Podcast appearances and mentions of kitty meow boutique

Grab your notebooks, folks! This episode is full of great tips and practical advice from Catherine (Cat) Hildner. She is a designer, educator, & speaker with a stationery line called Kitty Meow that is sold in over 1,300 stores & 13 countries. In this episode, we discuss: How Cat has grown her business over the past 13 years How she embraced the pivots and challenges business as thrown her way How she navigates taking big risks in her business (like deciding to move her business out of her house and hiring employees) How she finds the courage to continuously push herself outside of her comfort zone by doing things that scare the hell out of her You can stay connected with Cat by clicking any of the links below: To shop her products: www.kittymeowboutique.com To learn from the wholesale expert herself: https://thekmbcollective.com/ Wholesale Intensive: https://thekmbcollective.com/kmb-wholesale-intensive Coupon code: "uninhibited" for $50 off Wholesale Intensive GRAB HER FREEBIE! 20 Ways to Grow Your Product Based Business   *****   SUMMER 2023 SPECIAL: Get 10% your Marketing Unlocked: Two Hour Marketing Intensive when you book. Use code PODCASTS23 or click here.    Be sure to tag us on social media to let us know you're listening!   Connect with Miranda on Instagram @marketinguninhibited Learn more about Marketing for the Uninhibited at https://marketinguninhibited.com/

Networking With Like-Minded Womenpreneurs At Ultimate Product Party!Do you own a product-based business and want to take it to the next level? Do you have an idea for creating and selling products but are unsure where to start? The Ultimate Product Party (UPP) is the answer. UPP is a creative business conference for product-based business owners, and it isn't your typical event- it's a fun party! The hosts, Cat and Allison, bring the fine energy to growing and spreading your product-based business. UPP is totally curated to cover all the bases of your product-based business, such as taxes, legal, product photography, outsourcing, introducing new revenue streams, prices and production, selling wholesale, business funding, and so much more. Join the conversation with Cat Hildner and Alison Carter as they share all about their relationship, networking and the Ultimate Product Party (UPP) to help you take action in your business.  Allison Carter is the founder and CEO of Allison Celebrates. She helps female-owned businesses scale and gains massive visibility and credibility through simple PR strategies while skyrocketing their sales with her creative diversifying strategies. Cat Hildner is the owner and designer behind Kitty Meow Boutique - where you can shop beautifully designed paper, party, and gift goodies based on your mood. Now, let's jump in!Connect With Us! Ultimate Product Party (UPP)Website: https://www.ultimateproductparty.com/Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/ultimateproductpartyEmail: hello@ultimateproductparty.comAmanda Website: https://www.womanownedwallet.com/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/womanownedwallet/_created/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womanownedwallet/Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@womanownedwallet?Support the show

Ready to get your dreamy products into the shelves of your fave boutiques? If that is you, then you will go crazy for this episode! In this week's episode we talk all things- wholesale and how to land your dream wholesale & retail stores. We talk about: 1. How do you know if your physical product is a good fit for wholesale? 2. What do you need to be successful in running a wholesale side of a product based business? 3. What are some of the downsides to selling wholesale? 4. How to price your products for profit 4. If you could pinpoint one thing that helped you grow your wholesale business what would that be? 5. What about tradeshows? Which ones do you go to and how the heck does one even get into that world? FREE TRAINING { 4 PROVEN WAYS TO GROW YOUR ECOMMERCE SALES} Wednesday March 30th 10 AM PT/ 1PM ET or Wednesday March 30th 5 PM PT/8 PM ET ( can't show up live, no problem, join below and you will get the replay emailed over) https://marketing-by-kerrie.mykajabi.com/ECOMMERCESALESWEBINAR   GRAB YOUR TICKET TO ULTIMATE PRODUCT PARTY www.ultimateproductparty.com Use code KFITZGERALDUPP for $50 off   Free Resources: Increase Your Website Conversion For Your Ecommerce Shop 10 Must Have Emails You Need To Send Your List To Make Sales   Join My Signature Program- Ecommerce Sales Academy www.ecommercesalesacademy.com If you are a product business and you want to get more customers, make more consistent sales & profit and generate a heck of a lot more traffic, then Ecommerce Sales Academy is perfect for you.    Follow Cat www.kittymeowboutique.com www.instagram.com/kittymeowboutique www.dreamstoplanspodcast.com www.ultimateproductparty.com Use code KFITZGERALDUPP for $50 off   Let's Be Friends Follow Kerrie on Instagram Follow The 6 Figure Product Business Podcast on Instagram

Ready for a party? This week's episode is all about the biggest mistakes we see e-commerce and product based businesses making each and every day. Today I am joined by product bosses- Allison Carter of Memories in Moments Box and Cat Hildner of Kitty Meow Boutique. Both badass product business founders, educators … but wait. They launched an epic two day creative event exclusively for product-based business owners called Ultimate Product Party.    In this episode we discuss the top mistakes ecommerce shops are making and how to avoid those mistakes. Then we dive into what the heck UPP is, who its for and WHY YOU NEED TO COME!  Grab Your Ticket To Ultimate Product Party https://www.ultimateproductparty.com/ticket-sales Use code KFITZGERALDUPP for $50 off your ticket UPP is a 2 day creative event for product-based business entrepreneurs  who are looking to level up their business. Hands on workshop style, speakers and time to implement what you learn. Come hang out with me and the Ultimate Product Party team in Scottsdale AZ this MAY and lets get to work. If you have questions, you can send Cat & Allison a message on Instagram Ultimate Product Party Website Ultimate Product Party Instagram   DOWNLOAD MY FREE RESOURCE If you want to learn more, be sure to download my new FREE GUIDE which walks you through HOW TO INCREASE YOUR WEBSITE CONVERSION RATE.  My Programs JOIN MY COURSE- SLAY & SCALE PRODUCT ACADEMY Click Here to Learn More about Slay & Scale If you are a product business and you want to get more customers, make more consistent sales & profit and generate a heck of a lot more traffic, then Slay & Scale Product Academy is perfect for you. Click here and get started for $99 today.   Let's Be Friends Follow Kerrie on Instagram Follow The 6 Figure Product Business Podcast on Instagram

This week's guest is Catherine (Cat) Hildner, creator, designer and heart & soul behind Kitty Meow® Boutique (@kittymeowboutique). Michelle & Cat will be discussing, among other things, the beauty of 'F' Bombs, Cat's blogs, video content, her KMB educational programs, her upcoming Ultimate Product Party conference and how she finds that work/life balance we all seek to achieve. Cat is truly a powerhouse and we are so grateful she took time out of her busy schedule not only as a business owner but as a wife, momma to two gorgeous little ladies + one little dude, and self –proclaimed Customer Service Queen!At Kitty Meow you can shop beautifully designed paper & party goodies based on your mood: WITTY (edgy, saucy, semi-inappropriate) or SWEET (thoughtful, charming, and well...sweet!) The Kitty Meow® brand is fun, FIERCE, & designed to make women feel confident, empowered, and courageous enough to take the bull by the horns in life with thoughtful details! You can catch her weekly episodes of the Dreams to Plans Podcast (@dreamstoplanspodcast) where Cat & co-host @mygirlfriendrenee give valuable, honest, and hilarious content for creative, small businesses everywhere.  You can also learn with Cat about all things running a profitable, product based business through KMB Educational Programs and the Ultimate Product Party Conference- all based on helping women who have product based businesses build a brand with tons of personality. If you are interested in attending Cat's Ultimate Product Party 2-day conference, use PROMO CODE RETAILWHOREUPP at checkout for $50 off your ticket 

Letterpress is to stationery what couture is to clothes. In capable hands, this printing process, which literally took us out of the dark ages, transforms cotton paper into bespoke missives that effortlessly elevate whatever message they convey. But the craft requires a savvy blend of experience and instinct; it's said letterpress takes 10 minutes to learn, but a lifetime to master.Lovers of letterpress recognize its nuances much like wine or cheese aficanadoes approach the subject of their passions. Does the type and imagery leave a deep bite on the paper — or merely kiss its surface? Does each ink color fill its indentation completely and consistently? How many ink colors are used — after all, each necessitates a run through the press. Then when each run is done, color and copy must line up, or register, perfectly.Just ask Kate Murray of Quick Brown Fox Letterpress. Her entrepreneurial path began by apprenticing at not one, but two shops — but technical and business expertise is only one part of 'pressing your way to success. Many of Kate's deceptively simple designs came to life in what she calls The Bad Idea of the Day text thread. Meanwhile, she maintains a symbiotic relationship with her three persnickety 'presses — particularly Jude, named for the patron saint of lost causes.Kate shares how many of her deceptively simple designs came to life in what she calls The Bad Idea of the Day text thread, as well as her symbiotic relationship with her persnickety presses — especially Jude, named for the patron saint of lost causes. Kate is also chair of the 33rd annual Louie Awards. These are like the Academy Awards, but for greeting cards — and this year's gala in May will mark the first in-person event since 2019. The design is hot and the competition is fierce, so makers need to get those entries in now. After all, how else can the rest us be sure we're sending the very best?**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.Music Credits: “Your Treasure is Your Self”; written and performed by Sharon Glassman; Courtesy of Sharon Glassman/Smile Songs. smilesongs.com

Every maker has a great backstory, but for Lana Effron of Lana's Shop, the juggle is real. For a decade now, this Colorado artist and mom has been creating paintings of "love and kindness" for her upscale stationery range. While capturing the sweeter side of life and the stillness of nature comes organically to her, finding a path to balance raising two very small children and running her home-based business was more involved. For Lana, learning to create in constant chaos, while simultaneously not missing out on the moments that pass all too quickly, has been a matter of establishing a few simple yet peaceful rituals. Meanwhile, this mamapreneur now has a coveted collab with Anthropologie with her wallpaper and home décor offerings. However, getting to that point required a lot of patience and persistence — about 10 years of it to be exact! For Lana, it was a matter of not taking the temporary rejections personally, and knowing that that one piece that's right would come along, eventually. It's not too surprising that a maker whose intention is to spread love and kindness, one card at a time, would bring the same wise, gentle mindset to her growing brand. **Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.Music Credits: “Your Treasure is Your Self”; written and performed by Sharon Glassman; Courtesy of Sharon Glassman/Smile Songs. smilesongs.com

You probably didn't know it, but today the letter-writing resource for the 21st century drops. Meet How to Write a Letter: Find the Right Words for Every Occasion, the newest entry in Penguin Random House's über-polished How To series.Today co-author Chelsea Shukov visits The Paper Fold to show you how not to just add polish to your correspondence, but to truly and authentically connect with those you love with letters that truly reflect you. Since Chelsea and her Sugar Paper co-founder Jamie Grobecker have helped their clientele do exactly this in their branded LA boutiques for some time, they are uniquely equipped to pen this sturdy little magnum opus. As such, expect this blush pink, gold-foiled guide to be marked up and dog-eared as it is referenced again and again, as life circumstances demand.Since 2003, Sugar Paper's upscale stationery offerings have wowed clients around the globe — and their ongoing office collaborations with Target are the stationery stuff of legend. As Chelsea sagely points out, the traditional rules of etiquette and card-sending were developed to help us connect during life's milestones and challenges, but if they don't feel authentic, they need to be revisited and revised.Jamie and Chelsea have reviewed every last one with the proverbial red pen, keeping what works and tweaking what doesn't. You may be surprised to see their 21st century take, starting with their first golden rule: Embrace your handwriting. Plus we talk salutations and send offs, why gushing over our favorite people is best done in letter form —and how the meaning of every last missive changes over time.**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.Music Credits: “Your Treasure is Your Self”; written and performed by Sharon Glassman; Courtesy of Sharon Glassman/Smile Songs. smilesongs.com

