NY NOW Podcast

The Paper Plane Cocktail Hour: Inspire your inner Bad A**

• NY NOW • Season 1 • Episode 79

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From humble origins that began with long, late nights and just eight products, the Golden Gems sisters — AKA Susan Logsdon and Amanda Helman — created quite a lifestyle brand over the last five years. With lofty aims to inspire your inner badass, the duo creates bold, cheeky, and empowering merchandise that does just that. Listen in as Amy and Sarah chat up these bona fide Golden Gems to learn how they inspire us to unapologetically be who we are, take up space and live life on our own terms. That’s a hefty task for a coffee cup or notepad! Best of all, as vocal proponents for social justice in the St. Louis area, they are walking examples to us all of how to live your values with intention.  

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Amy Loewenberg:

Hi everyone and welcome to the paper plane cocktail hour. I am one of your hosts Amy Lowenberg, senior relations manager for New York now, community spotlight podcaster and all around retailer advocate. My focus is to bring you important information, conversations and perspectives from both sides of the aisle.

Sarah Schwartz:

And I am your host Sarah, you may know me as the founding editor and editor in chief of stationery trends magazine, my site, the paper nerd or possibly my other podcast, the paper fold. I've been covering the stationery and gift industry since 1997. But Never did I imagined that I'd one day be covering the market here in the virtual space.

Amy Loewenberg:

So throughout 2022 Sara and I will be raising our glasses alongside our pencils as we share stories and compare notes and celebrate three of our all time favorite topics, stationary connections, and cocktails. Cheers.

Sarah Schwartz:

So today's interview is going to be double the fun. Not only are we rounding out our first quarter focus on makers in their first phase, but we are also interviewing a Sister Act Susan Loxton and Amanda Hellman of golden gems. I knew as soon as I spied their booth at New York now this past August that I wanted to have them on. And here's what's really cool. We interview them in March, which is Women's History Month to release in April which is stress Awareness Month. And I've got to say they're upbeat, occasionally profane selection certainly make me forget all my troubles with a big belly laugh. I mean, a mug that reads take a deep breath. Remember who the hell you are, that's bound to defuse some stress, right?

Amy Loewenberg:

Oh, you know it well, and I'm pretty excited over this one toe. You know, they started exhibiting at New York now in the summer of 2021. And right out of the gate, I would definitely call them a destination for buyers. I mean, we were seeing these bright pink totes that said cool shit inside, which quickly became the Gucci bag of the market, which all the cool kids out to have.

Sarah Schwartz:

Yep, that's right. I have to and no one's allowed to touch them.

Amy Loewenberg:

So this very cool lifestyle brand includes accessories, apparel, stationary goods, and home decor. And yes, all of their products exude their mission of inspiring and empowering you to live. Unapologetically take up space and live life on your own terms.

Sarah Schwartz:

I love it. And sometimes living life on your own terms means dropping an F bomb here or there. So if that language offends you, this may not be the episode for you. However, Susan and Amanda are so fun. I do hope everyone listening sticks around. At any rate, the sister started golden gems in 2016 and set up their headquarters right in Amanda's living room. They started with lots of long nights and just ate products. Two years later, they opened their first store in St. Louis, but then over the last year, they tripled their product line and hired 16 new employees. Meanwhile, they have already outgrown that 1200 square foot building which was set up like a mullet with the party or the business or workspace in the back.

Amy Loewenberg:

Hysterical

Sarah Schwartz:

I wonder how they'll feel that we're comparing their business. Anyway, in October 2021 They moved into a 5600 square foot space with a bigger better store in the front and the golden gems headquarters in back with room for offices, warehousing events space photography studio and what have whatever other plans grab them.

Amy Loewenberg:

Well, that's completely impressive. It's a pretty big mullet going on right now.

