Category: Social Media

SKIP SMALL TALK, HAVE BETTER CONVERSATIONS: DR. CHERINI GHOBRIAL’S CARD STORY

SKIP SMALL TALK, HAVE BETTER CONVERSATIONS

Small talk sucks! The unCURATED card game conquers chitchat once and for all!

unCURATED is a memento to late nights on the porch, where an exchange of meaningful stories forged better conversations, deep-rooted relationships, and stronger connections.

Its founder and creator, Dr. Cherini Ghobrial, hopes that each card pulled moves you closer to a solidified emotional foundation and further away from surface-level interactions.

About Dr. Cherini Ghobrial, Creator & Founder of unCURATED

After graduating from pharmacy school, where she earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, Dr. Ghobrial wanted to pursue health beyond physical wellness. Her current journey tackles the small-talk crisis.

The unCURATED card game is three rounds of creative questions designed to spark meaningful conversations, cultivate connection, and tend to all things essential to our emotional wellness.

My hope for unCURATED is that by creating spaces to ask better questions, together, we can create spaces where we can be seen, where we can see others, and where we can see ourselves more deeply. Where we can realize our shared belonging to each other, and remind each other that we’re not alone. –Dr. Cherini Ghobrial

At the beginning of the creative process, Dr. Ghobrial was unsure how impactful or far-reaching unCURATED would be. But her vision became crystal clear once she realized how much humans resent small talk. Conquering unpleasant pleasantries with more thought-provoking questions, unCURATED allows a genuine interconnection to enter the chat.

Our Small World Moment

There’s no better feeling than seeing a client’s card game being played and enjoyed. –Shuffled Ink Staff

By chance, hundreds of miles away from Shuffled Ink‘s Orlando manufacturing facility, one of our employees spotted Dr. Ghobrial’s unCURATED decks at Valor Coffee in Downtown Alpharetta, Georgia.

The wonderful humans at this brick-and-mortar shop think the world of unCURATED’s mission and have happily offered the game for several years now.

“I remember packing and shipping those cards,” our team member said. “So, it was really cool to see her game out in the real world.”

Say Hello! Find unCURATED At These Locations

Since launching in 2019 and winning the Plywood Presents: Idea Competition in Atlanta, the unCURATED card game has shipped across the globe to countless individuals and businesses.

So, whether you spot the deck by coincidence or pop into one of its East Coast vendors, be sure to grab a deck, join a group, and start connecting!

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.

ACE THE BRANDING PROCESS WITH CUSTOM PLAYING CARDS, TAROT, & MORE

Branded Playing Cards for This Dream House Ohio Radio Show

SHUFFLEDINK Guests on THIS DREAM HOUSE Ohio Radio Show

We do everything to help (our clients) create what they see in their minds. Charles Levin, Shuffled Ink Founder & President

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.

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.

CHANGING THE WORLD ONE CONVERSATION AT A TIME: HANNAH FRAZER’S CARD STORY

CHANGING THE WORLD ONE CONVERSATION AT A TIME

While conversation-starter games are not new, Question Connection is unlike any other: It was created for kids by a kid.

Rising freshman at Harvard College and creator of Question Connection, Hannah Frazer, wonders how different middle school would have been if she’d had a safe way to meet and connect with her peers. And while she can’t alter past experiences, she can do the next best thing: change the social narrative for everyone else.

“I was the girl who loved to talk but needed a way to start the conversation.” –Hannah Frazer, founder of Question Connection

This non-invasive, supportive style of facilitating conversation, helps promote inclusion, foster relationships and build genuine connections in the classroom.

Growing up in a diverse, bilingual community, Hannah and so many of her classmates were unsure how to expand beyond their inner circle. Deep-leveled conversations, and even facilitating a surface-based one, felt out of reach. So, Hannah decided to create a practical and fun game that would ultimately redefine the nature of connections.

In this exclusive Shuffled Ink Card Story, game designer Hannah Frazer shares how an independent study transformed into a tangible product that cultivates empathy worldwide.

