Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jan Golden. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Jan, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

The idea that getting old is something to dread is rooted deep in American culture. You see it reinforced in advertising, on the internet, and, unfortunately, when celebrating birthdays.

This pitting of young vs. old and old vs. young is called ageism, which is prejudice based on age.

Ageism impacts our ability to stay employed, and our physical and mental health, so much so that when ageism gets internalized, research shows it can impact our life span by up to 8 years! 

With a nudge from an anti-ageist greeting card contest sponsored by Changing the Narrative, and extra time to create during COVID, I got to work researching birthday cards.

I was astounded by the number of cards I found that ‘poked fun’ at getting older. Some of the most popular cards loudly declare you’re now OLD, or the worst of the bunch show caricatures of older people with sagging body parts, paired with sarcastic quips about decline, depression, and dementia.

As a woman over 60, I found these cards extremely offensive and decided to do something about it. I used my graphic design skills to create greeting cards that flip the script on ageist messages.

The result? The cards I sold on Etsy shop were hugely successful. People loved them!

Jan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Motivated by the positive response to my Etsy shop but also realizing I wasn’t going to build a real business one $5 card at a time, I started learning everything I could about selling my greeting cards in stores. 

The first lesson? The wholesale side of the $7 billion greeting card industry is complex. It’s not enough to come up with a clever statement; you have to create a cohesive brand with quality products that stand out amongst the estimated 6.5 billion greeting cards sold yearly.

With my experience in writing, marketing, and eCommerce, I quickly built a strong foundation for my business.

Convinced that the over-50 consumer, who contribute $8 trillion to the US economy each year, is lacking an alternative to the snarky, ageist cards, I expanded my line to include over 75 designs of greeting cards, stickers, and art prints.

I’m proud of the age-positive messages I create that plant a seed in both the giver and the recipient that getting older isn’t so bad. After all, if we’re lucky, we all get a year older on our birthday.

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.

Successfully selling wholesale in the greeting card industry starts with a great design backed by the quality of your product.

Not only is there a variety of printing techniques, but many options for paper stock, not to mention envelope choices. Since I care deeply about the environment, I must make eco-friendly choices.

After experimenting with digital printing at home, I found a local printing partner that not only stocks my paper choice but also produces greeting cards in small runs, allowing me to experiment with messaging and keep my inventory low.

With paper shortages and supply chain issues, you hold them close once you find your envelope, packaging, and other production partners. And prepare to be flexible.

The attention to detail is worth it. From the texture of the paper to the crispness of the print, to the rich color and quality of the envelope, I’m proud every time I assemble an order ready for display on retailers’ shelves.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

As I immersed myself in the wholesale side of the greeting card industry, I quickly realized I needed to attend trade shows to get my products in front of retailers. 

The best way was to participate in THE event of the year in the greeting card industry, the *Noted Greeting Card Expo, hosted by the Greeting Card Association. .

After three short months to get my product line in order and design my booth, I packed my bags and headed to San Francisco, anxious to get my greeting card line in front of buyers.

Motivated to get the most out of the show, I signed up for every promotional opportunity. That meant taking advantage of advertising opportunities, attending events, and participating in the pitch program.

I didn’t realize that these events would occur in a very intense 24 hours.

Booth setup began at noon, followed by a semi-formal awards ceremony, where I met many key people in the industry in person for the first time. After a late night, it was an early wake-up to pitch my business to some top buyers. The practice paid off! I nailed my pitch and secured one of my first wholesale orders, all before noon.

Those first 24 hours were intense! I worked harder getting ready for that first trade show than I’d done for a long time, and the work paid off. 

It was the perfect jump-start to a successful first year, getting my brand, Age-Friendly Vibes, on retailers’ shelves.

The next step? Doing my part to change the culture of an industry that has deep roots in making fun of age and keeping the momentum going with the recognition I’ve received in the Greeting Card industry, including being named one of Stationery Trends’ 10 Designers to Watch in 2023.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://agefriendlyvibes.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agefriendlyvibes/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgeFriendlyVibes
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/agefriendlyvibes/
• Other: Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/AgeFriendlyVibes