We recently connected with Melissa Rowjohn and have shared our conversation below.

Melissa , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with a hypothetical question – if it were up to you, what would you change about the school or education system to better prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career?

Even as a young child I always had a knack and love for planning. Once I outgrew Barbies and traditional children’s toys, I immediately wanted to provide guidance and joy to other children following behind me. As a young girl of only 10/11 years old, I developed the Purple Parrots Club along with my close friend for the neighborhood children to have a place to learn, grow and develop. We came up with the business model (although I didn’t know that was what it was then), developed the name and logo, created flyers, established costs to join and the dues for each gathering. We solicited the neighbors and before we knew it; we had over 10 kids in the front yard partaking in activities, snack time and going home every weekend with creative takeaways to their homes across the street. We even had parent/child field trips which were fundraised by neighborhood yard sales and lemonade stands.

I believe that even as a child; we have a creative outlet and indications of what our strengths will be for the future. I was always organized and loved planning whether it was for the Purple Parrots Club or birthday parties; I wanted to be a part of it. I loved anything that provided a creative outlet! This is much of who I am still today.

I was one of the lucky ones who knew what I loved and wanted to be from a young age and worked towards it in my education. I knew I wanted to be an event planner and as I got older; the idea of doing weddings was very appealing to me. I quickly applied to the University of Central Florida and was accepted into their Hospitality/Event Management Program at the Rosen School. On top of a wonderful college experience and education; I was also given great internship opportunities with Universal Orlando and Hyatt Hotels which helped to prepare me for graduation and for what I thought was going to be a quick and successful start to my career.

Boy was it a shock when I graduated and expected to immediately be in upper management, running my own 5-STAR events and of course be given a great paying salary. Even with my Bachelor’s degree and experience; I was still forced to start at entry level jobs with low pay and the expectation was to move up through the corporate ladder one position at a time. Granted the degree did help get my foot in the door for interviews but that was about it. What I learned quickly about the Hospitality Industry is that experience is KEY and more important than any formal education. I will never regret my decision to go to college and It has helped me in the long run but I have met many professionals in my industry with great roles and salaries with little to no college experience.

I agree that experience in what we do speaks volumes, but I would like to see more emphasis be put on applicants with college educations. I feel bad for the young professionals who have reached out to me for advice and guidance on where to start and how to get to where I am today. The expectations of what is being told to kids in school to what the industry actually is can be disheartening. Hospitality programs nationwide need to stress the importance of getting hands on experience and work to help more students find their place in the workplace while in school, so they already have their foot in a door before they graduate. More incentives with employers to hire college graduates and to help promote them quicker due to their drive and dedication to the industry.

My advice to college students would be to try to make connections immediately upon entering college and set expectations with employers on where they want to be now and in the future. The hospitality industry is so fulfilling and so much fun, but it can also take up a lot of your personal time. Students need to understand that nights, weekends and holidays will almost always be a requirement. It is important to carve out personal time for travel and rest. I went many years without vacations and time for myself and it’s my biggest regret.

Melissa , 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 am the Director of Catering and Special Events for the beautiful Isla Del Sol Yacht & Country Club in St. Petersburg, Florida. Growing up in Colorado; I am not a Florida native but quickly embraced the tropical scenery, low key “5 o’clock somewhere” lifestyle and beautiful beaches of our area. Event planning was always something I knew I wanted to do from a young age. I perused my education in Hospitality/Event Management and worked for phenomenal companies such as: Universal Orlando, Hyatt Hotels, Marriott Hotels, Gaylord Entertainment, The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company and 10 years ago made the jump into country clubs.

Isla Del Sol is a private member-owned club which offers an 18-hole golf course, racquet facilities, a stunning marina, private beachfront and a beautiful clubhouse which has quickly become my second home. I am lucky to sell and service stunning events from weddings, galas, social affairs, charity tournaments, etc…

I have over 20 years of experience with certifications in wedding and event planning but what I think really makes all the difference is my love and passion for what I do. I was born to help people plan all of their biggest and most memorable events. I am relatable, honest and pride myself on being the best friend you will have in business. Some of my greatest accomplishments have been working with the Tampa Bay Rays and The Children’s Dream Fund on their Rays on the Runway Charity Event, partnering with my parents’ company on a private event at the Playboy Mansion in Hollywood while also seeing over 1,000 couples be married in events in which I planned and coordinated.

What I want people to know about me is that on top of loving my career and life as a wedding and event professional; I am also a proud mommy to my beautiful and spunky daughter, Harper. I found love and happiness in the industry, having met my husband while working at Hyatt. I love networking with my fellow event professionals which I call “friendors” (friend-vendors) and my heart will always be in the mountains of Colorado where I am from.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Oh COVID…the time we wish we could all forget. The hospitality industry really took a big hit when everything began to shut down. Working remotely wasn’t really an option when you are in a “people-driven” business and have events scheduled to take place in real time. I remember having a vibrant wedding on leap year in 2020 and that was the last “normal” event we had for almost 2 years. On top of contracting COVID at the beginning of the pandemic and struggling with life-altering illnesses my focus soon shifted from planning events to working with couples and clients on rescheduling their events (sometimes more than once) and providing counseling and guidance to clients who were forced to make tough decisions. I heard a lot of tears and had to be the voice of reason to so many people. We pivoted and did events any way we could including mask requirements, socially distanced tables and chairs, “x” markers for placement on dance floors and more. It was such a strange time to be an event professional and I am so happy we have gone back to normal practices.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Relationships are crucial in this industry, and I have found that the best source for new clients has been past client/attendee referrals and other event professionals. Networking and partnering with other industry professionals are vital for success! I get involved in as much as I can from stylized shoots, networking events and serving on boards for industry-related organizations to help build a solid referral base. This has also helped my reputation and allowed me to stay relevant in an ever changing fast-paced industry.

In addition, I have seen a lot of success with leads generated from The Knot, WeddingWire and other digital lead sites with the help of past client reviews to add to our credibility.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://isladelsolycc.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/islaweddingsandevents/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-rowjohn

Image Credits

Lifelong Photography Studio
Ashley Izquierdo Photography