Meet Michelle Angenent | Owner and Founder of 417 Press

We had the good fortune of connecting with Michelle Angenent and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michelle, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
As a freelance graphic designer, I fell in love with letterpress printing in the early 2000s. I took a letterpress printing course and began searching in earnest for a press that I could I purchase and install in my garage. In 2013 I convinced a printer that I could restore and run a 17 x 22 Chandler & Price platen press and a year later I was experimenting with print projects.

As much as I loved working freelance, I craved having full artistic control. A stationery fan since childhood, it occurred to me I too could create greeting cards. After stumbling upon what was then called Tradeshow Bootcamp, I applied for and received a scholarship and soon a whole new world of wholesale opened up.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
What I love most about being a creative is how you can use your own life and experiences to touch others. Initially, I was just another sarcastic greeting card line, even if clean typography-driven letterpress design with bright coloured envelopes made 417 Press stand out. It wasn’t until I realized that not only did greeting cards for those struggling with infertility were absent in the market; having struggled with infertility, it felt important to open those doors and it was also okay to do it with a sense of humour.

While I was slowly and thoughtfully building my brand, moving through a marriage where I didn’t feel seen (hello sarcastic humour) and living with an aging parent (which inspired my hands-down bestselling card), I suddenly found myself a single mom to teenage twins with two options: get a job or make 417 Press blow up. You could say I had renewed sense of purpose and I never looked back.

If I do look back, however, I realize that my life is my art. From the divorce to menopause, midlife and dating in your 50s, I found a way to reach out to people all over the world in a way that felt honest. And as my perspective on life shifts yet again, so is the messaging in my line. There’s still humour, yes, but what really fuels me right now is finding a way to bring forth messages of love and hope in these crazy times we all are in.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Last summer I was thrilled to learn a fellow paper pal was visiting Montreal, and I knew we had to visit the Old Port of Montreal which dates back to the 17th century. We ate poutine (French fries with gravy and cheese curds) and BeaverTails (a flat pastry in the shape of a tail) while walking along the cobblestone streets jammed with illustrators sketching portraits.

With more time, I love taking visitors to Pointe-à-Calliere, an archaeology and history museum, and Parc Mont-Royal where you can see the entire city from the lookout. Of course we would have to visit all the incredible food destinations near my studio; bagels and other Jewish treats at Arthur’s Nosh Bar, pizza from Elena, and homemade artisan ice cream from Dalla Rosa. We would work off all that food by renting Bixie bites and riding around Atwater Market (for more food, of course).

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Katie Hunt from Proof to Product truly opened the door to all things possible when she gave me a scholarship to her Tradeshow Bootcamp course. From there, I became part of an incredible family of creators and makers who support each other on so many levels, every day. I also have to say I have always received a lot of love and recognition from the Greeting Card Association (GCA) and Stationery Trends editor-in-chief Sarah Schwartz.

Website: 417press.com

Instagram: @417press