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Written Hugs Designs, Christi Kmecik
Written Hugs Designs, a business founded by Christi Kmieck in 2022, focuses on creating uniquely designed greeting cards that authentically address themes like grief and loss, mental health, encouragement, and celebrations. Christi's mission is to help people feel more seen, connected, and less alone through these cards. Her business operates both online and through wholesale distribution, including Homegoods, with a commitment to donating one card for every card purchased to nonprofits that serve the community. One of her recent successes is a partnership with Village of Hope Maui, demonstrating the impact and growing reach of Written Hugs.
When Village of Hope Maui reached out to me, it truly defined success in my eyes. It's heartwarming to think that someone in Hawaii, dedicated to supporting children during their most vulnerable moments, discovered my cards in a store. They were not only touched by the cards but also took the time to reach out via the website. Village of Hope Maui puts together backpacks full of essentials for kids in foster care, kids who are orphaned, or kids who have been displaced by the wildfires there, and they always include a card with it. Since our partnership has launched, they have shared the profound impact they've had, not only on the children but also on the volunteers and those assembling care packages. This, to me, exemplifies true success. It reflects the messages and connections we aspire to create.
I'm in the business of helping people feel more seen, more connected, and less alone. And I do that through uniquely and specifically designed greeting cards that lean more authentically and vulnerably into grief and loss, mental health, encouragement, and celebrations in ways that I've not seen before.
My vision is to revolutionize the greeting card industry, making room for the messy, hard aspects of life that we often shy away from.
For example, that holiday that you've always loved and cherished with someone who's no longer here is now coming up and it feels like the rest of the world has moved on. I've made a card for that person.
I made cards for people who are grieving, and the weight of that grief is stronger in a particular month.
I make Mother's Day cards for people who are estranged from their mother or estranged from their child and find it a difficult day. I'm trying to help them feel a little more seen in that moment. Or Mother's Day cards for people who are grieving through infertility and acknowledging how infertility in and of itself is such a cyclical grief that compounds more on Mother's Day, I think there should be a card for that person.
There's another card I'm currently designing for the support families of somebody struggling with addiction. When you're that parent of a child who is trapped in addiction and you yourself have been through so much to help them, and your heart is just breaking, you feel isolated and unseen. I want to create a card for those people.
I'm creating cards to foster connections for those with end-of-life in mind. I've designed a pair of keepsake prompt cards, allowing loved ones to share their favorite memories and express their hopes and pride. These cards are a precious gift for families facing end-of-life, offering prompts to capture memories and emotions.
The inspiration behind starting this business stems from both my love for creativity and my personal experiences with grief and loss. While I've always had a passion for being creative and even took a few art-related and graphic design classes in college, I didn't pursue a formal degree in these fields; it was more of a fun hobby for me.
I have experienced anxiety and depression, and I turned to art as a way to connect with my children and reassure them that even during my low moments, I still loved them, they were safe, and I would take care of myself and them. It was crucial for me to convey that it was neither their fault nor their responsibility to make me feel better. This personal journey and the desire to communicate these feelings to my children served as the catalyst for launching my business.
Our society often struggles with effectively supporting and empathizing with one another in times of hardship. I've always been the type of person who embraces challenging conversations and seeks authentic, vulnerable connections with people. I noticed a gap in the market for cards that could genuinely convey empathy, support, and authentic connection during difficult times – something I found lacking when shopping for cards in stores. So, I began crafting these cards myself because I firmly believed that such cards should exist to help people express themselves and offer meaningful support to one another.
It feels like a blessing to engage in work that not only carries a sense of purpose and mission but also resonates deeply with my own life story.
In addition to filling a gap in the market, what sets my business apart is our commitment to giving back to the community. For every card purchased through our website or at vendor events, we have a one-for-one donation policy. This means that for every card someone buys, we donate one card to a nonprofit organization that serves the community.
I'm proud to have partnered with organizations like Brighter Days Family Grief Center in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, to support the people they serve. Our cards aim to make individuals feel more seen, connected, and less alone during challenging times.
Additionally, we recently joined forces with Village of Hope Maui, which assembles backpacks filled with essentials for children in foster care, those who are orphaned, or those affected by wildfires. They include our cards in these backpacks to bring a personal touch and comfort to the recipients. This partnership allows us to contribute to their wonderful cause, making it one of our most recent and exciting collaborations in the spirit of giving back.
The highs are easy, and that's when people reach out to me on the website to say they found my cards, how touching and meaningful it is, or how perfect it was for a situation that they share with me.
And then the lows, I would say it feels lonely sometimes as an entrepreneur trying to build and create something and keep all the wheels moving in the right direction. And there's not necessarily a clear roadmap sometimes. You're really kind of forging your own path.
Someone along the way told me about SCORE, so I tried a few of the workshops, which helped me get really clear about my target market is and to identify how to meet their needs in a unique way. And then I got connected with my score mentor pretty early on.
Through SCORE I was connected with a mentor who has a background in the printing space, which is what I need to help navigate through the challenges that I face. He's been really invaluable and helping me get through some hurdles that have come my way.
While my friends and my family are very supportive and encouraging, they're not the experts in that field. So it's been really incredible to have somebody that I can talk to about those things.
We've been working together for quite a while now. He brings a unique perspective as a retired professional with expertise in the printing industry. This allows me to discuss important matters without any ulterior motives, unlike when dealing with salespeople or biased opinions. He's helped me through vendor hurdles. He's helped me learn how to expand some sales opportunities that wouldn't have happened without him. He's a great cheerleader.
If you're thinking about starting a business, my advice would be to begin with thorough research. Understand whether the need you're addressing aligns with what people actually want. This is something I realized a bit later on, but it's a crucial step that every small business should prioritize before diving in.
If your research shows that there is a demand for your idea, then believe in the value of your voice and your life experiences. Recognize that all the support, or the lack thereof, and the lessons you've learned have uniquely shaped you. No one in the world has lived through precisely what you have. While we can empathize with others on similar journeys, your perspective is one-of-a-kind. So, trust in yourself and in the importance of your voice, because it truly matters. Remember, nobody else can create exactly what you will create.
I would tell a fellow business owner that SCORE offers a wealth of workshops that are designed to accommodate your schedule. These workshops are regularly scheduled, so if you can't make one, there's a good chance another on the same topic will be available to attend.
Moreover, when you reach a point where you desire more personalized guidance, the SCORE mentorship program is incredibly valuable. The process involves a straightforward questionnaire about your business and the questions you have. I'm confident that you'll be paired with a mentor who can provide valuable insights.
What's even better is that SCORE is understanding and flexible. If, for any reason, your partnership with a mentor isn't working out or you'd like a different perspective, they are open to re-matching you with another mentor. So, there's no need to feel stuck with a mentor if it's not the right fit for you.
As a person who enjoys systems and order, something I had to figure out pretty quickly was that I actually had to supply, produce and create the system and the order because it's not going to just magically happen.
Also there's so much value in finding people that you're working with, whether they're a vendor or a partner, that are actually on the mission and on the purpose with you. I didn't know that that was possible when I first started. I kind of was met with a vibe of indifference around every corner. So I just kind of started bracing myself that this is what it's going to be like. And then I started finding people to partner with who were, in fact, on mission with me. It's possible to work with others that are excited about what you're doing and why.
Sales, marketing and business development professional in the software and graphic communications...