Lucia Saisse of Lucy Loves Paper is living the stationery version of the American dream. The Rio do Janeiro native opened her Etsy shop in 2013 after her corporate graphic design job went South. Lucia's first personalized offering was wedding invitations bearing the couple's faces, but it was her charming custom portraits that distinguished her talent for capturing likenesses on the sprawling site. This past holiday season, Etsy featured Lucy Loves Paper in its own commercials and emails, and it was a "gamechanger" for the character-driven brand. Now the lady who never forgets a face swings by The Paper Fold to open up about the sometimes tricky process of putting personalities to paper as well as her plans for her wholesale range.**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

For every Mary Engelbreit or Anna Bond, there are hundreds of smaller makers who are not only sustaining themselves by staying small, but wearing it as a badge of honor — no household name required. Joanna Alberti of PhiloSophie's got a huge boost early in her career, in 2005, when she was named one of Business Week's Top Five Entrepreneurs Under 25. That same year, she and her cards literally put themselves on the industry map with their catwalk debut at the LOUIE Awards gala, held at Manhattan's Chelsea Piers during what was, as far as I know, the only GCA-sponsored card fashion show to date.Buoyed by that promising start, Joanna has built her brand into a thriving business that "creates joy for others as well as myself." Over the years PhiloSophie's has released an impressive slew of custom creations, corporate collabs, and licensed gift offerings, all administered from Joanna's cozy studio/shop in Spencerport, New York.PhiloSophie's is populated by Joanna's very versatile spirit cartoon animal Sophie, who is much more than an icon ready to be personalized. Sophie owes her success to the fact that Joanna shaped her from the start into a vehicle for the upbeat, uplifting story Joanna wants to tell the world.Joanna shares how Sophie has consistently dispensed "aspirational positivity" — like the wisdom of not taking yourself too seriously, or the perils of bowing to your ego. Joanna describes how she has pivoted due to COVID-19 — and how spreading joy can be not just an act of resilience, but resistance as well.Find PhiloSophie's:W: www.celebratewithsophies.comIG: @shopsophies**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

If you're anything like me, most of your visual stimulation these days is limited to your house, your neighborhood and whatever it is you're looking at on various screens. Hopefully Instagram figures in there somewhere, but if you are not following @amy.atnynow, the riveting feed of my guest today, Amy Loewenberg, Relations & Partnership Development Manager for NY NOW, you are not doing that platform correctly!You never know what fantastic shop in and around New York City and its environs that Amy will be featuring. It is dynamic, and it's filled with wonder and surprises, just like shopping in The Before Times! This visually rich, exciting travelogue is the next best thing to experiencing the city yourself.Amy, who also generates webinars and podcasts for NY NOW, visits The Paper Fold to talk not just NYC retail, but NY NOW Digital Market, plus plans for the physical NY NOW Market slated to return to Javits Center in August 2021. This highly anticipated event marks the physical debut of the market's reimagined Gift + Stationery section — and I know I am not the only one who can't wait to experience this highly curated, target destination for myself!This episode finds me switching up the format a bit. I have a few questions for Amy, then she interviews me (!), and then we have some exciting news to share. Tune in to be one of the first in the know!**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

If you create any conceivable item using paper, and are not yet taking advantage of Parse & Parcel, you're not accessing the "super power of print design." For years now, Jill DiNicolantonio has worked with clients to elevate creations from acceptable to awesome at Millcraft, a paper merchant not unlike Dunder Mifflin — except instead of being in Scranton, it's in Cleveland. Drawing on those experiences, she's distilled her expertise into several exquisite tools to serve as design wing men on one's desk throughout the ultra-important paper selection process.Jill defines The Parcel as a physical manifestation of a paper rep. Each limited-run collection holds exclusive mill pieces, print samples and real-life projects, produced on real-life budgets, to inspire you with the cutting-edge possibilities of paper. Meanwhile, The Swatchbox is a beautifully presented, complete collection of paper mill swatch books. These neatly organized little black boxes of knowledge serve as visually rich springboards and references for any project. Jill supplements these with services from mock-ups to one-on-one consulting, all envisioned with the idea that regardless of what you print, if you are going to print, you should make it matter. She also offer tutorials and resources to hone your own super print powers.Jill is also the first person I am personally acquainted with to contract COVID-19, and actually contracted the virus very early on, last Spring. She candidly shares her experiences, including why she has chosen to regard this global pandemic as a blessing. You do not want to miss this catch-up with one of my favorite (local) Paper Peeps!**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Stationery is filled with makers who have taken a risk and started their own brands. Catherine Hildner launched Kitty Meow Boutique with the idea that every glam offering she puts out into the world, be it card, coaster or pencil, should make others feel special. Divided into witty and sweet offerings, the look is posh and the vibe is smart in every sense of the word.Unlike most makers, Catherine also sees her brand as a catalyst to help others take similar risks. Catherine offers various mentorship programs, but she didn't stop there. She also started a podcast, Dreams to Plans, with her co-host Renee, to empower other entrepreneurs to bring their own visions to life. It's designed to help small, creative business owners find new perspective and insight, and between the two of them, they have packed so much practical, down-to-earth knowledge into this project. Game plans, core values, customer avatars, picking your platforms — these complicated processes are broken down to be intimidating no more!Catherine is an energetic dynamo of wisdom, making her the perfect guest for the last TPF episode of the season as well as 2020. We cover everything from avoiding the comparison trap to incorporating your personality into whatever you are putting out there. You'll leave feeling inspired and empowered to conquer every last challenge awaiting us in 2021!**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Chances are, you are already smitten with Molly Hatch's work, you may just not know it. Over the past decade or so, the charming wares of this prolific potter have graced over 500 home and gift items created exclusively for Anthropologie. As a result, her distinctive brand — defined by the tagline 'modern heirlooms with everyday charm' —has received star billing on an exquisite retail stage most makers only dream of.But for Molly, the daughter of a organic dairy farmer and a painter, that big break could not have arrived at a better time, as at that point, her family was struggling to stay financially afloat. Over time, Molly's relationship with the major retailer not only helped her own voice evolve, she helped Anthropologie systemize its artist collaborations.Meanwhile, thanks to carefully considered licensing partnerships, the Molly Hatch range has expanded to include everything from paper party goods to planters, kitchen textiles to tea accessories and even a tea-themed gift book. When coronavirus came on the scene and halted international shipping, Molly charmed her audience with free printables to offset her extensive stationery wares.But the brand enters an entirely new realm with the release of Molly Hatch for Joanie clothing. Much of this collection is made from sustainable and organic cotton fabrics, and each piece is as irresistible as the home goods that first put Molly on the map. In this episode, Molly shares each inspiring step of her design journey with candor to help pioneer other makers in her mighty wake.**Thank You Sponsors**Please shop and support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Creatives have traditionally been told to avoid working with animals and children, but apparently family photographer Sarah Sloboda never heard that! For over 25 years, she has been capturing moments and relationships and distilling them into photographs for posterity. Mary Ellen Mark described her work as "very joyous," but what goes into preserving these moments in film, and then distilling them into stationery?Sarah discusses everything from what makes one photograph more compelling or memorable than another (hint: there's no emotion filter), how to go deeper to make the everyday epic, plus the services Heirloom General Store provides. Who wouldn't want an expert eye to review every photograph you took during your baby's first year or on vacation, pick the top 25 images, and finesse them to look their best?Plus we delve into the mixed blessings of the pandemic, finding creative solutions to COVID-related challenges, the special meaning of photographs and photocards created during these times — and regarding photocards as printed (and permanent) Instagram posts.**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Succeeding as a small stationery maker is not easy, but over the last eleven years or so, Lindsay Henry has definitely made it appear that way! She founded Inklings Paperie with the understanding that the bests moments in life happen offscreen, and her tactile, tangible keepsakes surprise and delight as they celebrate life with those we cherish. As such, you never know what unexpected element will appear on her cards: scratch-offs, secret decoders, confetti and even flowers that make opening every last envelope truly a memorable experience.Thanks to this very vibrant approach to every aspect of her business, she has collaborated with heavy corporate hitters Starbucks and Anthropologie and been featured on Buzzfeed — yet she still reads her reviews on every Etsy sale to ensure every last customer is satisfied. With kindness and wisdom, Lindsay shares how she navigates both difficult shoppers and design copycats with ease.It's not hard to see why this Michigan maker, with her seemingly unfailingly sunny disposition, is one of my favorite paper peeps. As a boss, as a founder, as a Mom, Lindsay built Inklings Paperie around her own value set and as such, ensures that every last customer, fellow maker and industry partner she comes in contact with knows that they truly matter.**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

So, you've created an amazing product, but if you've ever wrestled with how to style it, you should have a quick word with my guest today. Erika Firm describes herself as an "artist, surface designer, graphic designer, brand builder, magazine hoarder, kitty squisher, wife, and mother," but that doesn't begin to scratch the broad scope of her experience and expertise.Erika's stationery range, Delphine, differentiated itself from the many other letterpressers at the time by approaching paper as not just a surface, but a distinctive design element in its own right. Since closing Delphine's doors, Erika's talent for delving deeply into the analog world of paint, pen, ink, and paper — as well as the wondrous results she reaps — have been much in demand. Her client list reads like a who's who of the gift and stationery industries, and includes American Greetings, Anthropologie, Cardstore,  HP Smiles, Ink, Keka, Knithouse, Maison Belle, Minted, Postable, Revel & Co., Revel Paper, Simply to Impress, Snapfish, Society6, Tiny Prints, Wedding Paper Divas, and Zazzle, among many others.Erika's artful eye for presentation is legendary; when she sends me images, the question is never, "Will there be something I can use?" but rather, "How will I ever pick a favorite?" The design wonders that are generated from her four-generation home in Charleston, South Carolina — Erika resides with not just her husband and son, but mother and grandmother as well — are not just a testament to her talent, but the true potential of paper.**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

While you may not immediately recognize the name of my guest today — Leslie Moak Murray — you've likely laughed at her cartoons.  Leslie is the creator of Murray's Law, and over the past several decades, her award-winning and prolific body of work has appeared on cards, napkins, note pads, paper plates, newspapers, books — really, anywhere cartoons and jokes can be placed.Leslie's zany humor has repeatedly struck our cultural funny bone in precisely the right spot, as evidenced by the rather impressive 23 LOUIE awards she's won since first getting into the business in to late 1980s. In the course of her career, Leslie went from running her own company, to licensing and even syndicating her work, to finding a new audience on Instagram. Meanwhile her work can be purchased on various products at Leanin' Tree, Cardmore, Current and even Fabrics.com.Chances are, if the item in question is printed or can be printed on, Leslie has seen and done it. In this episode, she recounts everything from shrink-wrapping early card orders in Saran wrap, to the love letters and hate mail she's received over the years, to her realization that protecting her work in our digital age is nearly impossible. Her insights into how she has consistently churned out humor for decades and whether she writes the copy or draws the image first are not to be missed!Big thanks to The Paper Fold's fabulous sponsors. We are thrilled to partner with and promote these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range and see how your stationery can slay!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet!

