Member Spotlight with Kapil Trimal, StoneThis

A Card Talk Member Interview

What inspired you to get involved in cards? 

My father has been sending out holiday cards for the past 35 years. It was family tradition, helping him while he signed each card and hand wrote the address on the 1000 cards he sent out every year. Fast forward 30 years, I still carry on the family tradition, sending out nearly 750 cards every holiday season. Over a period of time it seemed like we sent out the same card every year, that I think sowed the seed of thought that I could create something unique in this space 

Tell us about your company and/or your products.

StoneThis is the first company to use 100% natural, real and unprocessed stone to make premium presentation products like greeting cards, journals, business cards, wall art, wedding cards and many other custom products. All our products are as light and as flexible as paper products and handmade by a group of skilled artisans. I started the venture in 2018 and it took nearly a year and a half to create the unique set of products that we have. Our motto is simple, we want to present customers something they can share with joy to surprise someone they love 

What’s your role at your company?

I believe I am the chief operating thinker. I love the process of ideating, creating, optimizing and then redesigning and recreating over and over again. How our offerings influence the thoughts and emotions of the buyer and receiver is the essence of what we do and that remains my area of focus. But, as an entrepreneur it can be tough as there are just too many hats I need to wear, but at the end of the day I feel it’s worth it all.

Why did you become a GCA member?

I launched my line just before the pandemic. It was not the best time to start and I was a little discouraged and disillusioned. That’s when I realized I need to be in the company of those who I could relate to and those who could guide me in the right direction. As soon as I became a member of GCA and started attending the member’s meetings ideas began to flow, I thought of opportunities which I didn’t know existed and I’ve met some amazing people. Special thanks to Carlos and Amanda from GCA for their constant support. Also, thanks to Andy Meehan for his guidance during the product development phase.

How has your company handled things during the pandemic? What has changed?

I think the biggest realization has been the need to work collaboratively. A majority of the players in the industry don’t have comprehensive infrastructure required to experiment and provide new offerings. We are exploring multiple possibilities where two or more partners come together and leverage each other’s expertise to generate new business opportunities.

Has your company shifted creative focus during these last few months and if so, how? 

We spent the lockdown time developing cost effective and innovative offerings. Our stone greeting cards with the print-on-stone / metal monogram on stone have a slightly higher price point. We developed a line of paper cards embellished with real metal monograms. Cost wise they are reasonable but still a never-seen-before offering again from StoneThis.  

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

I think the pandemic has made us realize just how fragile the world we live in is. That we need each other more than before. Even though we may not meet the ones we love, knowing that someone is thinking about us provides more comfort than any anti-virus or drug. That’s why we love what we do. We are in the business of spreading happiness and joy. 

Thank you for taking the time to share your story with us, Kapil!