Aarti Aggarwal, who has a booth at Paper World Expo in Anaheim, is happy to see a growing interest in stationery, noting that people are craving tangible items and want to “feel, touch, experience, document, and remember.” Paper goods, stationery, scrapbooking and such are the perfect mediums for expression, she says.
A shared passion for paper drew three women together, and the more they talked about paper and planners, the more that passion turned into a vision: spreading the paper joy through a giant expo. And so was born Paper World Stationery Expo, a celebration of stationery in all its many forms.
The women, all located in Southern California, were already deeply involved in the stationery and creative planner community: Flavia Gabriel, who launched her stationery brand The Fabulous Planner in 2015; Paper Panduh owner Emma Kim, known for her whimsical sticker designs and planner accessories; and stationery entrepreneur Vienna Ortiz, founder of Vienna Ortiz Plans, host of Planner Talk podcast, and former owner of Stationery Addict Box.
“The three of us connected through the stationery community over the years — through events, collaborations, and mutual friends in the industry,” says Gabriel. “We’ve all experienced the magic of the community firsthand, and that shared passion for paper, creativity, and small businesses ultimately brought us together to create Paper World.”
Their dreams are coming to life with their first Expo April 4, in Anaheim, Calif., followed by a June 27 Expo in Seattle, and soon in Orlando. Despite a $49 general admission cost, they sold more than 1,000 tickets to the Anaheim show within the first two months of promotion, which Gabriel says, “exceeded our initial expectations and confirmed that there is strong demand for an event like this.”
After years of attending planner meetups, craft markets, and creative conferences, they realized that although the stationery and planner community is incredibly passionate, there aren’t many events dedicated entirely to celebrating paper, stationery, and creative tools.
“We kept thinking how exciting it would be to create an event that brought together all corners of the stationery world in one place, where people could meet the artists and brands they follow.”
But they wanted something more than a marketplace. They wanted an event that would “feel like a celebration of stationery culture. Once we started mapping out the idea and saw how enthusiastic vendors and attendees were, we knew we had to bring it to life.”
Paper World Stationery Expo founders Flavia Gabriel, Emma Kim and Vienna Ortiz turned their passion for paper into creating a stationery expo to celebrate the burgeoning “stationery culture,” celebrating everything from journals to letter writing.
They also tapped into a trend. In a recent report from Craft Industry Alliance Community Experience Manager Sarah Sewell’s The Flourish Forecast, she noted “a noticeable return to the written word,” which fits into the burgeoning yearning to cut one’s phone time with analog pleasures.
“We absolutely see this shift happening,” Gabriel agrees. “Despite living in a digital world, people are craving more tangible and intentional experiences, and writing is one of the most powerful ways to slow down and connect with our thoughts. People are rediscovering the joy of putting pen to paper, whether that’s planning their goals, documenting their travels, or simply writing in a notebook.”
Paper World, she says, “is a way to celebrate the idea that writing and paper still have an incredibly meaningful place in modern life.”
While the Expo concept came from their passion, these savvy entrepreneurs did their due diligence with lots of research and a clear business plan.
“We approached the event very strategically,” says Kim. “We researched other successful creative expos, craft events, and stationery markets to understand what works well and what attendees are looking for. We analyzed vendor demand, community interest, venue capacity, and ticket pricing to make sure the event could be sustainable for both vendors and attendees.”
To make the event more than just about shopping, they incorporated workshops, networking opportunities, and a Paper Lounge, where another $20 buys a two-hour slot in “a creative space where you can slow down and actually use the products you bought,” explains Ortiz. “We wanted an environment where people could sit down, journal, write, decorate planners, and connect with other creative people.”
The women invested their own funds to secure the venue, begin production, and start marketing the event. Ticket sales and vendor booth reservations helped provide capital, as did tiered sponsorships for such things as swag bags, lanyards, signage and more.
Claudia Ramos, owner of Hola Mijas Bonitas, is excited to show her line of diversity-inspired characters at the first Paper World Stationery Expo April 4 in Anaheim, California.
“Sponsors help elevate the event while also gaining exposure to a very engaged and passionate audience of stationery lovers,” Kim notes. “And of course, attendees always love discovering new brands through the swag bags and giveaways.”
The more than 60 vendors, who paid $300 to $350 for a booth at the Anaheim show, include independent stationery brands, planner and journaling creators, sticker artists, pen and accessory makers, and creative lifestyle brands.
“We wanted to curate a diverse group of vendors so attendees could discover new brands while also supporting small creative businesses,” says Kim.
“We looked for vendors who are passionate about stationery and bring something unique to the community.”
Vendor Claudia Ramos, creator of Hola Mijas Bonitas, which offers diverse designs in stickers, prints and notepads, says signing on was a no-brainer, a good way to bring her Latin-infused products to a broader audience. “I’ve been looking for events that are concentrated in stationery,” Ramos says.
“When I saw who was creating the event I knew this was legit. I knew they knew what they were doing and that it would be a great show.”
For Aarti Aggarwal, owner of Leela Journals, who also has a booth at the Anaheim show, the most valuable part of doing in-person events “is meeting all my adorable customers in person. The joy I get from seeing their joy is priceless and keeps me going as an artist and small business owner.”
She also relishes the chance to meet other vendors, which is inspiring and “makes me feel like I belong to a community.”
Aarti Aggarwal, owner of Leela Journals, designs much of the items that adorn her journals, washi tape and other items she sells. Her designs run the gamut from elegant and vintage to soft and feminine.
There were, of course, some challenges putting on a large expo, including building awareness and credibility for something that didn’t yet exist. Then there’s the logistics of coordinating vendors, sponsors, venue operations, marketing, and programming all while balancing their own businesses and jobs.
The three women divided the labor, leaning on each one’s particular strengths. For instance, Kim focused on vendor relations and social media, Ortiz handled marketing, design and partnerships, and Gabriel took on website development, email marketing, and operations. They joined forces on logistics and attendee experience.
“We collaborate closely and communicate constantly to keep everything moving forward,” says Ortiz. “We have a group chat where we text each other all day long about updates, new ideas, deadlines, etc.”
Like many entrepreneurs, she says, “we’re all balancing this project alongside our own businesses and responsibilities, so it has definitely required dedication, teamwork and long hours on the phone/Facetime.”
It looks like their determination has paid off.
“Our long-term vision,” says Gabriel, “is to continue expanding Paper World to additional cities as the event grows.”
So what started as a casual chat about a paper passion is now something to write home about – especially on some pretty stationery.
Roberta G. Wax
contributor
Roberta Wax is an award-winning journalist and imperfect crafter. A former news reporter, her freelance articles and projects have appeared in a variety of newspapers and magazines, from the Los Angeles Times and Emmy magazine to Cloth Paper Scissors, Somerset Studio, Craftideas, Belle Armoire, etc. She has also designed for craft companies. Although she has no art background she was a crafty Girl Scout leader. www.creativeunblock.com