Sarah Schwartz:

It's a major Moloch the major mullet

Amy Loewenberg:

so accordingly the duo creates bold, cheeky and empowering merchandise that does just that. In addition to their product range, Susan and Amanda have also been key social justice players in the St. Louis area. Golden gems exists to inspire your inner badass to unapologetically be who you are take up space and live your life on your own terms with products that gently remind you to be bold, or products that boldly remind everyone that you are here because all of us women are gems and who doesn't want to hear that And Sarah, you are a gem?

Sarah Schwartz:

Oh, thank you, Amy, I do need to hear that. And you are a gem as well. So what do you say we bring on this awesome St. Louis sister set already? Let's get it going. Hi, guys, thank you so much for being here.

Amy Loewenberg:

Hi, thanks for having me. We're excited to talk to you today, regularly.

Sarah Schwartz:

So first off, I love that you are a Sister Act. Personally, I think some of the strongest to say nothing of some of my favorite brands are built across family bonds. I think the intimacy of the relationship the way you banter and joke, for example, often forms the basis of product. So my question is, is that the case with you? And do you find that some of your best sellers tend to be those expressions that sort of organically arose between you for example, make cool shit take note shit.

Susan Logsdon:

Definitely. There's actually there's a funny story behind that serial killer when we when we started our Etsy shop in 2016. When we were staying up late night, start Amanda's tiny little apartment we came up with this mantra and I do not know why we're sharing it again. Like I shared it with some people before and it's fine. It's really kind of late Well, I will say we had been up very late at this point. There have been many glasses of wine anyways, but it helped us come up with one of our best days saying so well we'll do it for you. Okay. So embarrassing Okay, all right. Wait The Golden gems that a former craft makers of America do solemnly swear to make cool shit hustle like a mother take no shit kill it like no other who run the world

Amanda Helman:

girls yeah kind of evolved into like let's just do make sure take no shit and put it on lots of stuff so moto feel like

Sarah Schwartz:

I feel like it sort of started sort of started like what I used to say a girl scouts Yeah

Unknown:

girl scout anymore. We when we were little we had an imaginary craft show that we called ourselves the craft makers of America. And we would like set up everything and like have like you know like little cups filled with the thing so we could like dump in the ingredients perfectly. And we wouldn't actually record it. We had a pretend camera and we would do the whole deal like Hi I'm Amanda I'm Susan

Sarah Schwartz:

it was like kind of pre YouTube. It was like your YouTube

Unknown:

YouTube I'm God thank God it was for you too. I'm so glad that's not out in the world. Bad I think yeah, but I think that it's definitely been fun to do this with my sister. I don't think I could have started a business with anyone else because we do have that banter together and we are able to say the things to each other that maybe I wouldn't say to someone else we can be really really honest with each other. So sometimes it's nice go well but

Amy Loewenberg:

yeah, but you probably flows through any hiccup pretty quickly because of because your family gosh, well I love I love your Instagram account by the way. So I know Amanda does that. I have in my notes. Yeah, that's true. Joy love it and I can tell your your signature pink is present throughout the entire feed. It's really smart. Really, dare I say? A little badass.

Susan Logsdon:

Thank you.

Amy Loewenberg:

Well, clearly, I think we should say to our listeners, we probably should have done a precursor that this conversation will not be for the faint of heart if like profanity offends you like you should probably skip to the end.

Sarah Schwartz:

We'll have to put something in the intro like disclaimer listed one. If you like clutching your pearls this May this may be the episode for you but

Amy Loewenberg:

oh my god, I love it. I'm sorry. So Did you have something?

Sarah Schwartz:

No, no. I mean, I just think it's wonderful. I mean, you can tell I mean, I could tell as soon as I saw your range for the first time, actually at the August, New York now, it just had that certain sort of like, I don't know, easy banter, not forced quality. It feels very, it does feel like you're joking with your

Unknown:

sister. Yeah, yeah. That comes across.

Amy Loewenberg:

You know, you also have a really great booth too. I think this is your Was this your second time out on New York now?

Unknown:

Yes, yeah. We just kind of got into the trade show. World in August. So late July, we did Atlanta and then New York. Those were our first two trade shows.