If you think you know stationery, stand the F back, because my guest today will turn all that on its ear. Victoria Venturi has been raising eyebrows since 2014, when Paper Epiphanies was born in 30 square feet of her LA apartment. At that time, people were shocked to see swear words exquisitely letterpressed onto greeting cards — but over time it became crystal clear that this publicist and aspiring comedienne innately understands the dynamic space where vulnerability, authenticity and humor simultaneously reside. That is the heart of this range's feminist fire.By January 2020, Paper Epiphanies was in over 2000 stores across the country, an indie success story by any measure. Victoria had been featured on NPR and Forbes, and as you'll hear, I'm still talking and thinking about the Keynote Address she gave at a Greeting Card Association Retreat. Understanding her insights into how Millennials approach cards differently than previous generations is essential for anyone in the trade.Despite her industry acumen, by April 2020, more than 95% of those 2,000 retailers had closed, and Victoria's accounts receivable was in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Yet, a spike in direct to consumer orders showed that her cards were still in demand. So on April Fool's Day, not too long after delivering her son, Victoria ignored all conventional retail wisdom and opened a flagship store.The #coolestcardshopintheworld has already won a Noted @ *Noted award for its neon-framed card wall, and features mostly female-owned brands. In this chic destination, empowerment rules the day as customers can find cards to connect with friends, books for mindful insights, and even vibrators — though this hot pink and black neon emporium is most definitely not a porn store. With this dynamic approach, it's no wonder "people are losing their shit" over this cutting-edge house of stationery — not to mention Victoria herself!**Thank You Sponsors**Please shop and support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Most retailers have had a difficult 2020, but for Suzanne Loesch, owner of Mockingbird Paperie in Ithaca, New York, her summer of 2019 featured a terrifying, headline-grabbing troll attack that plunged her life and business into a waking nightmare. It all began when a customer took a photograph of a few of Suzanne's greeting card offerings, a series of Sapling Press letterpress cards designed to play on political humor. The customer posted the image along with her store's information on a Pro-Trump Facebook page with 30,000 followers alongside with the admonition to "have at it."The nightmare unfolded as Suzanne dealt with a dizzying, constant series of demeaning insults and even death threats via text, phone and social media. That was followed by national news coverage that left her feeling that the narrative — her narrative — had been taken from her with zero accountability. Suzanne feared for her own and her staff's safety, not to mention the future of the business she'd built for eight years. At one point both her Facebook and Instagram pages were taken down, but someone created a fake one just so people could attack her and her shop.Fortunately, Suzanne also discovered the best in her community, as many — even those from across the aisle — supported Mockingbird Paperie in every sense of the word. She and her husband also made the conscious decision to respond to every last text and letter, no matter its tone, and learned a few things about both themselves and those they formerly considered adversaries. An unlikely friendship even emerged out of it, along with the realization of how much power lies in simply listening, and how much healing can arise from genuine connection.I first wrote about this incident in the Fall 2019 issue of Stationery Trends, but with the passage of the craziest year I can remember, I wanted to check in on Suzanne to see if and how the dust settled, and how Mockingbird Paperie fared through the retail crisis of 2020. Have her feelings on CardGate changed with the passage of time? Suzanne also shares the incident's unexpected benefits — and valuable advice for any business that finds itself in her shoes.**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

If you play any sort of role in stationery, no visit to AmericasMart or Dallas Market Center is complete without a visit to the Daniel Richards showroom there. There you'll find top brands like Rifle Paper Co. alongside quirkier indie ranges like Sapling Press, all irresistibly merchandised to perfection. For small makers, it's a dream come true to be selected for one of Dan Collier's showrooms or to be carried in one of his retail venues, Archer Paper Goods and The Merchant Atlanta.Dan drops by The Paper Fold to share how he's preparing for the Atlanta and Dallas markets scheduled later this month, how his stores are doing, what's trending up at wholesale and retail ... and how some advice he received during the 2008-2009 economic downturn has him working a new hustle!**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Every once in a while, a card maker comes along who strikes a cultural chord at exactly the moment it needs to be struck. If I'm lucky enough to spot the range early on, sitting back and watching the world fall in love with it is truly a wonder to behold. I saw this when Emily McDowell and her magnificent empathy cards came on the scene several years back. And now, although 2020 has completely sucked, it's not a complete wash for me as I've stumbled across Janine Kwoh of Kwohtations.Janine's Welcome to the Grief Club is to the sympathy category what Emily McDowell & Friends is to the thinking of you category. The Brooklyn letterpresser "makes cards as she needs them," and her range has strong themes of inclusion, representation and honesty running through it. Janine's creations help get difficult but necessary conversations started, and in the age of COVID-19, they are more relevant and prescient than ever. Who would have guessed that a card, a sticker, an art print or a care package could help us authentically connect, comfort and validate each other when we are needing it most — but that's the emotion behind every last Kwohtations sale.Janine made her trade show debut this past February in the Emerging Designer section at National Stationery Show/NY NOW, and I could barely introduce myself to her through the ever-present crowd. Now Janine is compiling the world's first illustrated book on grief for adults, with a working title of Welcome to the Grief Club, to be released by Workman Publishing in Fall 2021. Janine sits down with me to share more about her background, her work and how stationery can help us feel a bit more seen, a bit more connected, and a bit less alone.**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Closing a store is incredibly painful, but my guest today, Liz Scott, is here to share that that difficult decision may just be a badge of honor in disguise. Liz was the proud proprietress of the paper & gift shop Lovely Somethings in Bath, Ohio, for several years before closing its doors at the end of 2019. But, her industry story doesn't end there. Freed from a costly lease, she reimagined and reconfigured her business into the Troop Lovely Somethings brand.If there was a course in how to create a lively store brand without an actual store, Liz could teach it. Through her online hub, she still sells many of the same exquisite wares she carried in her store, and she also assembles her divinely curated gift boxes. These are one-offs, not subscriptions — grab yours before they're gone. And, three drop today!Liz calls them two of them Closet Boxes, as in, you are going to need these in your goodie closet — and she also has a bundle of cards culled from some of my favorite makers, paired with posh writing utensils plus stamps for one-stop letter-writing. For me, seeing all these exclusive brands is like taking a stroll through a juried section of one of my favorite gift shows, maybe Atlanta or New York? If you can't actually go to a store, one of these delivered to your doorstep, full of surprises, is the next best thing. Snag yours here.Closing her store's physical doors has also empowered Liz to do something she never would have felt comfortable doing otherwise: opening up about her personal life. In a series of blog posts entitled My Husband Is Black and I Am Not Special, Liz provides a front-row seat, no holds barred, into her interracial marriage.She covers everything from how their families initially responded to the relationship, to getting pulled over by a white police officer late at night in an affluent suburb, to what happened when they put up a Biden sign on their front lawn. It is raw, it is honest, it is powerful, and I hope you take the time to read it. Liz shares its impact on her business, on her community, on her Instagram feed. I think you'll be surprised, so tune in!**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Today's a first for TPF, namely, I'm dropping this episode in conjunction with a product drop — but this is no ordinary product. In fact, it's more of a special project. It's a collaboration, but it's not like the ones where you see one brand with a little x between them and whoever they've partnered with.Like those, it's limited edition, but unlike those, it brings nine different makers from all over the place together to submit stellar card designs that are unified by colorway and format, as well as fun themes like snail mail and friendship. The result is cohesive, distinct and irresistable. Best of all, each greeting card is accompanied by a wee trading card with the design and IG handle of the maker on front, and a line drawing of them and their stats on back! They're baseball cards reimagined for our little world. It's brilliant, it's beguiling and it's spearheaded by Pei of The Paper and Craft Pantry in Austin, Texas, who is my guest today.As amazing as all that is, what I love most about this collaboration is that Pei didn't create “to make a little money” for everyone, she approached every aspect to promote joy — and not just for those who buy it at retail, for those who create it too. There were no pressing deadlines to add stress to already harried souls, instead transparency was stressed throughout. And it was designed so that for the card sender, the act of assembling a set becomes the online stationery scavenger hunt that we didn't know we needed, but we do. This is a celebration of design, of community, of discovery, of connection, and most of all of snail mail, so you know I'm all over it! And while one drops today, it is actually the second edition; that means there is already another out there hiding in the vast internet to hunt down and discover for yourself.Makers featured in 1st edition: @thepapercraftpantry @xouislove @belleandunionco @sketchynotions @allie.biddle @ilootpaperie @lettersbyshells @calliopepaperie @kristaraMakers featured in 2nd edition: @euniandco @littlegoatpaperco @thepapercraftpantry @ajarofpickles_ @watercoloratx @electriceunice @odddaughterco @thepaperwilderness @bloomwolfstudioHappy Hunting!**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

International travel may be off the table for now, but for the first episode of our new season, Jason Arbuckle of J. Falkner swings by America to chat from London! J. Falkner may be the only range I've come across that so closely associates itself with a city: in this case, colorful, sunny Palm Beach.Receiving one of these cards is the card equivalent of catching up with a dear friend over cocktails in some glamorous locale. The brand is really a reflection of Jason himself: he's amazingly dapper, he's witty and well-read, he's entertaining and he's oh-so-much fun to catch up with, as you'll hear.We touch on his brand's Palm Beach origins, finding inspiration in and around London, Jason's fabulous IG feed, the joy of spying on card shoppers, creating new card designs to help people connect during a pandemic, running an international operation during COVID-19, the current mood in London — as well as the silver linings he's found in these crazy times.**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

I often talk about makers who run their businesses with key support or partnerships with relatives, but for Keli Spanier of Colette Paperie, her Mom nurtured her business in a completely different way. While Keli was caring for her Mom as she was battling cancer, Keli saw the cards her Mom was receiving and realized she could do a lot better. Why send a sad card to a sad person? she wondered, and the seeds of Colette Paperie were planted.Later, Keli's inheritance from her Mom enabled her to leave her "soul-sucking" corporate job to establish her "funny and weird" brand. Colette Paperie's mission is to revive snail mail with cards that you simply cannot not send. Tune in to hear Keli spill the tea on her recipe for an effective card, her approach to creating vibrant hand-lettering, and how Donald Trump became unlikely muse and substantial benefactor throughout that administration. You may not ever see a greeting card quite the same again!**Thank You Sponsors**Please shop and support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Earlier this week, NY NOW announced plans to create a single stationery destination within its famed market. This reimagined stationery collection will be part of a re-branded Gift + Stationery section and, as a result, the National Stationery Show brand will be retired. So as that news sinks in, and as we all prepare for an August with no NY NOW, I have the distinct pleasure of hosting a longtime exhibitor, Joni Lewis, the super-creative mind behind Visual Treats Design Studio.Joni not only produces an impressive (and hysterical) array of handmade goods, she is also a fantastic storyteller, having won the Washington DC StorySLAM and then competing against nine other winners in a Moth GrandSLAM on the stage of the Lincoln Theatre. I am so grateful she dropped by share how the show elevated her business from craft show circuit to wholesale operation, how getting acquainted with her booth neighbor led to Joni creating product for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel — and how the show is not over until the last rug is rolled up!**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

