Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alyssa Belanger . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alyssa, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you find your key vendor or vendors? Maybe you can share the backstory and share some context and the relevant details to help us understand why you chose them, why they chose you, etc.
As an event planner, finding the right vendor means everything! One bad vendor can make or break an experience. I strive to find vendors that have a strong passion for what they do, and similar work ethic. I have found vendors in many different ways. Some from networking events, social media, researching online and referrals. I love to have options when it comes to my vendors. Not all my clients have the same budget and I want to be able to accommodate everyone. I also work off of intuition and the vibe/energy of a vendor. I usually can tell in five minutes if I want to work with someone or not. If someone seems unorganized or a highly stressed out individual thats not the kind of vendor I work with. If I have to constantly call you or remind you of something we likely would not be a good fit. To me, my vendors are my teammates/co workers and together we execute incredible events. I was working an event and had confirmed that a “henna” artist was to arrive at 7:30pm. When she arrived she called me and was to meet me at the front door. I went to the front door and she was nowhere to be found. I walked around and called her but never got a response. It was bizarre! After what felt like 30 minutes she finally called and said she had an emergency and had to leave abruptly. Things happen and family always comes first. However I still had a bunch of kids waiting for the henna artist. Luckily all my vendors and staff started calling and texting henna artists at 8pm on a Friday night and sure enough my photo booth vendor found someone. By 8:30 we had a henna artist and my client was happy. To me that vendor had my back, had my clients back and is someone I refer when possible. The success of an event is not based solely on the vision but the execution and choosing incredible and talented vendors makes the entire experience once to remember.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
My name is Alyssa Belanger and I started an event planning business in 2018. I have always had a passion for throwing parties and really enjoyed all the little details. My goal is to take the stress out of the planning process for my clients. I really try to listen and understand what their wishes are and help execute an event based on those needs. Hiring a planner really allows you the opportunity to be present at your event. It is my responsibility to make sure everything goes well and handle all the logistics. I also focus on the little details that help highlight who my client is and what they or their company stand for. I am most proud of the experiences we create for our clients. My vision has always been to create an event that is uniquely yours. I enjoy the opportunity to work with many different people and companies. There is nothing more gratifying than helping my clients surpass their vision of the perfect event. Our goal is to help establish and develop your vision, while creating a meaningful and memorable event.
We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.
When I became a college graduate I immidetaly started worked for a medical company as a full time event planner. I was in charge of tradeshows, sales meetings, team building events and marketing. My company was based in Boston and I worked remote from Arizona. I was always my friends go to when it came to planning events or creative ideas. As much fun as it was to be everyone’s maid of honor and bestie it got to a point where I decided I wanted to get paid for all my hard work. I also was a bit trapped in my corporate medical role as the event planner. There was only so much creative ideas one can have with medical supplies. In 2018 I decided I would start a side hustle and see what happens. I have worked very hard and been very fortunate to be where I am today. My timing wasn’t all that great with Covid but I luckily had a full time job. The plan and dream was to one day work full time and be my own boss. However it was very tough to walk away from a pay check and health care. Until one day that decision was made for me. I got word around 3 years after starting The Event Genies that the medical company I was working for was being sold. This was my chance and the universes way of telling me it was time. January 2022 my side hustle became my full time 24/7 pride and joy. I am so excited to see what the future holds and have met the most amazing clients and made beautiful friendships along the way.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
This is a great question and I don’t think there is one answer. I do think the number one most effective strategy has not been a strategy but simply word of mouth. There is nothing better then a client referring you to another client. People count on their colleagues and friends and value their opinion. That is worth its weight in gold. They have personal hands on experience with you and can speak their truth about working with us. I also believe that in my industry social media especially Instagram sets a bar for the event industry. People are always referring to new trends they see on an Instagram video or a post someone shared. In the age of instant gratification I can tell you that the quicker you are to reply to an inquiry the better chance you have of getting that job. People want what they want and they want it now!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theeventgenies.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theeventgenies/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theeventgenies
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssa-belanger-866874132/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-event-genies-scottsdale