We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Aimee Flynn. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Aimee below.

Aimee, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

Both ‘A Storied Way’ and ‘The Parlour at Manns Chapel’ are small businesses rooted in the power of curated experience—where every detail is intentional, every decision made with purpose, all to create lasting emotional resonance.

In today’s culture, so much of what we do is driven by spectacle rather than connection. The post often matters more than the moment itself. The connection is lost to our desire to share it with anyone who will watch, like, or comment.

But at an intimate event, everything shifts. Guests are closer to each other, to the hosts, to the story being told. Emotions run deeper because the connections are more authentic. Memories last longer because emotional impact is a primary focus. Unlike large gatherings, where attention is often scattered, smaller events invite a sense of presence. Guests offer more of themselves—listening fully, engaging meaningfully, asking real questions, responding sincerely. It’s your grandmother’s china. A shared table instead of a receiving line. A menu that tells the story of how you met. The impact is longer-term.

A storied brand is similar in that it goes beyond features and benefits—it tells a story that people feel. Customers don’t just buy what you offer; they buy into your why. That emotional resonance builds deeper relationships and long-term trust.

People don’t remember taglines. They remember how you made them feel. People don’t remember wedding favors, they remember how they shared in your experience—in your story.

Stories give context and meaning to what you do. That makes your brand more distinctive and memorable in a crowded market. Facts are forgotten. Stories stick.

In short, both a storied brand and a storied event aren’t just something you offer—they’re something people want to belong to. That’s what makes it powerful, and that’s what makes it last.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Aimee, originally from Long Island, NY, majored in graphic design and gallery management. She spent much of her time at Central Connecticut State University’s Chen Art Gallery, where mentorship under Walter Kendra helped launch her career, landing her first role as the youngest Executive Director of the Visual Art Exchange Gallery in Raleigh, NC.

In 1993, Aimee moved to beautiful Tar Heel country, Chapel Hill, NC, where she earned her Master’s in Landscape Architecture from North Carolina State University, and began designing curated outdoor spaces. Aimee also led a design division at Sodexo USA, working on high-profile projects, and later transitioned to teaching at The Art Institute in Raleigh, where she rose to Department Chair and then Director of Career Services.

In 2014, along with fellow designer and ride-or-die bestie Yvette Navarro, she restored a small abandoned chapel, launching The Parlour at Manns Chapel. This award-winning venue hosted intimate events, chef dinners, and creative workshops. A woman-owned and run business for a decade, Aimee and Yvette even converted the space into a temporary school during COVID. They recently sold the venue in 2024 and launched A Storied Way, helping soulful brands and spaces come to life.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Like all strong brands, we knew exactly who we were—and more importantly, who we weren’t. This is probably the most important thing for a small (or large) business.

Both Yvette and I had chosen intimate weddings for our own marriages, not by trend but by intention. We valued presence over performance, meaningful connection over spectacle. We didn’t believe in the long receiving line of guests that the hosts barely knew. Instead, we believed in shared tables, real conversations, and a celebration where every face in the room mattered.

It would’ve been easy to chase scale—bigger guest counts, bigger budgets, much more profit per event. But that was never the point. Even when the financial incentive leaned toward large events, we stayed the course, rooted in our belief that intimacy breeds authenticity—and authenticity builds legacy.

This clarity became our compass. It helped us not only attract our ideal clients but also educate and inspire others—people who may have come in expecting something traditional, but left reimagining what their celebration could be. Many were surprised to discover that what they really wanted wasn’t more… it was meaning. We trained our staff to not only sing the same song—but to believe it.

In the end, this commitment to our core values became our greatest asset. The brand grew, not through mass appeal, but through deep alignment—with ourselves, with our clients, and with a way of gathering that made space for the moments that matter most.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Being able to pivot calmly and creatively is crucial in business. Having the ability to think clearly, call on your resources, and find a new path will not only keep your business open but may also give you a moment to make a significant difference in the lives of others, rather than just focusing (or panicking, for that matter) on your bottom line.

In the case of The Parlour at Manns Chapel, navigating a full events calendar during a global pandemic wasn’t just about survival—it was about transformation. In the face of fear and uncertainty, we chose to pivot with creativity and purpose, turning challenge into opportunity and stillness into magic.

When COVID-19 mandates brought weddings to a halt, closed schools, and silenced the joyful gatherings that once filled the chapel, we didn’t retreat—we reimagined. As designers and storytellers, we knew that moments of disruption often hold space for the most meaningful innovation. So we asked ourselves: How can we serve? What can we create that’s needed now?

That’s when The Parlour Schoolhouse was born—a safe, in-person learning space for first graders, created at a time when most classrooms had moved behind screens. Our goal was simple yet deeply intentional: bring back the magic of learning through pencils, paper, music, art, books, and movement. We embraced academic nostalgia in the best possible way—learning that felt human again.

We reached out to our community—friends, families, and vendors—who generously helped us stock the space with books and creative resources. We built a library. We invited in artists, musicians, and scientists. We infused each day with wonder, culture, and joy.

We called them The Ready Rabbits, a name as whimsical as the spirit they brought to the space. And like every couple, guest, or creative who has ever walked the chapel floors, these children became part of The Parlour’s story. This little white chapel was their classroom, their sanctuary, their space to grow—and they will always have a piece of it to call their own.

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Contact Info:

• Website: coming soon
• Instagram: @theparlourchapel
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/100063829281390/posts/1212032764267688/?mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=m61KIVnteAjTUaAP#
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aimeeflynn/

Image Credits

Compilation image: @franziannika.photography
Me in white dress: @michelleelysephoto