Celebrating Twenty Years of GFP
1998
Where it all began: Ingrid and Lam meet at Seal Press
Lam joins Seal Press as publicity director after spotting the feminist press in Pacific Magazine. Ingrid, then marketing director at Seal Press, brings her on board. Over the next five years, the two rise through the ranks—Ingrid to associate publisher, Lam to editorial director—acquiring, shaping, and editing the Seal Press list.
2004
Two departures, one future
After Seal Press is acquired by Perseus and operations shift, Lam and Ingrid each decide to move on. They step away from traditional publishing and begin freelancing—trading projects, staying close, and quietly laying the groundwork for something new.
2006
Girl Friday Productions is born—August 3, 2006
After a walk through Seattle’s Madrona neighborhood, a packager’s nudge to “go legit,” and a name that captures exactly what they do: Girl Friday, GFP incorporates on August 3rd, reclaiming a classic 1940s archetype for the twenty-first century. The original “Girl”—designed by a friend using another friend as a model—becomes the company’s first logo.
2008
The team grows: Christina and Jenna join GFP
Girl Friday doubles in size, welcoming Christina Henry de Tessan—a Seal Press and Chronicle Books alum who was ready for a new challenge—and Jenna Free, a publishing pro from becker&mayer!,who was especially drawn to GFP’s flexible, values-driven model. Each partner works on their own projects, contributing to a shared overhead structure that would define GFP’s early years.
2011
GFP goes literary: the eNotes project
Girl Friday lands a contract with eNotes to create comprehensive literary study guides for high school and middle school readers. To win the contract, the four founding partners each take a section of 1984 by George Orwell—writing discussion questions, essays, and analyses of themes and symbolism. The success of that first study guide leads to dozens of 50+ page guides across the curriculum.
2012
A year of transformation: big clients, new faces, an ebook boom
GFP adds writers Kate Chynoweth and Andrea Dunlop to the team and settles into a shared office in Seattle’s International District. The ebook market surges, bringing new opportunities in editing, ghostwriting, and proposal work. GFP meets with business coach Libby Wagner and starts dreaming bigger.
A conversation at a yoga class leads to a connection with a leading digital publishing program. GFP begins doing developmental edits for Crossingtranslated novels, which evolves into full editorial production for the company’s other imprints including romance, thrillers, young adult, sci-fi, and more. , including Lake Union, Thomas & Mercer, Montlake, and more—becoming the company’s largest and GFP’s longest-running client relationship remains to this day.
2014
Rapid growth: new hires, new digs, and a Capitol Hill home
GFP moves into its now-beloveda revamped carriage house on Capitol Hill office (with some noisy parrots in the upstairs apartment as part of its charm) as the team expands rapidly to meet editorial production demand. The year also marks a milestone: the first man ever hired at Girl Friday Productions, beloved and talented art director, Paul Barrett. Lam begins her executive MBA program, supported by the whole team, with a capstone focused on self-publishing education.
2015
Slothlove and the Inkshares era
GFP continues production work for Inkshares, a reader-funded publisher. Among the projects: Slothlove, a book that earns a devoted following inside the GFP office.
2018
New ownership, new brand, deeper commitment to self-publishing
Kristin Mehus-Roe and Meghan Harvey join the ownership team. Meghan leads GFP’s expanded self-publishing services; Kristin deepens packaging relationships with partners including National Geographic, PBS, and Sesame Street. A new website and refreshed branding signal GFP’s evolution.
2020
GFP goes fully remote—and keeps going
The pandemic scatters the team to their home offices. After a brief adjustment period, GFP finds its footing—and then some. A new wave of clients— many finally ready to write that long-planned book— keeps the team busy and optimistic through one of the most uncertain periods in recent memory.
2021
GFP becomes a publisher: launches three imprints launch
Leveraging their small press roots and an Ingram distribution partnership, Ingrid, Kristin, and the leadership team launch three hybrid publishing imprints: Flashpoint (marquee nonfiction), Bird Upstairs (children’s), and Girl Friday Books (fiction).
2023
Bindery launches: the publishing program evolves
Meghan Harvey departs to co-found Bindery Books, a new venture that becomes a meaningful GFP production client almost immediately. Meanwhile, GFP refines its publishing program: the Bird Upstairs imprint is retired, Flashpoint sharpens its editorial vision, and Girl Friday Books becomesevolves into GFB and shifts to an online-only model.
2024
Dave Valencia joins the ownership team
A familiar face and longtime GFP team member, Dave Valencia is offered—and accepts—an ownership stake in the company by remaining owners Ingrid, Leslie, and Christina..
2025
A slow start, a strong finish, and an eye on the future
A turbulent first quarter—shaped by broader economic uncertainty—gives way to renewed momentum. With a talented team, new publishing partnerships in development, and nearly two decades of experience to draw from, GFP heads into its twentieth-anniversary year clear-eyed and energized.
2026
Twenty years—and counting
What started as a walk through Seattle’s Madrona neighborhood and a joke about “doing it all” has grown into one of the publishing industry’s most trusted editorial and production partners. Here’s to the next twenty years, and beyond.