Amy Loewenberg:

Well, I gotta say, I mean, to Sarah's point it you definitely come across effortless and your booth is just really attractive and really shoppable and appealing. It's like your target of destination, I think for for our buyers for sure.

Amanda Helman:

That's awesome. Yeah.

Sarah Schwartz:

Absolutely. For right out of the gate. That's really, really amazing.

Amy Loewenberg:

Yeah. So is your company? Is it five or six years old? Six,

Unknown:

six years? Yeah, it was 2016 at sea store. And we did a lot of like craft fairs and pop ups for years. And then we got a small like retail storefront with the studio in 2018. Yeah. And then we finally both quit our jobs. We had full time jobs this whole time in the end of 2019.

Amy Loewenberg:

Wow, that's pretty fast to quit your full time jobs to jump into that full time.

Unknown:

Yeah, it was it was definitely like a, it was a scary jump. But it kind of got to a point where we were, we were so busy. You know, we were we were going to work Monday through Friday during our nine to five and then we go to the shop and work all night. And we were open on Saturdays. And so we kind of got to this point where we were like, Okay, we can't do both anymore, like we are burning the candles on Yes. And at this point. So we either have to quit our jobs, or we have to quit doing this. And we were like, This is what we want to do. So let's take the risk. And it's been really exciting to see it grow. So

Amy Loewenberg:

yeah, and you've grown pretty quickly. And actually, two of those years, we experienced a major business disrupter. So tell us about your journey through that time. And, and yeah, tell us about your journey through that time.

Unknown:

I mean, that was really scary, quitting our jobs at the end of 2019. You know, we were excited about like, you know, diving in and really focusing on the business and then the pandemic happens. And we were like, Oh, no what to do. But I think because we we were able to focus all of our energy on it, we were able to, to pivot. And since we were only ever open in our retail storefront on Saturdays because of our job, we never really put all of our eggs in that like

Amy Loewenberg:

door basket. And

Unknown:

you know, building up the online store was a natural, just like push everything into that. And it really, we were able to kind of also take a step back and kind of hone in on our mission at Golden gems, what we want, what we want every product to to say and the attitude, we want everything to exude so I feel like it was a good growing time for us. But yeah, there were definitely some growing pains as well.

Amy Loewenberg:

Well, definitely. I mean, it sounds like were you gonna say something?

Unknown:

Oh, I was just gonna say, you know, it was it, it ended up being actually it ended up being one of our, like, best years. 20 was it 2020 We had like record growth, and which was, I think it was obviously really great. It definitely solidified for us. So like, we've made the right decision that we were able to grow through the pandemic. You know, I think that a lot of people were, you know, it was, I mean, we all know, we lived through it, it was a really rough time. And it was it was cool to see that, you know, like our products could bring some sort of uplifting message to people and so that was cool. And yeah, we were able to build up our online business and yeah, we I mean, we shipped out so much stuff that year it was our online store was just like booming so yeah, it was it was a scary time, but it was also like we were excited but you know, kind of like i What's going to happen next you know

Amy Loewenberg:

what, what's really cool is that you you took this leap of faith right during a At a time of empowerment, and then it immediately shifted, but you seem to have like, continued to, like, take that leap and jump right through. And your messaging, I think relates to so many people, especially going through a more challenging time in their life. I know, Sarah is all about product development and like, so am I. And I'm really curious. We're both curious about maybe, because your messaging? Excuse me, I didn't see your work on it on the Etsy shop. So did did your messaging change at all? Like, like, Did you make any shifts in your product development? Because you went through that period of time?

Unknown:

I think we were able just to kind of scale it up a bit, you know, the messaging is always remains, you know, the same. We've always been beginning, you know, we believe there's a badass inside of everybody. So we want every product to, you know, have that little bit of boom, yeah. So I think what, what we were able to do with product development is just really refine our processes. So we were making a lot of things by hand to order. And that is very, very time consuming. And it's not really sustainable for for scaling and growth. So really partnering with different partnering with different vendors to be able to produce our items on a larger scale. We were able to really focus in on that. Yeah.

