368 - Brian French
For six generations French Paper has kept its doors open in the great state of Michigan. Paper empires have crumbled around them as they continues to expand their stock choices and re-imagine the role of a paper company in the life of a designer. Brian French joins Adventures In Design to share his story of carrying on the family legacy of making paper instead of going to law school to end up buried in paperwork. Get a peek inside the mill and the mind of a man that can teach us all about the business we print our business on.
Talking Points
- Growing up inside the family business.
- Balancing your work life and your home life even when they are minutes away form each other.
- A peek behind the scenes of French Paper and their paper making process.
- What drives the cost of paper up or down from a global market perspective.
- Charles S. Anderson (Uncle Chuck) takes the marketing of French Paper to a whole new level and properly branded their product to their customers.
- The power of design in advertising.
- Being bold in your market as competitors fail alongside you.
- The positive effects of the digital world on French Paper.
- The importance of actually getting the attention of your intended audience.
- Paying for quality.
- The joy working with your family on a day in day out basis.
- Geeking out about finding the devil in the details.
- The 2.5 Million dollar French Paper musical “Seasons Of Paper” that never got a real chance on Broadway.
Circle Of Trust Talking Points
- French Paper's marketing strategy of staying relevant in a digital world.
- The hurdles of European distribtuion.
- Pricing a family of paper stock based off the multitude of variables between each color.
- The creation of the Mod-Tone.
- Finally getting to see the designs people have actually printed onto their paper.
- The science of shipping paper.
- The profits for their direct to consumer business versus the larger 10,000 pound orders.
- Taking orders of all sizes to improve your business' bottom line.
- How Charles S. Anderson affected French Paper and AID.
