Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Megan Morrison. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Megan, thanks for joining 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.

I had always dreamed of having my own design business ever since I was a kid growing up in the northeast. One of my first magazine subscriptions was to Better Homes & Gardens. I was intrigued at the idea of decorating a room or space with my own vision. I loved planting flowers as well. Both my mom and grandparents always had gardens full of flowers during the warmer months. My mom’s mom was very active in her garden club and won awards for her floral arrangements.

I was also very interested in music at a young age. I started singing, playing piano, and writing songs very early on. As long as I was creating something I continued to feel inspired. In college I decided to pursue my singing and studied classical voice performance. From there I moved to New York City to follow my dreams of being on Broadway. I started bartending because I needed some source of income to survive in NYC. That started a 15-year career as a professional bartender. This I had not planned on, but the money was so great I got sucked in.

I continued to pursue music all those years but the design spark had been somewhat extinguished. That was until I had surgery on my foot and was stuck at home for four months. I don’t do well with too much free time so, out of boredom, I started experimenting and making giant dreamcatchers. My hands needed a purpose. I posted a few on social media to see what people thought and they sold immediately. Next thing I knew I was taking custom orders, so I decided to open an Etsy shop and see what else I could make.

As my little business started to grow, so did my ideas. I began creating giant macrame pieces with the intention of selling them for wedding backdrops. But not everyone wanted to buy them, so I decided I could rent them, too. My husband graciously starting building me wedding archways and, with his help, my business really started to take off and continued to grow over the next few years while I experimented with different ideas.

In 2019, I officially started my own record label, Morrison Music, Inc., with the sole purpose of releasing my own music. (And three years later, I am about to release my first solo album.) I continued to bartend but wanted out at this point, as I had for many years. It’s so hard to leave a job where you are consistently making great money and you only have to work four nights a week. But I just wasn’t happy anymore and I knew I needed a change.

When Covid first started I received the break from the service industry that I had been praying for. I made a decision early on during that time that I was never going back. There were a few times I was tempted by the fear of not having a steady income, but my decision was supported by my family and friends, especially by my husband and mom. I knew it was the right decision no matter how scary it felt. So this is when I took action. In the spring of 2020, I officially started my design company, 9 Lives Designs. I was grateful for all the free time I had to start building my website and doing research. Despite there being a global pandemic, I started booking small outdoor weddings which was the perfect opportunity to get my feet wet. I am grateful to all those first clients who completely trusted me with their weddings!

Fast forward to Spring 2022 and I am now designing and performing full time. I own a growing design business and I’m releasing my first solo album. I took a leap of faith by opening my own business and pursuing my dreams. It has been terrifying at times but not a day goes by where I’m not grateful that I had the guts to follow through and the ability to believe in myself. I have worked incredibly hard to get to where I am today and I thank myself daily for taking that initial leap of faith.

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 got into design work because I love creating. An empty space is my canvas and I love seeing it come to life when I start adding my decor and florals. I would say my personal style is bohemian gothic. I get a lot of clients looking for that boho style, but often times people want something different. I like challenging myself by staying true to their style, but also adding elements of my own that compliment it. Maybe something they haven’t thought of.

My company, 9 Lives Designs, provides wedding & event design and coordination, as well as decor rentals & florals. I also just opened an online shop where I sell some of my handcrafted macrame pieces and dreamcatchers, as well as outsourced items that I feel fit the vibe of my company.

Often times, potential clients come to me with their Pinterest inspiration boards that they’ve spent hours creating. They see these weddings online and don’t realize how much a wedding like that would actually cost. They want decor and flowers that would require a $50,000+ budget, but they only have $5,000 to spend. Instead of turning them away I try to problem solve with them and find solutions. How can we create a similar look with a much smaller budget? I didn’t grow up with a lot of money, actually very little, so I learned how to make use of what I had. You don’t need to spend $50,000 to have the wedding of your dreams. I try to cater to every client, no matter where they are coming from.

At the end of the day, I am most proud of myself for sticking to my plan and following my dreams, even when it was scary and challenging, because I knew the outcome would be so rewarding. And it really is.

Outside of the design world I’m a singer and professional fire dancer. At first I thought I had to choose one life or the other, but started to realize that they go hand in hand. Everything I do is all about connecting with people and putting smiles on their faces. I am truly an entertainer in every aspect of my life and that brings me joy. I am currently working on merging my entertainment and design businesses so that ultimately I become a one-stop shop providing design, florals, planning, and live entertainment. I’m really excited to see what the next few years bring.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

There is no “right way” to do anything. Sometimes you have to blaze your own trail in life and, often times, the outcome is much more rewarding when you do. I did not go to school to learn how to be a designer. I was also never formally trained in floral design. I studied music. But just like in music, the classroom lessons are not always what get you noticed in your field. It’s all about the hands on experience, the people you meet, and how dedicated you are to becoming great at what you do. I have learned to cling on to everyone who I meet that I may be able to learn something from. I’ve also had to get over my fear of asking questions and feeling stupid. No one is born knowing everything. We have to learn somehow and everyone’s learning process is different.

I owe a lot of my success to those years I spent in the service industry because that’s where I learned my communication and people skills as well as my ability to think quickly. The wedding industry can be very stressful at times but since I spent so many years bartending, which is all about quick thinking on your feet, I feel I have the experience necessary to solve unexpected problems that may arise. I also learned how to talk with people and listen. Emotions are always running high during stressful events and if you don’t know how to talk to people or you aren’t willing to listen, you could find yourself with upset clients and bad reviews.

I used to feel like a fraud because I didn’t go to school for a lot of what I do. But I have decided that the most important training I’ve received has been the experience of being thrown into the unexpected and learning how to navigate my own way through. I try to keep an open mind and stay eager to learn more so I can continue to take my business to the next level.

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

Honesty, my ability to listen and the fact that I treat every client how I would want to be treated. I mostly design weddings, and for the majority of people, this is one of the most emotional (and expensive) experiences in their lives. When a potential client inquires about my design services I like to learn a little bit about them and see photos of what their vision looks like. Everyone is unique and has their own style and I like to respect and appreciate that when designing for someone else. I want the services I provide to be a reflection of their spirit.

Earning my client’s trust is very important. I don’t want them to feel like their wedding is just another paycheck for me. I want them to feel appreciated and respected, just as I would want to feel if I was paying someone to design my wedding. It’s a big deal and I don’t take it lightly. So it’s rewarding to receive feedback and reviews from clients that love my work. Everybody wins.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.9livesdesigns.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/9livesdesignsco
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/9livesdesignsco
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/9livesdesignsco
• Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/9livesdesigns/ Megan’s Music: https://www.morrisonmusicofficial.com/

Image Credits
Cassandra Trcka Ksenja Smirnova Nik Samofal Jeidy at Captivating Collective Alex Simon Megan Morrison Miami Wedding Cinema