Interview with: Gemini Greetings

The Mom Behind Gemini Greetings

Who is Gemini Greetings and what sets you apart from other greeting card companies? Where are you located?
Gemini Greetings focuses on everyday cards for families with twins, triplets and quadruplets. Very few "brick & mortar" stores carry cards for twins, much less for triplets or quads. Invitations and announcements are easy to find, because many of them are customizable products, however everyday cards for the year-round holidays are simply not available.

Currently, Gemini Greetings offers Birthday, Valentine's Day, and Thank You cards and will soon include Mother's Day, Father's Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving cards. To make these cards a good fit for everyone, we try to keep the insides blank so they can be given to a set of multiples or from a set of multiples.

As an e-commerce, I run my company out of my home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

How did you come up with your business name?
The local mothers of twins club newsletter happens to be named, "The Gemini" in reference to the astrological sign for twins. After thinking through numerous names, "gemini" just made sense, so the name Gemini Greetings was born.


When and why did you decide to start your own business?
I always knew that I wanted to own and run my own company, however I never knew what kind. It wasn't until as a new mom in my early 30's, I was inspired by my 2 1/2 year old twin boys. I noticed early on there was not much in the way of greeting cards for twins. I can't tell you how many times the boys received duplicate cards from different family members. Then, one day I was rushing to get a gift & card for a classmate of the twins' and just couldn't find anything, not even a card "from the both of us" for kids. I was so disappointed. It was on that day that I knew there was a void to fill and a year later I launched Gemini Greetings.

Always striving for more, I became a very focused business woman in my early 20's.When I gave birth to my twin boys and not long after, my baby girl, I quickly lost a sense of who I was. I became a care taker -- no longer a wife or lover to my husband, just someone who changed diapers, fed and bathed the kids, only to start over and do it all over the next day. I did not know the woman I saw in the mirror, until recently. I have rediscovered the old "me" but in a better format. A warmer and loving mom who relates to many more people she comes in contact with and strives to provide only the best products in this niche market.

How did you get started?
I thought about the business for almost a year before I finally got up the nerve to begin doing something about it. I would have kicked myself if someone else had offered the same thing and I never did it. So, I spent many hours scouring the internet for potential competition, greeting card business information, anything to help me understand what I was about to jump into. After I felt like I had the knowledge and good understanding of what was required, I put together a business plan, financial analysis and began searching for an illustrator. I feel very fortunate to have found a wonderful local artist with experience in children's illustrations. We met for lunch in October last year and together we have made my dream and visions become real and available to other families with multiples. Without her illustrations, the cards wouldn't be as special as they are.

What motivates you to keep your business going?
The simple fact that there is just nothing out there for these families with young sets of multiples. I have received so many appreciative emails from parents of twins wishing they had these cards when their kids were younger. It seems as though anyone who lays eyes on the characters, just falls in love with their simplicity. I just want my products to bring joy to those who share and receive them.


Do you have a particular product that's a best seller and that you're promoting on your site?
The most popular card right now is the birthday card for brunette boy/girl twins. One of the unique things about our cards is that we recognize that not all children look alike. We offer cards in different hair color combinations as well as complexions so that parents can find the perfect card for their multiples. My vision for Gemini Greetings includes a diverse set of characters focuses on reflecting the multi-cultural society we live in.

This fall we will be promoting our Halloween cards, which I am positive will be a big hit.

How do you advertise your business? Which methods proved successful/effective?
As the outgoing President of the Greater Baton Rouge Mothers of Twins Club, I knew there was a target audience I could share my great news with. I sent email after email to over 100 twins clubs across the United States. Many of these clubs are non-profit, so the cost for ad space in their monthly newsletter goes directly to supporting that particular club.

I have discovered an entire online community of work at home moms that socialize, network and support one another. This has served as a huge help to spread the word, as well. I never knew the first thing about blogging, until I started my company. Blogging is the next best thing to sliced bread!!

In May, Gemini Greetings will be listed in the "New Products" section of Greetings etc.Magazine, which is a trade magazine for any business within the gifts and greeting card industry.

How do you juggle family and work at home?
When I figure this out, I'll let you know! :-)


What advice would you give to moms seeking to become a WAHM?
Do your homework!! Find other moms, whether online or in your community and ask lots of questions. Take notes and follow their referrals. Just because someone gives you advice, doesn't mean you have to follow it. It just means you have to dig a little deeper to make sure that the advice is good & sound. You can pay any professional to tell you what you want to hear, but someone who has "been there & done that" will give you the facts and maybe a few tips on what they might have done differently. This is invaluable to know before investing time and money into anything.


Visit Gemini Greetings at: http://www.geminigreetings.com


Current promotions/specials at Gemini Greetings:
April 9 - 18th Gemini Greetings will offer a 10% discount on any purchases made online using the code WAHM.