12/21/2022
Eventful friends - this will be a long post (you have been warned)...it's also a good news, bad news kind of post. The bad news? It'll be really long. The good news? It's the last one you'll ever have to read from Eventful, LLC!
Eventful, LLC opened 2 weeks after COVID shutdown. So here's the deal; my timing has always been impeccable.
Being a small business owner has been such an amazing journey. Along the way I've learned a few things. I thought I'd take a minute of your day to share them.
1. A 40 pound box of linen is heavier now than it was when we started.
2. Customer service is hard. But it is the secret sauce for any successful small business owner. When the decision to retire was made it was my motivation to end this journey with all 5 star ratings, and we did just that. 48 of our customers left us reviews and they were all 5 star! That doesn't happen by accident or dumb luck -- that comes from assembling a dedicated team who share your passion for customer service.
3. You can't please everyone. Through all the customers we have had there only two who were troublesome, one actually made me cry. If that ever happens to you, remember this. Some people are simply impossible to please, that is not your fault. My dad used to say, "....they'd bitch if you hung them with a new rope...." and he was right. Turn their negative energy into something positive and get right back it. And at the end of the day feel confident you did your best and even your best would not be good enough for them. Feel sorry for those among us who can't feel the joy we do.
4. Being an integral part of the biggest day in people's lives is a blessing I will forever be grateful for. The pride I would feel when all the work was done and the couple and their families saw the venue for the first time was a joy that is immeasurable.
5. Our customers have showered us with more blessings than a person should be entitled to. These are friendships that will last a lifetime.
6. The success of Eventful, LLC is, and always has been, a team effort. Countless people have answered the call over the years to make this balloon float. To you - I'm grateful. Grateful for your energy, dedication and the sheer joy in knowing what we accomplished.
Kat - thank you. This past year would not have been possible without you. You were there when my parents were dying to allow me the latitude to be with them. You saved me and for that I will always be grateful.
Our kids. Wow - where do I even start. These kids would work a full day at their real jobs, hop in the car and come to wherever we were -- the Lakes, Fairmont, Worthington, Jeffers and beyond. They worked, sometimes, until the wee hours of the morning before heading right back to their real jobs. They didn't do any of that because they had to -- they did it because they love us. Dusty, Red, Amanda, Nichole and Nate I can never thank you enough for what you sacrificed for my dream. I can't repay you.....unless a trip to Vegas will work!?
My husband. Also known as my staunchest cheerleader! Jeff believes in me and would follow me through the gates of hell if that's where I wanted to go. He ALWAYS supports my "next big idea". He's in my corner and I never want him anywhere else. Again - this guy would work a full day, drive to wherever I needed him, work into the single digit hours of the morning and go right back to his real job in the morning. That friends is dedication. More importantly friends, that's love.
Rachel -- thank you for being the architect of this dream and for pushing me to believe in myself -- I'm so glad I'm a work horse and not a show pony! :)
And my other set of cheerleaders, the ones no longer with us -- my Mom and Dad. They LOVED Eventful. They LOVED helping. They LOVED talking with the bride and the families. They LOVED being part of the action. They LOVED even doing dishes and laundry after the event was done. I won't lie -- a part of the passion I felt for Eventful left when they did. My Mom and Dad were so proud of what we'd built. So. Very. Proud.
7. Being a small business owner is a little like having a second husband! Let me explain. To be a success you have to set your mind to the fact that your customers come first. You need to be OK with having your cell SOMEWHERE ON YOUR BODY at all times. Taking a credit card over the phone at 11 pm is OK. Making a special trip back to the store at midnight is what you need to do when the bride forgets that "one thing".
8. Technology is a blessing and a curse. Like I just said - I was married to my cell. I loved being able to talk or text to an upcoming bride when she had a question. Being able to take payments over the phone is a great piece of technology as well. What I don't like!? Well......imagine this. A bride contacts you with a question or an estimate and you are getting ready to take action! Did she call? or text? or was that an email? did she message me on Facebook? Instagram? Snapchat? did she leave a message on the page? the website? HONESTLY -- sometimes I felt my entire life was spent tracking down stuff on too many platforms.
9. This thought never crossed my mind until it happened. We LOVE EVENTFUL BABIES! It's so incredibly exciting see our couples, one by one, announce that they're expecting. So very cool.
10. And now number 10. One of my favorite quotes regarding customer service is, "The customer's perception is your reality."
With that, Eventful bids you a fond farewell. To our customers - thank you. Without you this dream would never have been fulfilled. To my rocks - thank you.
Thank you.
