Courtney Bills can trace Tactive’s identity back to a simple realization shared by its founders 25 years ago: Buying print was way too complicated. That pain point became a launchpad. What began as Print Resources in 2000 quickly transformed from a small print brokerage into a full-service operation willing to take on the messy work traditional printers avoided. As the market shifted and customer expectations evolved, the company leaned into a scrappy figure-it-out mindset that shaped its culture.
“If you need to get someone’s attention, we’ll find a way to do it,” says Bills, CEO of the Indianapolis tactile marketing company.
That mindset fueled every stage of the company’s evolution. Clients needed branded items, so the team built the capability. They needed a digital marketing closet, so Tactive created one. They needed to cut through digital noise, so the company pioneered 3D mailers and tactile brand experiences that people couldn’t ignore.
As capabilities grew, Print Resources no longer fit. The company reintroduced itself as Tactive—a name that captured its mission to bring brands to real life. “We became engagement-obsessed marketers who want to help brands create meaningful human moments,” Bills says.
Strategic acquisitions strengthened that mission. Progressive Design Apparel in 2022 and Concept Prints in 2025 brought screen printing and embroidery fully in-house, expanding production power and deepening the team’s expertise. Today, nearly 70 employees work across print promo, apparel, kitting fulfillment and e-commerce, all aligned around the same purpose: helping marketers stand out in an increasingly digital world.
“We’re built for marketers who want more than a transaction,” Bills says. “Our real value comes from our consultative approach because we dig into the ‘why’ behind your request so we can design a smarter, more engaging physical brand experience that actually moves the needle.”
What sets Tactive apart is not just its product mix—it is the company’s philosophy. Bills views Tactive as a strategic partner, not a vendor. Tactive digs into the ‘why’ behind every request. The team’s collaborative structure helps them think beyond production and into impact. “Our clients don’t just get a printer. They get a whole bunch of people who think creatively, strategically and operationally about every project.”
Innovation by Necessity, Not Novelty
Innovation at Tactive does not start with technology. It starts with friction. For years, the company navigated a fragmented mix of MIS systems that failed to connect print, promotional, and apparel workflows. The result was inefficiency at scale. Bills led a full operational reset—mapping workflows end to end, eliminating duplicative tools and rebuilding a tech stack designed to support people rather than slow them down. “Our most chaotic season ended up being surprisingly calm because we fixed the bottlenecks.”
That clarity unlocked creativity. One result was Tactive’s now-signature clamshell-style 3D mailers, an internal experiment that quickly evolved into one of the company’s best-selling formats. The bold die-cut reveal transforms a simple box into a moment of surprise—now used by brands across multiple industries, including Fujifilm. “We treat constraints as fuel, not roadblocks,” Bills says. “Where some shops stop at ‘we can’t,’ we immediately move to ‘here’s how.’”
The same mindset also guided major equipment decisions. After working with nearly every major commercial digital print provider, Tactive invested in the Fujifilm REVORIA PRESS™ PC1120S—configured to support long sheets and heavy stocks, with air suction feeding for banner-sized paper and Revoria Flow workflow software driving production.
“The primary reason we invested in the Revoria was the value,” Bills says. “We’ve worked with every major player in commercial digital print, and Fujifilm’s combination of capabilities, reliability, and cost efficiency was simply unmatched.”
The team’s familiarity with Fujifilm technology also mattered. Tactive already relies on two Acuity Prime flatbeds for signage and custom corrugated packaging, and the service experience carried weight when it came time to upgrade its digital press. “Our press operator noticed the difference immediately,” Bills says. “Revoria Flow has a much gentler learning curve. The air suction feeding keeps long sheets aligned beautifully and dramatically reduces jamming. Each feature improves efficiency on its own, but together they’ve made a meaningful impact on production speed, consistency, and our bottom line.”
Those gains show up in small but compounding ways. Jobs move through the shop more smoothly. Operators spend less time troubleshooting avoidable issues. Tight deadlines become more manageable. “Small efficiencies stack up fast,” Bills says. “By removing friction, the Revoria helps us keep our promises, protect turnaround times, and maintain the quality our customers expect.”
For Tactive, the press was not just a replacement—it became an operational stabilizer. “It’s made our day-to-day operation steadier and more predictable,” Bills says. “And in our world, that reliability is a huge competitive advantage.”
Building Excellence Through People
Bills’ leadership principles are established from something Tactive’s founders pushed to the limit: Find a Way. While the phrase has evolved, the core remains unchanged—every challenge deserves a thoughtful solution. Whether a client has an urgent need or an employee hits a production wall, the expectation is care, curiosity and action.
“Kindness and resourcefulness go a long way,” Bills says. “We don’t shrug and walk away. We problem-solve, we offer options and if we’re not the right fit, we point people to someone who is.”
Bills believes excellence helps enhance relationships by elevating people and delivering with integrity. “We want to help marketers create meaningful experiences, and help our employees and community grow. Excellence for us is never just about flawless print or tight turnaround times—it’s about elevating people and solving real problems with integrity.”
Resilience Through Reinvention
Bills believes the next wave of marketing will be defined by authenticity and human interaction. Artificial intelligence (AI) fatigue, digital distrust and over-automation are pushing audiences toward experiences that feel real and personal. Dimensional direct mail is resurging. In-person events are growing. Tangible touchpoints are reclaiming value. “People are craving something tangible again.”
The challenge will be measurement. Physical marketing will never mirror digital analytics and it shouldn’t have to. Bills sees the opportunity in creative proof of concept—tracking actions tying physical to digital and demonstrating real ROI. Printers who support marketers in this shift will become indispensable partners. “We want to be the most trusted partner in this new landscape,” she says.
Tactive’s work speaks loudest through its Project Spotlights which range from Fortune 50 companies to local nonprofits. But Bills points to something just as meaningful—the people who return. When Tactive celebrated its 25th anniversary, the room was filled with former employees who still feel connected to the company and now hire Tactive at their new organizations.
“That kind of loyalty doesn’t happen accidentally,” Bills says. “It comes from treating people with dignity, building real relationships and leading with empathy. We’re a human brand because we’re built by humans.”
Tactive’s impact extends into the community with more than $100,000 in annual print and promo support for nonprofits across Indianapolis. To Bills, that is not philanthropy for show—it is responsibility. “We use what we do best to lift up the people who make our city stronger.”