We've all had a few stomach-dropping moments these past months — something was cancelled, someone was cancelled, or maybe you got some bad news that left you gasping for breath. For me personally, this happened one morning in late April when I logged onto Facebook to see myself tagged in a friend's post about Crane Stationery closing permanently. Had I been wearing pearls, I would have been clutching them, for Crane is not just an American stationery brand, it is America.Its founder Stephen Crane participated in the Boston Tea Party, so this house of paper had major revolutionary street cred from the start. One early client, Paul Revere, used Crane paper for his engraved banknotes — and those banknotes helped finance the American Revolution. I'm guessing it wasn't long after Crane started printing currency, government proclamations, stocks and bonds, and important documents of every imaginable type from its Dalton, Massachusetts, plant in 1799 that the  Crane name became pretty much become synonymous with the best papers and printing.So closing Crane would have been an enormous loss on more levels than I care to examine. The good news is, that post I was tagged in was bona fide fake news, and Crane is not closed or closing. The more difficult news is that in order to keep it presses printing, a lot of necessary changes have had to be implemented, and we all know that change is never easy!So with that exposition and the understanding that there's a good chance that what you have read recently about Crane was inaccurately reported, I wanted to let Crane take their narrative back, as it is their story after all. So please join me and my very special guest, Bart Robinson, Chief Revenue Officer of Crane Stationery, to learn more about what the present looks like for Crane, as well as its hopes for the future.**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

As you've hopefully heard, there's a huge can't-miss industry event this week, courtesy of the Greeting Card Association. Noted: A Focus on Diversity is Thursday, July 16, and during it, nine Black makers will "pitch" their greeting card line to a pitch panel comprised of top retailers and, hopefully, you. The pitch panel features Vanessa Raptopoulos, Awesome Brooklyn; Chandra Greer, Greer Chicago; Kristina Burkey, Calliope Paperie; and Kyle Williams, Paper Source — as well as any retailer or sales rep wanting to diversify their offerings. During the hour, attendees will virtually get acquainted with these up-and-coming makers and download samples of their work, all for only $10 — half of which is earmarked for a Noted 2021 scholarship for a maker of color.Over these past several days I was lucky enough to interview three of the makers: Tiffany Grimes of Paper Rehab in Michigan, Lauren-Ashley Barnes at Pineapple Sundays Design Studio in Chicago and Andrea Williams at Paisley Paper Co. in Detroit. Each of these talented young women has a dynamic vision that comes through in her offerings. Tiffany started Paper Rehab as a way to increase diversity in greeting cards but her mission morphed into one focusing on strengthening relationships amongst women, specifically African-American women. Lauren-Ashley designs product for a gift company, but her dream of producing stationery crystallized during a visit to Paper Source — who she will be pitching to later this week! And Andrea transmitted her love of classic Blue Note album covers into graphic stationery selections that are completely of our time.All three also shared that paper found them in the midst of other careers, which makes their stationery selections that much more compelling and authentic. I'm guessing it will be nearly impossible to leave that hour uninspired by the current state of stationery, so don't miss out!**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

I can't take credit for the phrase, "Paper peeps are the best peeps," but this check-in with my dear friend Karla Ebrahimi reminded me of its inherent truth. Karla is the face behind Sky of Blue Cards, a Menlo Park, California, house of stationery offering an exquisite array of letterpress cards as well as the magnificent LetterBox subscription box.Watching the increasing intensity with which Karla responded first to the California wildfires in 2018, then COVID-19 starting this past Spring, and now Black Lives Matter, has not only been inspiring, her journey mirrors how stationers (and indeed makers of all stripes) have gotten progressively smarter and more strategic about partnering with charities and devoting a portion of sales (if not ALL sales) to them. This can be especially tricky for white makers wanting to support the Black community while also not wanting to upstage Black voices.Karla's experiences in 2018 with cause-related merchandise led her to carefully consider which three charities she chose for her Reach Out & Write Someone campaign, which extends through the end of the month. 20% of all online sales will benefit World Central Kitchen, Restaurant Workers' Community Foundation and Artist Relief Fund.Then, as Karla puts it, "revolution broke out." Wanting to honor George Floyd and his words, Karla returned to her much-loved medium of painting and did just that: shared his words for us all to experience for ourselves. I find her piece both hard to look at and hard to look away from.But when Karla shared her work in her Instagram feed June 1, just four days after announcing the Reach Out & Write initiative, although her number of followers decreased, the response wasn't entirely negative. Soon Karla realized she was connecting with her audience on a new level.Thus empowered, Karla designed her Black Lives Matter collection of letterpress cards, mugs and stickers (currently in production) — and is donating ALL proceeds to the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, America's premier legal organization fighting for racial justice. That response has also been very positive so far, she told me."I have been getting DMs and texts asking to pre-order items, as well as interest in purchasing stickers or mugs in bulk for sports teams and other groups. This makes me feel so good — spreading the word about this important movement," she observed. "To me (it) dwarfs the people who were offended enough to unfollow me."Thank you Karla for joining me in The Paper Fold for such a candid chat about such a sensitive subject— and helping set the stage for the conversations that need to occur in every last corner of American life.**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

You may know George White as president and COO of Up With Paper and UWP Luxe — these are fantastic, award-winning houses of pop-up cards renowned for their complex engineering and beautiful rendered artwork. But I invited George here because he's also president of The Greeting Card Association (GCA), and to say that organization has had a crazy year is a huge understatement.The GCA was to hold the second edition of Noted: the greeting card expo in San Francisco on May 1; the event was to encompass the LOUIE Awards, which recognizes stellar design in greeting cards, as well as the Noted @ *Noted Product Awards, which I actually sponsored under The Paper Chronicles banner.As you can imagine, COVID-19 threw a wrench in all those plans … and I had a front-row seat to see how everything was reconfigured. Now, getting anything done by committee can be super-difficult, and I was in awe of how George kept everyone on task and in agreement, and pulled off an amazing virtual event. Which is great, because that's not going to be the only virtual event on the GCA's plate in 2020.First off,  The LOUIE Virtual Awards, sponsored by the Atlanta Market, are July 30. It was a big accomplishment to put this together — and I'm sure the 2020 finalists who have been waiting since May can't wait to hear the results! Through Noted: A Focus on Diversity, held Thursday, July 16 at 2 pm EST, Black makers had the chance to "pitch" their greeting card line to a panel of top retailers, sales reps and or international distributors — plus a large group of retailers online. This pitch panel features Vanessa Raptopoulos, Awesome Brooklyn; Chandra Greer, Greer Chicago; Kristina Burkey, Calliope Paperie; and Kyle Williams, Paper Source.George also shares how we can all, regardless of role, help #savethepostoffice — and how doing so is anything but a partisan act.**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Watching makers successfully navigate their small brands first through a pandemic, and then civil unrest, has been unexpectedly heartening. While huge names in retail are closing their doors forever, small brands are emerging, if not unscathed, then at least relatively intact. And few have been more inspiring to me to witness in real time than Shayna Norwood of Steel Petal Press.Those entering its Logan Square doors in Chicago don't realize, but Steel Petal Press was born in 2008 as a side project for Shayna, who started letterpressing greeting cards for friends. That grew into wholesale business, and that became the retail space in 2016. When I last saw Shayna at NY NOW and National Stationery Show in early February, all was well in her world: She had a booth of her wholesale range that seemed busy every time I walked by, and also I saw her walking the show shopping for her shop as well.When coronavirus hit, Shayna kept her doors open as long as she could, then once she had to close to the public, she was still shipping orders or delivering them curbside. Shayna finally reopened June 4 — just in time for some of the biggest civil unrest this country, including Chicago, has seen in decades.If that's not enough to grapple with, Shayna recently started sharing her struggles with anxiety with her community, mostly on her Instagram feed, in a very open, brave way. At the winter markets she released a series of mental health tracker notepads — great timing, I've got to say — but I am really curious as to how she is doing personally with all this as well.**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Please welcome Robert Maricich, CEO of International Market Centers (IMC). Bob, as he prefers, is widely recognized as one of the home furnishings industry's most Innovative leaders — he founded and built IMC into an exhibition space powerhouse with more than 20 million square feet of world-class B2B exhibition space. Its campuses include both AmericasMart Atlanta and World Market Center Las Vegas, markets vital to the stationery and gift industries.When coronavirus halted everything, IMC surveyed 180,000 retailers to gage their needs. With guidance from health and elected officials as well as a top epidemiologist, IMC opened the AmericasMart campus June 8, and the World Market Center Las Vegas June 15. Everything is governed by IMC's Together Safely Master Plan, which details procedures for registration, sanitization, temperature monitoring, traffic and occupancy control, seminars, masks, etc. This is a four-phase reopening, however, and the plan is a living document, meaning it may change in our current fluid, unknowable climate.Understandably, it'll be a new market experience, and while IMC has been incredibly transparent throughout the process, it's a lot to process, so Bob's perspective is most helpful.**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

I am in just in awe of all Ryan and Juliana Kissick of San Francisco's Good Juju Ink have done since going into quarantine in San Francisco with their 1-year-old daughter. First, in mid-March, as the world seemed to be falling apart, Ryan helped countless other small business owners by creating an amazingly concise, invaluable guide for navigating these times, hereafter to only be referred to as The Document. It's been viewed 1000s of times around the world across many industries. All via word-of-mouth and completely free — the best kind of viral!Then, Juju helped launch 18 Million Thanks. That's how many health care workers there are in the US — and that's how many thank-yous this collective of 13+ women-owned businesses are aiming to send them!https://www.goodjujuink.com/https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pZJughwutgU33m4XdpyUTzQcO0vWtFSGlhZ5EvGLoxA/edithttps://18millionthanks.com/**Thank You Sponsors**Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Stationery businesses are uniquely suited to the family operation. Over the years, I've become acquainted with brands comprised of mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, several generations, and, in the case of ilootpaperie, sisters. The lovely & talented design duo that is Alice and Doris Lieu launched their pun-a-rific brand in 2010, and these days you'll find this sister act living together and running their biz from their Pasadena, California, home studio, with key support provided by canine muse Sparky.Workman Publishing will release Sisters: Better Together on July 20, and I can't think of a better team to conceptualize, research and illustrate this gift book on sisterhood than an actual sister set who finishes each other's sentences (as you'll hear Alice and Doris do repeatedly).The first-time authors dropped into The Paper Fold to discuss this "dream project we didn't know we wanted" and open up about the process of bringing a book to life during a pandemic — and how they transferred the illusory magic of sisterhood to the printed page. You see, on the surface, this is a fantastic, freewheeling journey celebrating sisters through time and space, but once you really take it all in, you'll never look at sisters, especially your sister, quite the same way again.**Thank You Sponsors**Please shop and support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

I often talk about makers who run their businesses with key support or partnerships with relatives, but for Keli Spanier of Colette Paperie, her Mom nurtured her business in a completely different way. While Keli was caring for her Mom as she was battling cancer, Keli saw the cards her Mom was receiving and realized she could do a lot better. Why send a sad card to a sad person? she wondered, and the seeds of Colette Paperie were planted. Later, Keli's inheritance from her Mom enabled her to leave her "soul-sucking" corporate job to establish her "funny and weird" brand. Colette Paperie's mission is to revive snail mail with cards that you simply cannot not send. Tune in to hear Keli spill the tea on her recipe for an effective card, her approach to creating hand-lettering to amplify messaging, and how her Donald Trump offerings, while dark, buoyed her brand throughout that administration. You may not ever see a greeting card quite the same again! **Thank You Sponsors** Please shop and support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Stationery businesses are uniquely suited to the family operation. Over the years, I've become acquainted with brands comprised of mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, several generations, and, in the case of ilootpaperie, sisters. The lovely & talented design duo that is Alice and Doris Lieu launched their pun-a-rific brand in 2010, and these days you'll find this sister act living together and running their biz from their Pasadena, California, home studio, with key support provided by canine muse Sparky. Workman Publishing will release Sisters: Better Together on July 20, and I can't think of a better team to conceptualize, research and illustrate this gift book on sisterhood than an actual sister set who finishes each other's sentences (as you'll hear Alice and Doris do repeatedly). The first-time authors dropped into The Paper Fold to discuss this "dream project we didn't know we wanted" and open up about the process of bringing a book to life during a pandemic — and how they transferred the illusory magic of sisterhood to the printed page. You see, on the surface, this is a fantastic, freewheeling journey celebrating sisters through time and space, but once you really take it all in, you'll never look at sisters, especially your sister, quite the same way again. **Thank You Sponsors** Please shop and support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

