This company started in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic sparked by the owner’s realization that there were many people of all backgrounds suffering with various common life issues -divorce, anxiety, family conflict, low self-worth, etc. – with no idea of what to do. For this entrepreneur, journaling and daily affirmations was a spiritual practice. She truly believed that this outlet saved her life and she wanted to share the same opportunity with the world.
J. Marie Jones is the proud owner of Affirm The Word Literary, an online company producing high quality inspirational books and journals. These books stand out not only because they are beautiful, but they were designed to help people grow spiritually and personally in pursuit of their best self.
The company’s goal is to be an established resource of inspiration for believers and spiritual seekers by providing exceptional spiritual resources that enable them to strengthen their relationship with God and live out the highest expression of their true self. It is the company’s mission to generate a positive impact on both its local and global community, by promoting faith in God as the foundation to personal growth and spiritual wellbeing.
Since Affirm The Word Literary began early in the pandemic, start-up capital was essential. Before partnering with Broadstreet publishers, J. Marie produced all of Affirm the Word’s products which required paying for all manufacturing and shipping costs upfront.
NEWITY helped J. Marie access funds through the Paycheck Protection Program, which was crucial to the company’s survival. This capital laid the foundation for the company’s inventory, covered contractor expenses related to building the e-commerce brand, and provided capacity to advertise on multiple platforms during the toughest part of the pandemic. After PPP, J. Marie worked with NEWITY to secure an SBA 7(a) loan. After receiving the SBA loan funds, J. Marie was able to keep Affirm The Word Literary open and cover every day operating expenses so she could finally focus on growing and expanding her company.