When Aisha Holly began planning her wedding in 2007, she struggled to find vendors that offered event designs and resources that catered to her personal style.

“Weddings have come a long way,” Holly says. “At that time, it was this transition from the traditional wedding to people really personalizing their wedding.”

Noticing the growing trend and lack of vendors who fit that need, Holly decided it would be a great opportunity for her to open her own business combining her interests in graphic design and event planning.

“I work in technology and management, but I have a passion for creative and design,” she says.

By day, Holly works as a Web manager at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business. As part of the marketing and communications creative team, she is responsible for the school’s digital presence, and manages all aspects of the website. This includes new feature implementation, content management, Web analytics, Web governance and usability testing.

Holly works to leverage the best practices and digital standards to enhance the user-experience of the website. She works with the marketing and communications team to maintain site standards with regard to new development, enhance search engine optimization, and ensure strategic alignment of the Ross brand digitally.

Since the Ross website was redesigned and launched in summer 2014, Holly constantly contributes to ongoing developments.

“The website is like an evolving, living thing,” she says. “We’re constantly making enhancements to it.”

In 2007, Holly opened her own wedding and event design business, which has evolved today into an operation that focuses on designing, creating and selling stationery suites for a range of events.

“When I wasn’t doing events, I still needed somewhere to hone in on my creative side, so I would just design,” Holly says of her interest in graphic design and how she combined it with her passion for events.

The suites offered through Holly’s online shop, aishaholly.com, include programs, menu cards, table numbers, gift bags, and more — all customizable for weddings, birthday parties, bridal or baby showers, graduations, and other soirees.

The focus of her designs has always been about aesthetic. The designs feature colorful palettes, unique patterns, and crisp, elegant typography — all reflective of Holly’s bright, coordinated and modern style.

“The thing is people have great ideas but don’t know how to tie it all together,” Holly says of how she helps customers with palettes and style as part of the design process.

Holly stresses the important role of leveraging social media networks in building her business. Platforms like Instagram and Tumblr not only allow her to share images of what inspires her daily, but allow new clients to discover her work.

“It’s about promoting my brand and my style and what you would get if you hired me.”

Over the last few months, Holly has updated her online shop with fresh designs. Predesigned stationery suites offer customers the ability to personalize color palettes and copy for their event.

While balancing raising four children, launching Ross’ new website, and earning a second degree from Eastern Michigan University in technology management, the predesigned nature of the suites makes running a second business a lighter load, though she also offers custom design services as well.

Her work has been published in wedding magazines like The Knot and Get Married, as well as across websites such as Style Me Pretty and Hostess with the Mostess. Holly was selected to attend Martha Stewart’s Dreamers and Doers weekend.

“Plan,” Holly says, when considering what advice she would offer anyone starting a business venture. “Planning and strategically defining your business and your target audience will take you far.”

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