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PRIVACY
Enterprise

The woman who has built a business sending sweary cards and gifts all over the world

Toni Leigh-Hall and Banter Cards were challenged more than ever by motherhood and the pandemic - but it's grown from cards to face masks and more

Toni Leigh-Hall started Barter Cards seven years ago

Toni Leigh-Hall isn't a workaholic but five hours after giving birth she was replying to a customer and checking on orders from her hospital bed.

It's not that she is addicted to work, she said, it is just that loves her business so much.

In fact, she was so concerned when she was pregnant about how she would balance being a mum and running her company she spoke to a counsellor.

As it turned out she had nothing to worry about. Spencer, her son, immediately became an integral part of the Banter Cards team, playing and sleeping in Toni's office while she worked.

The problem for Spencer, ore more his mum, will arise in a few years when he learns to read, as just a quick tour of Banter Cards production unit in Barry, South Wales, and you'll see more F and C words than in all of Guy Ritchie's films combined.

Toni Leigh-Hall with her son Spencer in the Banter Cards store in Barry


Toni started Banter Cards seven years ago while sitting on the sofa, watching EastEnders and eating Nutella from a jar. After setting up a shop on Etsy, she watched a few YouTube videos on using PhotoShop and registered the company.

Within the first day, she had two sales but didn't have any card. A quick trip to Tesco, and Toni says she printed the most shoddy card you can imagine and sent it out in a hand-written envelope. This went for a couple of weeks until she got her first complaint.

At this point, Toni started to take the business more seriously and sorted a card supplier.