Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cinthia Onines. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Cinthia, thanks for joining us today. It’s easy to look at a business or industry as an outsider and assume it’s super profitable – but we’ve seen over and over again in our conversation with folks that most industries have factors that make profitability a challenge. What’s biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?

Even though I’m not a wedding pro myself, my business depends on the health of the wedding industry. When leads slow down for planners, photographers, or florists—so do my inquiries. If they’re overwhelmed during peak season or tightening their budgets in slow season, that directly impacts when and how they invest in support like mine.

The biggest challenge is that the wedding industry is incredibly seasonal and unpredictable. A shift in booking trends, a dip in inquiries, or even changes in how couples plan can cause a ripple effect. If my clients aren’t booking consistently, they’re not outsourcing consistently—and that makes it harder to maintain predictable revenue in my business, too.

That’s why I pay close attention to wedding trends and buyer behavior. Because if wedding pros are burned out or struggling to market themselves, it’s not just their problem—it’s mine, too. My job is to help them stay visible, organized, and profitable, but I also have to be strategic and flexible in how I support them based on where the market is.

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?

I’m Cinthia, the founder of Boda Bliss, where I work as a System Strategist and Marketing Manager for wedding professionals and creative business owners who want to grow without burning out or sacrificing the client experience they’re known for.

Before Boda Bliss, I was a wedding planner in Chicago with a degree in Business Management. I loved the magic of events—but what really lit me up was the backend: the strategy, the systems, the structure that made the work sustainable. In 2021, I launched Boda Bliss after seeing too many incredibly talented creatives close their doors—not because they weren’t good at what they did, but because their business backend couldn’t keep up.

I specialize in building systems and marketing strategies that align with how you work—not how the internet says you “should.” Many of my clients are neurodivergent—ADHD, on the spectrum, or simply wired differently—and I’m intentional about designing systems that won’t leave them overwhelmed or abandoned. We look at the tools that actually serve their brain, their bandwidth, and their business. It’s not about having the fanciest setup or latest gadget. I don’t buy into that. I believe clarity, not complexity, creates success.

Through services like systems audits, custom setups in platforms like Dubsado, HoneyBook, Notion, or Enji, and ongoing strategic marketing support, I help creatives stop spinning their wheels and build a business that supports their life, not the other way around.

What sets Boda Bliss apart is the heart behind the systems. I’m not here to impress anyone with a shiny tool stack—I’m here to help you find what actually works for how your brain works. That’s the kind of support that lasts. That’s what I’m most proud of.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Pivoting is one of those words I used to be afraid of, and now it feels like second nature. As a small business owner, you realize pretty quickly that the path isn’t linear. It’s full of recalculations—and that’s not a bad thing. It means you’re evolving.

When I stepped away from wedding planning, I wasn’t totally sure what direction to go. I leaned into what was familiar and went back to corporate work as a bookkeeper. It paid well, and on paper, it made sense. But about six months in, I felt stuck. I was using my skills—but not my strengths. It was repetitive, and I knew deep down I had more to offer.

That was the turning point. I didn’t want to go back to weddings in the same way, but I also knew I wasn’t meant for a cubicle. What I loved most had always been the behind-the-scenes: making sure things ran smoothly, solving problems before they became fires, and helping creative business owners stay grounded when things got busy.

That’s what led me to systems. I realized I could take everything I’d learned—my planner brain, my business degree, my love for tech—and build something that truly supported the people I admired most: wedding pros and creatives doing their best to keep up with it all.

Every pivot since then has brought me closer to the work I’m meant to do. And that’s the beauty of running your own business—you get to shift, refine, and realign as often as you need to. You’re allowed to grow.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was that being busy means you’re being productive—especially in the early seasons of my business.

When I first started Boda Bliss, I thought I had to do everything. I filled my days with tasks—posting, planning, updating systems, checking things off just to say I did. I felt like if I wasn’t busy from morning to night, I wasn’t working hard enough. But the truth is, I was spinning my wheels and confusing movement with progress.

It wasn’t until I burned out—twice—that I realized being busy didn’t always mean I was building something sustainable. I had to slow down and look at what was actually moving the needle in my business. I had to get honest about what I could automate, what I could delegate, and what wasn’t worth my time at all.

Now, I run my business with a systems-first mindset. I still work hard—but now it’s with intention. I teach my clients the same thing: your time is your most valuable resource, and you don’t have to earn your worth by being constantly overwhelmed.

Unlearning that busy = success was hard, but it changed everything. Now I focus on building with clarity, not chaos.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bodabliss.com
• Instagram: @bodabliss
• Linkedin: @cinthia-onines
• Youtube: @BodaBliss
• Other: Instagram: @bodabliss

Image Credits

https://lisakathan.com/

Lisa Kathan Photography