In the spirit of Valentine’s Day this month, we want to celebrate and recognize couples who work together in business everyday.

Meet Jessica and Raphael from Studio Âme

1. How did you both meet?

It’s a pretty cute story actually! We met through mutual friends who were dating at the time. I (Jessica) got a birds eye view of how Raphael and his group of friends were getting ready for a night out at a club. This was over 20 years ago, when we were both just babies ????

2. Why did you start working/open your business together?

The idea of owning a studio rental space that offers creatives the ability to work their magic has been something we’ve talked about for years. With the versatility of lending the space to many different creators is also an added bonus! Jessica has been a photographer for years and Raphael loves the creating and planning aspect of shoots and events so it was only natural that Studio Âme was born.

3. Tell us a little bit about yourselves and your business. (i.e. What is your unique offering?)

We chose the name Studio Âme because the word âme means soul in french (think of saying ‘arm’ with a Boston accent ???? ). Our goal is to build a community of creatives to work with and see how the studio can be used in different ways, through different visions.

4. When did you open your business and what made you choose Downtown Burlington?  

We opened the studio doors, in the middle of a pandemic, on July 9th 2020. Its absolutely been a challenge, but we’re also so very grateful for the downtown community and to all the local photographers who have booked the studio for their shoots.

We chose downtown burlington, inside village square because of the vibe and amenities of the downtown location! So many beautiful outdoor options to choose from, fantastic small businesses to shop/eat at, and Village Square is one of our favorite spots to be in. The support from the community and the BDBA has blown us both away!

5. What other downtown businesses do you frequent and do business with?

We love grabbing a coffee and treat from Lola’s Choco Bar and Sweet House, some deelish smoothies from Village Square Supplements, the greek fries and souvlaki from The Charcoal Pit is a FAV, Jessica loves her manis + pedis from Styled, grabbing a saffron chicken salad from Rayhoon for lunch, Sunshine Donuts (cause duh, donuts!)

6. If you had a piece of advice for other couples starting a business together, to help them succeed, what would it be?

Do it! Get super clear on what roles each of you will play in the business and make sure your communication is on point. It’s super fulfilling to grow a business with your partner!

7. Do you have any Valentine’s Day traditions?

With a growing family (we have 4 kids) it’s sometimes a challenge to get time alone together. Date night looks a little different for us, we try to get out when we can (of course, pre-pandemic) So, we enjoy conversations and quiet time together once all the kids are up in bed <3