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

Hi Lisa, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
After having been in business for almost twenty years, I can truly say that the past two decades have been some of the most rewarding years of my life; however I can also say that they have been some of the most difficult years of my life. I love being able to fulfill my passion and being able to create every single day. However, as a minority female business owner and as a single mom, there have been times when I have been in uncharted territory and I had no one to help steer me in the right direction. There were times when I wanted to give up, go back to the corporate world and loose myself of the long days and long nights when it seemed as if my productivity level was at zero. It was in those moments that I would get a referral from a client telling me that a previous client loved my work so much that they insisted that the next person endorse my business or I would get an email from an aspiring entrepreneur who had witnessed my business acumen from the sidelines and because of my tenacity, they too were inspired to get in the industry and dared to create. Every time I thought it was time for me to give up, I was sent a message from God through an earthly vessel that I needed to keep going- that I needed to create the next design, produce the next invitation, inspire the next person. Failing is hard, but not trying again is harder. I’m grateful for the many sources of encouragement that remind me to always try again and regardless of the challenges, to keep going. 

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I began my career in the corporate world and successfully climbed the corporate ladder; however, after the birth of my daughter, I decided to start my own business in order to spend more time with her. I had always loved providing cards and stationery to family and friends hence the beginning of my graphic design and specialty print company. I began designing for churches, schools, small businesses and birthday parties. Within the first year of business, I was able to design the stationery for my first wedding and rest is history! We soon began branching out and creating custom stationery because we believe that every couple is unique so everyone’s stationery should be unique. Throughout our tenure, we have serviced hundreds of brides and there has been something unique about each of their invitations. We provide custom stationery for social events and we also design business and marketing collateral for corporations, non-profits, and small businesses. We continue to serve the graphic design and print needs of schools and churches, especially as they navigate between a digital and print world. We love what we do and furthermore, we love providing a custom experience for each of our clients. Once an event ends, one of the tangible remains is the paper so we do our best to make it memorable! There have been challenges, like every great story, but it is our mission to fulfill the papered dreams of our clients. When those dreams come true, we are inspired to fulfill more dreams.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love Atlanta! I was born and raised here and I love this city! I love traveling, but I think Atlanta offers something unique and something priceless not found anywhere else. It is a sense of community found in every treasure in the city. My best friend actually lives here and we love exploring the city together. Our Sundays are usually filled with church first at Beulah Missionary Baptist Church, followed by a trip downtown to the Mercedes Benz Stadium to cheer on our favorite football team, the Atlanta Falcons (we are season ticket holders!). Win, lose or draw, we are hometown girls and support the Dirty Birds no matter what! After the game, we usually head to Murphys in Virginia Highlands for Tollhouse Pie, our favorite dessert after football. On Monday, we are busy in the office fulfilling Papered Dreams but we like to map out our week over lunch at Houstons Restaurant on West Paces Ferry because the spinach dip brings out the best in everyone! On Tuesday, we might keep it light and while we are at our Midtown Studio run over to Jeni’s Ice Cream on Howell Mill Road to add a little sweetness to the day. Wednesday is Hump Day and there’s no better way to get over the hump than to meet up with the rest of our friends of a midweek brunch at Atlanta Breakfast Club. It’s our way to catch up and enjoy the best part of anyone’s day- breakfast! As event pros, our weekends always begin on Thursday so we love catching the next great show at the Alliance Theatre and pairing it with dinner at either The Capital Grille in Buckhead or Rock Steady in Midtown. Fridays were made for fun and in Atlanta, there’s so much to be had so we let the city plan our itinerary and hope that it doesn’t spell trouble. And on Saturdays, we shop because who doesn’t need a good outfit! We head to Lenox Square Mall and Phipps Plaza and end the day at whatever restaurant has an open reservation because there is no limitation on good eats in Atlanta. As I said before, there’s so much to love about Atlanta- one week would not begin to do it justice!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’m blessed that I have so many supporters, so many cheerleaders and encouragers in my corner. I truly wouldn’t have made it without their love, support and prayers over the years! I am eternally grateful to God for the vision and also for my late grandparents, Howard and Willie Nell Zachery. They raised me to work hard, believe in the value of my work and to never let failure be the end of my story. As a child, I watched my grandfather overcome physical handicaps in order to provide for his family. I watched him teach himself various skills in order to perform jobs that not many African Americans worked during the time. I was inspired by the dedication he had to his family, to his job and to the ability to do all things well. In that same vein, I watched my grandmother, a seamstress, be taught my grandfather how to sew men’s clothing and further expand her craft to women’s clothing also. She secured a job at Macys (formerly Richs) and for over thirty years, she increased her knowledge and served her customer base. This customer base appreciated her attention to detail and the level of service that she provided each and every time. Until their health failed them, both of my grandparents believed in the value of servicing others and it is this principle that I took into my business. Everything that I watched them do, I instilled into my business practices and I truly believe that without their support, without watching them beat the odds, my business would not be successful. So with the loudest voice I have, I shout out Howard and Willie Nell Zachery! Thanks for, well, everything!

Website: www.paperedwonders.com
Instagram: paperedwonders
Linkedin: Lisa R. Zachery
Twitter: paperedwonders
Facebook: Lisa Zachery

Image Credits
323 Creative Designs Inije Photography Janet Howard Studio StanLo Photography