If you think you know stationery, stand the F back, because my guest today will turn all that on its ear. Victoria Venturi has been raising eyebrows since 2014, when Paper Epiphanies was born in 30 square feet of her LA apartment. At that time, people were shocked to see swear words exquisitely letterpressed onto greeting cards — but over time it became crystal clear that this publicist and aspiring comedienne innately understands the dynamic space where vulnerability, authenticity and humor simultaneously reside. That is the heart of this range's feminist fire. By January 2020, Paper Epiphanies was in over 2000 stores across the country, an indie success story by any measure. Victoria had been featured on NPR and Forbes, and as you'll hear, I'm still talking and thinking about the Keynote Address she gave at a Greeting Card Association Retreat. Understanding her insights into how Millennials approach cards differently than previous generations is essential for anyone in the trade. Despite her industry acumen, by April 2020, more than 95% of those 2,000 retailers had closed, and Victoria's accounts receivable was in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Yet, a spike in direct to consumer orders showed that her cards were still in demand. So on April Fool's Day, not too long after delivering her son, Victoria ignored all conventional retail wisdom and opened a flagship store. The #coolestcardshopintheworld has already won a Noted @ *Noted award for its neon-framed card wall, and features mostly female-owned brands. In this chic destination, empowerment rules the day as customers can find cards to connect with friends, books for mindful insights, and even vibrators — though this hot pink and black neon emporium is most definitely not a porn store. With this dynamic approach, it's no wonder "people are losing their shit" over this cutting-edge house of stationery — not to mention Victoria herself! **Thank You Sponsors** Please shop and support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Chances are, you are already smitten with Molly Hatch's work, you may just not know it. Over the past decade or so, the charming wares of this prolific potter have graced over 500 home and gift items created exclusively for Anthropologie. As a result, her distinctive brand — defined by the tagline 'modern heirlooms with everyday charm' —has received star billing on an exquisite retail stage most makers only dream of. But for Molly, the daughter of a organic dairy farmer and a painter, that big break could not have arrived at a better time, as at that point, her family was struggling to stay financially afloat. Over time, Molly's relationship with the major retailer not only helped her own voice evolve, she helped Anthropologie systemize its artist collaborations. Meanwhile, thanks to carefully considered licensing partnerships, the Molly Hatch range has expanded to include everything from paper party goods to planters, kitchen textiles to tea accessories and even a tea-themed gift book. When coronavirus came on the scene and halted international shipping, Molly charmed her audience with free printables to offset her extensive stationery wares. But the brand enters an entirely new realm with the release of Molly Hatch for Joanie clothing. Much of this collection is made from sustainable and organic cotton fabrics, and each piece is as irresistible as the home goods that first put Molly on the map. In this episode, Molly shares each inspiring step of her design journey with candor to help pioneer other makers in her mighty wake. **Thank You Sponsors** Please shop and support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

So, you've created an amazing product, but if you've ever wrestled with how to style it, you should have a quick word with my guest today. Erika Firm describes herself as an "artist, surface designer, graphic designer, brand builder, magazine hoarder, kitty squisher, wife, and mother," but that doesn't begin to scratch the broad scope of her experience and expertise. Erika's stationery range, Delphine, differentiated itself from the many other letterpressers at the time by approaching paper as not just a surface, but a distinctive design element in its own right. Since closing Delphine's doors, Erika's talent for delving deeply into the analog world of paint, pen, ink, and paper — as well as the wondrous results she reaps — have been much in demand. Her client list reads like a who's who of the gift and stationery industries, and includes American Greetings, Anthropologie, Cardstore, HP Smiles, Ink, Keka, Knithouse, Maison Belle, Minted, Postable, Revel & Co., Revel Paper, Simply to Impress, Snapfish, Society6, Tiny Prints, Wedding Paper Divas, and Zazzle, among many others. Erika's artful eye for presentation is legendary; when she sends me images, the question is never, "Will there be something I can use?" but rather, "How will I ever pick a favorite?" The design wonders that are generated from her four-generation home in Charleston, South Carolina — Erika resides with not just her husband and son, but mother and grandmother as well — are not just a testament to her talent, but the true potential of paper. **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Succeeding as a small stationery maker is not easy, but over the last eleven years or so, Lindsay Henry has definitely made it appear that way! She founded Inklings Paperie with the understanding that the bests moments in life happen offscreen, and her tactile, tangible keepsakes surprise and delight as they celebrate life with those we cherish. As such, you never know what unexpected element will appear on her cards: scratch-offs, secret decoders, confetti and even flowers that make opening every last envelope truly a memorable experience. Thanks to this very vibrant approach to every aspect of her business, she has collaborated with heavy corporate hitters Starbucks and Anthropologie and been featured on Buzzfeed — yet she still reads her reviews on every Etsy sale to ensure every last customer is satisfied. With kindness and wisdom, Lindsay shares how she navigates both difficult shoppers and design copycats with ease. It's not hard to see why this Michigan maker, with her seemingly unfailingly sunny disposition, is one of my favorite paper peeps. As a boss, as a founder, as a Mom, Lindsay built Inklings Paperie around her own value set and as such, ensures that every last customer, fellow maker and industry partner she comes in contact with knows that they truly matter. **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Creatives have traditionally been told to avoid working with animals and children, but apparently family photographer Sarah Sloboda never heard that! For over 25 years, she has been capturing moments and relationships and distilling them into photographs for posterity. Mary Ellen Mark described her work as "very joyous," but what goes into preserving these moments in film, and then distilling them into stationery? Sarah discusses everything from what makes one photograph more compelling or memorable than another (hint: there's no emotion filter), how to go deeper to make the everyday epic, plus the services Heirloom General Store provides. Who wouldn't want an expert eye to review every photograph you took during your baby's first year or on vacation, pick the top 25 images, and finesse them to look their best? Plus we delve into the mixed blessings of the pandemic, finding creative solutions to COVID-related challenges, the special meaning of photographs and photocards created during these times — and regarding photocards as printed (and permanent) Instagram posts. **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Lucia Saisse of Lucy Loves Paper is living the stationery version of the American dream. The Rio do Janeiro native opened her Etsy shop in 2013 after her corporate graphic design job went South. Lucia's first personalized offering was wedding invitations bearing the couple's faces, but it was her charming custom portraits that distinguished her talent for capturing likenesses on the sprawling site. This past holiday season, Etsy featured Lucy Loves Paper in its own commercials and emails, and it was a "gamechanger" for the character-driven brand. Now the lady who never forgets a face swings by The Paper Fold to open up about the sometimes tricky process of putting personalities to paper as well as her plans for her wholesale range. **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

A brand doesn't always evolve in a straight line. Just ask Emma James and Bailey Rivera, co-founders of Antiquaria. Over the last decade or so, these two stationery It Girls have maneuvered their brand down a path that from the outside may have appeared somewhat circuitous — but each step was as carefully considered as the charming calligraphy curlicues that are a signature of this exquisite range. Thus the Antiquaria story includes chapters during which the duo generated a fantastic vintage housewares registry as well as luxurious wedding invitations — and this may be the first maker I've encountered whose warehouse and shipping spaces once consisted solely of storage units! These days, Emma and Bailey reside in different states, but maintain a light-filled Mercantile retail space in Littleton, Colorado. Lately it's been doubling as a studio for their YouTube videos, which for the time being have replaced their in-person workshops. Listen in as this uber-talented design duo talk collaboration, creative process, differentiation, minimalist shop design, and building their craft community online. Theirs is a wealth of knowledge and inspiration that you don't want to miss! **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Stationery is filled with makers who have taken a risk and started their own brands. Catherine Hildner launched Kitty Meow Boutique with the idea that every glam offering she puts out into the world, be it card, coaster or pencil, should make others feel special. Divided into witty and sweet offerings, the look is posh and the vibe is smart in every sense of the word. Unlike most makers, Catherine also sees her brand as a catalyst to help others take similar risks. Catherine offers various mentorship programs, but she didn't stop there. She also started a podcast, Dreams to Plans, with her co-host Renee, to empower other entrepreneurs to bring their own visions to life. It's designed to help small, creative business owners find new perspective and insight, and between the two of them, they have packed so much practical, down-to-earth knowledge into this project. Game plans, core values, customer avatars, picking your platforms — these complicated processes are broken down to be intimidating no more! Catherine is an energetic dynamo of wisdom, making her the perfect guest for the last TPF episode of the season as well as 2020. We cover everything from avoiding the comparison trap to incorporating your personality into whatever you are putting out there. You'll leave feeling inspired and empowered to conquer every last challenge awaiting us in 2021! **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

If you create any conceivable item using paper, and are not yet taking advantage of Parse & Parcel, you're not accessing the "super power of print design." For years now, Jill DiNicolantonio has worked with clients to elevate creations from acceptable to awesome at Millcraft, a paper merchant not unlike Dunder Mifflin — except instead of being in Scranton, it's in Cleveland. Drawing on those experiences, she's distilled her expertise into several exquisite tools to serve as design wing men on one's desk throughout the ultra-important paper selection process. Jill defines The Parcel as a physical manifestation of a paper rep. Each limited-run collection holds exclusive mill pieces, print samples and real-life projects, produced on real-life budgets, to inspire you with the cutting-edge possibilities of paper. Meanwhile, The Swatchbox is a beautifully presented, complete collection of paper mill swatch books. These neatly organized little black boxes of knowledge serve as visually rich springboards and references for any project. Jill supplements these with services from mock-ups to one-on-one consulting, all envisioned with the idea that regardless of what you print, if you are going to print, you should make it matter. She also offer tutorials and resources to hone your own super print powers. Jill is also the first person I am personally acquainted with to contract COVID-19, and actually contracted the virus very early on, last Spring. She candidly shares her experiences, including why she has chosen to regard this global pandemic as a blessing. You do not want to miss this catch-up with one of my favorite (local) Paper Peeps! **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

If you're anything like me, most of your visual stimulation these days is limited to your house, your neighborhood and whatever it is you're looking at on various screens. Hopefully Instagram figures in there somewhere, but if you are not following @amy.atnynow, the riveting feed of my guest today, Amy Loewenberg, Relations & Partnership Development Manager for NY NOW, you are not doing that platform correctly! You never know what fantastic shop in and around New York City and its environs that Amy will be featuring. It is dynamic, and it's filled with wonder and surprises, just like shopping in The Before Times! This visually rich, exciting travelogue is the next best thing to experiencing the city yourself. Amy, who also generates webinars and podcasts for NY NOW, visits The Paper Fold to talk not just NYC retail, but NY NOW Digital Market, plus plans for the physical NY NOW Market slated to return to Javits Center in August 2021. This highly anticipated event marks the physical debut of the market's reimagined Gift + Stationery section — and I know I am not the only one who can't wait to experience this highly curated, target destination for myself! This episode finds me switching up the format a bit. I have a few questions for Amy, then she interviews me (!), and then we have some exciting news to share. Tune in to be one of the first in the know! **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

