We were lucky to catch up with Cecilia Boateng recently and have shared our conversation below.

Cecilia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Looking back, what’s an important lesson you learned at a prior job?

In 2022, I was going through some personal issues and I also realized early on that I did not like my job. So in the eyes of my boss, I was not performing as they would have liked. And when I say performing, I mean that I was doing my job but they felt like I was not excited about the job, which was true. Long story short, my boss and I ended up having a meeting to discuss what was going on with me. One thing that stuck out to me that she said was that my personal issues were not an excuse to not be excited about the job even though I was completing my tasks well. And what made what she said worse was that I had just come from my little nephew’s funeral so my mental state was not the best. I say all this to say that the biggest lesson I learned here was that I was completely on my own in this job environment and that I had to support myself and I couldn’t count on anyone to come and save me and also to not get too personal with my job.

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

My name is Cecilia, owner and founder of EverBe Creatives and House of Boat-Design Studio. I worked in the fashion industry for the last 3 years and I finally took the risk to grow and start my own businesses. I got into the wedding industry officially in 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic. Prior to that, I had helped family and friends with their weddings and other events for about 6 years. I officially went full-time in January 2024 (this year). It has been an amazing experience and journey that constantly taught me about patience and critical/creative thinking. Earlier this year, my business was featured in two big wedding publications and that honestly gave me the confidence to keep going. For any potential clients reading this, I want you to know that you’re in good hands when you work with EverBe Creatives. We are a team that goes beyond what is asked of us and creates a unique experience for you and your guests. Our mission is simple- to bring your vision to life. We hope you think of us and reach out for your event needs.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

Yes, I love this question. I read a lot of books but I’ll just share a couple. I think everyone, whether you’ve been in business for a long time, you’re just starting out, or you’re thinking about starting a business should read these two books: E-Myth, Building a Story Brand, and Profit First.

E-Myth tells you what starting and growing a business entails. This is so important because running a business is challenging and you actually don’t get to do a lot of what you went into business for (what you love to do) especially when you’re starting out and you’re by yourself. This book helps you understand the different levels of business and teaches you how to put a business system plan together before you start a business. (It’s great for seasoned entrepreneurs too)

Building A Story Brand talks about marketing. One of the most vital parts of business as I’ve come to learn. Marketing is essential to the growth of a company. Without marketing, how would clients find you? So this book teaches you how to focus more on storytelling and how that strategy can help you grow your business.

And Profit First talks about how to manage your business finances for optimal profitability. A MUST READ. If you’re anything like me, finances can get complicated and confusing. The best thing you can do for yourself and get this book. It will teach you practical strategies for separating the money your business makes into different categories so you can track where everything is going and also know if you’re a profitable business or not.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

This is a lesson I’m currently unlearning- shifting my money mindset. One of the hardest I’ve encountered in business is pricing. Pricing is perceived value by the one who is paying you. So if the customer doesn’t think you’re worth it, then they won’t pay you your set price. I’m in the process of learning that pricing is much more than just taking people’s money or wanting to make more money. It has more to do with how you value your worth and the type of work you want to produce and so much more.. so yes, the is currently what I’m unlearning and shifting my mindset to be more confident

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.everbecreatives.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everbecreatives/
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/everbecreatives/

Image Credits

Images are by Rae Marshall Photography