It's kind of chic to be niche famous — and that perfectly describes my guest, Nicole Couto of Couto & Co. She was one of the founders of 2021 Co. That New England brand enjoyed a stellar stationery rise in a few very short years, creating customized finds for Tommy Bahama, Anthropologie and most recently L.L.Bean — and even collaborating with Jennifer Love Hewitt to bring the Holiday Junkie range to life.
While that trio has already dropped into The Paper Fold, Nicole now returns solo, new Substack in tow. So, what led this reluctant consultant to walk away from what she built — and how is she helping gift and stationery businesses access the money they are leaving on the table?
Nicole and I recorded just after the NY NOW and Shoppe Object summer markets, so we also have lots of thoughts on trade shows, design directions — and building authentic brands that truly resonate. Whatever your path in paper, it will become clearer after hearing our chat!
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