 

From Independent Study to Tangible Solution

Young adults like Hannah, who have spent the better half of their lives navigating the world through a digital lens often feel more comfortable communicating via a screen than face-to-face.

Hannah says that the constant presence of technology and social media only complicated her social challenges. This is one of the reasons why she decided to tackle such issues through a year-long independent study project.

Headed by her AP Psychology teacher, Hannah, a junior at the time, worked alongside and learned from other teachers, students, graphic designers and Shuffled Ink manufacturing to bring this idea to fruition. After starting a GoFundMe page for the card game, she covered the cost of production for the first two groups of cards (English and Spanish).

Soon enough, Hannah was actively introducing the conversation-starter game into classrooms, national organizations and other programs.

“I am always incredibly proud to be able to share this game with students and other young people,” Hannah said. “I love seeing the differences in kids’ body language and facial expressions before and after they connect with their peers.”

Join a group, grab a deck and start connecting! Info on classroom visits.

Hannah’s Advice on How to Design a Card Game

Step 1: Developing a card game that tackles social challenges takes a lot of research, time and effort. So, be patient!

Step 2: Coming up with good ideas and gaining support is not a walk in the park. But that doesn’t mean you should fold and give up. It will all be worth it when you see the positive impact that your card game provides.

Step 3: Play it forward, relax and have fun!

Play it Forward!

Hannah says that no one should ever be excluded from starting a conversation. This is why all deck proceeds go toward supplying Question Connection to under-resourced communities.

“In today’s world, there has been a huge rise in hate crimes, antisemitism, racism,” she said. “A conversation can make a world of difference when it comes to educating oneself about people from different backgrounds.”

Become a Question Connection Student Ambassador

Question Connection strives to put an end to social divisions and you can, too! Send a message to questionconnectiongame.com if you or anyone you know is interested in getting involved!

Hannah Frazer’s Question Connection has also been mentioned in:

Chicago Tribune

Sheridan Road Magazine

Better Chicago Magazine

JUF News

25 Under 25 Young Entrepreneur’s Magazine (p. 20)

Diller Tikkun Olam Award

Springboard Chicago Blog

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.

COLLAB WITH CARDIST AJEK MORSIDI

Cardist Ajek Morsidi We are extremely excited to collaborate with talented cardist Ajek Morsidi. He’s showing off his incredible skills with our various smooth and linen finish playing cards. Order your own custom cardistry decks today and follow Ajek for more videos and updates. For collaboration inquiries, send us a Direct Message on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. To receive complimentary samples of our card products, include your delivery address and phone number on your custom request a quote form.

Cardistry Videos (5):

GUK70:

Wonderland:

Pendleton Square:

Sip & Social:

Centurion:

● Official Shuffled Ink website: ShuffledInk ● Make Your Own Custom Playing Cards at: ShuffledInk ● Make Your Own Custom Card Games at: ShuffledInk

DRAWTOBER: FALL-INSPIRED ART

DRAWTOBER: FALL-INSPIRED ART This October, all artists are welcome to share their passion for art in Drawtober. This community-driven Instagram competition promotes originality within every creative medium. While there are very few (if any) strict rules, participants must incorporate the theme, Harvest Festival, into each design. Hosted by Timothy Von Rueden, the inclusive art challenge starts on Oct. 1 and naturally closes after Halloween night. Below is the Drawtober 2020 calendar, which presents this year’s 6 prompts: Carvings, Wicked Apothecary, Midnight Feast, Folklore, Ancient Rituals and Harvest Festival. We encourage our incredible client creators at Shuffled Ink to submit your talented artwork to the contest with the hashtag #DRAWTOBER2020. Perhaps the fall-inspired designs will spark several concepts for your next custom card projects!

OUR CARD ART COMPETITION

Submit ANY design (whether you created it for Drawtober or not) by using the hashtag #ShuffledInkArt or tag us @ShuffledInk on Instagram. The winner will receive 10 FREE decks with that artwork on a standard 54-card deck of poker-sized cards with custom card backs and standard faces. We are excited to see your awesome art!
● 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