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

Cassie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

Launching a business was the easy part for sure. In a world where social media is so influential & so accessible – anyone can start a business. Of course, there is the investment, which is a risk in itself, but it wasn’t until I was spending Monday- Friday working my normal 9-5 & spending evenings & weekends working on growing this business all while caring for my family and quickly feeling the burn out that a real decision & risk needed to be made.

My job at that time provided me a consistent income & benefits. It had also proven to be a steady company, surviving the pandemic which, the event industry deeply struggled through. Not only would I be leaving a consistent job in a steady industry, but I’d be leaving it for one that really, couldn’t guarantee either of these things. The only certainty I had was that the demand for the service I was offering was there & that the love & passion I had for the service I was offering was real. Ultimately those two things pushed me to make the final decision. I quit my job & took Pretty Creative Events full time. My family & livelihood relies on this risk & so far, it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I’m doing what I love while providing for my family & I am able to be there more for my children. Of course, I know that this could all be gone in a second. It’s a risk I choose to take every day but that is also what is so exciting. At this point I wouldn’t change anything.

Cassie, 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?

Pretty Creative Events is a premium event styling business located in Minneapolis MN. With a team of six talented & dedicated women; we offer full event planning & styling services & specialize in luxury balloon installations, creative florals & custom backdrop moments for our clients. Pretty Creative focuses on concept creation & event execution for all of your holidays, micro parties & home celebrations.

Pretty Creative Events is lucky to be among many other talented & growing creative small businesses. We strongly believe in community over competition & enjoy collaborating with other fun, unique individuals in our community. We believe in the phrase “it takes a village” & with every event it is our client’s overall needs & vision that is our priority.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Social media has really been the driving force behind growing this business. Because of its accessibility & it’s ability to reach my demographic I’ve essentially been able to market & promote my business at no cost. Not only is it an excellent place to market your business – but it’s also an incredible starting point for launching an idea / brand. That’s really how Pretty Creative got started in the first place. The first thing I did wasn’t registering for an LLC or setting up a business bank account. It was creating a business account on Instagram. From there I slowly built my business’ concept & aesthetic & in doing so came an organic following which eventually turned into customers.

My advice? It’s cliche of course but just be yourself. Your ideas don’t have to be one hundred percent clear going into it & you don’t have to have your business plan all figured out. Launch & figure it out as you go & be 100 percent your authentic self the entire way. Don’t forget to make content a top priority & always show your face. Social media is an amazing, free tool to showcase your talents. Think of it as a portfolio of not only the services you provide but the person / people behind the service you’re offering.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

It’s all about building strong relationships with my existing clients. Pretty Creative doesn’t have the most 5-star reviews on Google but we do have a very high percentage of returning clientele which I think speaks volumes to not only me but to their friends & others as well. So, for me it’s not about chasing new clients it’s about keeping the ones I already have coming back & with that I’ve found new clientele comes naturally.

Most new clientele is referred to me by past clients which I love because it feels almost like that first initial interaction when meeting a friend of friend. It’s as if I already know them & I would bet that it feels the same way for them. Strong relationships built around being myself & working hard is my number one strategy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://prettycreativeevents.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prettycreative.events/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prettycreative.events

Image Credits
Lindsay Mcoien Copper & Pine Studio Eleven 11 Photos Minneapolis