Dani Press: Stationery with Heart & Wit

“We want real relationships and extravagant, true experiences. We want more depth.”

Dani Kreeft, Dani Press

Meet Dani Kreeft, the creative mastermind behind Dani Press.

For the last six years, she’s been busy travelling the world and pouring her experiences into postcards, art prints, and other paper goods. Her stationery is a far cry away from your average Hallmark greeting card. Instead of empty catch phrases and cookie cutter designs, each card is crafted with heart and wit — and gives a genuine glimpse into the ups and downs of its creator’s globetrotter life.

On top of providing people with an opportunity to express their feelings and thoughts to their loved ones, Dani also gives her customers a chance to give back: ten percent of every purchased product helps African students from poor, remote, or post-conflict communities.

On her first postcard:

I was on my way to Easter dinner with a friend, and he was carrying flowers for our host. He loves doing tricks on his bike. He held out both hands with the flowers in one hand and kept pedalling. I thought “That should be a card” and the whole universe just went “wroom”. There are hardly ever clear road signs in life, but that was the moment where I just knew what I wanted to do.

ON INNOVATION:

Probably 90 per cent of things in this world have been created because somebody thought “I can do that.” That’s definitely how my business started. I just looked around and thought “These cards suck. How come nobody is making anything better than that?”

On her love of snail mail:

The cards that I have from 20 years ago, I still read. The words are still alive. That’s what I love about written correspondence.

Every time I open a card, it’s love all over, hope all over. Everything again. It always gives. Why wouldn’t you want to give that to somebody else?

On her dream job:

If I weren’t doing this, I would want Joaquin Phoenix’ job in “Her”. Writing letters for other people and helping them to express what they really want to say? Yes, sign me up, please!

On finding purpose in her work:

I find a lot of value in knowing that I didn’t just travel the world just to take a photo. The journey to get there, my experiences, life lessons: that’s what I pour into my photography and into the words that I write. It’s not just an illustrated piece of paper, it’s me on paper. That’s what makes it really personal and meaningful. It’s also terrifying to let people in like that [laughs], but I wouldn’t want it any other way. This is my passion and it’s part of my purpose.

On honest relationships:

We are entering an era where people want to be more honest with each other. We want real relationships and extravagant, true experiences. We want more depth. I think that’s why there is a thirst for the kind of products that I create.

On impacting people’s lives:

Sometimes I get emails from people who bought my cards or got a card. A girl told me that her father has brain cancer. Another girl let me know she’s going on her first mission with Doctors Without Borders. I won’t change lives by doing surgery or teaching Grade 3, but you get to be built into people’s lives, whether that’s their career or them telling somebody that they love them. I can’t imagine something more honouring to do with my life.

On being real:

If we’re not vulnerable, we cap how much we can grow and limit the depth of our relationships. If you go through life and you don’t tell people how you feel or think, you always experience life in a pale shade. It’s important to let people know who you really are.

I’d rather die tomorrow and have people say, “She really sucked sometimes and didn’t do things as well as she could have, but we knew who she was”, rather than “Her hair was always great and she was always on time.” Who cares? We only get one shot. We go on this ride together and then it ends. That’s what makes life what it is. It’s what makes it so good.

On giving away ten percent:

From the start I wanted to give ten per cent to a non-profit, something that’s outside myself. I traveled too many countries and have seen too many things to claim ignorance.

We are all responsible for the influence that is given to us, so I felt like it was my job to bring the people who buy my products along with me to make a difference.

On These Numbers Have Faces:

I wanted to give to a non-profit in South Africa and involved in education. These Numbers Have Faces is both. I just sent Justin Zeradi, the CEO, an email and told him I want to give ten percent, and he was immediately on board. I really believe in the work they are doing and education is a cornerstone to end poverty, because if you educate people, they can go and help themselves.

—————————————————————————-

You can find Dani’s work at danipress.com.

Ten percent of every card purchased supports African students from poor, remote, or post-conflict communities.

This interview was first published on On Purpose.