Profile: Crow and Canary

I had been scheming on business ideas for years and had yet to find one that resonated enough to take the leap. Finally, in 2006 I’d become a bit burned out at my 9:00 to 5:00 job as an optician. I had recently met a designer with a successful card company and began helping her with production and fulfillment on the side. She planted the seed that working as a manufacturer’s representative could be a low overhead and flexible business idea and she happened to be looking for a rep on the West Coast. I was immediately excited about the thought, as I’ve always been a stationery junkie and in college spent some time printmaking and setting type for letterpress. Not having to take out a business loan and having the support of my super awesome husband made it a much easier decision to move forward and launch Crow and Canary.

Business was slow going at first! It’s hard for me to believe that I started representing just one line; I now work with 28 manufacturers. I was lucky that both retailers and designers were willing to take a chance on me. A major tenet of my business is simply being kind and knowledgeable and it has really taken me far. The stationery and gift industry is small enough that word of mouth can account for a lot. I was able to keep adding great lines to my collection on the good references I received from the designers I was already working with and retailers began to take me seriously when they saw that I was truly building a brand and business, not just a side hobby. One thing I initially found to be challenging was not having a mentor or really any other reps as part of my community. In retrospect, that was a bit freeing as I do some things differently than my competitors and that has helped me to stand out. I think it’s totally okay to make up or break the rules as you go along.

Tenacity is truly key. Buyers are inundated with manufacturers that want to sell to them. If you send out a mailer, know that you may not get an immediate response. Be sure to follow up, most buyers will let you know if they simply aren’t interested. Be creative with your emails and submissions and don’t be stingy with samples – your ingenuity and generosity will pay off.

In terms of getting noticed – 

- You should have a website and catalog (both print and PDF) if you’re looking to seriously begin wholesaling. 
- Offer a significant selection of cards and/or gift items; I don’t consider lines unless they have a minimum of 30-40 unique designs. 
- Invest in photography – your catalog will look all the better for it and you will have fantastic images to submit to magazines and blogs. 
- Consistently release new designs and appropriately time your seasonal releases, Retailers begin ordering Christmas cards in May, so an October holiday release is simply too late.
- Utilize social networking to connect with the stationery community. Create meaningful conversations and take part in industry dialogue. A bit of self-promotion is great, but be careful to balance your feed with things other than your personal Etsy listings.

Thanks Carina! Creative business owners, if you want to be featured here, please let me know.