Amy Loewenberg:

And feels like grow your business towards wholesale, because you were direct to consumer in the beginning. Yes. That's major.

Unknown:

Yeah. Yeah. It was, it was cool to see, you know, we started getting a lot of, you know, a lot of inquiries about like, I want to carry this in my store. And, you know, we saw we were like, okay, like this, this seems like a natural progression of what we're doing. And, yeah, like, as soon as we started putting that out there that we were able to, you know, once we were able to finally be able to fulfill big, wholesale orders. It's been crazy. It's been crazy to see how it's grown. Yeah, we were like, We were screen printing things in house in tiny little batches. We were hand stamping like hand stamping journals, and Kent and Peter pencils and key tags. So like, very time consuming, and very, the margin of error, the learning curve on all those. It was, it was it was it's nice to be able to find other artists and vendors that are much more equipped to take your take your design and your idea and produce it for you.

Sarah Schwartz:

Well, I love how you, you sort of inferred that, like during the shutdown, it was sort of a time of like looking within. And you mentioned that during that time, you sort of decided what every golden gems product must be. Can you define that? Yeah, yeah,

Unknown:

we this is when we really honed in on our mission statement. And so our mission statement is, we believe there's a badass inside of everyone and and we want to inspire and empower you to live unapologetically to take up space and to live life on your own terms. So we deal with products that either subtly remind you to be bold or products that boldly remind everyone that you're here.

Sarah Schwartz:

I love it and it informs everything you put out. And so when you're doing product development, you can just say, Well, does this do that? And if not like well maybe we need to refine it or maybe we just need to put it on the backburner or just move on. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. So that's awesome. What is that how does your rain How would you say your your product breaks down between like, stationery and then more like, more like gift items? I mean, you do apparel you do you really get into Home and Gift as well. How? How does in terms of skews, how does it break down? Um, at this point, it's

Unknown:

probably a little, like maybe 40%. Yeah, for sure. I mean, we started out doing prints and no cards and it all started out in that stationery realm and then just kind of started adding things to the line that made sense with those products. When I would say probably is like 30 or 40%. Yeah, it was recently gotten into like wrapping paper. We're adding on a stationary really does encompass a lot of items. Yeah, it sure does.

Sarah Schwartz:

And within the industry, like people throw things in that other people won't count. And like, you know, I think for me, like with stationary trends, I sort of break it down Well, yeah, paper product, but desk and sort of like upscale boutique, I think of it as but, you know, different stores define it different ways. I was just curious, because, like, obviously, I noticed your stationery first, like, that jumps out to me, but I mean, that's not you do a lot more than that. So I was just curious, kind of like, how you approached it?

Unknown:

Yeah, I think, um, we, I mean, we love coming up with, you know, new new products. And I think what's fun about stationery is that so many different things kind of are great add ons to those products. So you kind of like create this whole. This whole, like, huge basket of items that we'll see.

Amy Loewenberg:

Read of items. Yeah. Who's your main buyer? Um, well,

Unknown:

we're in we're now in about 500. small boutiques shops across the US. and Canada, a couple in Norway and England. Yeah, I'm kind of branching out to the Yeah, well, we just Urban Outfitters, just, they've ordered some of our in their stationery department. We have some orders going with them. That's fantastic. Yeah,

Amy Loewenberg:

um, so just all along that I, I want to throw this at you before Sarah, and I give you our last question. So surprise. We really have to touch on how, how ingrained you are in your, in your community, and all the really great work that you do to help it and empower others. It comes through in your messaging, obviously. But now why don't you share what your value system is? Yeah.

