Mom Founded, and Mom Run

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April 7, 2025 By sophie dugan

We’re a mom-run business—which means, yes, we make beautiful cards… but we also make snacks, wipe tears, find lost shoes, and somehow get it all done.

Motherhood is the ultimate job. It’s messy and magical. It’s the hardest work and the purest joy. And here at E. Frances, it’s the heartbeat behind everything we do.

Ali has two boys. Jenni has two boys. Pippi has two girls. Most of our team are moms, soon-to-be moms, dog moms, aunties, mom-figures—you name it. We’ve built this business while burping babies, bouncing through conference calls, and brainstorming product names with a toddler on our lap. Once, one of us printed a purchase order while baby-wearing and holding a banana in her teeth—because moms are professional multitaskers and low-key superheroes.

We’ve proofed card designs while nursing. Held team meetings with Legos scattered under the table. Turned mailing bins into makeshift playpens. Notepads into baby toys. And somehow, always found time to pour love into every product we create.

It’s not always graceful, and it’s definitely not quiet. But it’s full of heart.
That same heart is what shows up in every single card, Little Note®, and painting we make.

We’re not just a business—we’re a family. And we see our customers as part of that, too.

So this Mother’s Day, we want to honor the women who are doing the beautiful, exhausting, incredible work of motherhood. The moms who raise babies, run businesses, and make magic out of the chaos. We see you. We are you. And we’re cheering you on with a coffee in one hand and a crayon masterpiece in the other.

From our (sometimes sticky, always love-filled) desks to yours—Happy Mother’s Day.
We wouldn’t be here without the moms.

From Ali, E. Frances co-founder and the talented artist behind the E. Frances artwork:

I remember putting the kids to bed at night and then starting work. Feeling the impossible pull of two enormous, opposite powers—my boys and this dream we were building. I still see our first tradeshow signs in my mind, laid out on the living room floor while my tiny boys ran around them. Now, 30 tradeshows later, they’re towering teenagers. I remember bringing them to our new office for the first time and feeling so proud I could cry. I hope they learn from all this—the hard work, the determination, the faith to take a big leap—that showing up with heart is always worth it. I’m going to go cry for a bit, excuse me!!! 😭🥰