Michelle Marks
Inviting Affairs Paperie
At Inviting Affairs Paperie, we create paper and stationery goods. Each one of our designs is created to put a smile on the customer’s face while also providing some social impact. As a born and raised Austinite who left for the East Coast and returned, I am happy to be able to call Austin home for the last sixteen years. It is where I have also grown my business for almost fourteen years. Struggling to find a work-life balance while raising a toddler, I made the leap and purchased Inviting Affairs.
In the beginning, we were primarily crafting custom wedding invitations locally with great success. Then we decided to add a retail aspect to our business and opened a storefront. We met with brides and provided the area with a much needed gift shop. Over time, we realized that custom invitations were the true success of our business so we made the decision to close the Far West location and moved to an office on Burnet Road.
Little did we know the increase in custom online wedding invitations would quickly change the way we did business. We decided at that time to take our custom designs and develop more ideas to branch into the wholesale business. It started with a booth at the New York Stationery Show that quickly enabled us to be the successful company we are today with both wholesale and retail entities.
As a single mom with three boys, running a business on my own has not always been easy. One of my goals is for other women to know that starting the business of your dreams is possible, and relying on women in your community can be a rewarding part of that success. Attending networking events around Austin has given me the ability to create a work family and has also allowed me to make real connections with other women running their own businesses in Austin. Whenever I feel defeated and someone places an order or gives praise for one of my designs, I do my little happy dance and push forward.
Visit us online at www.invitingaffairs.com.
Contact:
inviting affairs paperie
@invitingaffairspaperie
michelle@invitingaffairs.com
invitingaffairspaperie.com
