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

Reagan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Folks often look at a successful business and imagine it was an overnight success, but from what we’ve seen this is often far from the truth. We’d love to hear your scaling up story – walk us through how you grew over time – what were some of the big things you had to do to grow and what was that scaling up journey like?

Consistency, patience, and resisting fear. Reagan Events would not be what it is today had I not lived by these three things and put in the work, especially when the progress was unmeasurable and the rewards were uncertain. It’s easy to give up after countless hours and fighting for a client – who at the moment may not be your dream client – but is a step in the right direction. There were many hard lessons along the ways and days I didn’t think what I was doing would ever amount to anything, but if you are disciplined in your ability to be consistent, patient, and resist fear, it can only lead to growth.

Building a business is a series of baby steps and requires putting in the work. When my first child was born, getting the job done meant waking up hours before he was up to get a head start, then logging back online after he was in bed to round out the day and prepare for the next. In many cases, I was paying more in child care than I was bringing in but I knew it was an investment in the bigger picture and that one day the scales would tip.

There were days that I felt like I was spinning my wheels and then an opportunity would arise. When the opportunity arises, resist the voices in your head telling you that you’re not ready. In the beginning, say yes to as many opportunities that you can sustain…and figure out how to do it if you don’t already know. Hire a consultant, partner with another industry expert, etc. If you don’t, someone else will and you will never evolve. Once you are more established, become more selective in accepting only the opportunities that move the dial forward for the business.

No matter where you are in your career, you will still have to resist fear, as the opportunities will only get bigger and better. And as you level up you may outgrow your community, so it is important to put yourself in the room and at the table with professionals who you can learn from. Surround yourself with people who are in the arena where you want to be and are serving the clients who you want. As you engage with these inspirational figures, be humble enough to offer to work for them (i.e. learn!). Better yet, don’t be too proud to let them know when things are slow in your business and ask that if they ever receive a prospective client who they can’t take because they’re committed, to send them your way. I have gained some of my best clients by doing this and all of a sudden, you’re in the same referral pool as the professionals you look up to. There’s a reason why hubris, or fatal pride, was the downfall for so many heroes in Greek mythology. Don’t let it get in your way.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Reagan Events is a full service event planning firm known for distinguished design and flawless execution of carefully curated experiences. We plan everything from extravagant destination weddings in Lake Como to exquisite dinner parties in the home of a client. No matter how grand or how small, the devil is in the details for us and with each gathering we strive to amplify how good a guest *feels* …because how you feel is what is most memorable.

It dawned on me that a career in events could be a possible when I was a sophomore in college. My finance professor told the class, “Identify what you love and find a way to make money doing it.” I had always loved events, from servings on the prom committee to planning our college’s annual $100k ball. I also happened to be a lifelong hopeless romantic who was enamored by weddings.

From that moment on, I began shadowing the college’s event planner, helping with anything from alumni weddings in the on-campus chapel to cocktail receptions at the president’s home. I pieced together multiple jobs as a server for restaurants and various caterers so that I could learn food service. I also worked for an event rental company, submitting equipment orders and sometimes folding linens in the back. I gained invaluable tools from each of these jobs that gave me the well-rounded understanding of events that I believe an event planner needs to be a true master “marionettist” of a major event.

We pride ourselves on our ability to consistently think outside of the box and push the envelope when it comes to design and experiences. We want guests to experience something they’ve never experienced before, or in a way that is unlike any other presentation. Maintaining innovation keeps things exciting not only for us, but for our clients. And because of it, we attract clients who are willing to take a few (calculated) risks, always for a big wow factor.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

While there is always room for growth and improvement in myself as a team leader, I believe that one of the greatest things you can do is letting your team know how valued they are. As much as possible, remove ego from the equation. The best leaders are those who surround themselves with a team of the best. Just because you’re the managing leader doesn’t mean you must outshine your team or take credit for their ideas or contributions. Give credit where credit is due and empower your team to build upon the skillset they were brought on board for. This goes back to resisting fear…empowering your team doesn’t mean you risk a mutiny or that you are grooming your future competitor. In fact, you are more likely to gain loyalty by providing the environment where they are valued and have an opportunity to be a part of an incredible team that’s accomplishing incredible things.

Additionally, supporting healthy work and life habits is supremely important. To excel in all aspects of life, each aspect of life needs to be nurtured. At Reagan Events, I encourage a balanced life of family, friends, mind, body, and soul. When one category is suffering, the rest inevitably are affected. I would rather someone take time to take care of something that needs attention so that they are refreshed, recharged, and the best version of themselves, bringing their best to the company and the rest of the team.

Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?

The greatest and most fun marketing stunt I have ever done was this past winter when I threw a party in celebration of Reagan Event’s 10 years in business. While having a party was expected, it was how I went about it that broke the mold. I wanted to use this opportunity to not only publicly celebrate the business, but to showcase our capabilities and attract the type of business we want.

I built hype for the milestone by creating a video marketing campaign leading up to the event. The video consisted of a photo shoot depicting me dressed according to the theme, which felt like a huge risk and pushed me out of my comfort zone. It could either fall flat and come across awkwardly (the dreaded self-inflicted public humiliation!) or it could be spectacular…and if you want anything to be spectacular, you can’t hold back. So we went for it.

With a professional photo and video team, a state of the art studio, a complete beauty team, and a solid vision, we created a party teaser and ultimately the video invitation to the party. It was elusive, bold, and created a lot of buzz, which is exactly what I had hoped for. It drew people in, encouraged them to be daring in their event attire, and elevated the energy of the party before it even started. The experience from start to finish was magnetic and a strong positioning move for where this company is going.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://reaganevents.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reaganevents/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reagan-kerr-a4597223/
• Other: Link to our 10 Year Celebration: https://reaganevents.com/10-year-celebration

Image Credits
Julie Livingston Photography Sean Money + Elizabeth Fay Clay Austin Elizabeth Lanier Photography Gayle Brooker