It is always a privilege to discover the driving force behind a successful business, a great idea and an active mind. Brent boasts experience in all three areas. Here is part two of his revealing interview:
I'm impressed at the concept of card "collections" rather than just individual designs. I can't say I've seen that anywhere else. Each group is so different from the others. What brought on the idea of the separate collections? Why that approach?
Collections - where do I begin. I have been collecting since I was a kid. i collect everything from Pez to old tin globes. In our designing of the cards we decided to do them in series, in part because some of the images that we found came in series, and in part because we thought it was conceptually unique and would set us apart. Our hope is that we have created sets of cards and packaging that are cool enough to keep - so collect them all!
You work with a variety of different designers and yet, there's a cohesive design thread that spans every collection. What is that process like? How do you keep the overall look of the products unified without limiting the creativity of contributing designers or yourselves?
We use a variety of artists but the overall design of the cards and box sets is done by myself and my son. We are the ones who put it all together and so we are able to weave a cohesive look into all the design elements. We have focused a lot of our effort on creating packaging that has a consistent look and feel with the cards. We do most of the writing in-house and try to keep it crisp and clean as well. We are always open to new ideas but don't want to compromise our design aesthetic.
I love your commitment to "green" by using 10% post-consumer content and encouraging customers to keep the packaging by making it as attractive as the products themselves. How do you see the green movement affecting your business?
The "green movement" is huge and will get even bigger, you can count on it. We felt it an absolute necessity to use recycled and recyclable materials in our product line. We could have printed the packaging and cards on a cheaper paper stock that had no post-consumer content but felt that would limit our options in the long run. We will do more in future offerings to be more earth-friendly and consumer-conscience.
What's next for Card Sharks? Any upcoming lines or new products you want to leak to the press? :)
We have been working on our next round of ideas. We have some wonderful artists lined up and some great ideas in the hopper. We are also exploring other types of partnerships as well. Stay tuned.
You know the drill, kiddos. Save 20% on any purchases using promo code VENTISHARKS and/or enter to win a set of boxed cards on Life in a Sippy Cup. Must enter prior to Friday at midnight!
