We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kyra Summers. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kyra below.

Alright, Kyra thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Parents can play a significant role in affecting how our lives and careers turn out – and so we think it’s important to look back and have conversations about what our parents did that affected us positive (or negatively) so that we can learn from the billions of experiences in each generation. What’s something you feel your parents did right that impacted you positively.

Both my parents instilled in me the value of hardwork and responsibility. My father has had his own business since I can remember and always worked hard to provide for our family of 7. Hearing stories of the people who worked for him and those he worked for showed me the importance of a job well done and the value it can bring to your company if you hire capable help and exceed your clients expectations.

I got my eye for design and my willingness to jump in and get a job done from my mother. She would often get excited to redecorate a room in our house. We would spend the next few days painting walls, moving things around, and hanging up new decor. She was never above the hard work it takes to tackle any big project, and boy was it so satisfying to see it all come together!

My parents also expected all members of the family to work together to take care of things that needed to be done to keep the household running. I remember rallying together to tackle a project, cook a meal, or coordinate getting 4 younger siblings ready for school. That taught me the value of working together, helping others and what a difference it can make to collaborate on a project instead of doing it on your own.

Above all they gave me confidence in myself. They taught me that I am capable of making things happen when I put in the work. I continue to see the truth in that sentiment every day, in growing my business and in life in general.

Kyra, 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’ve always been a planner at heart. Since I was a teenager, I would organize outings with friends and plan parties. I hosted my best friend’s bridal shower and after seeing the set up guests were commenting on how they could have gotten married right then and there. I also planned baby showers, holiday parties, a conference, a political event, pool parties, and a multitude of other gatherings throughout my 20’s. People would often tell me that I should do this for a living and I finally listened.

In 2019 I launched A Summers’ Day. Now I mostly focus on wedding planning, design, and coordination. I absolutely love working with couples to help bring to fruition what they have been envisioning for their wedding day. The planning and design process allows me to tap into my creative side. Each couple that I work with is different and it is so fun to learn them, their love story, their style, their aesthetic, and create something that uniquely showcases them as a couple.

I truly adore my clients and it is such an honor to work with them not only leading up to their wedding day but especially on the day of the big event. Being there for them on one of the biggest days of their life, helping to calm nerves, making sure they don’t have to worry about a thing, and seeing their faces when they walk into the space we created together is so rewarding. Their feedback means the world to me and gives me the assurance that this is what I’m supposed to be doing.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Yes, this actually happened fairly recently. 2020 has been the biggest year for my business. My clientele doubled since the previous year which has been so exciting and validating. It gave me a drive to keep growing my business and make next year even bigger and better. On top of that, the message I kept receiving whether at wedding industry meetups, from online business coaches, or event planning conferences was that I need to keep growing, keep expanding, take on more clients, make more money, etc.

This became my new goal. I started training new people to add to my team. I went through the process of training 3 different people over the span of 6 months, investing time and money to make this happen. Each time they got to the point of taking on their own events, circumstances arose that made it so that they were no longer able to work with my company. All that time, money, and effort seemed to be a waste. I was left stressed and worrying that my goals were not going to be met and worse yet, that my business may not make it.

One day, it hit me, “I’m not asking how to make this work for me anymore”. I had lost sight of one of the main reasons I decided to move forward with this career choice, which was to not only do something I’m passionate about but also create the kind of business that allows me to be the present mother and wife that I want to be and live with as little stress as possible. A balanced work/life dynamic is very important to me and what was alluring about the idea of owning my own company in the first place. It was never about making a lot of money and becoming something big. I simply wanted to create an enjoyable life for my family and myself while doing something I love. After that point, I recommitted myself to follow my original purpose. To take on jobs I’m excited about and pour my heart into making those events amazing while maintaining a schedule that works with my life so I can be there for my family and the fun stuff as much as possible. Letting my reputation and place in the industry grow organically based on my experience, quality of work, and client referrals.

That pivot point made all the difference in how I feel about what I do. Instead of feeling stressed out, I feel invigorated and fulfilled. I know this approach may not work for everyone and probably is not good business advice but I’d encourage anyone to stick to what is important to them and not let the myriad of outside voices take them off that path.

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

Good question! I think my willingness to go above and beyond has had a big effect on how my clients feel after working with me. Once a client has signed with me, they have me. There is no set limit to the amount of creative energy, time, or attention I spend on the project. At that point, I’m invested and I do whatever needs to be done to meet and hopefully exceed my clients expectations and bring to life the event or wedding day of their dreams. This has resulted in fabulous reviews and client referrals.

Among my peers in the event industry, I believe my reputation is based on two things- allowing other professionals to shine in their area of expertise while holding true to my client’s wants and needs and working collaboratively, as a team player, being willing to step in and help another vendor whenever needed.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.asummersdaykc.com
• Instagram: @asummersdaykc

Image Credits
Shelby Biggs Photo Haylie Ogalat Photography Cassidy Drury Photography Beth Stratbucker Photography Jenna Lorinne Photography Kelsey Diane Photos Elizabeth Ladean Photography