Welcome New Members
More than 40 companies have joined the GCA Community since January!
Inkwell Cards, Vancouver, British Columbia
Andrea Loborec
Card Talk: Tell us a little bit about your business.
Inkwell Cards: For Andrea Loborec Founder of Inkwell Cards, it has always been about handwritten messages. “I believe a handwritten message that comes to you in the mailbox is the epitome of thoughtfulness.” Best known amongst her friends and family for sending cards for any and every occasion, it came as no surprise when she launched Inkwell Cards in July 2018. Based in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia Inkwell Cards is a celebration of beautiful art, luxe stationery and old-fashioned correspondence. Each artist has been hand-selected for their whimsical and beautiful designs, and Inkwell Cards is a platform for these artists to reach a broad audience.
Whether you are a store looking to carry a beautiful new card line, a friend looking to send a handwritten note to your bestie, or a company looking for a way to recognize milestones and send thoughtful, handwritten notes easily to large groups of people, we have you covered.
We are your Card Concierge.
Card Talk: Why did you join the GCA/what do you hope to gain from your membership?
Andrea Loborec: I’ve always been a firm believer in having a network, or a tribe so-to-speak. Surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals within similar interests, ambitions and goals is a way to learn, be challenged and to grow. I joined the GCA as a way to meet experts in the industry and learn from them. I think the Mentorship program the GCA offers is a brilliant concept and one which I’m excited to get involved in. Inkwell Cards is still a very new player to the industry and I am excited to continue learning the ropes and growing our presence.
Card Talk: What inspires you?
Andrea Loborec: I find inspiration from fellow female entrepreneurs in the city which I live in. I love fierce lady bosses who are leaving their mark on the world. It’s not an easy road and to see these brilliant minds putting themselves out there with creative ideas and hard work is very inspiring. I am also greatly inspired by the support of my husband and my family. From day 1 they have always told me I could be anything I wanted to be, the belief they have in me inspires me to work hard and to succeed.
Suzan Lind Art Licensing & Design, LLC (SZL),
Suzan Lind
Card Talk: Tell us about your company and/or your products.
We are a boutique art licensing agency, and is dedicated to helping manufacturers elevate their brand and broaden their customer base with unique, eye-catching art and surface designs. With a current roster of seven fine artists, SZL offers a diverse portfolio of imagery and works with a myriad of manufacturers including stationery, jigsaw puzzles, textiles, home decor, and more. SZL’s mission is to use art as a vehicle to connect, light a spark, and bring joy to people’s lives.
Card Talk: What’s your role at your company?
Suzan Lind: As the owner of SZL, I wear many hats. My roles and responsibilities cover a wide range of functions as I work in both the creative and business sides of my agency. I cover it all–business development, procurement, contract negotiation, design, trend analysis, product development, brand management, art direction, website development, marketing, sales, working with my new group of artists, exhibiting and attending trade shows, and the list goes on. Every day is unique, and I love that about what I do.
Card Talk: Why did you become a GCA member?
Suzan Lind: I became a GCA member after attending several stationery trade shows and GCA events as a guest. One of the things I admire about the GCA is the sense of community and camaraderie that exists, and I wanted to be a part of that in some way. It’s a positive and supportive atmosphere where I can learn more about the greeting card industry, make connections with positive people, and understand how I can better serve the industry. From an artist/supplier standpoint, I feel as though it is invaluable and wish I had joined sooner.
417 Press Inc., Montreal, Canada
Michelle Secondi
Card Talk: Tell us about your company and/or your products.
Michelle Secondi: We’re a graphic design and letterpress printing studio based in Montreal, Canada with a passion for letterpress printed greeting cards and paper goods. Our cards reflect every day relationships and events with humour and sarcasm. We are life, observed.
Card Talk: What’s your role at your company?
Michelle Secondi: I am the founder, creative director, graphic designer, letterpress printer and janitor-in-chief.
Card Talk: Why did you become a GCA member?
