News — Stationery Business

I spend a lot of time around really amazing entrepreneurs. They are smart, gutsy and creative. They're talented, generous and inspiring. They're also tired, stressed and fearful. The realities of owning a business are challenging at times and also totally kickass at times. There's a story of overcoming something behind every entrepreneur. I spoke about this subject with industry expert Sarah Schwartz, editor-in-chief of Stationery Trends magazine and the brains behind ThePaperNerd.com - click here to learn about some of the trials that some fierce women faced and how they keep going forward.

Don't you just love little stuff? Babies, tiny notebooks, bite-sized sweets... We added custom printed mini cards to our site because, well, our customers asked us to. If you're wondering what you might do with cute little cards, we've got some suggestions (btw, we've ALWAYS got suggestions). How about a little set of various 'Just Because" cards? Perfect for a last minute gift or to include with flowers for a friend. You could create a set of 5 or 10 different designs, your customers would love it. These little babies are great for weddings/showers too – as greeting cards or...

Biatch card by Kitty Meow and Chalkboard card by Blue Barnhouse On a recent panel discussion for GCA (if you're not a member, check it out - this org does a TON for the stationery world) about processes and products in our industry, we touched on the topic of using cello sleeves with greeting cards that are sold in brick and mortar stores. Like, real stationery shops. Which I love. So so much. They have beautiful cards... and notebooks.... and Blackwing Pencils.... But I digress. About half of the attendees said that their customers at the retail shops require a...

Are there really design trends anymore or is it just a total free for all now? When I started researching for this article I learned that these are this year's trends: natural woodland vibes featuring terra cotta, sage and blush; luxe moods with jewel tones and metallics; post-modern color palettes; navy blue drama; pink everything; classic/traditional (how is this a trend?); and finally, bright colors.  So basically, the moral of this story is DO WHATEVER IS AUTHENTIC TO YOU. Your very own style is what makes you special and creates a following of customers who love your creations. And creating a...

We did the homework so you don’t have to. The financial analysts are expecting pretty decent holiday sales with a slight uptick from 2022 spending. BUT stores will order less inventory this year as consumers tend to split their holiday shopping between brick and mortar and online shops. The good news is that your sales this year could be as good or better than last year. So how do you plan for holidays 2023? In a perfect world, you’re selling both to shops and online retailers. And ideally, you have your own site or Etsy store too. It requires more...