We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kelly Teves a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Kelly, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love for you to start by sharing your thoughts about the pros and cons of family businesses

When I started my business, the intentions of making it a family business were far from my mind. I opened my business 3000 miles away from where I grew up. The sun-soaked California vibes were calling my name, and begged to be called mine and my company’s home. The possibility of returning back to the East Coast wasn’t even a thought. My business started small, and I hired colleagues and friends as my company grew. In time, my work began to be published which opened doorways some place familiar. You guessed it….back on the East Coast!

For some time, I felt like I was starting anew developing my East Coast team. As interns and employees came and went, the timing of my mom’s retirement couldn’t have come at a better time. The structure of my business’ schedule was perfect for someone whom (A) had spare time on their hands and (B) someone with whom I knew would always be there for me.

Despite the disagreements typical mothers and daughters encounter, you can just imagine how this carried into the workplace! It was bittersweet because we began to know one another on deeper levels – what made the other tick, what the other’s fortes are, how to find a good balance between family life and work life, as well as finding that equilibrium of keeping my business functioning like a well-oiled machine. And now with my supportive husband and in-laws, it’s only added to the strong foundation that is my business.

The challenges we’ve encountered have made it all worthwhile. Til this day, employees come and go. Yet my family is always there. So, clearly, if you ask me if family businesses work – from my experiences, they certainly can if everyone is willing to step back, listen, communicate, and continue to support one another.

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?

My passion for event planning came at the young age of 16 while planning our high school’s senior prom. The endless choices and details captivated me as I saw the possibilities of what the event could be. It turned out to be a success, and that energy stayed with me. I would eventually go onto becoming a Head Banquet Waitress managing events at the tender age of 17, thanks to our venue coordinator who saw that special spark within me. The skills I learned in that job carried through my eventual career as a professional Wedding + Event Planner as I learned the ins and outs of the catering industry. And I then pursued a well-paying career in the medical field.

At 22, I found myself planning my first wedding. While the marriage didn’t last, the emptiness I felt once the wedding was over made me realize that the medical field wasn’t the best fit for me. It didn’t satisfy my independent, creative, organizational passion for event planning. As friends, family, and co-workers approached me to plan their events over the years, I gained experience and a portfolio. The only issue now was timing. When WOULD be the right time to start my business? How could I let go of the financial stability I had in medicine?

That answer would soon come in ways I never would have expected – by being exposed to highly toxic chemicals rendering me disabled as I became seriously sensitive to irritant-causing chemicals found in perfumes, colognes, air fresheners, body sprays, cigarette smoke, and so on. I found myself in a position where I needed to find income on my terms in environments that I had control over that were safe for me. I realized it was time!

In short, I attended a wedding planning seminar and discovered my Soul belonged in Southern California! I became and Certified Wedding Planner and chose Los Angeles (the City of Angels) as the home for my first business – Angelic Affairs. The move from the East Coast to the West Coast was refreshing and freeing, especially since the environment there was more geared to people like me who understood the importance of natural, organic, chemical-free living. It was heaven!

As my work became published, it drew the attention of couples of the East Coast who desired offbeat weddings with an open-minded and creative Wedding Planner. In time, I bittersweetly found myself relocating back to the East Coast where my company continued to grow. My company now not only plans events, but provides full-service design services from floral arrangements to graphic and stationery design. And has branched into a sister company called Destination Azores focusing on planning and designing weddings in the beautiful islands of the Azores where my family and husband are from.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

A pivotal point in my life’s journey was when I was diagnosed with Reactive Airways Disorder Syndrome (RADS) after being exposed to highly toxic chemicals in my previous workplace. One of my missions in life has become to educate people in the dangers we face every day – many without even knowing. That subtle cough you may experience after spraying non-organic cleaning spray or after a whiff of perfume. Those are signals your body is giving you that something should not be in your body – and they’re called toxic chemicals. For some people, just the mere smell of any type of fragrance is enough to trigger a respiratory reaction. And in my case, as well as many others, these exposures result in numerous hospital visits and even being admitted to the ICU when in severe respiratory distress. All caused by these invisible chemicals used in everyday products.

I have gone on to present about these dangers as a public speaker, and have managed to inspire positive changes in schools, workplaces, and in peoples’ lives through personal experiences with them. Those who have witnessed the struggles I face on a daily basis have come to understand, sympathize, and respect how products people use without a second though can negatively impact someone else’s life to the point of nearing death. And, sadly, for others, resulting in such.

Any advice for managing a team?

“Treat others as you wish to be treated” are golden words of advice. I believe we attract people into our lives who are of a similar wavelength or who challenge us. Those whom I choose to work for me tend to reflect the same belief system of kindness, respect, and going above-and-beyond. This, in turn, has developed into a reputation in the event planning field that has snowballed into its success.

We’ve all had days where we’re just not at our best, or when things just aren’t going right. I believe it’s important, especially when things are going well in our own respect, to help those in need. For us in event planning, if we’ve finished what we needed to do, we stick around and help any vendors or venue staff who are struggling. We do this to ensure our clients have a wonderful experience, and to show our support to those in our industry. And just like that, the good karma we put out, is cycled back to us when we’re having not-so-great days. Having that positive attitude has maintained a high morale with my team, and our standing in the industry.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.Angelic-Affairs.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/angelicaffairs
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AngelicAffairs/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvZyZQSZXXYTBd3mXp4KeSg

Image Credits
Headshot: George Kontaxis Photography Wedding Photos: Kirsten Capron Photography