Meet Elizabeth Herrmann

We recently connected with Elizabeth Herrmann and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Elizabeth, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

I was a competitive gymnast for fifteen years. I attribute many of my skills, including resiliency, hard work, and determination to these formative years in the 90’s at the gym. Gymnastics is no joke. Practices were 4 days a week and four non-stop hours per session. It was both exhausting and exhilarating. The pain was rewarded with a sense of pride in knowing that not many people could do the tricks you practiced day in and day out. Here, I was taught that there are no excuses. To this day, I constantly push myself to try harder and go farther and don’t allow myself pleasure until I have achieved what I have set out to do. Success is so much more gratifying when there is a struggle and you have earned it. This perspective is so ingrained within me and infuses every aspect of my life, from the jog that I make myself do every morning, despite the weather or how I may feel, to the demanding and challenging projects that I agree to take on at work. I see so many people who constantly make excuses for themselves, because they value a continual sense of security and comfort and avoid pain, risk, humiliation, and the possibility of failure at any cost. I was never a talented gymnast. Gymnastics taught me from a very early age that rewards come with a determined work ethic. You’re capable of achieving a lot more than you may think.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am the founder, designer, and letterpress printer at Humanity Letterpress based in Tampa, Florida.

For those of you who may not know, letterpress is a traditional printing process founded in the mid-1400s by Johannes Gutenberg, whereby type and imagery are offset onto the paper, leaving a debossed inked impression or indentation. The cast iron presses that I own are hundreds of years old, thousands of pounds, and allow me to print with a high quality, precise, distinctive style. Although letterpress isn’t used for mass market media any more, the medium has been co-opted for special occasions. You have probably seen letterpress if you have ever received a wedding invitation, which is what Humanity Letterpress specializes in. Many high-end business cards are also letterpress printed. Today, digitally created designs are transferred onto letterpress printing plates, so letterpress is not limited by lead and wood type. If you want somebody to remember you, give them a letterpress print.

Letterpress began as a hobby and quickly became my obsession and passion. I started with a small tabletop platen press, printing free business cards for anyone interested. I coined the project, “Cards for Humanity,” as a joke on the notorious “Cards Against Humanity.” Once the word spread, I was able to meet with many people who were supportive of seeing something like this happen within their community. Ten years later, I have had the opportunity to meet so many beautiful people and have acquired five more specialized presses, each weighing thousands of pounds, and scattered all over the Tampa Bay area in sheds, storage units, and breweries. A recent milestone, I am thrilled to announce that I am building a specialized workspace to house and use my antique letterpress equipment! Humanity Letterpress broke ground on June 19th and the workshop will be ready Spring of 2025!

There are only a handful of letterpress printers in the Tampa Bay area, and I take pride in knowing that print is not dead. Many people still value high quality craftsmanship, physical objects, and keeping a piece of history actively alive!

Unlike huge online letterpress publishers such as Minted and Moo, Humanity Letterpress focuses on building relationships with people. We value the client-designer relationship first and foremost. Whether that happens over coffee, a phone/video call, or even back and forth via email, it is important, that we have a good understanding and respect for what our clients are trying to achieve. Equally important, is that we are able to make letterpress an affordable option for more people. We take pride in the collaboration and co-authorship of custom designs and prints for our clients.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1. Share your product with as many people as possible. Give out samples. Ask what they think and value their feedback.
2. Your clients are your best means of advertising. Friends tell friends, and word travels fast.
3. Don’t silo your expertise. Collaborate and hire people with cross-disciplinary backgrounds, knowledge, and training.
4. Let your business build itself. When possible, don’t make large investments you can’t afford. Build your client base and work your way up.
5. Have fun every step of the way! Even during the hard times, learn from it, shake it off and move forward. If you’re not enjoying what you do, it will show and adversely affect client relations and sales.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?

Books are great but in terms of wisdom, music has had a more significant role. I’d like to amend this question to: “What musician has played an important role in my development?”

Jack White. This guy started from nothing. He was an upholsterer and wrote lyrics on the insides of the fabric when making couches. Fittingly, his first band was called the Upholsterers. His words are as carefully crafted as his seemingly eccentric melody. He is a craftsman, through and through. If Humanity Letterpress had an anthem, it would be Seven Nation Army.

Don’t follow the money and the trends. Greatness starts with a passion and a willingness to be weird.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

All photos: Humanity Letterpress, Elizabeth Herrmann

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