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

Jessica, appreciate you joining us today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

I had known since high school that event management and planning was my dream job. The industry is large but was somewhat daunting. When I turned 22 is when the idea of small business ownership really started to appeal to me. My husband (then fiance) and I discussed my desire to leave insurance and finance at length. It was a steady career but was not my passion. We spent many months determining how to make the move from insurance admin to small business owner.

The first step was making sure we had enough capital to make the jump. We did not want to borrow money to start the business so we began by saving. Once we hit the saving goal we had set there was a time period of a few weeks spent contemplating the name of the business. Once I landed on Storybook Assistance LLC I filled in the necessary paperwork and we began.

I knew from the very beginning I wanted Storybook to be different in a few ways. I wanted to focus on clients that had a tighter budget. I know these events (especially weddings) are costly and stressful. My goal was to not break the bank while taking some of the stress off of the client. Given my training in the field as well as past job experience I knew I had the knowledge of both event planning and customer service to make this a reality. I also wanted Storybook to have a focus on uplifting other small businesses and vendors in my community. Seeing others grow with me is a goal of mine. I set out to find the best vendors in all categories and within different budgets. Those vendors and business owners work well with me and my team as well as provide a quality good or service to the client. Once the mission was determined I created our website. Now at www.storybookassistancellc.com you can read our mission statement as well as find our vendor list.

Since our beginning in 2022, we have grown to a team of 5. We now have 2 leads and 3 event assistants. We have set up profiles on our website as well. This gives clients the chance to “get to know” the team members. We have also grown into a YouTube channel that features podcast style episodes that include small business owner interviews, tips for event planning, short form content, and more.

Storybook Assistance is continuing to grow even now. We have some exciting new things in the works and we can’t wait to share it will our clients.

Jessica, 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?

I got into the event industry in high school. I went to a career technical high school which allowed me to get my event planning certification with my diploma. In the course of my studies I got to work at an event venue and fell in love with the planning and design process.

Event managers and coordinators have the pleasure of seeing events go from conceptualization to fruition. And they get to see all the hiccups along the way. We solve problems related to scheduling, budgeting, design, vendor relations/management, and so much more. Many times we even serve as a therapist of sorts when events become overwhelming to our clients. Every moment of the process is exciting to a well trained planner. Every challenge offers a chance to think of a new and innovative solution. This is what sets Storybook Assistance LLC apart, a team of well trained professionals who are excited to create and enjoy the challenge.

I am personally most proud of the relationships I have created with my team, vendors, and clients in this process. My team is incredibly gifted and a joy to work with. Each vendor on our list is now considered a friend in my mind. My favorite part of the job is receiving an outstanding review from a client. After working with them for months, getting to watch the big day happen, and then receiving a “thank you” is so rewarding. Our brand truly has been built on these outstanding relationships and I have alot of pride in that.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I think the biggest reputation builder is reviews and vendor relationships. The event industry really is all about word of mouth. The second biggest thing has to be intentional marketing strategies. I took the approach of marketing the individual, not the company. If you go to our website you will see that each team member has a profile. If you watch the YouTube channel you will see a highlight of each team member’s personality. I wanted the client to feel a connection on a more personal level than just a transaction for a service.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Social media has been out number one source of client growth. Our second being word of mouth/referrals.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.storybookassistancellc.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storybookassistancellc/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storybookassistancellc/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@StorybookAssistanceLLC

Image Credits
Katlin Peck