Michelle Secondi: I first became aware of the association through the LOUIE Awards when I was a finalist in 2015. I became particularly interested in getting involved when I saw the association recognized changes in the industry and wanted to be part of the movement towards forward-thinking.
INK MEETS PAPER, North Charleston, SC
Jamie Nadeau
Card Talk: Tell us about your company and/or your products.
Jamie Nadeau: INK MEETS PAPER produces letterpress greeting cards & artful stationery goods. Our snark-free & sap-free line of greeting cards features authentic phrasing with hand lettering and hand drawn artwork (there are no fonts used in our card designs). Our unique Signature Envelope with printed seams and a hidden interior message of Text less. Write more.® is paired with each greeting card.
We are wife-and-wife team, Allison and I have been building our wholesale business since 2010. We got our first printing press in 2008 and built the company from our home studio. INK MEETS PAPER now resides in a 2,000 sq. ft. studio a short bike ride from our home.
Card Talk: What’s your role?
Jamie Nadeau: I am in the role of CEO while Allison is our Creative Director & Letterpress Printer.
Card Talk: Why did you become a GCA member?
Jamie Nadeau: We joined GCA to be more a part of the industry in which we have built our livelihood. As we work to grow our business, I am looking forward to learning from other GCA members and sharing what we have learned along the way. It’s great to be a part of the GCA community!
100 Mile Paper, Stone Ridge, NY
Sarah Plank
Card Talk: Tell us about your company.
Sarah Plank: 100 Mile paper is a Hudson Valley based card company located 100 miles north of NYC in historic Stone Ridge, NY. Each card is handmade from artfully arranged images that have been cut from old magazines, books and catalogues, photographed, and then printed with saturated color on triple thick card stock. My purpose in making these cards is to offer a card that may not fit a specific occasion,
Card Talk: What’s your role in the company?
Sarah Plank: My role in the company is both creative and proprietary. I cut, paste and pay the bills!
Card Talk: Why did you join the GCA?
Sarah Plank: I became a GCA member because as a new small business, it felt as if I was joining a community of both start-ups and seasoned successful businesses, and I would be able to learn and grow from both. Starting my own business did not feel as scary knowing that the GCA was there for me. I’m still terrified though, but sleeping through the night.
Notes and Queries
Alan Harnik, Owner
Card Talk: Tell us about your company.
Alan Harnik: Notes and Queries was started some 38 years ago from a push cart at Faneuil Hall marketplace in Boston, where I sold handmade cards from American artists, and stationery and wall hangings from Madagascar. That retail experience, ten weeks a year for several years, taught me that consumers like handmade design-oriented pieces, but don’t want to pay a premium price for these products. I was fortunate to be able to find that solution in greeting cards from the UK. Thirty-eight years later, Notes & Queries is one of the leading importers of design-led greeting cards from the UK.
Card Talk: What’s your role?
Alan Harnik: As the owner of Notes & Queries, I have done everything from the onset. I started off in my basement, and Notes & Queries now occupies a 13,000 square foot warehouse in Maryland. I have done every task that I now have employees doing, from entering orders, picking, packing and shipping, putting stock on the shelf to data entry and collections. Doing each of these tasks has assisted me in understanding the vital roles each plays in our success. As the CEO, my chief responsibility is to oversee the operations of Notes & Queries, a responsibility which I share with my daughter, Vanessa. Vanessa, Steven Faulkner, who is my VP of Key Accounts, and myself choose new designs and trading partners each year and add them to our existing collection.
Card Talk: Why did you join the GCA?
Alan Harnik: I became a GCA member this year even though I was asked many times to do so in the past by other GCA members, because at age 72 I felt that I needed to learn more about my craft in these modern times and felt that the GCA would be a forum which would allow me and my daughter to do so. I was very pleased at the first conference I attended this past fall and have become a mentor for a new company that I was assigned by the GCA. I look forward to my personal growth within the GCA community.