Wichita Eagle, The (KS)
2007-05-25
Section: BUSINESS & MONEY
Edition: main
Page: 6B
DUO MAKES THEIR MARKLOGO MIXES EVENT PLANNING, PROMOTION PHYLLIS JACOBS GRIEKSPOOR, The Wichita Eagle
LaDonna Pauls and Shawn Steele were friends, walking buddies and church associates for years before they became business partners. Pauls worked for a promotional materials company and Steele was involved in events planning.
"We used to talk as we walked about what we'd do if we owned our own business," Pauls said. "And one day, it occurred to us that we really could combine our talents into a business partnership." Last year, Logo Envy - a company providing promotional materials and help with planning for events from picnics to golf tournaments - was born. The company advertises that it can "put a logo on anything that stands still long enough," a tribute to the variety of products it offers.
Pauls brought her contacts and expertise in finding unique, high-quality promotional materials, and Steele added the expertise to help companies make events special.
"A lot of companies hire consultants to help with event planning," Pauls said. "Thanks to Shawn's expertise, it is something we can offer as a service to our customers."
The pair relishes unique finds, such as the mugs and saucers made from corn-based plastics Pauls located, or a super-absorbent golf towel made from wood products.
"We like recycled products, green products, anything eco-friendly," Pauls said.
"We have rows and rows of catalogs that we go through to find just the right products, but we make it a point to get to know any supplier that we use."
Steele said they work with a number of clothing products.
"It's so important to realize that you have to buy differently for men and women," she said. "You have to find the same style and do the same logos, but making sure that the fit is right means so much."
Logo Envy just completed an order for 1,100 T-shirts and polo shirts for the city of Wichita.
"We got a chance to bid on that from a free workshop that I took at the Wichita State Small-Business Development Center," Steele said. "It was a seminar on doing business with the city.
"I've really gotten into free workshops. There's one on how to be a vendor for USD 259 and for WSU. And one on how to do business with the county. I take every free workshop I possibly can."
They have three artists who work with them on contract to do original artwork; Pauls also does some artwork.
"She's the creative mind, so she's learning art," Steele said. "I had to learn to do Quick Books."
"But it has been so much fun. Every day is about learning something new."
The next major challenge for Logo Envy will be managing growth, Pauls said.
"We've really grown fast and all of it has been word of mouth," she said. "We have a Web site up now, and we are getting in position to be able to ship nationally."
Reach P.J. Griekspoor at 316-268-6660 or pgriekspoor@wichitaeagle.com.
NOW YOU KNOW
logo envy
Employees: Two full-time, three on contract
Founded: 2006
What Logo Envy does: Provides promotional materials for companies and helps them match products to events
Owners: LaDonna Pauls and Shawn Steele
Best advice: Take advantage of all the free, how-to seminars you can find
Phone: 316-260-2700 or 316-558-5659. Toll free: 877-334-2727
Web site: www.logoenvy.com