Ginger McCleskey is a Greeting-Card-and-Gift sales representative and consultant, and, after more than 30 years in this business, an industry expert, particularly regarding greeting cards.
A bit of an engineer at heart, her twin passions are communication – specifically, facilitating communication between people – and understanding How Things Work. She discovered that working with small business people such as artists/designers and locally-owned retail stores provided considerable satisfaction in a big-box world. In addition, Ginger was approached early in her career by designers interested in developing and marketing their work on cards. Initially, she provided advice free of charge, but as her business, and her knowledge of the industry, grew, and leisure time shrank, she began charging clients.
The consultation portion of her business received a boost when friend and card colleague Kate Harper asked if Ginger was interested in teaching a “Making and Marketing Greeting Cards” workshop that Kate had been offering at a local art store. Intrigued by the idea, but lacking experience teaching in a group setting, Ginger attended Kate’s workshop. Not intimidated by the idea of public speaking, she found it an enjoyable and affordable way to share greeting-card-industry knowledge with small groups of designers. Consultations increased even further when Kate kindly dedicated her book Get Your Greeting Cards Into Stores, published in 2017, to Ginger.
In 2011, Ginger was invited to be a judge for the 24th Annual LOUIE Awards. Launched by the Greeting Card Association in 1988, the LOUIE awards recognize the most outstanding greeting cards, invitations and announcements marketed in the United States during the previous calendar year. Awards are presented during the National Stationery Show, held annually at Jacob Javitz Exhibition Center in NYC. It was a exciting and interesting experience, and a satisfying acknowledgment of her expertise from the industry.
Today, Ginger continues to pound the pavement, driving about 15,000 miles each year In her travels to meetings with customers all around the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Business travels take her from Fort Bragg, in Mendocino County, south to Big Sur. She also continues to consult with artists and designers on any and all greeting-card-related matters. She has been involved in the creation, development, and/or sales of hundreds of greeting card lines.
Ginger’s other interests include: dance (West Coast Swing); the outdoors (hiking, bird-watching, kayaking, etc.), and Working to Make the World a Better Place. (She volunteers with WriterCoach Connection, assisting local middle-school and high-school students with their writing assignments.) She also enjoys baking (gingerbread, anyone?), good Scotch whiskey, board games and travel.