<p><iframe allow="autoplay *; encrypted-media *; fullscreen *; clipboard-write" frameborder="0" height="175" style="width:100%;max-width:660px;overflow:hidden;border-radius:10px;" 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/nicole-couto-of-couto-co/id1517156345?i=1000787408123"></iframe></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It&#8217;s kind of chic to be niche famous — and that perfectly describes my guest, Nicole Couto of <a href="https://www.coutoandco.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">⁠Couto &; Co.⁠</a> She was one of the founders of <a href="https://2021co.com/?srsltid=AfmBOorirNv8sP1nyaUJXrCdiijkmEXP0ECJe04MjwKmmMhqID7how-r" target="_blank" rel="noopener">⁠2021 Co.⁠</a> <em>That</em> New England brand enjoyed a stellar stationery rise in a few very short years, creating customized finds for Tommy Bahama, Anthropologie and most recently L.L.Bean — and even collaborating with Jennifer Love Hewitt to bring the Holiday Junkie range to life.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/IMG_8853-885x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10022331"/></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/portfolio/holiday-junkie-jennifer-love-hewitt-x-2021-co/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">⁠While that trio has already dropped into The Paper Fold⁠</a>, Nicole now returns solo, <a href="https://substack.com/@nikcouto/note/c-236199461?r=78lqep&;utm_medium=ios&;utm_source=notes-share-action" target="_blank" rel="noopener">⁠new Substack in tow⁠</a>. So, what led this reluctant consultant to walk away from what she built — and how is she helping gift and stationery businesses access the money <em>they</em> are leaving on the table?</p><div class="inline-post clearfix"><div class="see-also byline">See also</div><div id="block-wrap-63459" class="block-wrap-native block-wrap block-wrap-23 block-css-63459 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="63459" 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-10019487 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-favorites tag-2021co tag-anna-whitham-co tag-bloomwolf-studio tag-color-box-design-letterpress tag-design tag-gert-co tag-girl-w-knife tag-greeting-cards tag-ink-meets-paper tag-j6r6 tag-letterpress tag-meera-lee-patel tag-risograph tag-sarah-schwartz tag-stationery tag-stationery-blog tag-stationery-design tag-stationery-designer tag-stationery-trends tag-sublime-co-2 tag-thank-you-stationery tag-thinking-of-you-week tag-umlaut-brooklyn-2 tag-up-with-paper tag-uwp-luxe tag-yellow-owl-workshop tag-yumismade" style="--animation-order:0"><div class="preview-mini-wrap clearfix"><div class="mask"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/thinking-of-you-and-beyond/" class="mask-img"><img width="100" height="100" src="https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Lifestyle-Riso-CardsWinter2017Cards-copy.jpeg?resize=100%2C100&;ssl=1" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Lifestyle-Riso-CardsWinter2017Cards-copy.jpeg?resize=100%2C100&;ssl=1 100w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Lifestyle-Riso-CardsWinter2017Cards-copy.jpeg?resize=120%2C120&;ssl=1 120w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Lifestyle-Riso-CardsWinter2017Cards-copy.jpeg?resize=275%2C275&;ssl=1 275w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Lifestyle-Riso-CardsWinter2017Cards-copy.jpeg?resize=372%2C372&;ssl=1 372w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Lifestyle-Riso-CardsWinter2017Cards-copy.jpeg?resize=567%2C567&;ssl=1 567w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Lifestyle-Riso-CardsWinter2017Cards-copy.jpeg?resize=882%2C882&;ssl=1 882w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Lifestyle-Riso-CardsWinter2017Cards-copy.jpeg?resize=24%2C24&;ssl=1 24w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Lifestyle-Riso-CardsWinter2017Cards-copy.jpeg?resize=48%2C48&;ssl=1 48w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Lifestyle-Riso-CardsWinter2017Cards-copy.jpeg?resize=96%2C96&;ssl=1 96w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Lifestyle-Riso-CardsWinter2017Cards-copy.jpeg?resize=150%2C150&;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Lifestyle-Riso-CardsWinter2017Cards-copy.jpeg?resize=300%2C300&;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Lifestyle-Riso-CardsWinter2017Cards-copy.jpeg?resize=50%2C50&;ssl=1 50w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Lifestyle-Riso-CardsWinter2017Cards-copy.jpeg?zoom=2&;resize=100%2C100&;ssl=1 200w" 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/thinking-of-you-and-beyond/">Thinking of You &#8230; and Beyond</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="2025-09-18T18:43:50+00:00">September 18, 2025</time></span><span class="byline-part likes-count"><a href="#" class="tipi-like-count " data-pid="10019487"><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>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/nicole_TPN.png" alt="" class="wp-image-10022330"/></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Nicole and I recorded just after the NY NOW and Shoppe Object summer markets, so we also have lots of thoughts on trade shows, design directions — ;and building authentic brands that truly resonate. Whatever your path in paper, it will become clearer after hearing our chat!</p>

Nicole Couto of Couto & Co.
