We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gloria Malaihollo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gloria below.

Hi Gloria, thanks for joining us today. One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.

Overall, I believe we did a wonderful job when starting The Table Service LLC. We began with less than $500, and in our first six months, we profited over $160k. Our journey started with a need for a budget-friendly picnic setup for my sister’s bridal shower. With only two pop-up picnic businesses in our area, their pricing was beyond our budget. Although we didn’t host a pop-up picnic for the shower, the idea stuck with Stephanie and me. We decided to open a picnic company, learning from YouTube how to build tables suited to our needs.

With just two tables, we hosted around ten events, saving enough to build more. For the cost of one picnic table, we built ten larger, interchangeable tables for both picnic and dining heights. By the fall of 2020, seven other picnic companies had emerged in Southern California, but we led the pack by offering unique services like dining height tables, kids’ picnic services, bar carts, and event rentals.

As competitors adapted to our services, we continued innovating to stay ahead. When the economy crashed and inflation hit, many picnic companies went out of business. To save costs for our clients, we introduced a DIY picnic service, allowing them to pick up, set up, and return the items themselves. Introducing the DIY Picnic service sooner would have significantly increased our capital. By providing a cost-effective option early on, we could have attracted a broader customer base, especially those who were price-sensitive. This would have increased our volume of business, leading to higher profits. Additionally, the DIY model reduces labor costs and logistical complexities, further improving our bottom line.

If we had to start over, besides introducing DIY Picnic services sooner, I would have also focused on investing our profits. The 2020 market crash created significant investment opportunities. While we were aware of the potential, our busy schedule and high demand for picnics kept us from acting on it. Many of the companies we considered investing in have since skyrocketed. For instance, tech stocks and other growth sectors experienced substantial gains post-2020. By not allocating time to research and invest, we missed out on opportunities that could have multiplied our capital significantly.

In essence, the key to faster growth with less capital lies in leveraging DIY solutions to save costs, continuously innovating to stay ahead of the competition, and strategically investing profits to capitalize on market opportunities. This dual approach not only strengthens the business foundation but also ensures sustainable growth in varying economic climates.

Gloria, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hello! My name is Gloria, and I am the co-founder of The Table Service LLC. Our journey began out of necessity and a bit of creativity. It all started when my sister was getting married, and we needed a budget-friendly picnic setup for her bridal shower. At the time, there were only two pop-up picnic businesses in our area, but their pricing was way out of our budget. We ended up hosting the shower without a pop-up picnic, but the idea stuck with me and my co-founder, Stephanie.

How We Got Into the Industry
We saw a gap in the market for affordable, beautifully designed picnic setups and decided to dive in. With less than $500 to start, we learned how to build our own picnic tables by watching YouTube videos. We created two tables and utilized wedding decorations from my sister’s wedding to host about ten events, which allowed us to save enough money to build more tables. Our DIY approach helped us save significantly on costs and enabled us to customize our offerings to better suit our clients’ needs.

Products and Services
The Table Service LLC offers a range of event services, including beautifully curated picnic setups for intimate gatherings and larger celebrations, dining height table services, and kids’ picnic services. We also provide elegant bar cart setups and a variety of event accessories and décor items for rent. Our newest offering, the DIY Picnic service, allows clients to pick up, set up, and return picnic items themselves, providing a budget-friendly option without compromising on quality.

Problems We Solve
We solve the problem of high-cost event setups by offering affordable, customizable options. By building our own tables and event items, we reduce costs and pass the savings on to our clients. We use high-quality faux flowers, unlike competitors who use fresh flowers and incur higher costs. We do offer fresh flowers for those who prefer to spend more. Our business model focuses on offering the basic needs for a picnic to keep services affordable while allowing clients the ability to add items per their budget.

What Sets Us Apart
The Table Service LLC stands out due to our constant innovation and adaptability. Instead of following competitors, we emulate successful large event companies and adapt their strategies cost-effectively. We build foldable items that fit in standard vehicles, avoiding the need for utility vans.

We also listen to our clients. Recognizing that not all guests are comfortable with low seating, our tables are designed to be interchangeable between picnic and dining heights, allowing us to offer elderly seating. This versatility and client-focused approach set us apart in the industry until they kept up. haha

What We Are Most Proud Of
We are incredibly proud of our journey from humble beginnings. One of our biggest achievements is the rapid growth we experienced, profiting over $160k in our first six months and nearly tripling that amount the following year. We have taught ourselves many skills along the way to keep costs low, such as building tables, arranging flowers, learning online marketing, and using Cricut machines for DIY projects instead of relying on Etsy allowing us to save costs. Additionally, we pride ourselves on our ability to innovate and adapt, particularly during challenging economic times. The introduction of our DIY Picnic service during the economic downturn helped us stay afloat and continue serving our clients.

Key Messages for Potential Clients
To potential clients, followers, and fans, we want you to know that The Table Service LLC is dedicated to making your events special and memorable. Our commitment to affordability, quality, and innovation ensures that we can cater to a wide range of needs and preferences. We strive to offer unique, customizable, and budget-friendly solutions that set your events apart. Whether you are looking for a simple picnic setup or an elaborate dining experience, we are here to bring your vision to life.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about us. We look forward to the opportunity to work with you and make your next event unforgettable.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

Yes, CNC machines. I discovered late last year that a local woodshop program offers classes to learn and operate CNC machines at a low monthly cost. If I had known about this sooner, we could have utilized the machine to build more items at a lower cost. Unfortunately, with the current economic downturn, it’s challenging to invest in new items, as the market is too sensitive for us to make use of this new resource at the moment.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

The past year has been incredibly challenging for us at The Table Service LLC. The economy has been in a constant state of flux, with downturns becoming more frequent and severe. Additionally, longer rainy seasons during the winter have shortened our picnic season.

One particular instance stands out. Sometime last year, as the economy took another hit, many of our competitors started shutting down. Events were being canceled, and bookings slowed to a trickle. It was a critical moment for us. To stay afloat, we introduced our DIY Picnic service, which allowed us to continue serving clients who were now more budget-conscious than ever. We reduced staffing and went back to basics, bootstrapping our operations just as we did when we first started.

Through these tough times, we’ve learned the importance of flexibility and innovation. Despite the ongoing economic challenges, we are determined to keep pushing forward, continuously adapting to serve our clients better.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://TheTableService.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/_TheTableService

Image Credits

Marquee: @UpInLightsOC
Balloon ring: @PartyWithTheMami
Photos by: @ModelisteMagazine
Photos by: Codi Wilcox Photography