stationery

© Hello Tenfold

Graphic designer Ellie Snow made her passion for making stationery her business when she established Hello Tenfold.
 
The idea for Hello Tenfold began shortly after she got engaged and realized that  designing the paper goods was her favorite part of wedding planning.

Ellie shared her invitations, programs, and other stationery on her popular design blog MINT, which caught the eye of some other bloggers. Soon after Ellie began receiving requests for custom orders, and her Hello Tenfold shop was born.

We like her awesome feel good designs. But go and see for yourself. And, if you are interested to read more about her inspiring story as a young entrepreneur building her brand, please read our Q&A with Ellie hereafter. Enjoy!

How would you describe your mission at Hello Tenfold?

Customer service is really important to me, as is providing unique and affordable invitations and stationery.

Where are Hello Tenfold goods available - only online?

Right now they're only available online in my shop. But, one of my goals for 2010 is to have some everyday stationery in a few local boutiques.

Do you have a mentor or role model?

Well, not a real live one but I look up to countless designers and small business owners, both locally and nationally. I'm pretty much learning as I go.

Where do you produce and are there any specific materials/techniques you are using?

Right now I do everything out of my home, but having a studio is a dream of mine. As far as techniques are concerned, many of my clients choose to go with digital invitations because they are so affordable, but I also screen print invitations. When I do a screen printing job, I like to use soft, hand-torn printmaking papers, and right now all of my printing is done one invitation and one color at a time on a small gocco. As the business grows, I'd like to have a true screen printing set-up since it's much more efficient.

What's your vision for Hello Tenfold's future?

I'm really not sure, although I know I want it to remain small. I'd love to do more screen printing and be able to outsource work to local screen printers and letterpress printers. So far things have grown organically, and I'd like to keep it that way.

Do you have any employees?

Nope, it's just me! Although, my husband is also a designer and a big help when I need a second opinion on a design.

What inspires you?

A lot of my designs are inspired by nature, and I love getting inspiration from pattern books, color palettes, and blogs. I love looking at design books and magazines.

What motivates you?

I've always dreamed of being self-employed, and when I got laid off in September of 2009 I decided I wanted to try it. I find invitation design to be so rewarding and creative!

What has been the biggest challenge so far?

Where to start! It's been harder than I anticipated to work from home. I sometimes miss having co-workers to bounce ideas off, and I have to remind myself to get out of the house and take breaks. Sometimes it feels like I'm working 24 hours a day, so time management and setting boundaries are challenges I face. It's also been an adjustment to get used to the ebb and flow of work, and I'm a pretty cautious person so I have to remind myself that taking risks is a big part of being an entrepreneur!

Any milestones? What has been the most exciting moment so far?

The two biggest milestones have been an invitation to submit designs to a nationally known invitation company and having one of my designs selected to run in HOW magazine. Both of those have been big surprises for me, and incredibly exciting!

What do you like best about owning a business?

I love being able to set my own hours. It's a treat to read a book in a coffee shop for a couple of hours in the middle of a Wednesday if I want to. It's also extremely rewarding to be able to make money on your own and to be your own boss.

What does it take to be an entrepreneur?

I think you have to be hard working of course, and always think of better or different ways to do things. You have to think creatively and be willing to take risks. Patience is also really important.

Any favorite quote or business book?

I'm working my way through Craft, Inc.: Turn Your Creative Hobby into a Business. But, every few pages I read something I need to do and put the book down until I have time to accomplish that next step. At this rate it will be a decade before I finish it!

Any advice to other aspiring entrepreneurs?

For me, having a blog has been an enormous help to my business. It's a great way to network and stay in the know. Of course, branding is so important and I know that's something I need to put more attention on!

© Bookbinders Design

The Swedish company BOOKBINDERS DESIGN does these wonderful stationery products for your home and office. Their mission is to « make your life memorable ».

To capture your memories in a more sustainable way is great because it allows you to re-experience your feelings, to go back in time and may be more importantly to share those happy moments with some beloved ones years later. Wouldn't it be a great to start doing so today? Ever dreamt of writing a book, a travel journal or keep track of a beloved project in a stylish and more personal manner? May be now is the right time to start.

