Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Chaunise Carter. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Chaunise , appreciate you joining us today. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?

I started doing graphics in High School so naturally I’d always have something to do for friends and family members when they had events approaching. One day I had a co-worker ask me to decorate for her baby shower and I was so confused. However, she said “I know you can do this, you’re creative and it comes natural”. She was right, I was able to tap into my element and execute my very first event in June 2015 and we have been in business ever since.

Chaunise , 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?

My name is Chaunise Carter, I am 36 and I am an Event Designer. Since A Young Child I’ve Always Had A Passion For Decor. My Mother, Cynthia Took Huge Pride In It As Well And Created A Profitable Business Selling Home Interior. She Influenced Me Greatly To Always Follow My Dreams & Put My Best Foot Forward. When I Decided To Step Out On Faith In 2015 I Had No Idea What I Was Getting Myself Into. Over The Past Ten Years The Knowledge I’ve Obtained, The Clients Who Have Become Family & Just The Thrill Of Event Planning Has Brought Me Much Joy. We Have Executed Thousands Of Events During Our Tenure From South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia And Even In Sint Maarten. This Is More Than Just A Passion For Me, Designing Is Like Therapy. To See A Blank Canvas Turn Into A Work Of Art Fills My Heart With So Much Joy And I Am Extremely Blessed That People Choose Me Again And Again.

I Like To Believe That Our Uniqueness Is That We Strive To Ensure No Two Events Look Alike. We Are Huge On The Details That Really Matter Like Custom Backdrops, Floor Decals And Even Acrylics That Match The Clients Themes. Just To See A Smile On A Clients Face Is Enough For Us.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

When I First Started This Business I Was In The Negative. I Honestly Wasn’t Running My Business The Way I Should Have. It Wasn’t Until I Began Charging My Worth, Creating Profit And Loss Worksheets And Simply Keeping Track Of Budgeting And Spending That I Actually Begin To See A Profit. I Funded My Business From My Day Job. I Didn’t Want To Get Loans From A Bank But Once I Started Working On My Business Credit And Was Able To Get A Few Business Credit Cards That Helped Me Buy Inventory To Add To The Business. I Would Constantly Put Money Back Into The Business To Increase Profits Through Rentals. Starting This Business Required A Lot Of Capital Because Most Clients Desire Big Items To Make Focal Points Pop. Over Time I Began To Realize That As Long As I Stayed On Budget With Purchases, Charged Myself For My Time In Addition To Service Fees And Package Pricing We Would Stay Out Of The Red. And This Method Has Worked For Me For A While.

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

During Covid I Was Very Worried That Would Be The Final Year I Was In Business. The World Was Shutting Down And The Uncertainties Were Just A Battle To Deal With. I Went From Being Consistently Booked To Praying I Could Get A Rental So I Didn’t Have To Use My Savings For Groceries. The First Few Months Were Rough. However, Then Over The Summer Drive-Through Events Became A Thing. Our Business Picked Up, We Were Setting Up Drive Through Events And Doing Several Rentals On The Weekends Again. That Was The First Year I Saw A Huge Increase In My Profits. Despite How Bad Things Looked In The Building, We Remained True To Our Core Values And God Made A Way For Us To Continue Doing What We Love.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.theroyaleventcompany.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourroyalevent
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourroyalevent

Image Credits

Tonya Peterson (1K Photography)
Joshua Gholson (Xclusive Images)