HellaFresh Designs: Hilariously Inappropriate

February 04, 2016

Valentine’s day is less than two weeks away and if you’re still looking for the perfect (and hilarious) Valentine’s day card for your special someone – we need to introduce you to Sylvie! Sylvie is the owner & designer behind HellaFresh Designs, an online shop selling humorous and inappropriately honest greeting cards. Sylvie took her long-time love of creativity and crafting and opened up her Etsy shop less than a year ago. In her short time on the popular ecommerce site, Sylvie has already surpassed 1,500 sales, not including numerous wholesale orders. Her cards have been featured on popular websites such as Huffington Post, BuzzFeed and Dose, and can also be found in Urban Outfitters locations. Her shop is currently ranking in the Top 500 Canadian Etsy Sellers list and climbing quickly.

How did you get the idea for HellaFresh Designs?

The idea for HellaFresh Designs came about while my brother-in-law was visiting over the holidays in 2014. I mentioned to him how I was looking for some humorous Christmas greeting cards, but all I could find were your traditional “sappy” cards. I threw out an idea of what I thought would make a good card (which I eventually created here) and he simply said ‘Why don’t you make them yourself?’. Having always wanted a business of my own, a light bulb immediately went off in my head and I thought ‘Yes! This is it… I can totally create my own line of cards!’ It was the perfect pairing of my love of design/crafts and unconventional (sometimes vulgar) sense of humor. I was on maternity leave at the time, so between feedings and diaper changes, I bought myself a professional printer, some paper and got started on HellaFresh Designs. I guess you could say I owe what success I’ve had to my brother in law. (Thanks Jason!)

Where can we find your cards?

My cards can currently be found in my Etsy shop at www.HellaFreshDesigns.etsy.com. If you’re traveling south of the border, you can find select cards in Urban Outfitters. Oh yeah, you might even spot a few at Target in 2017. 😉

What is the inspiration for your cards?

Most of my cards are inspired by my everyday life. I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by like-minded people (read: offbeat and crazy). Through our strange and highly inappropriate conversations, I find opportunities for cards all the time. Sadly, these get added to my VERY long list of card ideas stored in my smart phone. I have a full-time day job, so between work and being a wife and mother, most of my spare time is spent fulfilling orders. I do, however, love the creative process of designing new cards, so I try to make time for it as much as I can.

Your cards are now selling in Urban Outfitters locations – what was that process like?

The initial process was actually very simple! I was contacted by an Urban Outfitters purchaser through my Etsy shop, and asked if I would be interested in selling some of my cards to UO. I played it cool, but I was thinking ‘DUH! Where do I sign?’! We quickly ironed out a contract and I got to work on producing thousands of cards. This part of the process, however, wasn’t as simple! I was basically operating a sweat shop out of my parents’ house for about a month, hiring just about anyone that was willing to work for pizza and my eternal gratitude. It was definitely a stressful time, and selling internationally was an enormous learning curve (what the heck is a broker of record and where do I get a NAFTA certificate?!) but the outcome was so rewarding. Plus, I now have huge bragging rights!

Which cards are your best sellers?

There must be a lot of whores and nice asses out there, because my best sellers are BY FAR ‘That ass, though!’ and ‘You dirty skanky whore – I love you, don’t ever change’.

Fun fact: The saying ‘You dirty skanky whore..’ has been an inside joke between my best friend and I for over 10 years. It was my very first sale and continues to be my best seller. It’s amazing to see how many others out there share the same facetiousness with their friends, girlfriends or wives. Yes, some people do buy this card for their partners, and I don’t judge.

Do you have any tips for others who want to start a successful Etsy shop?

Be patient, work hard and believe in yourself and your product. Also, don’t forget to network! Though it’s something I struggle to find the time for, social media can be your best friend when you own a business. Who doesn’t have a Facebook, Instagram and Twitter account these days? It’s free advertising – take advantage!

Etsy is truly the perfect platform for anyone interested in starting a small business. It’s incredibly user-friendly and there’s little to no risk – all you require is a bit of inventory and shipping material. So if you’re reading this article and have been thinking about opening an Etsy shop, just go do it. Right now! I promise you won’t regret it.

You can find HellaFresh Designs on Facebook and Instagram

We are really excited to be able to partner with HellaFresh Designs to give a 5 pack of cards (of your choice) to one of our readers! It’s easy to enter – just follow the steps below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Emily Franceschini

Emily Franceschini is former full-timer and lover of all things purple. In a past life, Emily worked as a marketing manager and spent her free time searching for the perfect cup of coffee. Now all of her time is free time and she's spending it exploring the world.