Claire Mazur and Erica Cerulo are the founders of the modern romantic fiction entertainment company 831 Stories. The two met in college, and after graduating, Claire worked in the arts and Erica in editorial, but they stayed close and constantly shared ideas. In 2010, they partnered up and launched Of a Kind, an e-commerce company that sold limited-edition pieces and crafted meaningful editorial content about the designers behind them. Of a Kind grew a loyal following of customers who loved Claire and Erica’s keen sense of style and humor. In 2015, they sold the business to Bed Bath & Beyond and stayed at the company for four more years doing marketing and strategy. In 2019, BB&B closed Of a Kind, which allowed Claire and Erica to slow down for the first time in years. They took a pause and thought about their next steps. Realizing the potential of the romance space (and how much they personally resonated with the content), they founded 831 Stories. The company now has a publishing imprint with Simon & Schuster, and their first book, Big Fan by Alexandra Romanoff, was published this past September.