The love continues to blossom following the recent GCA Dragons’ Speed-dating event. Newbie publishers presented their wares for the very first time to retailers; more established players demonstrated how their ranges have moved on; the ‘dragon’ retailers were on the lookout for publishing gems while industry stalwarts shared their wealth of knowledge in a panel discussion.
In the third of a series, PG Buzz caught up with Sarah Moughtin, card and wrap buyer for John Lewis & Partners and Sarah Laker, owner of Stationery Supplies in Marple and Wilmslow to find out what they got out of being a ‘dragon’ at the event as well as which publishers’ products stood out for them…
Sarah Moughtin, buyer for John Lewis & Partners
What was it like being a dragon?
“What a fabulous event with great energy and atmosphere. It was lovely to see so many new publishers which provided a great opportunity to advise on how we work and things to consider when getting yourself retailer ready. Also good for me to understand the challenges they might face.”
What were your den delights?
“My fave meeting was with Sarah Lewis from Alphablots, who wore a colourful outfit to match her bright and bold cards!”
Sarah Laker, owner of Stationery Supplies, Marple and Wilmslow:
What was it like being a dragon?
“I felt really honoured to be asked to take part in the Dragons’ Speed-dating event. After feeling a little nervous and unsure what to expect, I soon settled in and enjoyed it. It made me realise how much I actually knew about buying and selling cards, and the greeting card industry.
The afternoon was really intense, in a good way, I loved the buzz in the air and the feeling of being able to give something back to the industry. I also got to meet some fabulous people, catch up with old friends and have fun. I hope the publishers got as much from the afternoon as I did.”
What were your den delights?
“I am looking forward to placing a few orders and trying some of the cards in both my shops. On my list to try are Alphablots, Deadpan Cards and Tattersfield Designs for definite, as well as a few more possibles…
Having a bag of samples of all participating publishers was an excellent idea and I enjoyed a detailed exploration of its contents. Some of the suppliers included personalised notes and geared their contents towards what they thought would suit my shop, and made a real effort to make their little bundles look attractive, which I really appreciated.”
Top: A thumbs-up from all the Dragons. Sarah Laker is far left and Sarah Moughtin is 8th left.
