2021 was a year of reflection, surprises, and perseverance.
“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” - Maya Angelou
After 4 years working for a big 4 firm, I left to prioritize my mental/physical health and took a leap of faith to recharge and embrace a dream of mine for a while. Even though I was highly successful working in human capital, I was at a tipping point where the lack of self-care and quality of life from long days and nights of work was (mostly) exacerbated from the pandemic. It is important to note the privilege I had from being able to work from home. I also recognize that many more were in my situation or going through worse. Nevertheless, I felt like I was drowning from the many different experiences I had accepted as a normal part of life. It took me many months to finally take that leap of faith and take the first step to ignite this new adventure.
“The dark does not destroy the light; it defines it. It’s our fear of the dark that casts our joy into the shadows” - Brené Brown
I had been dreaming of owning my own business ever since I was little after I watched my very close aunt and uncle own their own stores. My first entrepreneurial attempt was selling chocolates when I was 7 after I convinced my aunt to be my investor. Needless to say, the business went bankrupt when I ended up eating all the chocolates with my neighbor. Fast-forward to 2020, I was still having doubts about launching my own business. I let fear hold me back with my hectic schedule. The many “what ifs” took over and I was not ready then. It wasn’t until I finally faced the cliff and took the first jump that I learnt that life is too short and I just had to go for it. Yes, I was still scared and clueless about the reality of what it meant to own a small business. However, the ability to create and build something up excited me and uplifted my spirits. My many years in event planning pushed me to do something I knew I was already good at. Why not do something that brings people together in these difficult times?
“We learned about gratitude and humility - that so many people had a hand in our success.” - Michelle Obama
After the first 6 months of launching this amazing business that has ultimately made my house smaller (with inventory) and my refrigerator fuller (all about the charcuterie products), I am still overjoyed from all the 21 events we pulled together in less than 6 months. All the hard work and attention to detail showed and shined in the smiles of the clients we served. But none of this would have been possible without my small but mighty team.
From the very beginning I have had my family and a few close friends supporting me in many events.
I am particularly grateful to my husband, Avi, who has grown more muscles lifting, loading/unloading my equipment, as well as acting as my IT support and comptroller. I am forever grateful for his charm and his immense support.
To booster this recipe, my mom, Rose has not only contributed, but strengthened my business operations this year by organizing, styling, and pulling my ear as needed. I owe her so much!
Photo credit: Rachel E.H. Photography
It is also important to mention my niece, Diana, who jumped on board from the very beginning and helped me put processes and structure in place. This bright young lady offered impactful ideas that are reflected in the way we operate now. She was never afraid of making things happen without much guidance. I have so much respect and gratitude for them all!
I hope my journey has inspired you to never give up on your dreams! Here is how my dreams manifested in 2021. Below are a few top favorite events we pulled together from last year. May this 2022 bring more smiles, deeper connections, more incredible events and joy to all!
Planning, Design and Vendor Coordination: Picnic & Unwind
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