BOOKBINDERS DESIGN offers a wide spectrum of materials, bindings, shapes and colors to choose from. We love their modern yet classic designs. And their shops are just gorgeous examples how an urban oasis of well-being looks like. Once you enter one of their beautifully designed stores you feel like in a different world and you just can’t stop looking around. It is the colorful but very elegant interior design focused on their products that makes their shops so special.

Our favorites are the diaries with colorful motives, the guest book in snow white or the notebooks covered in cloth, which you can personalize right at the store by embossing a title or other little something. Their design and craftsmanship is unique so you will be able to enjoy them for a long period of time.

Trust us - it will be very difficult to make your choice and you will come up with excuses to buy more!

By surrounding yourself with these chic but timeless classics or by visiting BOOKBINDER DESIGN stores, you just can’t help but feel good. So be sure to have a look at their products to capture your memories in style! And remember, it is said that colors have a positive impact on your well-being.

Besides the high quality of their unique products BOOKBINDERS DESIGN is another statement against the boredom of mainstream shopping areas. And the best about it: it is said that they produce all their products at their own bookbindery in Sweden where they use only environmental friendly materials and manufacturing processes. Thus, these stylish products may be considered « chic green » alternatives to mainstream stationery items.

But go and see for yourself.

Enjoy!

© Seltzer Goods

Seltzer is a design firm that specializes in eco-friendly greeting cards and stationery products. Their luxurious 100% post-consumer recycled paper is custom made specifically for their cards and envelopes. All Seltzer paper products are printed using veggie-based inks and they’re serious about eco-friendly materials, packaging, and production methods.

We discovered the lovely Seltzer notebooks at a bookstore in Soho and immediately wanted to learn more about their story. It all began in 2005 when Gay Lam and Brian Gold started Seltzer Goods in their walk-up apartment. If you want to learn more about their story please read our Q&A with Gay hereafter. Enjoy!

What were you doing before and what made you decide to establish your own stationery company Seltzer?

I have owned a gift store in San Francisco for many years, and had a letterpress line during the early years, starting 1995. Brian was an award-winning copywriter.
I had the card line earlier, and always sold lots of cards in my store. Brian, being funny and a great writer made it a perfect fit for the two of us.

Did you always dream of becoming an entrepreneur one day?

I grew up in it, with immigrant parents. Brian is very non-corporate, and always wanted to have his own business.

Why did you name the company « Seltzer Goods » ?

It was the hot summer of 2005. We could not agree on a name, but Brian was drinking at least 1-2 liters a day...of seltzer! Brian is a native New Yorker, too, so it seems appropriate.

Why did you opt for recycled paper?

Brian is a vegetarian and always been an environmentalist. I am also a very conscious of what I eat and buy, being from California.

Do you have any role models?

There are many great brands that have come before us. Patagonia is a great example of a company that makes innovative eco-friendly products.

Where do you take your inspiration from?

We take inspiration from the contrasts and contradictions in modern life, New York City, delicious food, art, colors, and packaging.

What are your plans for the coming five years?

We are distributed in the UK and New Zealand, but we are still a tiny operation with only three of us!  2010 will bring new products, more online exclusives, and eventually we would love to open a store.

What has been the biggest challenge so far?

It is a challenge to get things produced, especially in an eco-friendly manner. This year has been an economic challenge, but we have lots of supportive fans and customers!

What has been the most exciting moment so far?

Brian says quitting his day job! We are thrilled to receive mail from our fans and know that many of our cards have been sent and reach people all over the world.

What are your lessons learned?

Keep changing, keep innovating.

What are the pros and cons of running your own business from your point of view?

The pros are numerous, especially being in control of the creative process. But the cons mean that you must sacrifice some of life's luxuries.

Any regrets, things you would do differently in hindsight?

There will always be mistakes made, but it's all part of the process.

Do you have any recommendations for aspiring entrepreneurs?

If you want to be an entrepreneur, do your homework and don't expect it to be easy, ever. Be original - see what others are doing and don't do exactly what they are doing! Treat your vendors and customers well - we are all in this together. Also, make sure you are cut out for this lifestyle - if you like a reliable pay check and structure, this may not be for you.