Unknown:

Yeah, so it's really important to us to we want to give back to the community, you know, so much of what we do is reliant on people coming in and purchasing items from us, and we want to be a company that gives back and so we do give back a percentage of sales every month to different organizations, locally and nationally, that align with what we believe. And we, that's, that's just like, that's a important aspect of what we want to do. Yeah, I think, you know, we're, obviously we want to empower women. So we work a lot with organizations that are doing that, you know, like Ron, for women is one that we just recently worked with, and they they have helped empower women in the workplace. And, you know, helping empower them to be able to ask for, ask for what they deserve pay wise, because you know, there's a huge wage gap. And we work with a women's safe as women, so different women safe house, and they help with women and families who have been affected by domestic violence. One way that we really, that we think really resonates with our, with our followers and our customers is when we do collaboration products. So we do a lot of like collaboration, good t shirt sticker, where we design something with that in partnership with that organization, and then give a portion of those sales go back as like a fundraiser to the organization.

Sarah Schwartz:

Nice. Like I see you had an Equal Pay Day party two days ago. Amazing. I wish I was

Unknown:

there. Yeah, that was our that was a collaboration with Ron for women. And so we made a shirt and it says Girls Just Want to get paid. It's it's, it's available on our website. And unfortunately, sales goes to run for women, and they're just a great organization doing really cool things here in St. Louis. So yeah, like I said earlier, they're empowering women and they do workshops for women, and they they have classes and things that women can go to, to learn about, like what they you know, maybe what they want to go into their field and they have mentors and counselors that work with these women. And so it's a really cool organization.

Sarah Schwartz:

Looks amazing. It looks amazing. And I love your shirt.

Susan Logsdon:

Oh, thank you. Yeah, that was a fun one. We really we really enjoyed making

Amy Loewenberg:

it I'm literally just perusing your website now. Shortly,

Sarah Schwartz:

is that in your cart, Amy.

Amy Loewenberg:

So I guess jumping around a little bit, just thinking about what and how we move forward, coming out of where we've been, I always think strengthens where we go. And you both have had such conviction and your vision. And your brand seems to really have honestly stayed on point from the gecko, which really says a lot. So, you know, congratulations there. But now thinking forward, and you know, coming out of a disruptive year, and we've had some successful live events, you've had a great market at New York now, how do you think the past few years have have changed the product line that you work with? Predominantly, I guess, 40%, stationary? So even, that's not predominantly if I know my numbers, right. But how do you think the category is going to evolve or continue to evolve in consumer perception going forward?

Unknown:

We have this last year in particular has been, we have experienced a lot of growth. So we are constantly trying to like, look forward to the next thing. And I feel like a lot of times, because last year, especially we've been more reactive and proactive, you know, like, we're always like, Oh, no, let's get some new products together for this thing. We are really excited about now that we've done a couple of markets and also markets, being able to really plan for the summer market has been really, really fun. And really being able to, like curate and put together a really like cohesive new collection. We're really excited about being able to just now that we've mended some markets, you kind of you think a little bit different about what the things that maybe sold the best and maybe leaning more into certain items or other items. So I'm excited for this next year just that we're able to we've laid so much groundwork that we can really plan it out a little further in advance.

Sarah Schwartz:

But what tends to be like so you're learning at markets like what tends to get the best response what what does tend to get the best response like what note Do you tend to hit the most I know you hit a lot but you know,

Unknown:

I think we found certain certain styles of like our journals and notepads just like sold so much better than other styles of them or other sizes. So like really just being like hey, this is the best seller let's make that in five colors. Or when like this via something let's put more design based on this yeah our like our mini journals. They've been really popular small fucking plans it goes really well with the big fucking

Sarah Schwartz:

all your plans are taken.

Amanda Helman:

Thanks, Mom. Yeah. Those are definitely our top sellers. You know, anything that the F word on?

Amy Loewenberg:

Interesting because and I know like Sarah and I have talked to so many so many designers over the last few years specifically, but the whole like profanity thing at first it's like, oh my goodness, you know, and like, do I buy a card from my shop that has the you know, the S word in it or the F word in it, you know? And now it's like we can't get enough and we're just buying it by the handloads

Unknown:

right? Oh, I know our our cool shit inside wrapping paper is definitely up on the list for other

Sarah Schwartz:

cool shit and

Unknown:

that's one of the ones that that's like we've had that same for a long time. And now we're like, okay, everyone's loving the wrapping paper like what else can we do with this? So for the summer markets, we're definitely gonna have a much bigger line of the cool ocean side items.

