Selling 100,000 cards is no mean feat. To put that into perspective, it’s enough cards to fill a stadium, or at the very least, enough to keep the Royal Mail busy for a hot minute.
Meet Olivia, the powerhouse behind Sweetlove Press. She’s been with thortful almost since we were just a glint in the eye of the card industry, and she’s spent the last decade proving that being a “small” independent creator can lead to some seriously big things.
We sat down with her to talk shop, style evolution, and why you should never wait for “perfection” to hit the upload button:
How does it feel to have sold 100K cards on thortful?
It feels amazing to have sold 100,000 cards on Thortful and I feel very lucky. I’m already looking forward to the next 100,000!
Where does your personal style come from?
I think my personal style has definitely evolved over the years, but it normally sits somewhere between heartfelt and humorous. I do like a little sparkle of cheekiness and humour, but also love a sentimental message. I think that sums me up personally, and I obviously bring that into my card designs.
What challenges have you faced as an independent creator?
As an independent creator I think one of the challenges I face is when I want to jump on a topical trend for a card design, but I take too long to design it and someone else gets there before me!
Which Card Design is your most underrated?
I think one of my more underrated cards on Thortful is my illustrated Lobsters Are For Life Valentine’s card. I loved drawing this one and I love the colours!
What advice would you give to new or aspiring creators?
Some advice I would give to new or aspiring creators is to just keep creating until you find your style. Try and set yourself apart from everyone else, and don’t wait for perfection. Just keep creating and uploading.
There you have it! 100,000 sales, 10 years of graft, and a whole lot of heart (with a side of lobster). Olivia’s journey is proof that when you show up as your authentic self, people really do lean in.
Feeling inspired? There’s no better time to get your ideas out there. After all, the next 100k milestone could have your name on it…
