A founder's honest reflection on recognition, purpose, and why I started Soak iT Up in the first place.
When you are mostly a one-woman operation there are days when you wonder if the big idea is worth it.
Then something happens that reminds you it is.
Over the past few years, Soak iT Up and Clards have been recognized in ways I could not have imagined when I first thought: why not greeting cards?
Tory Burch Foundation Fellow
Being selected as a Tory Burch Foundation Fellow was one of the most meaningful moments of my entrepreneurial journey. The Foundation supports women entrepreneurs with funding, education, and community. Being named a Fellow put me in a room with some of the most driven, inspiring women founders I have ever met. It reminded me that what we are building matters and that we are not building it alone. I encourage any women founder to apply.
Amber Grant Recipient
The Amber Grant exists to fund women-owned businesses doing something worth noticing. Receiving it was both validating and humbling. It is named in memory of a young woman who never got the chance to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams. Every time I think about that, I work a little harder.
Brooklyn Brewery Entrepreneur Award
This one came with a extra special moment. I had the great honor to meet Steve Hindy, the founder of Brooklyn Brewery, alongside my kids. Steve has an amazing backstory and we bonded over him having hired one of my design heroes Milton Avery to create the Brooklyn Brewery logo. Watching them see their mom receive an entrepreneur award is something I will carry with me forever. It was a reminder of why I do this and who I am doing it for.
MN Cup Finalist
Being a finalist for MN Cup, one of the largest startup competitions in the country, was an early signal that Clards had real legs. It gave me the confidence to keep going when the idea was still new and the path was still unclear.
The Story Exchange: 15 Brilliant Business Ideas of 2026
Being named to this list alongside bold women doing remarkable things was an honor and a visibility boost at exactly the right moment. It introduced Soak iT Up to a whole new audience of people who care about sustainability, innovation, and women-owned business.
None of this happened because I had it all figured out.
It happened because I believed that greeting cards needed a sustainable makeover. That giving someone a gift should not come with guilt. That sustainability does not have to feel like a sacrifice, it can start with a smile.
Every one of these recognitions is a reminder to keep going. To keep making things that matter. To keep proving that fun and functional and eco-friendly can all live in the same product.
Feel good to give, great to get.
Carla
Founder, Soak iT Up