Rosie Made A Thing scoops a Women in Business Award

Above and left: Rosie Harrison with her Small Business Award trophy.
Above: Rosie Harrison with her Small Business Award trophy.

Rosie Harrison, founder of greeting card publisher, Rosie Made a Thing has a lot to celebrate. Not only is her Gin & Frolics range in The Henries finals (the range won a Henries award last year), but the business she founded and owns has won the Small Business of the Year Award in the Women in Business Awards, organised by the Leicester Mercury.

“It was my Dad that nominated me by writing a small piece on my business and its growth. My Dad is one of my most avid supporters so it was brilliant to have him there at the awards ceremony, clapping madly,” Rosie told PG Buzz.

Rosie Harrison with her Small Business Award trophy.WITH VIDEO Women in Business Awards 2017 at the Leicester Tigers Ground. Small Business of the Year Award From left: Jennifer Thomas from the Federation of Small Business with winner, Rosie Harrison from Rosie Made a Thing.
Rosie Harrison with her Small Business Award trophy.

While still on tenterhooks for tonight – when the winners of The Henries are announced, of which Rosie Made A Thing is a contender, Rosie is very proud of the shiny Henries trophy she collected last year when Gin & Frolics won the Best Humorous Range in The Henries 2016.

“My Henries win last year was the first time I had won anything since school! I feel so proud to be voted for by such prestigious retailers and buyers and to be up there with some of the big guys,” reveals Rosie.

A Gin & Frolics design. There could be something of this going on tonight at The Henries!
A Gin & Frolics design. There could be something of this going on tonight at The Henries!

Commenting on how she feels about her recent Women in Business Awards, Rosie told PG Buzz: “Winning this Small Business Award is exciting too, but in a different way as it rewards all the hard work that goes on behind the finished cards. The business has grown so rapidly since we started in 2015. What started out as a kitchen table venture has grown into a full-time (and more) business and it is great that all that hard work has been recognised.”

Fellow Leicester-based business, Stuart Delahoy, owner of card and gift shop, Set, pays tribute to the strength of the Rosie Made a Thing cards: “Humour is a really hard thing to get right, the obvious just won’t work when written down and subjected to customer scrutiny.  Rosie’s take on life is what makes these cards special and gives them a distinct signature.  Being local is one reason we started stocking her a few years back now in our old St Martins shop. But the reason we still sell them is down to the fact we love them and they sell!’

Rosie Harrison has a great knack of combining human observations with a contemporary illustrative style.
Rosie Harrison has a great knack of combining human observations with a contemporary illustrative style.

Was becoming a card publisher part of a grand plan?

“Not at all. When I was at school I wanted to become a forensic scientist, and before that a taxi driver!

I actually ended up being a PE teacher before I had my three kids and so am totally untrained/winging it on a daily basis!

The greeting card industry is such a very friendly industry to be a part of and I have had so much help from fellow publishers, stockists and agents.”

What is your inspiration for your card designs?  

“My cards depict family life and relationships that most of us can relate to; everyday things that make us smile – friends, family and two or three glasses of wine. People often say that they see themselves in my designs and I think this is their strength. During the day, I’ll often jot down funny things that I hear. In fact, you have to be very careful what you say around me because I will write it down and stick it on a card!

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