Exploring Life & Business with Ali Larsen of Riveting Frame & Design

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ali Larsen.

Hi Ali, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Back in late 2003, I moved to Denver from Washington State to begin a new chapter of my post-college life with my then-fiance (now husband), Andy.

Though I had graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, I soon realized the timing of my move in the dead middle of the school year had made my options limited if I wanted to stay in that field. Seeing my predicament, my father-in-law-to-be, Andy Sr., made me an offer to work for him at his new picture-framing business. I stood at the proverbial fork in the road.

One way led to my safe option: taking a substitute teaching position and following the plan I already had. The other way felt like way more of a risk: starting a new job at a new business in a new industry. What could go wrong? In February 2004, I took him up on his offer to run the books at Riveting Frame and Design. I had to complete some business courses at ACC so I would have the tools it took to run the books for his company, but I was determined to learn. I had never had any experience in design or picture framing, so I decided to count my blank slate in this profession as a blessing.

Eager to soak up any new knowledge I could, I ventured to the annual trade shows in Las Vegas for a few years to learn every aspect of the business. When I first started working at Riveting, it was just me and one other employee. Together, we tackled everything. I got to learn design, as well as the intricacy of the technical side of building picture frames. Over the years, we grew and expanded our space from one unit where we did everything, to two so we could have a showroom for meeting with customers.

We added to the team and took on more clients and bigger projects. Then, in 2022, we expanded our space into three units of the building so we could do even more. We now have seven employees working for Riveting, expanded capacity to take on larger projects, and offer the same great customer service we’ve been proud of all along. We pride ourselves in customer service, quality, and meeting deadlines!

Heading into my 20th year at Riveting, I could not be prouder of the business we’ve grown into or more eager to see what we accomplish next!

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Every business has its ups and downs, but we count ourselves as very fortunate overall to have been able to continue growing our staff and production over the years.

In this industry, the workflow ebbs and flows so it can be a struggle at times. We used to nickname ourselves “Rush Riveting” because our clients can depend on us to turn around very quick projects when needed.

We’ve been impressed with Riveting Frame & Design, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We are a local custom wholesale picture frame shop. Around 85% of our business is in the trade. We frame lots of projects for designers, hospitals, and hotels. We ship our products all around the United States. We specialize in giving clients great customer service while meeting their deadlines and budgets. We pride ourselves in producing a quality product.

When our clients succeed, we succeed. I feel it truly is our customer service and product that sets us apart from our competitors. We have a lot of experience in this shop and treat every order with the care it deserves. We are most proud of being in business for almost 20 years next month! We have a great staff with lots of experience who love their jobs!

It is truly a fun atmosphere to come to work each day. I would hope that any future clients know that we are always happy to design any size project and give them a competitive quote and hopefully get the chance to frame their next project! By nature, once a client steps into Riveting, they typically become a lifer! We have the best clients!

Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
By nature, I am a very detailed/organized person. So, my calendar is my lifeline in my personal and business life. I always try to stay on top of current trends and attain the latest samples to create fresh framing designs.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://rivetingframeanddesign.com/
• Instagram: instagram.com/riveting_frame_design/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/riveting-frame-and-design-littleton