Today we’d like to introduce you to Charles Levin.
Hi Charles, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
After selling my marketing company 10 years earlier and only doing a few consulting gigs it was all about the kiddies for me. In late 1999, I realized my 5 young kids were outgrowing me and finding their own friends. I was wondering what I would do with my time, so, I connected my marketing experience with the thought of producing and selling custom playing cards and related products. The kids and I started creating prototypes on our dining room table. I then went around to many businesses I had associated with years before to get their input on the concept. They all said it was something they would use and see value in. So, I dove in all the way like I do and had done in the past when I became excited and passionate about a business opportunity. I met with local printers to produce our orders and started marketing on the internet in December 1999.
The sales began to trickle in almost immediately. Our core values were and remain to provide live and caring customer service, produce only the best quality products, and offer as competitive pricing as possible. This formula immediately proved to be successful as sales kept growing and growing. Within a few months, I had to move the operation into our 3-car garage. I soon went from being the marketing and sales guy, the graphic artist, and the shipping department to hiring personnel for each position. For the next 14 years we grew rapidly and the more we did the more our suppliers took more and more of our margins. I had to decide whether to give it up or start buying my own production equipment. I chose the latter. It was the best thing that could have ever happened. In 2013, we moved into a 4,000-square-foot office/warehouse and started buying critical pieces like a digital press and finishing equipment. This changed our world! The next 9 years took off significantly. Along the way my son, who was working on Wall Street and doing extremely well, called me out of the blue and said he had just given his notice and is moving back home. He also said he was going to take over my company and would be firing me in 6 months! I told him if he makes it 3 months he’s got a deal! That was almost 7 years ago. Since his arrival, our growth and profitability have gone crazy. He took over production and management and I have been able to completely focus on marketing. Together, we have become an awesome team and he did become my boss, but he has not yet fired me! Another huge asset for us has been my daughter Lisa, who earned a degree at the Rosen School of Hospitality at UCF and went with it to Universal Studios.
When Universal closed due to COVID, Lisa came to help us in customer service and sales. She has been and continues to be an amazing superstar! Another miracle bonus has been my son Jonathan, who graduated from UF in December of 2021. Jonny came on with us in January of 2022 and has been extraordinary in multiple ways through production and accounting. This has all culminated in us investing in a purpose-built office and production facility in Winter Garden, FL we just moved in this last August after 9 years of renting 4,000, then 8,000, and then 12,000 square feet. Now, we are in a beautiful 17,000-square-foot facility and we are about to break ground on Phase II to add another 18,000 square feet.
Where am I today? In “Daddy” heaven.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has not been smooth by a long shot. For years I struggled with suppliers that did not care about quality and customer service as we do. And my main printer, Lawton Connect, in Orlando, for many years squeezed us to death hoping to destroy us so that he could go into my business as a competitor while weakening us to the point of bankruptcy. Like snakes, they planned a coo against us that ultimately failed and was the key to us deciding to start buying our own equipment to become independent.
Also, during 2005-2009, my now ex-wife developed a serious gambling problem that ended up wiping us out financially and forcing our home into foreclosure. Fortunately, the business was still intact and I was able to keep going and climb out of the quicksand we were forced into. Aside from a very few clients that found a way not to pay for their orders, we have been extremely fortunate and have overcome every obstacle and detour that has come our way.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My dream since childhood was to be the best Father in the world. In short, my dream has come true beyond anything I ever anticipated.
As for my business, we are known for our 1st-class live customer service, world-renowned product quality, and competitive pricing. Read a few of our incredible client reviews (Shuffled Ink Google Reviews) on Google and you will know exactly who and what we are.
These core values set us apart from not just our competitors but from most businesses across the spectrum.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love Orlando because it has been a wonderful home for me and my children. Orlando has provided us with a life of good health, happiness, great education, fun, friends, family and so much more.
There is little I dislike about Orlando. I would love to see Orlando take care of its fallen, homeless, and struggling citizens better.
Contact Info:
- Website: shuffledink.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/direct/t/340282366841710300949128490345320342497/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShuffledInk/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShuffledInk
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@shuffledink291
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/Shuffled_Ink/
Image Credits
Maddox
