Meet Amber Staples | Founder and Creative Director of Stapled Events

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

Hi Amber, what is the most important factor behind your success?
My determination is what keeps me going and allows me to weather the storms of growing a small business. I come from a corporate background and have faced discrimination throughout my career. I was overlooked for promotions that I clearly deserved, my work was credited to my peers (typically men…. specifically, white men) and I had to do 10 times more work to get even a minimal amount of recognition. Once I made the decision to start my business, there was no going back for me. I consistently work around the clock to grow the business and find innovative ideas to generate revenue. You have to want it so badly, that you’re willing to risk it all. I gave up the comfort of my corporate career to chase my dream, and it paid off. I continue to work my butt off because going back to corporate America, and subjecting myself to inequality, is not an option.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Amber is a constant work in progress. I’m constantly learning and growing in my career. I never think that I know enough and I never want to be the smartest person in the room. Was it easy? Absolutely not! There are a lot of peaks and valleys that you go through when building a small business. You can have some of the highest highs and the lowest lows the very next day. That’s entrepreneurship for you! My mantra is that nothing good comes easy. If it were easy, everyone would do it! The biggest lesson that I learned is to keep going. When things get tough (and they will) you just have to keep going. You cannot focus on the hard times or the hard times will become you. I remember when I first started the business, I put so much money and resources into it. I didn’t have a corporate salary to fall back on and I found myself wondering if I made the right decision. I was struggling. But I kept going. I worked hard, I put in the leg work and wore every hat in the business. I did everything that I could to make the business work and it did. It may not be today, it may not be tomorrow, it may not even be this year, but eventually, your hard work will pay off! Trust the process.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My favorite hang out spot in Chicago is Gino and Marty’s. They have some of the best Italian food in the city! The vibes are amazing and the aesthetic is definitely Instagram worthy. You eat dinner downstairs and then you go upstairs for a DJ and club vibe. The best part is that the restaurant is located in West Loop, which has some of the best bars and speakeasy’s in the city.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
It’s funny because corporate America is the reason that I pursued my business and it’s also what shaped me into the business woman that I am today. I structure my business as if it is a Fortune 500 company (it’s not. Lol). When you think like a corporate entity, you operate like one. We have sales, customer service, marketing, and mangers who oversee the day to day activities. We have a process that mimics some of the most successful companies that I’ve worked with. There are a lot of things that pushed me out of corporate America and into entrepreneurship, However, there are also a lot of things that I have taken with me and have allowed me to grow my small business quickly. So shoutout to corporate America for building a Boss!

Website: www.stapledevents.com, www.stapledeventsvenue.com

Instagram: @stapledevents, @amberroxie