Many women sit at their desks in Corporate America and daydream about being their own boss. Our spotlight this month focuses on Antoinette Robinson, a full service event planner who broke out of traditional employment to harness her dreams of entrepreneurship. Antoinette shares some fantastic advice for fellow women business-owners and inspiration for those who haven't quite taken the leap yet. Be sure to also visit Antoinette's new blog!
Have you always had aspirations of becoming an entrepreneur?
For as long as I can remember,
I've had aspirations of becoming an entrepreneur. I dreamed about it. I spoke
of it all the time while working in the corporate
world. When I was a child, I would spend time thinking of business ideas.
You know the old lemonade stand idea, as well as selling baked goods
like cookies and cakes to family and friends. I'd jump at the opportunity to participate
in school fund-raising projects. I just loved it. Even today, I
still make a good cake sale every now and then. LOL!
What is the #1 most common request you
receive from couples when planning their wedding?
As a wedding and event planner, I will
tell you that couples have various requests. Some requests are new, unique,
fun and things I've never heard of and others are general
requests. Each couple is unique and therefore the request can be as well. Some
of the general requests and questions that I receive from couples
are: Can you assist us with location selection, will you attend the wedding
dress fitting, will you assist with mailing of the invites, should
the food for the reception be catered, will the ring bearer pillow have
the actual wedding rings attached and various other questions related to
the event itself and budget. Of course, we make it our goal
to fulfill all or as many of the couples requests as
possible.
What
would you like for clients to take away from the experience of working
with After all Is Said And Done By Antoinette?
I personally would like for each
client, no matter what the event, to walk away knowing that we love what we do.
They can dream BIG without hesitation because we have a goal of making
every one of their dreams come true. At After All Is Said And Done By Antoinette,
we are very passionate about satisfying each client that we work with. We want
the client to receive exactly what they expected and more. Recently, we did a
wedding where several of the guests expressed how much passion went into the
event. They stated that they would love to work with After All Is
Said And Done By Antoinette for their events not only because
they liked our work but also they noticed how passionate the team was
about making the event a success. The couple stated that they were extremely
satisfied with our work and the outcome of the event. At the end of
an event, those words are music to our ears.
What do you enjoy most about being
an entrepreneur?
Wow! I enjoy everything about
being an entrepreneur. Don't get me wrong. Being an entrepreneur is hard work
but extremely rewarding. As an entrepreneur, I determine the work
schedule, the goals and direction of the business. The unlimited
income potential, independence, recognition and self-fulfillment are all
benefits. In addition, the freedom in the area of
decision-making is a huge plus. I love the fact that you learn something new
everyday.
How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated simply by being
thankful that I'm doing what I love each day. That alone has been a motivator
for me. Each day is a new opportunity to accomplish the mission of the
business. One of my personal mantras is : "new day; new opportunity".
I am a very spiritual person. My relationship with God helps me face and
overcome challenges daily. Other motivating factors are: The internal drive
and desire to be successful at what I do to help the business thrive. I view
each day as an opportunity to make a difference in a client or someone's
life. Finally, my hubby and family are great motivation for me, as well as
super support.
What is your advice for females who are
thinking about starting their own business?
Go for it! Don't let fear hold you
back. Make sure that you have a drive to be an entrepreneur. It's not all glitz
and glamour but if you have drive that's a start. You also need a business plan,
financial stability and resources. Self-motivation, leadership skills,
people skills, knowledge/experience in your industry, problem solving and
decision-making skills are among the other skills that are helpful in
making your transition to entrepreneurship.
Make it a priority to learn to balance work and family life. If you work
from home, it can be difficult to separate what I call "CEO time" and
mommy/wife time. Set work hours for yourself. If you are like
me and enjoy what you do, you may work, work and work unless you set specific work
hours. Create a separate workspace in your home if possible. It helps the
family know that when mommy/wife is in that space, it is still "CEO time".
Finally, don't give up. Do what it takes to become the entrepreneur that you'd
like to be.
I wish all existing and future female
entrepreneurs the best on their journey of fulfilling their
entrepreneurial goals.
If you have a special event coming up, Antoinette recommends hiring a planner as soon as your date is set. Don't hesitate, reach out to After All Is Said and Done by Antoinette today!
Email: info@afterallissaidanddoneevents.com
Website: http://afterallissaidanddoneevents.com
Blog: www.afterallissaidanddoneevents.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AfterAllIsSaidAndDoneByAntoinette
Twitter: @AfterAllIsDone
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