For every Mary Engelbreit or Anna Bond, there are hundreds of smaller makers who are not only sustaining themselves by staying small, but wearing it as a badge of honor — no household name required. Joanna Alberti of PhiloSophie's got a huge boost early in her career, in 2005, when she was named one of Business Week's Top Five Entrepreneurs Under 25. That same year, she and her cards literally put themselves on the industry map with their catwalk debut at the LOUIE Awards gala, held at Manhattan's Chelsea Piers during what was, as far as I know, the only GCA-sponsored card fashion show to date. Buoyed by that promising start, Joanna has built her brand into a thriving business that "creates joy for others as well as myself." Over the years PhiloSophie's has released an impressive slew of custom creations, corporate collabs, and licensed gift offerings, all administered from Joanna's cozy studio/shop in Spencerport, New York. PhiloSophie's is populated by Joanna's very versatile spirit cartoon animal Sophie, who is much more than an icon ready to be personalized. Sophie owes her success to the fact that Joanna shaped her from the start into a vehicle for the upbeat, uplifting story Joanna wants to tell the world. Joanna shares how Sophie has consistently dispensed "aspirational positivity" — like the wisdom of not taking yourself too seriously, or the perils of bowing to your ego. Joanna describes how she has pivoted due to COVID-19 — and how spreading joy can be not just an act of resilience, but resistance as well. Find PhiloSophie's: W: www.celebratewithsophies.com IG: @shopsophies **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Most retailers have had a difficult 2020, but for Suzanne Loesch, owner of Mockingbird Paperie in Ithaca, New York, her summer of 2019 featured a terrifying, headline-grabbing troll attack that plunged her life and business into a waking nightmare. It all began when a customer took a photograph of a few of Suzanne's greeting card offerings, a series of Sapling Press letterpress cards designed to play on political humor. The customer posted the image along with her store's information on a Pro-Trump Facebook page with 30,000 followers alongside with the admonition to "have at it." The nightmare unfolded as Suzanne dealt with a dizzying, constant series of demeaning insults and even death threats via text, phone and social media. That was followed by national news coverage that left her feeling that the narrative — her narrative — had been taken from her with zero accountability. Suzanne feared for her own and her staff's safety, not to mention the future of the business she'd built for eight years. At one point both her Facebook and Instagram pages were taken down, but someone created a fake one just so people could attack her and her shop. Fortunately, Suzanne also discovered the best in her community, as many — even those from across the aisle — supported Mockingbird Paperie in every sense of the word. She and her husband also made the conscious decision to respond to every last text and letter, no matter its tone, and learned a few things about both themselves and those they formerly considered adversaries. An unlikely friendship even emerged out of it, along with the realization of how much power lies in simply listening, and how much healing can arise from genuine connection. I first wrote about this incident in the Fall 2019 issue of Stationery Trends, but with the passage of the craziest year I can remember, I wanted to check in on Suzanne to see if and how the dust settled, and how Mockingbird Paperie fared through the retail crisis of 2020. Have her feelings on CardGate changed with the passage of time? Suzanne also shares the incident's unexpected benefits — and valuable advice for any business that finds itself in her shoes. **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

While you may not immediately recognize the name of my guest today — Leslie Moak Murray — you've likely laughed at her cartoons. Leslie is the creator of Murray's Law, and over the past several decades, her award-winning and prolific body of work has appeared on cards, napkins, note pads, paper plates, newspapers, books — really, anywhere cartoons and jokes can be placed. Leslie's zany humor has repeatedly struck our cultural funny bone in precisely the right spot, as evidenced by the rather impressive 23 LOUIE awards she's won since first getting into the business in to late 1980s. In the course of her career, Leslie went from running her own company, to licensing and even syndicating her work, to finding a new audience on Instagram. Meanwhile her work can be purchased on various products at Leanin' Tree, Cardmore, Current and even Fabrics.com. Chances are, if the item in question is printed or can be printed on, Leslie has seen and done it. In this episode, she recounts everything from shrink-wrapping early card orders in Saran wrap, to the love letters and hate mail she's received over the years, to her realization that protecting her work in our digital age is nearly impossible. Her insights into how she has consistently churned out humor for decades and whether she writes the copy or draws the image first are not to be missed! Big thanks to The Paper Fold's fabulous sponsors. We are thrilled to partner with and promote these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range and see how your stationery can slay! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet!

Every once in a while, a card maker comes along who strikes a cultural chord at exactly the moment it needs to be struck. If I'm lucky enough to spot the range early on, sitting back and watching the world fall in love with it is truly a wonder to behold. I saw this when Emily McDowell and her magnificent empathy cards came on the scene several years back. And now, although 2020 has completely sucked, it's not a complete wash for me as I've stumbled across Janine Kwoh of Kwohtations. Janine's Welcome to the Grief Club is to the sympathy category what Emily McDowell & Friends is to the thinking of you category. The Brooklyn letterpresser "makes cards as she needs them," and her range has strong themes of inclusion, representation and honesty running through it. Janine's creations help get difficult but necessary conversations started, and in the age of COVID-19, they are more relevant and prescient than ever. Who would have guessed that a card, a sticker, an art print or a care package could help us authentically connect, comfort and validate each other when we are needing it most — but that's the emotion behind every last Kwohtations sale. Janine made her trade show debut this past February in the Emerging Designer section at National Stationery Show/NY NOW, and I could barely introduce myself to her through the ever-present crowd. Now Janine is compiling the world's first illustrated book on grief for adults, with a working title of Welcome to the Grief Club, to be released by Workman Publishing in Fall 2021. Janine sits down with me to share more about her background, her work and how stationery can help us feel a bit more seen, a bit more connected, and a bit less alone. **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Closing a store is incredibly painful, but my guest today, Liz Scott, is here to share that that difficult decision may just be a badge of honor in disguise. Liz was the proud proprietress of the paper & gift shop Lovely Somethings in Bath, Ohio, for several years before closing its doors at the end of 2019. But, her industry story doesn't end there. Freed from a costly lease, she reimagined and reconfigured her business into the Troop Lovely Somethings brand. If there was a course in how to create a lively store brand without an actual store, Liz could teach it. Through her online hub, she still sells many of the same exquisite wares she carried in her store, and she also assembles her divinely curated gift boxes. These are one-offs, not subscriptions — grab yours before they're gone. And, three drop today! Liz calls them two of them Closet Boxes, as in, you are going to need these in your goodie closet — and she also has a bundle of cards culled from some of my favorite makers, paired with posh writing utensils plus stamps for one-stop letter-writing. For me, seeing all these exclusive brands is like taking a stroll through a juried section of one of my favorite gift shows, maybe Atlanta or New York? If you can't actually go to a store, one of these delivered to your doorstep, full of surprises, is the next best thing. Snag yours here. Closing her store's physical doors has also empowered Liz to do something she never would have felt comfortable doing otherwise: opening up about her personal life. In a series of blog posts entitled My Husband Is Black and I Am Not Special, Liz provides a front-row seat, no holds barred, into her interracial marriage. She covers everything from how their families initially responded to the relationship, to getting pulled over by a white police officer late at night in an affluent suburb, to what happened when they put up a Biden sign on their front lawn. It is raw, it is honest, it is powerful, and I hope you take the time to read it. Liz shares its impact on her business, on her community, on her Instagram feed. I think you’ll be surprised, so tune in! **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Today's a first for TPF, namely, I’m dropping this episode in conjunction with a product drop — but this is no ordinary product. In fact, it’s more of a special project. It’s a collaboration, but it’s not like the ones where you see one brand with a little x between them and whoever they’ve partnered with. Like those, it’s limited edition, but unlike those, it brings nine different makers from all over the place together to submit stellar card designs that are unified by colorway and format, as well as fun themes like snail mail and friendship. The result is cohesive, distinct and irresistable. Best of all, each greeting card is accompanied by a wee trading card with the design and IG handle of the maker on front, and a line drawing of them and their stats on back! They’re baseball cards reimagined for our little world. It’s brilliant, it's beguiling and it’s spearheaded by Pei of The Paper and Craft Pantry in Austin, Texas, who is my guest today. As amazing as all that is, what I love most about this collaboration is that Pei didn’t create “to make a little money” for everyone, she approached every aspect to promote joy — and not just for those who buy it at retail, for those who create it too. There were no pressing deadlines to add stress to already harried souls, instead transparency was stressed throughout. And it was designed so that for the card sender, the act of assembling a set becomes the online stationery scavenger hunt that we didn’t know we needed, but we do. This is a celebration of design, of community, of discovery, of connection, and most of all of snail mail, so you know I’m all over it! And while one drops today, it is actually the second edition; that means there is already another out there hiding in the vast internet to hunt down and discover for yourself. Makers featured in 1st edition: @thepapercraftpantry @xouislove @belleandunionco @sketchynotions @allie.biddle @ilootpaperie @lettersbyshells @calliopepaperie @kristara Makers featured in 2nd edition: @euniandco @littlegoatpaperco @thepapercraftpantry @ajarofpickles_ @watercoloratx @electriceunice @odddaughterco @thepaperwilderness @bloomwolfstudio Happy Hunting! **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

International travel may be off the table for now, but for the first episode of our new season, Jason Arbuckle of J. Falkner swings by America to chat from London! J. Falkner may be the only range I've come across that so closely associates itself with a city: in this case, colorful, sunny Palm Beach. Receiving one of these cards is the card equivalent of catching up with a dear friend over cocktails in some glamorous locale. The brand is really a reflection of Jason himself: he's amazingly dapper, he's witty and well-read, he's entertaining and he's oh-so-much fun to catch up with, as you'll hear. We touch on his brand's Palm Beach origins, finding inspiration in and around London, Jason's fabulous IG feed, the joy of spying on card shoppers, creating new card designs to help people connect during a pandemic, running an international operation during COVID-19, the current mood in London — as well as the silver linings he's found in these crazy times. **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Ep. 1: Hey girl, hey! Cat and Renee here, and we are so excited to bring to you the very first episode of the Dreams to Plans Podcast. Who’s Renee you ask? Renee Dick of My Girlfriend Renee is the badass owner of The Boss Babe Shirt Club - A monthly shirt subscription and online community that provides tools, resources and tips for women business owners aka Boss Babes! What about this Cat, lady? Catherine Hildner is the designer and creator of  Kitty Meow Boutique - an online boutique paper, party, and gift items where you can shop based on your mood: witty or sweet, available retails & wholesale. In this episode we are digging deep into the beginning of our entrepreneurial journeys and sharing why we’re so passionate to bring you the Dreams to Plans Podcast.  We’ll be sharing how we got started in our businesses, what the beginning stages looked like compared to current day, how we randomly met, our hopes, dreams, FEARS, and why we both have a passion to share what they know to help empower women with the Dreams to Plans Podcast. Every Tuesday, we’ll be breaking down those big lofty dreams you have in your business, help you get over your hesitations, and then send you home with homework and actionable steps to get moving on growing your small, creative business. www.dreamstoplanspodcast.com www.instagram.com/dreamstoplanspodcast www.facebook.com/groups/dreamstoplanspodcast www.mygirlfriendrenee.com www.kittymeowboutique.com