Amy Loewenberg:

I'm gonna need a much bigger cool shit inside tote bag. A lot more. We're gonna need a bigger bag. We're so excited that you're at at market especially this summer. Again, just the the consistency of having us really our buyers are just learning about you more and more and just providing that consistency so that they can expect to see you has been wonderful for us. I want to, I want to thank you from from New York now in Emerald, we really do get behind your product and your line and your whole story. You're a Sister Act, you're a woman owned business, you, you give back to the community, and you do it in the most bad assets of ways. You're here,

Unknown:

right? Yeah, we're excited to be back in New York this summer. So and we're excited, because we're gonna have like, a whole new, the whole new display, got a bunch of new products we're gonna have, so everything's gonna be really fresh and new. So. And we also want to think I mean, New York now has been amazing. We are very new on the trade show. The trade show world trade show circuit, whatever. And New York now is top notch dream of it. Yes.

Amy Loewenberg:

Oh, well, I thank you, for all of us.

Sarah Schwartz:

And I think this is such a cool episode, Amy, for you and I to close out our first quarter. Because they are really just on the precipice, like they're closing out their first chapter, and they're on that you guys are on the precipice of like, what's next? So it's really, it's exciting to see. I mean, I feel like I kind of came in, you know, maybe midway through your first act, but it's really exciting to see you starting your second one.

Amy Loewenberg:

Thank you. So maybe we should all decide right here that we should like meet back here at a certain point in time and

Susan Logsdon:

see where we are.

Amy Loewenberg:

I would love that. Well, we have love talking with you and just getting to know you a little better. You both have just great energy and a great laugh. And I mean, I say Sarah and I are here for you for anything you need, please don't hesitate to reach out in any capacity. But we thank you for spending your time with us today. And we look forward to publishing this for the next paper plane podcast.

Amanda Helman:

We're excited.

Amy Loewenberg:

Well, thank you so much. And we will talk with you and we will see you in the aisles very soon.

Susan Logsdon:

Yes.

Amy Loewenberg:

Bye. Well, that was fun. Those ladies are a hoot. And I have I love their chants.

Sarah Schwartz:

Agreed. I love it. Can we just play it over the loudspeakers when I pray? I just know it will make me forget my troubles and it's perfect for stress awareness.

Amy Loewenberg:

Well, there you go.

Sarah Schwartz:

Until our next episode, Amy, where can our listeners find you in the meantime?

Amy Loewenberg:

Oh, so you can connect with me on Instagram LinkedIn or email me at work. I always want to highlight our amazing community on my New York now spotlight podcast and feature you on my Instagram store towards and I'm available to help connect you to new and needed resources and answer any of your new york now your SF now market questions, digital market questions, anything you need. And how can we connect

Sarah Schwartz:

with you Sarah? Probably the best place to connect with me is at the paper nerd.com You can see more fabulous stationery coverage check out my podcast the paper fold and access stationary trends, the industry's award winning design driven trade quarterly as well. It's always a pleasure to learn more about makers and spotlight their work whether it is in publication blog or podcast forum. If you want to connect, I'd love to hear from you. And meanwhile Amy, I can't wait to see you later this month at the debut of SF now and noted in San Francisco, any of our listeners who are there and I hope you all can make it please don't be shy say hi to either of us if our paths cross

Amy Loewenberg:

I second that, you know I really I can't wait to get back to my city by the bay and I want to see you there. If you are a buyer or seller and you want to learn more about the market, please contact me and I will share all Golden Gate details with you. And if we don't meet up, please don't hesitate to reach out to either of us with comments, questions, feedback, suggestions for guests, or whatever you have. And don't forget New York now is an online 365 sourcing and connection platform. Make sure to sign up and sign in and definitely connect with us when you do. Thank you so much and we will talk with you soon. Cheers.