This month we’re focusing on David from Ricicle Cards.I always look forward to seeing David at tradeshows and events, he’s a bit of a social butterfly!

To get to know David a little bit more, here’s a little interview we did with him…

Tell me a little bit about yourselves & your company

Hello! I'm David, the founder & proud small business owner of Ricicle. I love to create colourful, contemporary & beautiful greeting cards.

The name Ricicle comes from my married name. Before my husband & I married, he was Rice & I was Nichols - together, we are the Ricicles! I knew instantly that this would be the perfect name for the brand. While Steve, my husband doesn’t work with me and has his own job, he supports me at trade shows and at home during meltdowns, haha! 

I really enjoy designing my own cards, but I also relish in art directing. Putting together a brief for a new greeting card collection and finding the perfect artist to bring those ideas to life - it’s a really exciting process. Plus I get to play around with different print techniques too, whether it’s adding hot foiling or some die-cutting for extra pizzazz.

How did you get into doing what you’re doing?

2024 marks my 10th year working with greeting cards! Prior to launching Ricicle Cards in January 2020, I worked in the greeting card industry on wholesale/client management, photography, creative design - lots of things! I knew I wanted to create my own collection, so I launched at Top Drawer January 2020 just before Covid hit.

I’ve always loved stationery and greeting cards - whether it was my school planner or thank you cards after Christmas and birthdays, it’s a true privilege to run a business based off a life-long passion.

Biggest achievement to date (personally or business wise)?

Becoming a Henries Award finalist three years running. I can’t believe it, really. My business is still quite young, so to be recognised among the greats of the industry as a finalist in these prestigious awards is wonderful and something I’m so proud of. I might not have won one yet, but I’m hopeful to one day!

Where can we find your cards?

Chirpy, of course! I’m so lucky to be stocked in some of the UK’s most wonderful retailers, whether they’re larger shops or small but mighty independent boutiques. I’m fortunate enough to partner with distributors in a couple of countries worldwide too, which is really cool.

Why do you think sending cards is still so important?

 I've always thought that a greeting card, whether it's a birthday card or one sent just to say 'hello', is like receiving a hug in the post. Surprising someone with a thoughtful gesture combined with a stunning greeting card design can spark so much joy - both for you and the recipient!

That's where my passion comes from - helping people enjoy these moments. We cover all milestone occasions & seasonal events, so you’ll never miss an opportunity to send some love in the form of a bright and colourful greeting card with a heartfelt message, printed on luxury card stock.

Best thing about running your own business? 

The community, absolutely. Whether it’s making friends with other greeting card publishers or building relationships that turn into friendships with my retailer customers, that’s the best bit. It’s one of the main reasons I love to do trade shows, I get to get out of my house and see lots of familiar faces that love greeting cards as much as I do.  

Advice to someone looking to turn their hobby / talent into a business?

Success and growth doesn’t happen overnight. Building your brand presence takes time, sometimes a great deal of time. You need to be present at trade shows each year to be visible. Be consistent, communicate with your customers well and embrace the fact that you can’t do everything - you just need to make the best decisions you can at the time. Whenever I’m stressed about an order deadline or something goes wrong with a print run, I’ve learned to take a breath and say ‘It’s just cards. It’s not life or death’.

You can find a selection of Ricicle’s Christmas cards online and in store