We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ann Trostle a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ann , appreciate you joining us today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

I LOVE being a business owner and can’t imagine life any other way, but on hard days my mind does begin to ask itself “would it be easier without all of this”? Sometimes when the weight of big decisions- especially ones that aren’t popular- hits me, or when I’m working long hours on deep projects and treading into new territory, I find myself asking if working a 9-5 for someone else and clocking out and going home would be a better lifestyle for me. But time and again, I find that when the clouds part, nothing is more satisfying than working to build a brand that I’m passionate about! A piece of advice I was given years ago that I live by, “never quit on a bad day”. When I’m facing challenges that make me question the business owner lifestyle, I’ve challenged myself to see those through and only then ask myself questions about if this life is right for me!

Ann , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I started A to Z Event Rentals a decade ago at just 22 years old. I was working in a health care related industry and just found myself needing a creative outlet. I like to call myself a left brained creative- I appreciate beauty and design, but I thrive on equations, systems and processes. When I entered the wedding world, I knew I wasn’t destined to work in fashion, baking or photography, but I was so drawn to the idea of creating beautiful events! When I discovered the need to updated Rentals in my area, I jumped at the opportunity to let those creative vibes work for me in an industry that requires things like inventory process management and constant organization. Although there have been plenty of growing pains along the way, A to Z has found itself thriving with our unique rental inventory, and we are creative beautiful and unique events every weekend in our Pennsylvania and Maryland based market!

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

When I founded the company a decade ago, I was working in a health based field, in a saturated market with little upward mobility. Only a year out of school, I was discontent and didn’t see a satisfying path forward for myself in that industry. I started my company with the intention of having a weekend side hustle that would give me a creative outlet, never imagining it could be what it is today! A few years later, my first child was born and I was so thankful for the ability to work from home while caring for her in that chapter of my life. When my second child was born and the buisness workload continued to grow, I knew I needed more hands on deck to meet our growing demand. In the fall of 2019 as our season came to a close, I set the goal of hiring my first employee in the spring of 2020- you can imagine how that went! But by 2021, the event world was returning with a vengeance and my team grew nearly overnight to 6 employees! By 2022, that number reached into the teens, and I was learning how to be an employer and how to run a team that brought the same passion to the table as I have! We continue to grow, learn and evolve together, and in 2024 we have huge goals to streamline our employee experience and really focus on helping our team improve the customer experience!

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I’ve always enjoyed supporting other professionals in the wedding industry, and cultivating relationships with venues, planners and caterers is one of my favorite facets of what I do! Listening to our “friendors” (vendor friends) and really understanding their challenges helps me to shift what we offer so that as a team we can help clients pull off truly unforgettable events!

Contact Info:

• Website: Atozeventrentalsofpa.com
• Instagram: @a_to_z_event_rentala

Image Credits
Addie Eshelman Photography Fox and Ivy Photography