<p><iframe allow="autoplay *; encrypted-media *; fullscreen *" frameborder="0" height="175" style="width:100%;max-width:660px;overflow:hidden;background:transparent;" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/joanna-alberti-of-philosophies/id1517156345?i=1000536504587"></iframe></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Joanna-in-the-studio-1528x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10006676"/></figure>



<p>For every Mary Engelbreit or Anna Bond, there are hundreds of smaller makers who are not only sustaining themselves by staying small, but wearing it as a badge of honor — ;no household name required. Joanna Alberti of<a href="https:"> </a>PhiloSophie&#8217;s got a huge boost early in her career, in 2005, when she was named one of Business Week&#8217;s Top Five Entrepreneurs Under 25. That same year, she and her cards literally put themselves on the industry map with their catwalk debut at the LOUIE Awards gala, held at Manhattan&#8217;s Chelsea Piers during what was, as far as I know, the only GCA-sponsored card fashion show to date. ;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/IMG_7869-1030x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10006691"/><figcaption>There&#8217;s JoAnna in couture Sophie(s). Mike Oleskow and I are at the podium. </figcaption></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/use_me-698x1024.png" alt="" class="wp-image-10006695" width="777" height="1140"/><figcaption>A closer view of Joanna&#8217;s dress on the Red Louie Carpet. The pregnant model with the baby card in the middle of her belly brings up the catwalk rear! </figcaption></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/alan-638x1024.png" alt="" class="wp-image-10006701" width="799" height="1283"/><figcaption>I can&#8217;t not show the official scene-stealer, decked out in the finest garb cards can craft, Alan Friedman of <a href="https://www.greatarrow.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.greatarrow.com/">Great Arrow Graphics</a>. </figcaption></figure>



<p>Buoyed by that promising start, Joanna has built her brand into a thriving business that &#8220;creates joy for others as well as myself.&#8221; ;Over the years PhiloSophie&#8217;s has released an impressive slew of custom creations, corporate collabs, and licensed gift offerings, all administered from Joanna&#8217;s cozy studio/shop in Spencerport, New York. ;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/philoSophies-Studio-1-1030x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10006679" width="783" height="778"/></figure>



<p>PhiloSophie&#8217;s is populated by Joanna&#8217;s very versatile spirit cartoon animal Sophie, who is much more than an icon ready to be personalized. Sophie owes her success to the fact that Joanna shaped her from the start into a vehicle for the upbeat, uplifting story Joanna wants to tell the world.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/philosophies-Holiday-Card-Sample-1-1107x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10006680"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Holiday-Card-Sample-3-742x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10006675"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/bridesmaids-815x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10006674"/></figure>



<p>Joanna shares how Sophie has consistently dispensed &#8220;aspirational positivity&#8221; — ;like the wisdom of not taking yourself too seriously, or the perils of bowing to your ego. Joanna describes how she has pivoted due to COVID-19 — and how spreading joy can be not just an act of resilience, but resistance as well. ;</p>



<p>Find PhiloSophie&#8217;s:</p><div class="inline-post clearfix"><div class="see-also byline">See also</div><div id="block-wrap-77381" class="block-wrap-native block-wrap block-wrap-23 block-css-77381 block-wrap-classic columns__m--1 elements-design-3 block-ani block-skin-0 tipi-box block-wrap-thumbnail ppl-m-1 clearfix" data-id="77381" data-base="0"><div class="tipi-row-inner-style clearfix"><div class="tipi-row-inner-box contents sticky--wrap"><div class="block block-23 clearfix"><article class="tipi-xs-12 clearfix with-fi ani-base tipi-xs-typo split-1 split-design-1 loop-0 preview-thumbnail preview-23 elements-design-3 post-17449 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-favorites tag-design tag-mohawk-fine-papers tag-mohawk-maker-quarterly tag-process tag-sarah-schwartz tag-stationery-trends tag-the-paper-chronicles" style="--animation-order:0"><div class="preview-mini-wrap clearfix"><div class="mask"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/mohawk-maker-quarterly-11-process/" class="mask-img"><img width="100" height="100" src="https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/MOH_MMQ11_12.jpg?resize=100%2C100&;ssl=1" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/MOH_MMQ11_12.jpg?resize=150%2C150&;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/MOH_MMQ11_12.jpg?resize=200%2C200&;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/MOH_MMQ11_12.jpg?resize=293%2C293&;ssl=1 293w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/MOH_MMQ11_12.jpg?resize=75%2C75&;ssl=1 75w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/MOH_MMQ11_12.jpg?resize=390%2C390&;ssl=1 390w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/MOH_MMQ11_12.jpg?resize=24%2C24&;ssl=1 24w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/MOH_MMQ11_12.jpg?resize=48%2C48&;ssl=1 48w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/MOH_MMQ11_12.jpg?resize=96%2C96&;ssl=1 96w" sizes="(max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px" /></a></div><div class="meta"><div class="byline byline-2 byline-cats-design-4"><div class="byline-part cats"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/category/favorites/" style="color:#b79b0d" class="cat">Favorites</a></div></div><div class="title-wrap"><h3 class="title"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/mohawk-maker-quarterly-11-process/">Mohawk Maker Quarterly #11: Process</a></h3></div><div class="byline byline-3"><span class="byline-part date"><i class="tipi-i-calendar" aria-hidden="true"></i> <time class="entry-date published dateCreated flipboard-date" datetime="2017-03-07T14:25:04+00:00">March 7, 2017</time></span><span class="byline-part likes-count"><a href="#" class="tipi-like-count " data-pid="17449"><span class="likes-heart"><i class="tipi-i-heart-o" aria-hidden="true"></i><i class="tipi-i-heart" aria-hidden="true"></i></span><span class="tipi-value">0</span></a></span></div></div></div></article></div></div></div></div></div></tipimidc>



<p>W: <a href="https://www.celebratewithsophies.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">www.celebratewithsophies.com</a></p>



<p>IG: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shopsophies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@shopsophies</a></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/maybe-I-do-know-what-im-doing-sarahs-focused-philosophies-1024x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10006677"/><figcaption>My Sophie!</figcaption></figure>



<p>Music Credits: “Your Treasure is Your Self”; written and performed by Sharon Glassman; Courtesy of Sharon Glassman/Smile Songs. <a href="http://smilesongs.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">smilesongs.com</a></p>

Joanna Alberti of PhiloSophie’s
