Meet Woody Aime | Business Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Woody Aime and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Woody, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
In the beginning stages of starting my business, I worked around the clock; countless hours, six sometimes seven days a week. It didn’t seem as much though. Not to sound so cliché but I loved what I was doing and loved the process so it really didn’t seem as work to me. All nighters were a regular thing. The times I was able to get some free time I was either catching up on sleep or hanging out. Unknowingly, my personal relationships at the time were the ones being neglected.

As time passed, business grew, structure set in place, new responsibilities arise. I’ve learned that a balanced life is what’s best for me and the life that I want. Just because you’re a business owner doesn’t mean you can’t have a balanced life. Planning accordingly is a priority.

What should our readers know about your business?
Being in business for over 10 years and seeing the growth year in and year out is what I am most proud of. Looking back at where I’ve started to where I am today sometimes surprises me. Also that with no major marketing campaigns or ads getting business primarily through word-of-mouth is impressive in its own way.

A lot of sacrifice, consistency, mistakes and really hard learned lessons has brought me to this point. It was absolutely not easy. When I speak to friends/family or hear people talk about going into business for themselves I always tend to give my opinion. I love to give pros and cons and help guide them if they’re seriously considering. With being in business for yourself challenges arise daily and I’ve learned to attack each issue head on not letting it linger. The more you try to ignore or postpone it the larger the issue gets.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Living in New York City puts me at a high advantage when it comes to having fun and showing someone a good time. It is known as the one of the best cities in the world. One of the first things that we would do is go shopping in SOHO or 5th Ave. Grab a fresh pair of sneakers and some fly clothes. Depending on what time of the year, I would take my friend to catch either a bball game at Madison Square Garden or a baseball game at the Met Stadium, then head to the meat packing district to grab a good steak dinner at STK, and then head to one of the high end lounges in Chelsea. If it was the summer time, I would take them to the infamous Coney Island amusement park in Brooklyn and enjoy some delicious funnel cake and get on a couple rides (No rollercoasters for me). On the weekend, I would invite some of my family and friends over for a bbq. If you grew up in NYC, you would know that whenever the weather is 70 degrees or higher, a bbq is a must. We would enjoy some of my mother’s good home cooked food and vibe out to some good music

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
After the first year in business there was a pivotal point Inkwell needed to take. My parents were there to give my business the boost that it needed in order to take it to the next level. Knowing that you have the support of your family, helps boost your confidence and gives you that extra encouragement that you take with you throughout your journey. With that being said they deserve all the recognition because without their support we’d probably wouldn’t be here discussing anything.

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