We’ll never forget the night that tested us to our core. It was March 30, 2022, when our world at Lasting Impressions Promotional Marketing turned upside down. At 2 a.m., a text jolted Angela Chryplewicz, our CEO and Owner, awake: “Our job is burning to the ground.”
Recently, Angela, Director of Business Development Carla Ejaz, COO Jeff Nowaske, and Operations Manager Mark Dabiero Jr. sat down in front of the camera to tell the story firsthand—raw, honest, and unscripted. It was their way of sharing what really happened, how we survived it, and how we came out even stronger.
The Night We Lost Everything
We—Angela, Carla, Jeff, and Mark—couldn’t believe it at first. But as the reality sank in, we turned a devastating loss into a story of grit, teamwork, and rebirth.
Angela called the employee who sent the message and confirmed it—our 42,500-square-foot Melvindale facility was ablaze. Mark filled us in later: “The fire had been going for 45 minutes before the trucks arrived. The gas shut-off was inside, and they wouldn’t enter until it was off. They dug up the street to find it—took hours.” By then, our home since 2015, where we’d built out screen printing, embroidery, and drinkware production, was a goner. High winds fanned the flames, and the fire department was more worried about nearby buildings than saving ours.
Jeff and Carla, living closest, rushed over. “I hit Oakwood, and the street was blocked,” Jeff said. “I parked and walked up—flames everywhere, firefighters from three cities. Unreal.” A stay-in-place order went out because of the chemicals we stored, and Angela was on the phone with the fire department, trying to list them. “I was alone at first, piecing it together from South Lyon,” said Angela.
We Hit the Ground Running
By morning, we were reeling, but we didn’t freeze. Jeff summed it up: “Once we knew everyone was safe—no staff, no firefighters hurt—it was just stuff. We met at Andrea’s and said, ‘Our team and clients need us. Let’s move.’”
Here’s where we have to give a special shoutout to Andrea Debottis, our VP of Sales. Although she couldn’t be part of the filming day, Andrea played a crucial role during those first chaotic hours. Her home became our temporary HQ—laptops, conference calls, and strategy sessions all happened right there. More than that, she kept the sales team focused and motivated when it mattered most. Calm, organized, and fiercely dedicated, Andrea was a steady force behind the scenes. She’s a huge part of what makes our team so strong.
We split the madness like we’d done it a thousand times. Mark went for the server—“he walked in with the firefighters, carried it out like a baby in a blanket,” Carla laughed. Angela raced it to our tech support in Livonia, and by 1 p.m., we were back online. “We host 140 websites,” Mark said. “These companies depend on us.”
Carla and Angela kept clients and staff steady, Jeff tapped competitors for production help, and Mark tackled insurance and a temporary space. “We didn’t want clients to know,” Carla said. “Why scare them when we could handle it?” We were a machine, each of us in our lane, determined to keep this ship moving forward.
Our Family and Friends Pulled Through
We couldn’t believe how our community stepped up. Competitors opened their doors—our employees ran night shifts on their machines. Suppliers pitched in, and a client we’ve had for 15 years called Angela: “Send your UPS to my warehouse.” “Within 45 minutes, we had it rerouted,” she said. “That’s when we knew we’d be okay.” Our staff—our family—blew us away. “They drove from Melvindale to Farmington Hills, Taylor, Brownstown,” Mark marveled. “New shifts, new machines—no complaints.”
By mid-April, we’d snagged a temporary spot in Livonia. By May, embroidery was back in-house. When that place sold, we shifted to Brownstown with help from a client. Through it all, we didn’t miss one order. “I’d have predicted delays,” Mark said, “but every event, every package—it went out. Took all 50 of us.” Jeff checked later: “Sales didn’t drop—they grew, beating last year by 10% each month.” We were stunned, but proud.
Our New Home in Canton
Now, we’re settled on Michigan Avenue in Canton—a fresh start we couldn’t have dreamed up. “It was a car cave for exotic cars,” Carla said. “Perfect condition, great production flow, and a showroom that wows.” Mark loves how it fits our future: “We’re shifting to web stores and smaller orders. The high-bay area and racking are built for it.” Jeff’s all about logistics: “Six loading docks, 125 to 175 packages a day—it’s perfect.” Angela added, “It’s near 275, the airport, our clients—plus more office space so we’re together again.”
What We Learned
Looking back, we’re grateful beyond words. “I couldn’t have rebuilt alone,” Carla said. “With this team, we did it.” Jeff agreed: “We stayed in our lanes, did our jobs, and kept going. That’s why we’ll keep winning.” Angela thanked our staff, suppliers, and competitors: “They were flexible, generous—everything.” Mark put it simply: “After Covid, after this, nothing can stop us. We went from 150 orders a day to single digits in 2020, lost our building in 2022—and we’re still rocking.”
Our lesson? “Don’t feel sorry for yourself,” Carla said. “Move forward, stay positive. We couldn’t let our team see us break.” Jeff added, “We came back bigger, better, leaner, smarter.” We’re not begging for more challenges, but we know we’re unstoppable. Angela’s only wish? “Maybe answer my 2 a.m. calls next time,” she teased.
From ashes to triumph, we’ve proven that with our team, our family, and our community, we can rise above anything. Oh, and if you’re picking up an order—Door 4, please.
