We recently connected with Daniel Stark and have shared our conversation below.

Daniel, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

There’s a child in every one of us and yet, most of us have lost touch with that sense of wonder and play. PaperMade exists to spark joy and imagination, fostering creativity and play for everyone—whether you’re a kid or just a big kid. We also believe that every child deserves a toy. It doesn’t need to be an expensive one or the trending toy of the moment, either. PaperMade makes toys that punch out, fold up and turn into 3D objects and characters meant to play and display—and a piece of paper that’s been printed and cut—is accessible to everyone.

I’m a designer by trade and I love what design can do—break down barriers, and make life and commerce more accessible and fun. I use classic packaging production techniques to make almost anything out of paper so that its a delightful, cute toy you or anyone can love.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Daniel Stark is the Creator, “PaperMaker in Chief” of PaperMade. Stark’s diverse background in advertising, publishing, apparel and media is the driving force behind PaperMade. As the President and Creative Director of his eponymous agency, Stark Design, he has also created well-known campaigns, identity programs, packaging systems, digital and physical products for a diverse mix of consumer brands and companies including CVS Health, L’Oreal, Staples, Alterna and NYU. Stark’s previous positions at other vaunted brands and agencies like GQ, Baron & Baron, Ann Taylor, Harper’s Bazaar, Deutsch and Nielsen also contribute to his unique perspective and authority in the design and media space.

Early in his career, while working at Baron & Baron, Stark produced groundbreaking advertising for Michael Kors, Issey Miyake, Morgan’s Hotel Group, Valentino and was a designer on Madonna’s notorious book Sex. His editorial work for GQ, US and Harper’s Bazaar Magazines won numerous design awards and have been reproduced in design and typography annuals. And his first book, Stoked: The Evolution of Action Sports (Empire Editions), which he co-authored, won top design awards as did his work for Andy Warhol: The Day the Factory Died, Patrick McMullan’s Glamour Girls, NYU’s Pioneering Medicine and NYU Abu Dhabi’s glitzy 10th Anniversary tome, encased in a custom purple dyed, laser-cut, anodized aluminum slipcase.

Lastly, his RealiTree concept received critical acclaim from former Vice President Al Gore, media site PSFK and advertising legend Alex Bogusky. Stark holds a BFA from Parsons School of Design, where he is an active alumni, and resides in the New York City metropolitan area with his family.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I’m right in the middle of my pivot story! PaperMade started by publishing books—Paper Pups was our first and so far one of the most successful of the 16 we’ve published. PaperMade books are sold in 38 countries and we’ve heard from fans all around the world. But the Covid-19 pandemic changed the course for us and resulted in us having to wind down operations for a while. As we weathered the storm and left the company in a near-dormant state, I thought about the future of PaperMade.

Soon after the pandemic ended, I reconnected with a former client of my first company and started talking about PaperMade, how she always loved the company and her child loved our products. One of the items we started to develop and market before COVID was a line of greeting cards—something my colleague thought was an excellent product idea. Fast forward 1 year and we’ve started to pivot the company from a book and gift company to a greeting cards and gift company with an added service of doing custom paper toys for brands and companies for promotional use.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

PaperMade started as an idea I had that I created simple mockups of pads of paper with the same games repeated. That was 18 years ago and long before we had a publisher or interest in the products. As a side hustle, I shopped those mockups around to friends, colleagues and eventually to publishers—eventually finding a great publisher in Brooklyn, NY called powerHouse. For over 10 years we developed new book ideas and got them to market with varying degrees of success but also amazing media placements—in People Magazine, Parade, Vogue Bambini and in some of the best stores in the world. But then once Covid hit us, I was not sure what to do and wanted to walk away.

However when I had a glimmer of hope, I picked the company back up, dusted it off, and not on;y restarted it but found an investor and was able to secure funding to get us back into market and rebuild the company better than before! I won’t stop now!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.itspapermade.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itspapermade/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itspapermade
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/papermade
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Itspapermade

Image Credits

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