Brett Smith

Brett began his life in Greeting cards as a store manager, opening Clinton Cards Peterborough branch in 1989.

He went on to spend 23 years with the retailer in a wide range of positions including Store Operations, Marketing, Buying and Commercial roles. These years spent working in such a high octane and exciting Company, during times of phenomenal success as well as difficult years, have helped shaped Bretts management style and work ethic.

He left the business in 2012 to help found the Cards Direct retail brand. His career has since taken him from retail to supply, working with Is It Art, Pioneer Balloons, Danilo and most recently as joint owner and MD of publisher, Emotional Rescue. Brett says “Greeting cards are certainly in my blood and over my time I have been lucky enough to work along side so many talented and fantastic companies and people in our Industry – many of which are now GCA council members!

I believe strongly in an inclusive management style and draw inspiration from the Rudyard Kipling poem, IF , the opening being “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs….”

Great advice I have tried to follow many times over my career. I have a real passion for retail and I’m hoping that my diverse experience from the past 29 years will enable me to contribute and add value to the GCA and its excellent work”.