National Stationery Show (NSS) first opened its doors in 1945, and although we didn’t know at the time, its February 2020 edition was its final run. On July 27, Emerald announced that the National Stationery Show brand was being retired, and my social media feeds were almost instantaneously filled with fond reminiscences and, let’s be honest, no small amount of angst. Undoubtedly, we are all dealing with cancellations and disappointments on several levels, but this one really hurt. I myself attended almost every year since 1998, and have so many great memories of dazzling discoveries, talented individuals who became dear friends — not to mention all those magnificent parties! It's impossible to not be at least a little sad. But while I'm bummed, I'm far more excited about NY NOW’s plans to create one single stationery destination in its market — because, let’s be honest, a lot has changed since 1945. And having this reimagining occur in 2020 is actually quite beneficial. Stationery is being rediscovered in a big way during this pandemic, and it plays an increasingly important role within more traditional gift lines than in the past. This is all being spurred by the consumer, who is feeling isolated and sending letters, journaling, working at home and appreciating the post office with new eyes — all of which benefits stationery. In our transformed world, the category demands a fresh approach too. But rather than me waxing eloquent on the category and how to best serve all of us who love it, today I have Tim Hart, senior vice president, retail group, in The Paper Fold to share more about the challenges Emerald has been facing, how they are reimagining the stationery and gift categories —and what a visit to NY NOW in 2021 will look like. **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

If you play any sort of role in stationery, no visit to AmericasMart or Dallas Market Center is complete without a visit to the Daniel Richards showroom there. There you'll find top brands like Rifle Paper Co. alongside quirkier indie ranges like Sapling Press, all irresistibly merchandised to perfection. For small makers, it's a dream come true to be selected for one of Dan Collier's showrooms or to be carried in one of his retail venues, Archer Paper Goods and The Merchant Atlanta. Dan drops by The Paper Fold to share how he's preparing for the Atlanta and Dallas markets scheduled later this month, how his stores are doing, what's trending up at wholesale and retail ... and how some advice he received during the 2008-2009 economic downturn has him working a new hustle! **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Earlier this week, NY NOW announced plans to create a single stationery destination within its famed market. This reimagined stationery collection will be part of a re-branded Gift + Stationery section and, as a result, the National Stationery Show brand will be retired. So as that news sinks in, and as we all prepare for an August with no NY NOW, I have the distinct pleasure of hosting a longtime exhibitor, Joni Lewis, the super-creative mind behind Visual Treats Design Studio. Joni not only produces an impressive (and hysterical) array of handmade goods, she is also a fantastic storyteller, having won the Washington DC StorySLAM and then competing against nine other winners in a Moth GrandSLAM on the stage of the Lincoln Theatre. I am so grateful she dropped by share how the show elevated her business from craft show circuit to wholesale operation, how getting acquainted with her booth neighbor led to Joni creating product for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel — and how the show is not over until the last rug is rolled up! **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

We've all had a few stomach-dropping moments these past months — something was cancelled, someone was cancelled, or maybe you got some bad news that left you gasping for breath. For me personally, this happened one morning in late April when I logged onto Facebook to see myself tagged in a friend’s post about Crane Stationery closing permanently. Had I been wearing pearls, I would have been clutching them, for Crane is not just an American stationery brand, it is America. Its founder Stephen Crane participated in the Boston Tea Party, so this house of paper had major revolutionary street cred from the start. One early client, Paul Revere, used Crane paper for his engraved banknotes — and those banknotes helped finance the American Revolution. I'm guessing it wasn't long after Crane started printing currency, government proclamations, stocks and bonds, and important documents of every imaginable type from its Dalton, Massachusetts, plant in 1799 that the Crane name became pretty much become synonymous with the best papers and printing. So closing Crane would have been an enormous loss on more levels than I care to examine. The good news is, that post I was tagged in was bona fide fake news, and Crane is not closed or closing. The more difficult news is that in order to keep it presses printing, a lot of necessary changes have had to be implemented, and we all know that change is never easy! So with that exposition and the understanding that there's a good chance that what you have read recently about Crane was inaccurately reported, I wanted to let Crane take their narrative back, as it is their story after all. So please join me and my very special guest, Bart Robinson, Chief Revenue Officer of Crane Stationery, to learn more about what the present looks like for Crane, as well as its hopes for the future. **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

As you've hopefully heard, there’s a huge can’t-miss industry event this week, courtesy of the Greeting Card Association. Noted: A Focus on Diversity is Thursday, July 16, and during it, nine Black makers will "pitch" their greeting card line to a pitch panel comprised of top retailers and, hopefully, you. The pitch panel features Vanessa Raptopoulos, Awesome Brooklyn; Chandra Greer, Greer Chicago; Kristina Burkey, Calliope Paperie; and Kyle Williams, Paper Source — as well as any retailer or sales rep wanting to diversify their offerings. During the hour, attendees will virtually get acquainted with these up-and-coming makers and download samples of their work, all for only $10 — half of which is earmarked for a Noted 2021 scholarship for a maker of color. Over these past several days I was lucky enough to interview three of the makers: Tiffany Grimes of Paper Rehab in Michigan, Lauren-Ashley Barnes at Pineapple Sundays Design Studio in Chicago and Andrea Williams at Paisley Paper Co. in Detroit. Each of these talented young women has a dynamic vision that comes through in her offerings. Tiffany started Paper Rehab as a way to increase diversity in greeting cards but her mission morphed into one focusing on strengthening relationships amongst women, specifically African-American women. Lauren-Ashley designs product for a gift company, but her dream of producing stationery crystallized during a visit to Paper Source — who she will be pitching to later this week! And Andrea transmitted her love of classic Blue Note album covers into graphic stationery selections that are completely of our time. All three also shared that paper found them in the midst of other careers, which makes their stationery selections that much more compelling and authentic. I'm guessing it will be nearly impossible to leave that hour uninspired by the current state of stationery, so don't miss out! **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

I can't take credit for the phrase, "Paper peeps are the best peeps," but this check-in with my dear friend Karla Ebrahimi reminded me of its inherent truth. Karla is the face behind Sky of Blue Cards, a Menlo Park, California, house of stationery offering an exquisite array of letterpress cards as well as the magnificent LetterBox subscription box. Watching the increasing intensity with which Karla responded first to the California wildfires in 2018, then COVID-19 starting this past Spring, and now Black Lives Matter, has not only been inspiring, her journey mirrors how stationers (and indeed makers of all stripes) have gotten progressively smarter and more strategic about partnering with charities and devoting a portion of sales (if not ALL sales) to them. This can be especially tricky for white makers wanting to support the Black community while also not wanting to upstage Black voices. Karla's experiences in 2018 with cause-related merchandise led her to carefully consider which three charities she chose for her Reach Out & Write Someone campaign, which extends through the end of the month. 20% of all online sales will benefit World Central Kitchen, Restaurant Workers' Community Foundation and Artist Relief Fund. Then, as Karla puts it, "revolution broke out." Wanting to honor George Floyd and his words, Karla returned to her much-loved medium of painting and did just that: shared his words for us all to experience for ourselves. I find her piece both hard to look at and hard to look away from. But when Karla shared her work in her Instagram feed June 1, just four days after announcing the Reach Out & Write initiative, although her number of followers decreased, the response wasn't entirely negative. Soon Karla realized she was connecting with her audience on a new level. Thus empowered, Karla designed her Black Lives Matter collection of letterpress cards, mugs and stickers (currently in production) — and is donating ALL proceeds to the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, America’s premier legal organization fighting for racial justice. That response has also been very positive so far, she told me. "I have been getting DMs and texts asking to pre-order items, as well as interest in purchasing stickers or mugs in bulk for sports teams and other groups. This makes me feel so good — spreading the word about this important movement," she observed. "To me (it) dwarfs the people who were offended enough to unfollow me." Thank you Karla for joining me in The Paper Fold for such a candid chat about such a sensitive subject— and helping set the stage for the conversations that need to occur in every last corner of American life. **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

You may know George White as president and COO of Up With Paper and UWP Luxe — these are fantastic, award-winning houses of pop-up cards renowned for their complex engineering and beautiful rendered artwork. But I invited George here because he's also president of The Greeting Card Association (GCA), and to say that organization has had a crazy year is a huge understatement. The GCA was to hold the second edition of Noted: the greeting card expo in San Francisco on May 1; the event was to encompass the LOUIE Awards, which recognizes stellar design in greeting cards, as well as the Noted @ *Noted Product Awards, which I actually sponsored under The Paper Chronicles banner. As you can imagine, COVID-19 threw a wrench in all those plans … and I had a front-row seat to see how everything was reconfigured. Now, getting anything done by committee can be super-difficult, and I was in awe of how George kept everyone on task and in agreement, and pulled off an amazing virtual event. Which is great, because that’s not going to be the only virtual event on the GCA’s plate in 2020. First off, The LOUIE Virtual Awards, sponsored by the Atlanta Market, are July 30. It was a big accomplishment to put this together — and I'm sure the 2020 finalists who have been waiting since May can't wait to hear the results! Through Noted: A Focus on Diversity, held Thursday, July 16 at 2 pm EST, Black makers had the chance to "pitch" their greeting card line to a panel of top retailers, sales reps and or international distributors — plus a large group of retailers online. This pitch panel features Vanessa Raptopoulos, Awesome Brooklyn; Chandra Greer, Greer Chicago; Kristina Burkey, Calliope Paperie; and Kyle Williams, Paper Source. George also shares how we can all, regardless of role, help #savethepostoffice — and how doing so is anything but a partisan act. **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Watching makers successfully navigate their small brands first through a pandemic, and then civil unrest, has been unexpectedly heartening. While huge names in retail are closing their doors forever, small brands are emerging, if not unscathed, then at least relatively intact. And few have been more inspiring to me to witness in real time than Shayna Norwood of Steel Petal Press. Those entering its Logan Square doors in Chicago don't realize, but Steel Petal Press was born in 2008 as a side project for Shayna, who started letterpressing greeting cards for friends. That grew into wholesale business, and that became the retail space in 2016. When I last saw Shayna at NY NOW and National Stationery Show in early February, all was well in her world: She had a booth of her wholesale range that seemed busy every time I walked by, and also I saw her walking the show shopping for her shop as well. When coronavirus hit, Shayna kept her doors open as long as she could, then once she had to close to the public, she was still shipping orders or delivering them curbside. Shayna finally reopened June 4 — just in time for some of the biggest civil unrest this country, including Chicago, has seen in decades. If that's not enough to grapple with, Shayna recently started sharing her struggles with anxiety with her community, mostly on her Instagram feed, in a very open, brave way. At the winter markets she released a series of mental health tracker notepads — great timing, I've got to say — but I am really curious as to how she is doing personally with all this as well. **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Please welcome Robert Maricich, CEO of International Market Centers (IMC). Bob, as he prefers, is widely recognized as one of the home furnishings industry’s most Innovative leaders — he founded and built IMC into an exhibition space powerhouse with more than 20 million square feet of world-class B2B exhibition space. Its campuses include both AmericasMart Atlanta and World Market Center Las Vegas, markets vital to the stationery and gift industries. When coronavirus halted everything, IMC surveyed 180,000 retailers to gage their needs. With guidance from health and elected officials as well as a top epidemiologist, IMC opened the AmericasMart campus June 8, and the World Market Center Las Vegas June 15. Everything is governed by IMC’s Together Safely Master Plan, which details procedures for registration, sanitization, temperature monitoring, traffic and occupancy control, seminars, masks, etc. This is a four-phase reopening, however, and the plan is a living document, meaning it may change in our current fluid, unknowable climate. Understandably, it'll be a new market experience, and while IMC has been incredibly transparent throughout the process, it’s a lot to process, so Bob’s perspective is most helpful. **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

