CIO Bulletin

Mariam Naficy, Minted Founder: “Our flourishing community of independent artists are located in all 50 states and more than 100 countries—united by a love for design and creative expression.”

Mariam Naficy is a serial entrepreneur who founded Minted in 2007 with the goal of creating a brand that would stay fresh forever. Minted is an online marketplace for creative and custom goods, such as stationery, art, home decor, and gifts that are designed by independent artists and designers from around the world. Minted uses a crowdsourcing process that includes design competitions to discover the best talent and curate the most original and diverse products. Naficy is not new to the e-commerce world. She earned her MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1998 and co-founded Eve.com, one of the first online beauty retailers, which was acquired by Idealab in 2000. She then worked as a general manager at The Body Shop and as a vice president at WeddingChannel.com before launching Minted. Naficy’s vision for Minted was inspired by her own passion for art and design, as well as her multicultural background. She was born in Iran and grew up in Africa and the Middle East, where she developed an appreciation for different styles and aesthetics. She also learned to be resourceful and adaptable in the face of challenges and uncertainties.

Minted’s success is a testament to Naficy’s leadership and innovation. The company has grown from a small team of four to over 500 employees, with offices in San Francisco, Kansas City, Omaha, and London. Minted has also expanded its product categories from stationery to art prints, home textiles, holiday cards, wedding invitations, and more. Minted has partnered with major retailers such as West Elm, Pottery Barn Kids, Target, and Nordstrom to bring its products to a wider audience. Naficy’s achievements have been recognized by various awards and honors. She was named one of the Most Creative People in Business by Fast Company in 2013, one of the Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs by Fortune in 2014, one of the Top Women in Retail by Total Retail in 2016, and one of the Top 50 Women in Tech by Forbes in 2018. She also received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Award for Northern California in 2019.

Some of the challenges that Minted faces are:

Maintaining the quality and originality of the products that are submitted by the artists and designers through the design challenges.
Balancing the interests and expectations of the artists, designers, customers, and partners in a competitive and dynamic market.
Protecting the intellectual property rights and contractual obligations of the artists and designers who enter the design challenges.
Providing feedback, support, and opportunities for the artists and designers to grow and succeed in the Minted community.

Scaling the business and expanding the product categories while staying true to the mission and vision of Minted.

Naficy is not only a successful entrepreneur but also a generous philanthropist. She has supported various causes such as education, women’s empowerment, environmental sustainability, and social justice. She has donated millions of dollars to organizations such as Every Mother Counts, Girls Who Code, Black Girls Code, The Malala Fund, The Nature Conservancy, and The NAACP Legal Defense Fund. She has also created programs within Minted to support artists and designers from underrepresented communities. Naficy is a role model for aspiring entrepreneurs, especially women and minorities. She has shared her insights and advice on various platforms such as TEDx, Stanford GSB, Harvard Business School, TechCrunch Disrupt, Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit, and How I Built This podcast. She has also mentored many young entrepreneurs through organizations such as Y Combinator, Endeavor, and All Raise.

Some of the popular products on Minted are:

Holiday cards for various occasions such as Christmas, New Year, Valentine’s Day, etc. You can customize your cards with photos, messages, and designs from independent artists^.
Wedding invitations and other wedding essentials such as save the dates, menus, programs, thank you cards, etc. You can choose from a variety of styles, themes, colors, and formats to match your wedding vision^.
Party invitations for different events such as birthdays, baby showers, bridal showers, graduations, etc. You can also find matching party decor, favors, and gifts to make your party memorable.

Naficy’s latest venture is Tonic.xyz, a fine art NFT gallery and community focused on generative art collections. She co-founded Tonic.xyz in 2021 with the aim of democratizing access to digital art and supporting emerging artists. Tonic.xyz is one of the first platforms to offer fractional ownership of NFTs, allowing anyone to invest in high-quality art with low entry barriers. Naficy is a visionary who has transformed the e-commerce landscape with her innovative ideas and customer-centric approach. She has created a platform that empowers artists and designers to showcase their creativity and earn a living from their work. She has also built a culture that values diversity, collaboration, and social impact. She is an inspiration for anyone who wants to pursue their passion and make a difference in the world.

Mariam Naficy, Founder