In this digital age, it’s surprising to find greeting card aisles at every grocery store, drugstore, and big box retailer in the U.S. While mom-and-pop card and gift stores struggled during the pandemic, the market is on an upswing and. Cards tied to specific events surged as people craved connection and authentic messaging while social distancing, a clear indicator that digital can’t replace everything, especially when it comes to matters of the heart.
When Jessica May Walker took a part-time job at an NYC gift shop in 2017, little did she know that it would change the trajectory of her life. It was near her apartment, which enabled her to be near her husband, Tommy, who had been recently diagnosed with stage 3 esophageal cancer, a rare diagnosis with a 5% survival rate. Jessica, then 26, fell in love with paper cards but noticed that most get-well greetings were very serious and didn’t speak to a younger audience. That void sparked an idea.
Jessica didn’t have an art background and knew nothing about starting a business. Nor did it seem like she had the money to do it, as the newlyweds were drowning in medical debt. Still, she was on a mission to help people express their love and support to others when their own words failed them. “When someone is going through a tough time, it’s difficult to know the right thing to say. Often, nothing is said because of it. A tasteful joke on a card can transition into a meaningful conversation.
Businesses are often born from a desire to solve a problem and to fill a gap in the market. Jessica “googled her heart out” and learned graphic design online using an iPad. She opened an Etsy shop and launched her business with $150 to purchase small batches of cardstock, ink, envelopes, and shipping materials. The first five designs she offered were printed on their home printer. One card had an illustration of gold stars with the caption, “Unfortunately for cancer, you’re a rockstar.