Category: Meet the Team

FAMILY ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND FOUNDING SHUFFLED INK: CHARLES LEVIN’S CARD STORY

FAMILY ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND FOUNDING SHUFFLED INK

(top row, left to right) Charles, Matthew, Jonathan; (bottom row, left to right) Lori, Lisa, Melissa

In December 1999, Charles Levin, Founder & President of Shuffled Ink (formerly known as QPC Games), was raising three girls and two boys, ranging in age from one to 12. As a marketer living in the top U.S. travel destination (Orlando, Florida), he wanted to create an alternative to brochures and discount books.

He believed that custom-printed playing cards could deliver impactful marketing and branding applications, educational usefulness, and of course, fun-filled family game nights.

This thought, matched with an eager, entrepreneurial mindset, kickstarted Charles’ very first custom card project: advertisement playing cards, or Super Deck.

Charles’ Card Story: From Concept to Reality

The purpose of Super Deck was to promote and elevate tourist hotspots and establishments in the Orlando area. The original pack consisted of a map and cards with discounts and coupons for local attractions, dinner shows, restaurants, shopping, golf, and recreation. Soon after pitching the concept to prospective vendors, Charles had secured the marketing deck in 90 percent of Orlando hotel rooms.

Throughout the early 2000s, Shuffled Ink’s first employees were his 5 children: Melissa, Lori, Matthew, Lisa and Jonathan. The Levin family would regularly clear off the dining room table and use the space to create playing card prototypes and other related personalized products.

As sales blossomed and new opportunities arose, Charles moved the business into his three-car garage. For several years, this is where all marketing, sales, administration, and shipping took place.

For the past 9 years, Charles and his team of production facilitators, project managers and graphic designers have operated in an 8,000 square-foot office and production facility in Orlando, Florida. By Summer 2022, we are expanding into a 35,800 square-foot manufacturing and office space in Winter Garden, Florida.

Charles’ business model has changed quite a bit since Super Deck. Today, Shuffled Ink specializes in printing custom playing cardstarot and flash cardspackaging, and more for businesses and individuals worldwide.

Family Entrepreneurship: The Shuffled Ink Team

Three of Charles’ kids are still involved at Shuffled Ink today.

Matthew, his oldest son, moved back to Orlando from New York City in 2016 to help him run the business as Chief Executive Officer. His daughter Lisa worked at the company part-time for many years but now oversees all customer services as Vice President of Sales. And youngest son, Jonathan, assists behind-the-scenes in the manufacturing facility.

“Throughout the past 22+ years, my kids’ incredible contributions and influence have added to the existence, growth, and success of Shuffled Ink.”  –Charles Levin, Shuffled Ink Founder & President
The Levin Family (left to right): Charles, Lisa, Matthew and Jonathan Levin

Get To Know Us Better!

Shuffled Ink is a multigenerational family business with an unwavering, decades-old mission: to provide an unparalleled experience in customer service and product quality to ensure that all clients’ card visions meet reality.

See what our clients are saying about the services, product quality and pricing we offer: Shuffled Ink Google Reviews.

To receive complimentary samples of our card products, include your delivery address and phone number on your custom quote request form.

If we manufactured your card project and you would like us to share your Card Story on our blog, feel free to connect with our Marketing Team here.

SHUFFLED INK BREAKS GROUND ON NEW MANUFACTURING FACILITY

Shuffled Ink's father-son duo, President Charles Levin (left) and CEO Matthew Levin (right) celebrate the official groundbreaking at the site of their new production facility. UPDATE 8/17/21: After a 5-month lapse, Day 1 of construction has officially begun, bulldozers and all. We are projected to join the Winter Garden community in Summer 2022.
 

October 1, 2021, the concrete foundation was laid and smoothed out.

   

November 9, 2021, progress was made brick-by-brick.

   

November 24, 2021, and then there were walls.

   

January 13, 2022, reaching new heights.

    February 14, 2022, inside the shell of our new home.

