Meet Nancy Dutch | Passionate Paper and Planner Enthusiast

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

Hi Nancy, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I grew up in the paper industry and have always had a passion for fine paper and planning. I inherited the habit of writing letters and cards from my mother and my grandmother. They always reiterated the importance of the written word and for something to be authentic it needed to be written down. Additionally, we were constantly required to write Thank You notes when people did something special for us. I now have three daughters and I have carried on that same tradition with them as well. We are all passionate letter writers, and we love beautiful paper, planners, and stationery. As the Director of Western Sales for Mohawk Paper in NY, several of my clients were in the planner vertical. I worked closely with them and educated them on the importance of using superior paper for their brands as paper is the key ingredient for planners and the primary canvas for documenting daily routines and goals. It truly makes a difference! I helped them elevate their businesses and suddenly thought I should be doing this myself! Hence, the birth of Dutch and Deckle in 2021.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
The pandemic introduced a need to reset priorities and goals. As a result, journaling and writing things down became very popular. During that time, there was a resurgence of letter writing and outreach to friends and family members, basically a simple need to reconnect with loved ones. I also found myself writing more letters as well as journaling daily, however I was not able to find a planner that suited my personal requirements. While speaking with clients and conducting my own research, I saw a need for a fully customizable planner. Many of the products in the market were very basic calendars and did not offer much in the way of personalization features. We launched Dutch and Deckle in October 2021.We are a premium luxury planner company that uses the finest materials, and we can proudly state that all our products are made in the USA! One of our greatest differentiators is the exceptional Mohawk paper used for our products. The heavy weight and tactile feel in the hand is unparalleled. People often ask what is the meaning of Deckle? Deckle is the rough torn edge (known as a deckle edge) which is achieved during the papermaking process. This unique product feature is popular with watercolor artists and bookmakers and is representative of premium fine paper. When a user comes to our site, they have many options ranging from adding photos to creating vision boards, health trackers, expense trackers and for those who follow the moon and stars, they can also include their horoscope every month and even every day if that is desired. We have learned that people still place tremendous value in personalization and having beautiful products that are unique to them. To continue to evolve and grow as a brand we have learned that customer feedback is paramount to our success. Our customers are the sounding board to our brand’s future. As a result, we conduct focus groups with them to better understand what they would like to see in a planner and how we can improve our products. This invaluable feedback also helps us understand the critical steps we need to take to stay ahead of the trends. When our customers open the stunning teal box housing their planner and post their experience and comments on social it brightens our day.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Wow! There is just so much to do here! I would start with a fun day trip to the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs to enjoy ice skating and the stunning lights display. It would be a good idea to also book a massage there as well! Then I would recommend finish up with singing at The Golden Bee which offers a dueling piano bar that is unlike anything I have ever experienced. Another fun activity would be to head up to Evergreen Lake for a hike around the sparkling lake and to experience the unmatched scenery that is truly authentic Colorado. I am a big fan of Cherry Creek. My favorite restaurant is the Cherry Creek Grill. I also love Narrative at the Jacquard Hotel which offers farm to table food that is exceptional. The Clayton Club boasts a spectacular rooftop pool and has so many options for their members with activities and events almost daily. Rest assured you will not be bored at this wonderful spot. Moving up North to the RINO district, we love to go to The Denver Beer Garden. It has a wonderful beer lineup, excellent bar food, and a phenomenal outdoor patio with great ambience. You can’t go wrong with Federalis for a fun hipster vibe, amazing margaritas, and incredible Mexican food. On a sunny day The Source Hotel has a spectacular panoramic view of the city, it is a wonderful place to take a visitor. Another great find we discovered in RINO is Bigsby Folly wine bar where the portfolio of wine options are endless. That pretty much covers my list!

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?
I would have to say my father has been a mentor to me all my life. He always encouraged me to be the best I can be and to never give up on my dreams. He was also an executive in the paper industry, and I learned so much from his knowledge. He provided me with steadfast guidance throughout my career.

With a new business startup, there are always challenges and frustrations as you continue to build a brand. My husband Dan has stood by me 100% and offered constant support during both the good and the difficult times. He has always been my greatest cheerleader. Finally, my three daughters Lindsay, Lexie and Erica for sharing their love and passion for planning and encouraging me to take the giant leap to launch Dutch and Deckle.

Website: www.dutchanddeckle.com

Instagram: dutchanddeckle

Linkedin: Dutch and Deckle

Facebook: Dutch and Deckle

Image Credits
Shay Studios San Diego