We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Miesha Jones a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Miesha, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about how you got your first non-friend, non-family client. Paint the picture for us so we can feel the same excitement you felt on that day.
The email inquiry from my first corporate client almost ended up in the Junk folder.

In 2017 I had gone out on NYE and had my make up done for the night and purchased an Urban Decay eye shadow. The following Monday, I saw an email from an Urban Decay address and figured it was a promotional email from my purchase over the weekend. “Click”! Into the trash it went.

Later that day I received an additional email and urgent voicemail from a UD representative. She mentioned hosting an event at a venue I frequently designed for. At this point I’m super confused and ready to block this spammer. So, I call the venue manager. She confirms “Yes, Urban Decay Cosmetics is hosting and event here. I gave them your contact info, is not junk mail. CALL THEM BACK!”

Feeling sheepish, I removed the email from the trash and call the representative. After a very detailed and brisk phone call, I booked the my first corporate event. I hung up the phone, scratched my head and asked myself “What just happened? I’ve never done this before!”

Having no time to doubt myself, I shifted myself into high gear & pulled out every single design idea I’ve ever dreamed of implementing. I researched the company, product and the influencer who was hosting the event. I never gave myself room to freak out at knowing that I would not meet the UD team and company founder until the day of the event.

21 days later after umpteen phone calls, never ending emails and gallons of coffee, with the help of every vendor I could wrangle, I pulled off my first corporate event.

Miesha, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m Miesha Jones, the owner and lead designer at Love Jones Designs. I imagine and design bashes, celebrations and product launch parties in Dallas, Houston and Southern. California.

What drives me most is the desire to reimagine how you celebrate. I am not moved to re-create whats been done, but to find a way to reframe it, twist is and flip it into something unique and special to the client and their guests.

My approach is always design first. I question: How can I transform this space so it does not look like the same event held here last week? What does this event look like, what does the guest see, smell, feel when they enter a space. What will they remember? What will catch their eye?
I am so inspired by movies and books like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Mary Poppins, Jurassic Park and strangely enough Mommie Dearest. *Don’t judge me, that set design was an entire mood.*
Film and written word have the ability to create entire worlds that a reader/viewer can engulf themselves in. That is always my goal when creating – how can we take the guests to a new world?

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
“Education is not required to achieve success.”

Although I do have a BA in English, the first 20+ years of my life was dedicated to being an athlete. I competed as part of USA Track and Field team and specialized in the 100mH. Athletics I know, however I have no formal training in events or hospitality industry. Never have I worked in corporate America and because of this, I often doubt my place in the events world. The struggle against Imposter Syndrome is real!

Over the years I have completed certifications and event training, but those trainings are not the prerequisite for the gift and passion that I have for creating. They are a tool that support and refine the gift of creativity. I have to continually remind myself of that lesson. My path is my own and being able to sustain in this industry on my own terms has helped me redefine my definition of success.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
I truly believe in the TEAM effort. I often use “we” in speaking about my business. Not because I have a huge staff (I’m actually a staff of one) but because the creative team/vendors /artist I partner with are so important. I value and respect the creative mastery of every creative I partner with. It is so important to allow creatives the space to do their thing and take ownership of their role in the final product.

I might over communicate, but I will never micromanage or demean my team. Installers, severs, builders, DJs, talent…everyone I work with will be treated with respect. I do believe that is how I’ve been able to get the best out of the creatives I bring to each event.

I also believe, if we aren’t having fun, what’s the point? Honestly, events are HARD WORK and when your team can enjoy their work, things tend to be less stressful and they enjoy working with you.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lovejonesdesigns.com
• Instagram: mieshalovejones
• Facebook: Love Jones Designs
• Linkedin: Miesha Jones
• Twitter: mieshalovejones
• Yelp: Love Jones Designs

Image Credits
One Love Photography, Darrell Antone Photography, Michelle Travis Photography, By Michelle Media, Miesha Jones