We recently connected with Juliana Hernandez and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Juliana thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
My entrepreneurship journey began from hosting family + friends at my home to planning + design their most memorable moments for their families. I worked several jobs as a medical assistant and had plans on becoming a nurse. I always knew that helping people was something I wanted to do but I soon realized I could have fun while helping others! This led me to developing a business called DEZ Events, A Planning + Design company for social events.
While I loved planning + designing these events I felt I wanted to elevate and be different from other designers and their work. I wanted to have a unique mark to my brand. It was at this time I started to run into challenges in finding different and unique inventory for me to use for my designs. There were other planners who had items I would ask to rent but I was declined the availability to rent them.
Fast forward to DEZ Collective, after being told NO many times from other planners at that time to not being able to rent items they had to use for my events. I told myself I would build a company that would help all designers elevate their brand and business with our unique and upscale styles of inventory. It was then that I went from being an event planner/designer to really feeling like I would be fulfilling my purpose and creating a need for what I once needed.
It was at that moment that I realized I would be solving a problem in the events industry that many more were also having a hard time finding and getting good quality and unique pieces to help elevate their events and this made me most excited because this would be the way I would help people.
Juliana, 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?
Hi Everyone!
I am Juliana, CEO and Owner of DEZ Collective Event Furniture rental company located in Stoughton, Ma. My passion for interior design and beautiful things lead me to plan and design beautiful events for my friends and family under my brand DEZ Events.
After months of not being able to locate the types of rentals I needed to design my own events I developed a greater interest in seeding my creative needs into other designers’ work and helping them accomplish their design dreams with what I could not locate for myself. It was then that DEZ Collective was born. We carry an extensive inventory that is Modern . Luxury + Unique. From Soft lounge seating to custom backdrops, walls, dining table, dining chairs and much more!
We are now able to solve the once problem that I had on my own and serve hundreds of planners and designers. Keeping a larger variety and number of items in our inventory as well as carrying different furniture has been able to keep us unique from other rental companies but I believe it is the way we build our relationships and sharing the same passion that we offer to our clients is what really keeps us on top!
Through ALOT of discipline and ambition I have been able to create a brand that is unique and affordable to all types of clients. As a mom of 4, it has always been my dream to be able to be available to my kids at any time without restrictions. Although being an entrepreneur is not easy and the truth is that you may actually not always be available to your own family at the end of the day my goal has since been to show my kids that they can achieve and build their dreams.
Back in 2017 I attended 1 small networking event hosted by one of my dearest friends now that allowed me to build lasting relationships in this industry. Networking and collaborating with professionals in all types of industry has been our biggest blessing. Continuing to build a relationship of trust and genuine love has also been one of the reasons for our success today!
We at DEZ Collective take great pride in being able to serve our clients through their execution of events and build an incredible relationship. My biggest pride is to be able to provide my TEAM a way to take care of their families and the opportunity to build for their future. I take great pride in knowing they can build from what we can offer to them. Secondly, our clients that trust us and maintain great loyalty to our brand. We have been blessed with building the most incredible relationships with people who bring our names into rooms that we have yet to hear about. For exp. This interview!
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
Growing our clientele began with the support of our dear friends and family like many of us do. Back when we started I offered my services to anyone that would allow in exchange for their trust me with their most memorable events. As mentioned previously it was not until I attended my first networking event that I really began to receive monetary gain for my services. At this time my work was being received and recognized outside of my family and friends circle.
Many times I am asked what is the #1 advice I would give to an early entrepreneur, NETWORKING! I cannot express this enough. Networking and continuously putting myself in different places has not only given me the opportunity to build relationships but also creating my clientele. Our clientele is everyone! Everyone has events. Every profession requires a celebration. Therefore we do not look for one type of professional person or attend only event industry events, we instead bring ourselves to restaurant events, community events, hotel events, workshops that involve learning about becoming an entrepreneur and many more. We attend them all and that is how we have been able to build an extensive clientele for our brand.
Lastly, Your clientele helps build your clientele! Treat them with the respect and love they give your business when they decided to support you. Many times they are referring you to someone that may change your life! Speaking from experience.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
Funding your business in the early stages can be difficult. At our start our business journey us like many other starting businesses did not have the funds needed to build the required inventory that was being demanded. I took the majority of what I made from my medical assistant job at the time and purchased 2 throne chairs (these were the popular items at the time) One single (white and gold) and the other a loveseat (all white).
I trusted my gut and felt these were going to be the start of our event rental business and it was just that!
I was able to do this with the help of my partner at the time. It’s crucial to understand that while it was a sacrifice for the both of us, having a 2-income household as an entrepreneur goes a long way.
99% of the income coming in was invested right back into the business. Keeping this strategy and having a partner supporting you on the other end of the household allowed me to build inventory and get my foot out there. Along with many personal loans and family support I was able to build our roots that way.
Contact Info:
- Website: WWW.DEZCOLLECTIVE.COM
- Instagram: DEZ.COLLECTIVE
- Facebook: DEZ.COLLECTIVE
Image Credits
FUERTES PHOTOGRAPHY ALIB PHOTOGRAPHY MEMORIES BY GERA