We recently connected with Kindra Browne and have shared our conversation below.

Kindra, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

I think to be successful in any business, it is important to remain humble and maintain an eagerness to learn and grow. Take time to understand your potential clients and what their needs may be. Taking time to understand and develop meaningful relationships is key to building the right community around you so that clients feel like they are part of something special

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 founded Simple Elegance, LLC in 1996 because of my strong desire to help people during this exciting time in their lives. I wanted to build relationships and send couples down the aisle. After I graduated from the University of Kansas, (Rock Chalk) I went to work for Hallmark Cards, Inc. It was an incredible opportunity to work for a company with such a strong foundation in Kansas City but I quickly learned that I wanted to have something that was my own while raising my family. Naturally, weddings came to mind! I became certified by Weddings Beautiful and left Hallmark Cards, Inc and never looked back. I have planned hundreds of weddings now and each one is just as unique as the couple I have had the privilege to work with. I enjoy getting to know the families that choose me and am so excited to watch the wedding weekend unfold in front of our eyes. (insert goosebumps here). I consider myself an accidental entrepreneur because I began building a team when I could no longer handle the amount of business that was coming into Simple Elegance. I found out that I was being called a pioneer and a trailblazer for building the first wedding planning team in KC. I humbly accept those titles and growing Simple Elegance into a Multiple Award-Winning Consulting Firm has been an unexpected dream come true. (teamwork makes the dream work).

My weddings have been featured in various publications including Bridal Guide, The Knot, KC Weddings, The Perfect Wedding Guide, The Independent, 435 South, EA Bride, Johnson County Living, The Olathe Daily News and The Kansas City Star. I have also been interviewed on “Better KC,” “Fox 4 in the Morning,” “Fox News at Noon,” “The Walt Bodine Talk Show”’ and featured on Martha Stewart Weddings Website, The Knot, Style Me Pretty and Carats & Cake. I have spoken at local conferences on various topics from business ownership, to building a team and inspiring other planners. I am a member of the National Bridal Service Association, served on the board of The Kansas City Preferred Wedding Professionals Association, and I am the founder of the KC Wedding Planner Circle. An organization that brings the best planners together in KC to share ideas, stories and support each other’s businesses. I am so proud of the multiple awards that my company has won consecutively over the years especially, the coveted Knot Hall of Fame Award that is only awarded to the top 5% of wedding professionals.

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

“Your smile is your logo, your personality is your business card, how you leave others feeling is your trademark.” Jay Danze I love this quote and think it is very relevant. I have led with integrity and honesty from the beginning because I am a strong believer in those things. I have built relationships with our incredible community of vendors in Kansas City by being respect to their businesses, a cheerleader for their talents and a celebratory of their successes. I am incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful team with me and they have certainly played key roles in growing, maintaining and leveling up our positive reputation. Understanding what clients want and working endlessly to make their wedding dreams come true has always been priority number 1! Leaving them happy at the end of the wedding day will always be where my heart is at and hopefully that has played a signifticant role in devoloping my reputation.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I have always worn my heart on my sleeve and that isn’t necessarily the best thing in business. I have been taken advantage of because of this but I handled it to the best of my ability. I understand the kind of people who exploit that, aren’t the kind of people, I want to be apart of my business or my life anyway. I thought for a time that I was going to have to unlearn wearing my heart on my sleeve and that was going to be hard. I am stronger now and I learned some hard lessons and guess what? The heart is going right back on!! This is who I am and I am not changing this part of me!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.simpleelegance.com
• Instagram: simpleelegancekc kindrasimpleelegancekc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simpleelegancekc/

Image Credits
Claire Ryser Photography Bailey Pianalto Wedding Photography Kristy Marshall Photo