Today we’d like to introduce you to Marlo Munch.
Hi Marlo, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Angie and I began concepting PAIKKA in 2014 and officially opened in 2016. We
met working together in an art design role and started an event design company
together. We designed a handful of events which included rentals, floral,
invitations and installations. We quickly realized that we wanted to own a venue
to combine with event design and began the process of looking for spaces in
2014. We toured the pre-renovated space that now holds PAIKKA and fell in love
with the potential! There was a lot of work to be done across the entire complex,
so we began the concepting, build out and behind the scenes work on PAIKKA
right away and we got so focused on doing the venue that we let go of doing
event design. We did about 15 weddings at PAIKKA our first year in 2016.
We love running an event venue and creating a space where people celebrate cherished occassions!
Alright, 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?
Like any small business, navigating the world right now does have its
challenges. We are grateful to be growing as a small business despite the
times and continue to make changes to our business plan where
necessary and continue to look at PAIKKA with a creative lens to keep
things fresh, interesting, inspiring and relevant.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about PAIKKA?
Located in the heart of Saint Paul, MN, PAIKKA is an event venue known for its modern, industrial design and customizable spaces. We are proudly women-owned and operated. With over 600 events under our belt, from weddings to corporate gatherings to non-profit galas and more, our team understands the importance of celebrating every occasion. People are at the heart of everything we do.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
We have learned that leaning on our community is the best resource we have! Asking for help, finding the right people for the job, appointing “life staff” as we call it (accountants, lawyers, massage therapists, etc) keep us going. It truly takes a village – even to run a small business! People are always eager to help and there’s no need to try and do it alone.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.paikkamn.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paikkamn
