We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tasha Bracken. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tasha below.

Tasha, appreciate you joining us today. Taking care of customers isn’t just good business – it is often one of the main reasons folks went into business in the first place. So, we’d love to get a conversation going around how to best help clients feel appreciated – maybe you can share something you’ve done or seen someone do that’s been really effective at helping a customer feel valued?

Since our business is focused on milestone celebrations, we always like to acknowledge special milestones are clients experience (new job, birthday, etc.). We like to surprise them with a dinner at their favorite restaurant and then send them a bottle of wine or their favorite beverage. It shows them how much we appreciate them. Especially, when you have been working with someone for a while, you can take the relationship for granted and this is reminder of how important they are to you and your business.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I have been in the hospitality business as an event planner for over 2o years. My business, T Bracken Events, plans and designs timeless, classic celebrations – weddings, social events, nonprofit galas and more.

From an early age, I have always loved parties. My Dad used to host many dinner parties and I would help plan the menu, light the candles and select the music. It was amazing to see everyone gathered around the table laughing and having fun. I loved the energy.

Prior to starting my business, I worked in the PR industry for many years. Part of our work with clients was to help plan product launch parties. This was my first experience in events and I immediately realized I had a passion for creating meaningful celebrations. I’ve never looked back.

In building my business, we have always focused on our clients vision and creating something that stands the test of time. You can look back on our events from 10-15 years ago and they stand the test of time – not dated. This is important to me.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

I truly believe that in our industry – and almost any industry – growth comes from the relationships you build. You have to remember to spend time ON your business. So many of us are focused IN our businesses taking care of our clients. Of course, we have to do this to be successful, but we also have to be intentional about building connections.

Making these connections doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Be intentional about the relationships you nurture. If a connection doesn’t seem to be the right fit or your objectives aren’t aligned, your time is better spent elsewhere. Foster relationships with others that have a similar work ethic and philosophy where you both are helping each other reach your goals. A strong network of 10-15 colleagues is easier to manage and will yield more results for everyone.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Being in business for as long as I have is truly remarkable. It demonstrates the brand recognition we’ve built. It hasn’t always been easy.

It is hard to admit, but there was a time in the business when we were “coasting” and our process was outdated. I was burnt out and questioning whether I wanted to continue. The popularity of social media had changed the landscape and it was hard to keep up. I had to be honest with myself and recognize that if I wanted to continue, I had to make some changes or the business was going to be left behind.

I love what I do and couldn’t imagine doing anything else. My business went through an extensive rebrand which helped us grow and stay relevant. As part of the rebrand, I took the time to update our processes and the client experience. Part of a successful business is understanding clients needs and the best solution for delivering that. Something you use today may be obsolete in 6 months. With the advances in technology, it’s important to keep up with the tools available to you. When feel complacent, that is when you need to make changes.

Contact Info:

• Website: ww.w.tashabrackenevents.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/tashabrackenevents
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/tashabrackenevents
• Other: Pinterest tashabrackenevents

Image Credits
Perry Vaile Rebecca Love