We were lucky to catch up with Ashley Godette recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ashley, appreciate you joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

Being successful means something different to us all. Some people think it boils down to how much you make but for me its so much more than that! Being successful means finding something that brings you joy and doing your very best see that thing thrive. For example, if your idea of success is having self-confidence, then finding new ways to take pride in who you are and what you do each day is what it takes to be successful! For me, being the best mother I can be and prioritizing my relationships with loved ones while pushing for my business goals is what it takes to be successful.

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?

My name is Ashley, owner of Oak & Ash Events. I started my Event Rental company in October, 2021 with the goal of providing a collection of luxury, design-forward rentals to clients across the Tampa Bay area. We focus primarily on tabletop and furniture rentals – think embossed dinnerware and velvet sofas – and pride ourselves on building trustworthy, lasting relationships with our clients.

My love of curated inventory started in my home. I have always loved to collect decor that made my space feel tasteful and welcoming. I found myself always looking for new pieces, wanting to try out different colors and aesthetics. It wasn’t until my husband and I were getting married that I realized this hobby of mine had so many other uses! I curated a beautiful selection of inventory for my own wedding and after that I knew that the event rental industry was for me. This business has given me the outlet I needed to continue fostering my creativity while having the opportunity to source new, specialty items that help bring beautiful events to life!

We are so proud of how far we’ve come since starting our business, and we owe a great deal of that success to our relationships with clients and local vendors alike. We believe that connecting with others and building a network is the heart of our business and we are incredibly grateful for each client that has put their trust in us. We are so excited to continue to serve our community and can’t wait to see what the rest of the year brings!

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Working with wedding planners has been the best source of new clientele for us. Planners are uniquely aware of their clients needs and the vendors that align with that vision. We’ve been lucky enough to work with some incredibly talented people to help bring together visions for their clients that showcase the beauty and creativity of the event industry.

We’d love to hear about you met your business partner.

My business partner Noah is my husband and the brawn behind our venture. As crazy as it sounds, we actually met as kids in elementary school! We were friends throughout grade school and started our relationship in 12th grade. Since then, we’ve experienced a whirlwind of life changes together including college, marriage and starting our family. When I told my husband that I was ready to start pursing my passion of building an event rental company, he was all in! He’s been my right hand ever since, helping me move heavy inventory, unboxing and assembling furniture, assisting with event breakdowns… he does it all. Teamwork really does make the dream work!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.oakandashevents.com
• Instagram: @oakandashevents
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Oak-Ash-Events-101205739022183/

Image Credits
Omaria McCrae Photography Emma Christine Creative Heather Serrano Photography Paige Elizabeth Photo FL Stephanie Lanni Photo Autumn and Jendry