41-43_PG Live Newbies.qxp_Grid 05/05/2025 13:02 Page 95
PG LIVE NEWBIES
Everyone Has A Story… Next month’s Progressive Greetings Live (June 3-4) at London’s Business Design Centre) will see an inspiring array of publishers making their respective debuts at the exhibition, most notably in the Upper Village and Springboard areas. PG shares the back stories of just some of these PG Live newbies as well as their ‘happy ever after’ dreams for the show.
Rachel Hart-Phillips, co-owns and runs LoveLossDiscoballs with her husband Warren Once upon a time: “We are a husband-and-wife duo with a shared passion for making life's hardest moments feel a little brighter. LoveLossDiscoballs was born from our personal journeys through grief and healing. I tragically lost my first husband to suicide while pregnant with my son, and both of my parents young to cancer. I have found solace in sharing stories, creating, and connecting with others who have faced similar heartbreaks. Before setting up the business I had years of experience in account management and customer success. Warren is a graphic designer with a passion for typography, colour and simple design and has worked in many areas, including within the greeting card industry. He also deeply understands the nuances of grief after losing his best friend, his mum. He pours his heart and soul into crafting meaningful and beautiful pieces that we hope can touch people’s lives. Together we realised that our talents - Warren’s design expertise and my way with words - were perfectly aligned to create something unique. LoveLossDiscoballs reflects our belief that difficult times don’t have to be done in the dark. With our vibrant, modern support and sympathy cards, we’re here to bring light to life’s toughest times. And yes, we love disco balls because we know that no matter how broken you may feel, you still have the power to emit magical sparks of light… and we are quite partial to having a dance under them too.” PG Live main plot: “Although our first range at launch focused exclusively on support and
Above left: Rachel and Warren Hartsympathy, our strapline says it Phillips, co-founders of LoveLossDiscoballs. all: Because life is colourful. So, Above right: LoveLossDiscoballs we’re bringing some new approaches the design of sympathy and support card through a colourful lens. surprises to PG Live, with fresh Below: A contemporary graphical designs in some other categories approach combines with a conversational touch on LoveLossDiscoballs’ designs. - including a special collaboration with an Ibiza-based business who helped make our ‘big day’ extra special last year. And there are plenty more disco balls in store!” Happy ever after: “Our biggest hope for PG Live is to connect with like-minded retailers and buyers who share our belief that support and sympathy cards can be bright, bold and full of heart. We’d love to find new stockists who feel inspired by our mission to bring light to life’s hardest moments and to build relationships that grow beyond the show. We’re also really looking forward to soaking up the atmosphere, learning from others in the industry, and celebrating how far we’ve come. Being at PG Live is a real milestone for our little business, and we're feeling ready to shine - disco balls and all!” • LoveLossDiscoballs will be on Stand 805.
PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 41