We recently connected with LaNelle Renfro and have shared our conversation below.
LaNelle, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.
The biggest risk I took after opening my first business (Dyvyne Events) was taking on a project that I had NO IDEA how I would complete once the call ended! My business was an event planning company, that also provided photography and videography services. I was the planner and I had one seasoned photographer/videographer at the time. I received a call from a well connected friend, asking if she could refer my business to provide photography/videography services for The Steve Harvey Boys Mentoring Program. The event was going to be held at a ranch Mr. Harvey owned just outside of Dallas. The project initially would be on a volunteer basis, but they were inviting photographers to volunteer anywhere they could; covering the program from sun up to sun down for a week. They were looking for an anchor team that would work closely beside his team, and we were being asked to commit to the entire schedule. I was so excited I said yes before I even thought it through. The problem: I was still working a fulltime job, had no real photography experience, and my partner had the experience, BUT was also working a full time job. How would we cover this with only two people, as a newly formed company, who still needed their corporate jobs to maintain?! I was a bit stressed to say the least but could not pass up such an opportunity. I contacted a trusted friend, who also was a seasoned photographer/videographer and begged for any and all time he could offer. After putting me through a crash course as their apprentice, I knew enough to set the camera and capture clear images in natural and inside lighting. Needless to say, it was a tiring, yet rewarding experience. We ultimately completed the task, networked heavily in the process, experienced an amazing event, and got paid for our performance! My first big check is framed and hanging, and rumor has it that as one of the only lady photographers at a predominantly male event, I really did my thing! The opportunity also sent me into a different direction and the full realization of my life purpose.
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?
Dyvyne Events eventually became a platform for me to craft my own empowerment conferences, brunches, workshops, etc. I knew that my calling was not just about “party planning”; although I loved my clients and had executed everything from date nights, weddings, corporate, and international events. I had experienced trauma in my life, including domestic violence and stranger dangers. My heartstrings were being pulled towards ways to enrich others, and be more active in community service efforts. I crafted events that were designed to support others with encouragement to change their circumstances from “downtrodden” to “fire purposed”. I wanted others to know that just like myself, trauma did not have to shape their lives in a negative manner or hold them in spaces where they were unable to thrive. I eventually started working alongside domestic & family violence organizations to learn more, and sought certifications to teach and have in depth conversations in these areas. I became a Trauma Recovery & Life Coach, poured more into public speaking, and over the years have done numerous interviews for podcasts, radio, and talkshows. I’d written for anthologies and magazines in Dallas, but published my first solo project called “The Power of Broken Things” and that intensified my opportunities to speak and conduct interviews surrounding trauma. I am in process now of launching EMPWRD 2 EMPWR where I will promote myself and the multiple levels of services I provide including one on one mentoring, trauma recovery coaching, speaking, etc.
In the midst of all this I was also signed to Wallflower Model Management and Select Models LA. I have been unbelievably blessed!
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
The best source of new clients for me has been word of mouth exposure. I believe in treating everyone with respect, and over the years was able to retain repeat clients easily based on great customer service, fair pricing, and stellar performance. Obviously, my business model had to change slightly due to covid. The event planning industry, as well as many other industries, took a great hit. But… information will always be needed. I now provide more of a concierge style service where Dyvyne is concerned because of the wealth of knowledge we posses surrounding successful event planning execution. However, I feel my current endeavors will be just as successful because of the warmth that is shown to each client.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
There will be many ups and downs when your first getting started in business. I did not do things as most business models would suggest. I did not start with a lot of money for marketing, I had a love and passion for event planning, and was encouraged to go for it. I can only say, expect late nights and early mornings. Expect foot work and networking heavily. Expect the unexpected, and life to throw boomerangs smack in the middle when your moving smoothly. Before building a solid team, I literally showed up to prep a wedding, and those I thought I could count on did not show. At that time I was doing decor crafting in addition to physical setup… that prompted me to realize I couldn’t do it all and I needed to outsource to other trusted vendors. Needless to say I was tired and I hustled, but I pulled it off, and the client was happy. I also learned the hard way, during another event fiasco, to use Google Reviews before hiring. A third party vendor caused an issue that affected my final invoice payment. I took the loss in order to appease the client. This caused me to review my contracts to protect my business from issues caused outside of my control. I could only search out and work with trusted proven vendors and guarantee my work. If I had used Google Reviews prior, and did a bit more research, I would have bypassed them altogether.
Contact Info:
- Website: Currently under contruction
- Instagram: LaNelle Renfro
- Facebook: LaNelle Renfro / Dyvyne Events
Image Credits
Tavia Whitlowe Omar Ramos