ILLUSTRATION company The Grey Earl was set up in February this year and business has taken off, partly thanks to one of the Boris Johnson cards being sent to Nicola Sturgeon for her birthday. Owner Jon Bishop sells the cards on Etsy and shops in the UK but has plans to expand internationally in the next few years.
Name: Jon Bishop
Age: 38
Position: Owner
WHAT IS THE BUSINESS CALLED?
The Grey Earl
WHERE IS IT BASED?
Perthshire
WHY DID YOU SET UP THE BUSINESS?
I WANTED to focus on children’s picture books initially but I I thought greetings cards were a nice medium for what I do – jokes are more important than illustrations now. Humour has dictated the route they have gone. Younger people are usually looking for humour over sentimentality.
I graduated from studying illustration at Dundee University in 2005. I moved back to Scotland in 2010 and ran community workshops in Clydebank. I did the cards on the side and in 2014 I worked on my illustrations full time. Business has picked up a bit since the First Minister’s birthday card. We’ve got a good amount of online sales and we’ve had new stockists get in touch from England. We first launched in February and people have got in touch in the past week or so.
The inspiration for the Boris Johnson card was the same as all I cards I do. I beaver away on a theme and try to pull together designs that make a range. When we get it printed I create graphics and figure out how to launch it with this one we sent out press releases to papers.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon's hilarious birthday card pokes fun at 'clown' Boris Johnson
I launched at the Scottish Trade Show in Glasgow. It was very much a learning process for me as a one-man band. Before the launch of the Boris cards I just put it into the shops to see what would happen but there was more preparation for this one.
WHAT IS YOUR TARGET MARKET?
MY first batch of cards was a version of Batman called Batboy which used Scottish dialect. The end recipient tends to be male but the people who buy it tend to be female so it is aimed at one market but bought by another. We sell through Etsy and Twitter has been good to see what others are saying. It is quite a solitary gig doing illustration so the rush of interest has been a nice reminder that people appreciate it.
HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM COMPETING BUSINESSES?
HUMOUR is probably what sets it apart but I am not limiting it to one theme. I have made cards about Donald Trump, Boris Johnson, talking fruit and veg, superheroes and Star Wars. Humour ties it all together. People who follow my work like that I jump from theme to theme. We only use 100% recycled papers and don’t use plastics in the illustrations. I give freebies where I can in orders.
IS SCOTLAND A GOOD PLACE FOR THIS TYPE OF BUSINESS?
YES, the sense of humour lands quite well here. I was born in England but have lived here for most of my adult life. I have gone for a DIY approach by trying to get the cards in small shops in Scotland.
I think coronavirus has made people realise the importance of shopping local and supporting independent businesses. It has been useful having big online retailers delivering over this period. We always try to support small businesses in terms of manufacturing – it is done in Scotland. I have noticed an increase of online sales during lockdown. People are wanting to stay in touch more so are sending cards.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN RUNNING THE BUSINESS?
HAVING to wear all the hats and keep a handle on all the admin which can be a bit tricky. I love to have ownership and make decisions. In time I hope to support other staff to allow me to do more creative stuff.
WHERE DO YOU HOPE THE BUSINESS WILL BE IN 10 YEARS’ TIME?
I AM hoping to branch our in terms of exposure into England and the rest of the UK, whether we are part of it or not. I have been attending trade shows in London and Birmingham. I want to have more stockists in the UK and internationally.
Children’s picture books are still on my to-do list and I want to continue working with the children’s theatre company which I do illustration and music for. I have a new range coming out based on movies I grew up watching – the launch is in a few weeks.
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