95_97_99_Agents.qxp_Grid 17/01/2025 11:56 Page 95
AGENTS’ MUSICAL REVELATIONS
With Wicked working its magic at the box office and new musicals hitting the high notes in theatres, a chorus line of independent sales agents Guys & Dolls shared the score of trade over the last year. They also revealed what would be their musical of choice as well as what will bring the hills alive with the Sound of Music in their patch in 2025.
Inset: Independent sales agents have to be in time with the song and dance routine of retailers’ needs.
Song And Dance Routines Rosie Trow
Corinne Forbes Corinne’s territory is the whole of Scotland which she covers with her two sub-agents Roberta and Lynsey. Among the card companies they represent include Belly Button Designs, Five Dollar Shake, Janie Wilson, Molly Mae, Paper Salad, Stop the Clock and Wendy Jones Blackett.
Rosie’s territory is the South West of England. She represents Accessories by Park Lane, Belly Button Designs, Bewilderbeest, Crumble & Core, Glick, Go La La, Janie Wilson, Life Charms, Marina B, Museums & Galleries, Oli Olsen, Paper Salad, Redback and Wendy Jones-Blackett. Above: (left-right) Corinne Forbes with Maggie Marr and Nikki Halliday from The Bay Tree in Edinburgh. Below left: No Grinchs please in 2025. Bottom: Corinne is looking forward to a Wicked-ly good 2025.
A Wickedly Good or Les Miserables Year? “2024 was Wickedly good I am delighted to say. It is too early to know every customers’ thoughts on how Christmas ended up, but most were happy with how busy they were from mid-November onwards. More customers contacted me in December to re-order Christmas cards than the previous year which was great. There will always be The Grinchs who have stopped sending Christmas cards due to cost of postage etc but I do believe they are still the minority. The high notes of 2024 were new products/ranges. It constantly amazes me how talented publishers are and how they keep coming up with new ranges time after time. It is so important to keep our customers interested and excited to see and buy new on a regular basis. Stranger Things may happen but generally no low points – we have amazing and loyal customers and fabulous products to sell – what more could you want?!” The 2025 Sound of Music: “I’m just hoping for another Wicked year really!” Your Musical Alter Ego: “I would love to appear in Mamma Mia – who doesn’t love a happy ending?!”
A Wickedly Good or Les Miserables Year? “Most indies Dreamed a Dream and appeared to be ‘less miserable’, battling on while facing every challenge with a positive mindset, ever keen that the show had to go on! The Little Shop of Horrors for me personally was receiving six months’ notice from Jellycat after being the company’s agent for 21 years and receiving three months’ notice from Wrendale Designs after 11 years, losing both agencies to full time employed reps. However, rather than Strictly Ballroom, these were ‘strictly business’ decisions and not personal Mamma Mia ones. Sometimes you just have to accept business is business and Walk The Line. I’ve been Truly, Madly, Deeply touched by customers thanking me for what I consider is just part of my job.” The 2025 Sound of Music: “My hills will be alive in 2025 with all the great new products for my retailer customers. I am not living in La La Land, and know that a lot of indies have fewer staff, and struggle to get away from their shops, so I will be taking in ideas, thoughts and inspiration. Life is a Cabaret, after all!” Your Musical Alter Ego: “My personal choice would be Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. What could be better than a car that can fly, have no speed issues or red lights to sit at so maybe I wouldn’t be late, and I’d turn the child catcher into a traffic warden catcher!” Top right: Adrian Heathfield, buyer at Bernaville Garden Centre presented Rosie with a beautiful bouquet of flowers to thank her for the support she had given them with Jellycat and Wrendale. Above: Rosie Trow is well aware that real life isn’t La La Land. Right: A car that could dodge traffic wardens and busy roads would be a godsend for agents like Rosie Trow. PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 95