We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kirsten Ruybalid. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kirsten below.
Kirsten, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?
My idea for Wildly Whimsical Events started with my love for planning events for people. After seeing the separation due to the pandemic, I wanted to reunite families and friends.
Like all my ideas, this one started with discussing it with my husband and bouncing my ideas off of him. I loved the idea of things being simple but elegant. At this time, teepee sleepover businesses started popping up, which got me thinking about camping. I realized that picnics could be simple, but I could elevate them into luxury events. I started to research and found a picnic business based out of Australia, and I immediately fell even more in love with this idea after seeing all the possibilities.
I spent the next few weeks on an exciting entrepreneur high, staying up late and researching every little detail I could think of to ensure I had every base covered. During this time, I had to leave my house to take care of my grandmother, and the time I had with her was extraordinary; getting to discuss my potential business with someone who owned and operated a beloved small-town diner was something I will always be grateful for. She and my grandfather greatly influenced my dreams of owning a business. I took her advice and my research and then worked to create a logo and branding that fit my vision. I was then able to make my website which was no easy task. I watched countless numbers of videos about the information on becoming a small business owner in Virginia and then applied for all the appropriate licenses I needed.
Once I was back home, it was time to make my visions come to life. I knew I wanted my tables to be the focal point while also being functional. I started by measuring different tables throughout my house and adding plates, glassware, and flowers to see how much space was needed. Once I had my measurements and design, I handed that information to my husband, who worked hard to build Wildly Whimsicals’ custom tables!
I was able to launch and receive my first booking within a day of launching! Ultimately, it has been a fantastic rollercoaster ride, and I’m so glad I followed my dream and created something I love!
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I’m from a small town in Virginia, where I grew up barefoot and spent many summer nights under the stars. I grew up with a mother who was a role model of strength, courage, and resilience.
From a very young age, I knew that my dream was to be a mom just like her and also a business owner because of her. Fast forward to today, and I am a mom to three kids, a proud wife to my husband of 10 years, and a small business owner! It took a lot of repetitive mental health work to get me where I am today, but life is a journey, and I am proud of myself.
Having a passion for helping others was what truly brought me into this party/event planning industry. I have always felt most fulfilled when I can use my skills and knowledge to make people’s lives easier by taking away some of the stress that comes with planning special events. I also enjoy seeing the joy on people’s faces when everything comes together, and their vision becomes a reality. I long for everyone to have as much quality time with others as possible, and once the pandemic hit, seeing loved ones miss birthdays and holidays and not getting to have that time together hit me deeply. I realized how much I missed my people and how much I missed creating events for others to enjoy together, which sparked my idea for my business. I knew my luxury picnics would be a way for people to get back to spending time with one another while still making it comfortable for them after everything we went through in the previous year.
Wildly Whimsical Events is a luxury picnic service that provides a convenient and stress-free way for people to enjoy a unique, elevated experience in a beautiful outdoor space. Without you having to take the time to plan, shop, and prepare, I set up your picnic with custom-built low picnic-style tables and decorations that match your occasion. If a client chooses, I have the following add-ons: entertainment (such as music, games, etc.) and charcuterie from a trusted vendor. Our picnics are created for you to relax, enjoy, and make unforgettable memories with your loved ones.
What do you think sets you apart?
We provide our picnics for micro-events, which allows my attention to detail to be unrivaled within the picnic industry. My clients can choose from various packages that can be customized to their needs. Additionally, I have partnered with other local small businesses to give that extra special touch to each picnic. I go the extra mile and provide a range of other services, such as flower arrangements that customers get to keep once their event is over. All of this, combined, allows my clients to have an unforgettable experience.
I am most proud of the work I have put into myself to allow my business even to start. I had a long list of limiting beliefs and a significant wound in my life that lingered from childhood into adulthood. A wound I never wanted to bring forth and give power to, so I placed it in a metaphorical box. It stayed there until I recently realized it was time to face it. That is when things started to align, and I felt everything in my life was falling into place. I am truly proud to know that I was able to work through that and be in the place I am now.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
That my worth is not connected to others.
Since I can remember, I have believed that my self-worth is based on how others perceive me and the opinions they have of me. Feeling unworthy as a kid and that feeling progressively get worse in my 20s because I didn’t have the four-year degree that many people pushed me to get. Also, feeling unloved from not being recognized by important figures in my life, I had to learn to shift these mentalities by recognizing that my worth comes from within and that I am the only one who can define my worth and have control over how I think and feel about myself.
This did not come easy, and it still doesn’t. I have to work at this every day, but it gets easier and easier each day.
Have you ever had to pivot?
Last year was my first year in business. I had a great first few months and had a large booking the moment my website went live, and I was looking forward to a great first year! I offered luxury picnics and handcrafted charcuterie that came complimentary with a booking.
As I started introducing myself and my business to local wineries and breweries to ask if their locations could be a place for my clients to choose for their picnics, I kept getting turned down because I offered a food service along with my picnics. These locations allowed outside food, but it couldn’t be my business that brought the food.
As frustrating as this was, I realized I needed to pivot to allow my clients to experience the beauty of these local places. So I started researching local businesses that handcrafted charcuterie boards that I could outsource for my clients. I found a local small business willing to partner with me, and I have been able to offer my clients the same experience I wanted to have with the added bonus of supporting a local business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wildlywhimsicalevents.com
- Instagram: wildlywhimsicalevents
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Wildly-Whimsical-Events
Image Credits
Mandie Woodard