Adam Smith is the founder of Life is Funny Press, a letterpress greeting card company based in Los Angeles. Adam worked a pressman for Sugar Paper before branching out on his own to start Life is Funny Press. Adam’s passion for printing, his family and making products with purpose really shines through in this episode.

Adam came to Paper Camp in 2014 before jumping into trade shows. He currently sells his products via wholesale, retail and custom channels.

On today’s episode we’re talking about leaving a full time job to pursue entrepreneurship, a dad’s perspective on juggling family & business, plus why it’s important to not force yourself into creative work that doesn’t feel right.

TSBC Alumni, Shayna Norwood of Steel Petal Press owns the letterpress studio and retail storefront based in Chicago. Shayna started Steel Petal Press in 2008 as a side hustle and it became her full time gig in 2010. In 2016, she opened her flagship retail shop selling her own products as well as stationery and office goods from other independent brands.

On today’s episode, Shayna shares how she manages both a wholesale business and a retail storefront, the challenges she’s faced while growing her business and her advice to designers who are pitching their products to wholesale buyers.

TSBC Alums, Allison Brennan & Jessica Tree are the owners of The Social Type. They launched their foil-pressed greeting card line in 2010 and have since expanded into other gift categories including their very popular matchboxes. On this episode, Jess and Allison talk about their inspiration for creating new products, how they split responsibilities as business partners and we talk about the importance of slow, but steady growth in business.

TSBC Alum, Heather Harris has been designing day planners and desk products since 2004 for clients including momAgenda, Barney’s, Brooks Brothers, and Tiffany & Co. In 2015, she branched out on her own to start Copper Bottom Design Co. where she and her team help product based businesses with design, proofreading and overseas production. On today’s episode, we’re talking how to know if you’re ready for overseas manufacturing, common errors people make when creating day planners and how her past experiences and skills have led her to create a thriving, enriching business for herself.

Erin Ozer is the owner of Knot & Bow. Erin got her start on Etsy in 2010 and has had tremendous, but organic growth, over the last seven years. Her stationery, gift wrap and party goods can be found in more than 1500 retail shops around the world, including Paper Source, Anthropologie, Container Store, and Hallmark just to name a few. On this episode Erin talks about her humble beginnings, manufacturing challenges she experienced, and how she slowly but strategically added members to her team.

Meg Sutton of Belle & Union Co., started her business in 2012 with a focus on creating handmade, American-made goods. Belle & Union has seen a ton of growth in their business in the last five years expanding from the world of letterpressed greeting cards into textiles, home goods, kitchen wares and paper gift products. On today’s episode, Meg and I talk about research & development of new products in the handmade space, working with sales reps, goal setting and how running a business is a marathon, not a sprint.

Katie Wilson is the owner of The Good Twin, a stationery company known for its playful illustrations and hand-rendered type. Katie’s story is a unique one in that The Good Twin is her second successful business in the stationery industry. On today’s episode, Katie and I will talk about the pros and cons of being ahead of trends, the importance of slow sustainable growth and why we should never ever compare ourselves to other people’s businesses.

Sara McNally is the owner of Constellation & Co., a letterpress studio and retail shop based in Seattle. She attended Paper Camp in 2013 prior to jumping into wholesale and doing her first trade show. On today’s episode Sara talks about juggling a manufacturing business and retail shop, utilizing interns and falling in love with letterpress.

Sam Kramer, the head boss lady at Near Modern Disaster got her start in business in 2009 and amped things up in 2014 when she began selling wholesale, did her first trade show and she expanded her product line into greeting cards, mugs, notepads and enamel pens. On today’s episode, Sam talks about her process for developing new products, the importance of releasing new products regularly and how working with sales reps has helped her scale her business. Sam attended Tradeshow Bootcamp’s Paper Camp in 2013 prior to launching her wholesale program.

Jen Pham-Corbett and Lisa Towns, the founders of Farewell Paperie attended Tradeshow Bootcamp’s very first Paper Camp conference in 2012, when it was just a handful of us sitting around on the living room floor of a bed and breakfast, and since then, they’ve had a ton of growth in their business. They’ve exhibited shows, expanded their product line. They’ve hired a team, and they’ve worked with sales reps. They’ve also been TSBC speakers for the last few years. These ladies are super smart business women and fantastic mentors to others in the creative field.