I am in just in awe of all Ryan and Juliana Kissick of San Francisco's Good Juju Ink have done since going into quarantine in San Francisco with their 1-year-old daughter. First, in mid-March, as the world seemed to be falling apart, Ryan helped countless other small business owners by creating an amazingly concise, invaluable guide for navigating these times, hereafter to only be referred to as The Document. It's been viewed 1000s of times around the world across many industries. All via word-of-mouth and completely free — the best kind of viral! Then, Juju helped launch 18 Million Thanks. That's how many health care workers there are in the US — and that's how many thank-yous this collective of 13+ women-owned businesses are aiming to send them! https://www.goodjujuink.com/ https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pZJughwutgU33m4XdpyUTzQcO0vWtFSGlhZ5EvGLoxA/edit https://18millionthanks.com/ **Thank You Sponsors** Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper. Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels! Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

We're bringing in Catherine Hildner of Kitty Meow Boutique for insight on how to pivot and reach big goals in your business. Catherine is spilling the deets on how she has pivoted in her business over the years and how she managed to build a stand-out brand. And yep, we ask her some tough questions about mistakes she has made and learning lessons she gained along the way. She's talking about how it took her quite some time to find her own unique design style. Listen in to learn more about how she found her style, developed a cohesive brand, and pivoted to crush her goals! Let's be friends! Find us on Instagram http://instagram.com/bizbirthdaybash @bizbirthdaybash. For all show notes please visit http://www.bizbirthdaybash.com/podcast Grab your FREE Training -- 4 Essentials You Need to Turn Your Biz into a Profit Party: https://bizbirthdaybash.com/free-training

Curating your child’s birthday party can be daunting even for those who are Etsy lovers with Pinterest boards galore and themes mapped out a year in advance - there’s the venue, guest list, invitations, decor, props, goody bags, food, entertainment, and cake! I decided to bring two incredible women on my show, Catherine Hildner and Allison Carter, who can help you become the hostess with your mostest when planning your little one’s big day! Allison Carter lives in the Seattle area with her high school sweetheart, Ryan, and two kids, Evie and Hudson, and has always loved a party! She loves bringing people together and creating memorable experiences for her loved ones. Allison believes that every occasion, big or small, deserves to be celebrated, and she helps families do just that. With her business, Allison Carter Celebrates, she creates digital party and holiday planning guides that help families celebrate all of life’s occasions and holidays. while saving time, stress and money. She takes the stress of planning off your plate so her clients can focus on all the fun parts of hosting a beautiful party. Her Memories in Moments podcast has served thousands of families around the world, helping them turn up the volume on life’s little moments to create beautiful, lasting memories. She recently debuted her first physical product, Memories in Moments: Unwrapped, a holiday themed subscription box helping families bring her popular holiday celebration guides to life! Allison and her business has been featured in Forbes, Better Homes and Gardens, Mingle Magazine, Motherly, and more. Catherine Hildner is the creator, designer and heart and soul behind Kitty Meow Boutique (KMB). At Kitty Meow Boutique you can shop beautifully designed paper & party goodies based on your mood, witty or sweet. Whether you're looking for something witty and even a little rude, or prefer sweet sentiments, she's got you. Kitty Meow products, are FUN and fierce, and encourages women to take the bull by the horns in life. You can snag these products on the KMB site or at an ever expanding list of retail shops throughout US & Canada. Catherine is also a wife, momma to two gorgeous little ladies, anchor-loving philanthropist, and self-proclaimed Customer Service Queen. She's dedicated to bringing a little personality to the party and sharing what she knows with other creatives. Cat's Links: WEBSITE: KittyMeowBoutique.com INSTAGRAM: @KittyMeowBoutique FACEBOOK: /kittymeowboutique PRESS: KittyMeowBoutique.com/press Allison's Links:  WEBSITE: AllisonCarterCelebrates.com INSTAGRAM: @allisoncartercelebrates FACEBOOK: /allisoncartercelebrates Show Notes: 02:00 - Introduction 04:20 - Getting started with party planning 06:20 - Coming up with the concept behind Kitty Meow Boutique 08:30 - Who, What, Where, How (planning parties) 12:00 - The more you get to know yourself and your design style 14:00 - Making your invitations stand out 14:14 - Details behind materials 21:20 - "Two things I love most in the world" 23:45 - Quote of the day: "If it's not a 'hell yes' it's a 'f*** no'" 25:37 - Mom Haul Mom Haul: DOTERRA: Essential Oils PELATON: The Pelaton Bike

Catherine Hildner, owner of Kitty Meow: A Creative Boutique, creates and sells beautifully designed paper goods with witty charm or sweet sentiments, retail and wholesale. On her site, you can shop based on your mood, because if you're anything like her sometimes you feel a little saucy and sometimes ya don't. In this episode, Catherine and I discuss how and why she decided to open Kitty Meow Boutique as a full-time business. She also talks about why she moved away from digital invites and doing everything by hand.  Show notes: nachesnow.com/80

Catherine Hildner is the heart behind Kitty Meow: A Creative Boutique, an online stationary shop featuring beautiful designed paper goods that reflect your many moods: witty, cheeky, charming, sweet or unconventional. As Catherine says, paper goods don’t have to be boring, and she’s determined to bring a little personality to the party! On this episode of the Support is Sexy podcast, Catherine — a wife and mom of two — shares how she’s building her business from her home studio, and gives tips on how to make customer service a priority, how to break up with your customer, how to surprise and delight and why having a coach is a power move for your business.

Customer service is SO important, but often overlooked. Today on the podcast, we are chatting with Catherine of Kitty Meow Boutique all about customer service: why it's important and how you can provide amazing customer service without breaking the bank. Be sure to download Catherine's Customer Service 101 Hacksheet here!   About Catherine: Catherine Hildner is the creator, designer and heart and soul behind Kitty Meow Boutique. At Kitty Meow you can shop beautifully designed paper & party goodies based on your mood, witty or sweet. Whether you're looking for something witty and even a little rude, or prefer sweet sentiments, she's got you. You can snag these products on the KMB site or at an ever expanding list of retail shops nationwide. Catherine is also a wife, momma to two gorgeous little ladies, anchor-loving philanthropist, and self-proclaimed Customer Service Queen. She's dedicated to bringing a little personality to the party and sharing what she knows with other creatives.   Connect with Catherine: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest |   Introducing the Creative Rebel Base: THE place for Creative Rebels to collaborate, learn, and support each other! THE place to go online if you want to connect with, learn from, and support other product based business owners, artists, and makers. We created this community to help you along your journey, but also to give you a safe place to learn with and interact with other like-minded business owners whether you are just starting your biz or have been doing this a while, let's all move forward TOGETHER!   For more info and to join today, head to www.creativerebelbase.com   WANT TO CONNECT WITH CREATIVE BIZ REBELLION?   SUPPORT the podcast. Become a Patron today! JOIN our Facebook Group! FOLLOW us on Instagram and use #creativebizrebellion. Tag us in a photo of you listening! LEAVE us a review on Itunes or on your favorite podcast app. We will give you all the virtual fistbumps! SIGN UP for our email list and be the first to learn about workshops, rebel sessions and more CONNECT WITH KELLY on her websites here, here, and her Etsy shop. CONNECT WITH CAROLINE on her website and Etsy shop.   * Some links may be affiliate links! Thank you!

Catherine Hildner is the founder of Kitty Meow Boutique, an online stationery show where you can peruse beautifully designed paper goods based on your many moods. Catherine came through our Paper Camp conference in 2017 and since then she’s undergone a rebrand, built a new retail website, revamped her product line and she launched to the wholesale market!   On today’s episode Catherine shared how her product line has shifted over the years, fears she’s had during the last year of growth and how she combatted them and how she reaches out to her wholesale buyers. ON TODAY’S EPISODE: What motivated Catherine to start Kitty Meow The products that she offers now & how that has shifted over the years What the rebranding process Kitty Meow looked like The fears and doubts Catherine had to work through during the rebranding process Her experience entering into the wholesale market & the three things she did to prepare her business for wholesale Catherine’s process for outreach to retailers How she manages marketing both the wholesale and the retail sides of her business The tasks that Catherine’s VA is responsible for Her advice for someone just starting out in a product based business What’s next for Kitty Meow KEY TAKE-AWAYS: “I'm really grateful that I've been able to take Kitty Meow with me wherever the heck we've been, and it's come a long way since that lonely little baby shower design in my sad little Etsy shop.” - Catherine Hildner “I said, "If I'm going to invest money, I just want to do it right”, and I'm not a website designer, so I'm not even going to waste my time doing something that's not my strengths.” - Catherine Hildner “I wasn't foolish enough to think that if I build it they will come, because I don't think it's just as easy as that.” - Catherine Hildner “I want my two little girls to know that they can do anything. It doesn't matter what other people think. If they care, that is enough.” - Catherine Hildner “None of this stuff happens overnight, and it's a daily struggle no matter how pretty pictures might look on Instagram or any of that garbage.” - Catherine Hildner “If I didn't do the Tradeshow Bootcamp, I would just be looking around, not knowing what the hell I'm doing because there's so many things you need to do, and you don't know what you don't know.” - Catherine Hildner “I don't have time to do all the things that maybe I would make time to do before I had children.” - Catherine Hildner “There was a long time I didn't even know that there was this creative community of women who were totally killing it.” - Catherine Hildner “Having a professional who's doing what you want to do, that can give you advice and feedback, so you're not wasting your time doing stuff that's just a waste of your time is so valuable.” - Catherine Hildner “I've been an entrepreneur for 10 years now. There's always ways that we can improve our businesses. There's always ways that we can streamline things or improve.” - Katie Hunt   CONNECT WITH CATHERINE HILDNER: Website: http://www.kittymeowboutique.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/kittymeowboutique Instagram: http://instagram.com/kittymeowboutique Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/kmeowboutique PAPER CAMP E COURSE I'm thrilled to tell you that the fall session of our Paper Camp E Course is now open for enrollment! This is our four-week program that includes a mix of do-it-yourself videos and live coaching calls with me and some pretty amazing guest experts. We will cover developing your product line, wholesale sales tools, working with sales reps, and marketing to retailers. Classes will begin on October 8th, and this will be the very last time that Paper Camp is offered in 2018. So if you're doing any winter shows like New York Now, Las Vegas Market, or even the Stationery Show in February, you want to sign up for this program because we're not going to offer it again before those shows.   To register, head to http://www.tradeshowcamp.com/pce If you have any questions, or if you're wondering if this is the right program for you, feel free to email me Katie@tradeshowcamp.com. SUBSCRIBE To subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to Proof to Product. On Android, you can listen using your favorite podcast app. WRITE A REVIEW Writing a review on iTunes will help other product based business owners find Proof to Product as they are working to up level, scale, and build profitable and sustainable companies. FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list.   SHARE Be sure to share Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know! ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT: Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by Katie Hunt. Since 2011, TSBC has worked with hundreds of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode!