The two of them work closely to troubleshoot everything from tricky solids to insane registration. “Some people say you can’t do that kind of coverage on a windmill,” Britt told us. “Kate proved them wrong.”
But for all the pressroom prowess, Britt admitted that the hardest part of the business is custom design. Not the printing—the printing she loves. The problem-solving, the technical magic, the challenge of making something wild come to life? That part she thrives on. But the design process itself—especially the endless revisions, the soul-sucking back-and-forths—that’s where she’s feeling burned out. “You pour your heart into something and get it back with a laundry list of edits,” she said. “It’s exhausting.”
So she’s considering taking a break. Not from printing, not from weddings even, but from completely custom work. Instead, she’s focusing on expanding her semi-custom collection, and pouring her creative energy into things she can control. “I’ve never had more than a week without designing something for someone else,” she said. “I want to see what happens when I put that energy into myself for once.”
That choice—the choice to hit pause, to reorient, to pursue joy over obligation—was something we deeply resonated with. As printers, we’re trained to say yes. To figure it out. To keep the press running no matter what. But Britt reminded us that it’s okay to pivot. To let go of what no longer fits. To evolve without apology.
She talked about boundaries, and how hard they were to learn. In the beginning, she said yes to everything. She felt lucky just to be asked. But now? She needs multiple reasons to say yes. Her contract includes a clause that lets her walk away from clients who ask her to copy others. She turns down ballroom weddings and pink watercolor butterflies and anything that doesn’t creatively excite her. “Knowing what you don’t want to do is just as important as knowing what you do,” she said. That clarity hasn’t narrowed her business. It’s sharpened it.
Britt’s process is unapologetically nonlinear. She’ll pitch wild ideas without knowing exactly how they’ll work, then reverse-engineer them on press. Sometimes it’s a success. Sometimes she has to go back to the client and admit something isn’t possible—a moment she describes as “the biggest slice of humble pie.” But she keeps experimenting, keeps learning. Her design voice has evolved, too—trending lately toward more minimal, modern forms, with less saturated color, and more breathing room. Still, the throughline is there. Clean lines. Impeccable execution. A little bit of sun-drenched West Coast swagger. “I love cool stuff that’s hard to make,” she said. “And I love figuring out how to make it.”
Even as she scales back the custom side of things, her love for the craft is palpable. She lights up when talking about edge gilding, holographic foils, and notebooks made from recycled ocean plastics. She’s not chasing mass-market appeal. She’s chasing excitement, excellence, and a sense of purpose. It might not always make sense on paper—financially or literally—but that’s part of the magic. She’s willing to invest in the things she believes in, even if they take a little longer to pay off.
Education
Education will always be part of that mission. Britt started offering private letterpress lessons in her studio, and during the pandemic, she finally launched a full-scale online course—a meticulously produced, multi-day shoot that captures her knowledge in cinematic detail. Jillian & I both took it. We both loved it. And we both agree: it’s the kind of resource that doesn’t just teach you how to print—it makes you fall in love with the process all over again.
Learn Letterpress remains one of the best ways to educate yourself on this print method, regardless of where you’re located. It’s so good, we will be giving it a dedicated blog post!
Since we recorded this episode, back in 2021, Britt has also launched a course on using Asana in your business. Caroline, another pillar of the Swell Press team, helped build out an incredible workflow covering everything from onboarding to production within Asana. It allows the team to span coast to coast, and seamlessly manage dozens of projects at the highest efficiency level. This course will help you manage your projects by customizing it to fit your needs - whether you’re managing a busy home life, solo entrepreneurship, or a multi-person team.
Clarity & Energy
So, while Britt may be shifting where she expends her energy and creativity, she’s not ruling out a return to custom work someday. For now, she’s focused on protecting her peace, supporting her team, and creating things that make her proud.
That kind of clarity is contagious. We left the conversation feeling inspired, energized, and honestly, kind of emotional. Because what Britt reminded us—what she shows us every day through her work—is that you can build a business that reflects your values. You can make beautiful things without losing yourself in the process. And maybe most importantly, you can always come back to the garage.
