Life and Work with Stephanie Mack

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Mack.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My passion for designing events stemmed from my childhood. I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, IL in a big, loud, Italian family where gatherings were frequent and over the top. For each celebration that we hosted, my mom would decorate our home from head to toe with an abundance of food, candles, flowers, and decor. My mom is a very gifted interior designer and I owe my keen aesthetic eye to her.

I began my career in floral design after working at a couple different flower shops in Boulder over the course of four years. It was a great experience that gave me a solid foundation for what I know now, but that wasn’t the end! I always knew I’d own my own business someday, it was just a matter of time until I took the leap. It was my goal to create a brand that combined my passion for celebrations, attention to all the little details, and the undeniable vision within me.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that I won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, and that’s ok. A major value of my brand is authenticity, so I hold great value in that. There is a heck of a lot of social pressure to fit into what’s trendy and cool. Truthfully though, we are all different in our own ways, and that should be celebrated! If you stay true to who you are, the right people will find you and you will create magic together.

Owning a business is no small feat – It involves many risks, and it is a very vulnerable process of continually putting yourself out there, over and over again.People will doubt you, some will even want to see you fail, but none of that matters. Hold onto your vision and don’t get in your own way! Explore all of your talents and be flexible and open to change. Don’t pigeon hole yourself and allow your business to evolve and grow. Most importantly, always stay driven by your passion and true to your brand.

Please tell us about Velvet Armoire.
Velvet Armoire is a full service floral and event design company specializing in the authentic, the purposeful, and the passionate.

We work with our clients to create an aesthetic vision for their day that really speaks to who they are and what they’re all about. The design process begins with an initial consultation followed by an in-depth visual concept board and venue walk through. As ideas develop, we continue to curate, usually ending up somewhere around 6-8 pages of visual concept depending on the complexity of it. On installation day, we show up ready to get the job done and tackle any surprises that may come our way….oh, and we have fun while doing it 🙂

Our goal is to get inside people’s heads and create something that is wildly unique. We aren’t afraid to do things differently — in fact, we encourage it. We use platforms like Pinterest and Instagram as the initial inspiration, and then elevate it and make it personal. There are a LOT of decisions to be made during the design process, and for some people it can be really overwhelming. That’s where we step in! We will take everything we’ve learned about you and become your personal design guru, helping you make the right decisions quickly and efficiently. That way you can get back to the popping the champagne part.

What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
I can’t say it enough — believe in yourself and your vision, and be willing to share it. Strut your stuff and don’t be shy about it! Put yourself out there, tell your story, hand out your business cards like candy. I truly believe that we rise by lifting others. Reach out to people in the industry and go on all the coffee dates.The first few months will be a crash course, but just keep showing up, rolling with the punches and giving it your all, every damn day. Love the process and hustle hard!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.velvetarmoire.com
• Phone: 3033866628
• Email: stephanie@velvetarmoire.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/velvetarmoirefloral/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/velvetarmoirefloral/?view_public_for=102351281159937

Image Credit:
Rachel Ridings Scott

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