Feb. 6, 2021, Groundbreaking Ceremony

The Shuffled Ink Team celebrated its soon-to-be home at the Winter Garden site in February 2021. This new complex allows Shuffled Ink to further grow and diversify its high-quality custom playing cards and games. We are excited to expand our specialty box and packaging options, client fulfillment services, as well as produce paper/waterproof menus, wedding invitations and so much more for individuals and businesses around the world.  
Matthew (left) and Charles (right) congratulating each other at the company groundbreaking ceremony on Feb. 6, 2021. 
The Shuffled Ink Team at the site of our soon-to-be home. 
Charles Levin, President of Shuffled Ink (previously known as QPC Games), started the manufacturing company in 1999. Matthew Levin, Chief Executive Officer, moved back to Orlando from New York City in 2016 to help run the business with his father. Lisa Levin, Vice President of Sales, worked at the company part-time for many years but now oversees all customer services and sales. Throughout the early 2000s, the Levin family used the dining room table to create card prototypes. As sales blossomed and new opportunities arose, Charles moved the family business into his three-car garage, where marketing, sales, administration, and shipping took place. For the past 9 years, Shuffled Ink has operated in an 8,000 square-foot office production facility in Orlando, Florida.  
Levin family (left to right): Matthew, Melissa, Jonathan, Charles, Lisa and Lori.
We always tell our clients that we strive to ensure that their card visions meet reality and their success is our success. Now, we are turning that around by thanking all of our clients, suppliers, service companies, and of course, incredible staff for making this vision for our new 16,800 square foot building a state-of-the-art reality.  
Our talented Creative Art Director, Daniel Longman, designed a scale model of our new manufacturing facility and office space.

Meet the Shuffled Ink Team:

Project Managers

 

Graphic Designers

 

Accounting Department

 

Production Department

 

Shipping Department

 

Fulfillment Department

 

Marketing Department

 
Shuffled Ink is a multigenerational family business that specializes in printing custom playing cards, tarot & flash cards, packaging and more for businesses and individuals worldwide. To receive complimentary samples of our card products, include your delivery address and phone number on your custom request a quote form. ● Official Shuffled Ink website: ShuffledInk ● Make Your Own Custom Playing Cards at: ShuffledInk ● Make Your Own Custom Tarot Cards at: ShuffledInk ● Make Your Own Custom Card Games at: ShuffledInk ● Make Your Own Custom Flash Cards at: ShuffledInk

SUPPORTING THE JOE NAMATH FOUNDATION

SUPPORTING THE JOE NAMATH FOUNDATION

Shuffled Ink is honored and proud to support the Joe Namath Foundation, which benefits numerous children’s charities and neurological research. 

Joe Namath Foundation Customized Playing Cards
In 1969, Joe Namath, the quarterback for the New York Jets, personally guaranteed that the Jets would defeat the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.  Not only did the Jets win, but the game was regarded as the greatest upset in American football history. Shuffled Ink owner, Charles Levin, attended Super Bowl III with his dad on January 12, 1969.  Since the age of 6, he has been an avid and rather fanatical Jet’s fan.  In fact, Charles attended Super Bowl 3 and witnessed Namath’s greatest NFL moment. And, ever since he was a young boy, and even now in adulthood, he has idolized and always dreamed of meeting the MVP football star, Joe Namath. Naturally, as the 50th anniversary of the epic Super Bowl game approached, Levin couldn’t help but find himself reminiscing about Namath and the Jets. The stars seemed to have aligned on January 24, 2019, when Charles, working late at the office, received a phone call from Joe Namath’s manager who was seeking to create printed custom playing cards for the upcoming Joe Namath Foundation charity golf tournaments.   They wanted to use the personalized cards as party favors to place into attendee’s goodie bags.  Needless to say, Charles assured him that he had come to the right place! As the nearly two-hour phone call concluded, the Foundation’s order was underway free of charge BUT with one contingency — Charles would be able to attend the VIP cocktail party the night before the tournament, as well as meet his idol, Broadway Joe.  It was truly an incredible dream coming full circle!
Shuffled Ink owner, Charles Levin, with Joe Namath at the Joe Namath Foundation charity golf tournament in Jupiter, FL
The Joe Namath Foundation playing card decks, designed by Charles and Shuffled Ink’s graphics staff, are completely customized back and faces.  The cards capture a series of iconic moments in both Namath’s life and football career.  But most importantly, the personalized card decks illustrate the purpose and beauty of the Joe Namath Foundation.
Joe Namath Foundation Customized Playing Cards
On March 31, 2019, Charles had the opportunity to meet and spend time with Joe Namath and so many other incredible athletes and supporters of the Foundation: John Schmitt, Namath’s center for Super Bowl III; Kevin O’Leary Mr. Wonderful from Shark Tank; Hall of Famer Johnny Bench; Pittsburgh Steeler Franco Harris; Super Bowl XXII MVP Doug Williams; Vinny Testaverde; and Ed Too Tall Jones just to name a few. Shuffled Ink is honored and proud to support the Joe Namath Foundation, which benefits numerous children’s charities and neurological research.  At your pleasure, feel free to visit the website link provided to learn more about the Foundation. ● Official Shuffled Ink website: ShuffledInk ● Make Your Own Custom Playing Cards at: ShuffledInk ● Make Your Own Custom Card Games at: ShuffledInk