We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mercedes Harris And Carla White (two Owners). We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mercedes Harris and Carla White below.

Mercedes Harris and Carla White, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

We noticed a gap in the industry for medium to small sized events. Consumers who only had a guest count of 100 or less seemed to be left with two options; rent a space that can hold up to 200-300 people or rent a smaller space that doesn’t give the same type of luxury that the larger spaces do. In the first scenario people are at a minimum having to pay for space they aren’t using in order to get a certain esthetic and in return being swallowed by the space. And in the ladder, the consumer, in most cases, needed to rent a small meeting room, apartment communal space, or warehouse that would work but wasnt necessarily luxurious.

Our goal was to provide luxury to the “little guy”. While we think 100 people in a space is A LOT, in the hospitality industry it is considered a smaller wedding. We wanted the weddings/birthdays etc caught in the in-between to still feel they could have a full and complete upscale event, with a lower guest count, and within a price range that reflects that guest count.

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?

Events and the Hospitality space have always been Mercedes realm. Her dreams and creativity come alive most in that field. Carla wanted to be a supportive parent that assisted in any way she could in her daughter’s dream. And with those two motives, Contemporary House was born.

Aside from helping with the gap in smaller event inventory, Contemporary House also provides contemporary design in the Garner and JOCO area. This is something that hasn’t been done until now. From their chandelier selection, distressed floor, down to the artwork selection; they provide a shining example of the decorative style.

Like contemporary art, Contemporary House suites a wide range of types of events, color schemes, and ideas. Its clean lines, neutral color palettes, large windows, and minimalism combine to create a space that can both evolve and morph into a diverse variety of wants and needs for clients. Carla and Mercedes are most proud of this. Noting that “Guests feeling like their vision can come to life for an important day using your space is a way to communicate that we welcome any and everyone without having to say anything.” Being able to speak in the form or art and creativity through design has been very freeing for them both.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

Carla is Mercedes mom. So very blatantly they met at Mercedes birth (haha). They selected this question to answer because they found that they had to reintroduce themselves and conversely re-meet during this process of building a business. Who people are in their personal lives versus how they conduct business can be starkly different. Knowing someone as intimately as a daughter and mother do and then needing to learn about them in probably one of the only spaces you don’t interact with them (at work) is extremely eye opening. Communicating in a business setting versus personal settings is very different. Power dynamics change going from child and parent to equals in business partnership. Having an openness and willingness to relearn each other has been imperative for Carla and Mercedes’ journey.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

“Don’t count out word of mouth!!” Carla and Mercedes, believe in this emphatically. They believe that the best way to build your venue business is through the events that you hold. While acknowledging that you do need a marketing plan and things like social media and advertisement also make big differences, they stress that 50% or more of their business comes from someone that previously had an event at their venue either recommended it to someone else, or returning. The relationships that you build grow your clientele through word of mouth. The events that you hold and showcasing them effectively on websites and social media model to future clients exactly how your space can work for them. “Everyone talks, so make sure when they do, they are talking about the wonderful time they had or wonderful event they attended at your space.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thecontemporaryhouse.com
• Instagram: contemporaryhouse.venue
• Facebook: Contemporary House

Image Credits

Lindsey Warren
Rebecca Amaya
Annette Tillery