March 13, 2021 | by Mary Windham | This post may contain affiliate links
Hi, I'm Mary! And this is my story…
I always knew my path in life would eventually lead me into entrepreneurship, specifically launching my own event planning business.
During my graduate studies at George Washington University, a friend helped me discover that event planning and entrepreneurship were just part of my DNA. According to Roger Hamilton's "My Genius Test," I'm a Steel Genius, meaning that I love details and have a knack for systems and managing data. This is definitely me!
I also discovered that in pursuit of our dreams, sometimes it may take a little nudge to get us out of our complacency and moving towards those goals.
My nudge came in 2005, in the form of my supervisor at the time. I was working at a top event marketing and experiential company in Los Angeles, California.
During one of my annual reviews, my supervisor told me I was an exceptional and talented worker. I had my Master's in Event Management from a top university and teams within the company was always pulling me onto special projects. Yet, my supervisor felt my skills and education were going to go to waste in this company that only promoted people with a certain look.
After the annual review, I made my decision. Jumping into the unknown and not sure where the road would take me next, I submitted my two weeks’ notice.
I was confident I could do it but didn’t know exactly what “it” would look like. A close friend and I decided to take this leap together, moving 3,000 miles across the country to start a brand new event planning company in an already competitive space.
Like most entrepreneurs, we launched our business with the grand dreams of building a prosperous and successful company.
I had visions of dictating my own schedule, working only on things that I love, and building a fabulous team that would help build this glorious empire for everyone.
How hard could it be?
My co-founder and I had several very rude awakenings when clients did not magically appear, administrative tasks took over our lives, and we were very disillusioned. I must admit that at the time, we didn't know nearly as much about running a business as we thought.
Throughout the years, the challenges and mistakes I've encountered have made me a more process-driven, resilient, and tenacious person.
Don’t believe me?
Just some of the challenges I’ve faced have been:
Losing my business partner to another opportunity
Owing to the IRS thousands of dollars due to tax issues
Hiring and eventually letting staff go by ramping up too quickly
Trusting a staff member who then stole my biggest client
Low-profit margins due to inaccurate pricing and high expenses
Falling victim credit card sam
But there’s a silver lining to my entrepreneurial headaches!
I’m here now to share my experiences so you can avoid these troubles.
Despite all my mistakes and all that life threw at me, Occasions, Inc. has developed into a highly profitable, successful business with stable staff and returning clientele.
My processes are proven to work, have stood the test of time and hardship, and will help you too!
With Everything Planning, you can...
Gain a varied, useful network of partners
Learn effective accounting and financial dos/don’ts
Control your growth & build your team
Protect your assets
Know your worth & charge the right amount
Defend your business against outside threats
I started the Everything Planning platform 100% for you, so you can avoid the worst of what I went through. Let’s put you on the path to a quickly growing event planning enterprise!
My transparency and candor will motivate you while the curated selection of Everything Planning tools will provide direct support for your business needs.
You’re not alone! Join the community and let's navigate this road together.
Commenti