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

Paige, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. 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.

There are two pivotal risks that truly define my journey in business.

The first was born out of 2020. Like so many, I found myself suddenly laid off from my corporate event planning role, staring at a blank slate in the middle of a global shutdown. With no prior wedding experience (and every logical reason not to) I decided to launch a wedding planning business. It was a leap taken on blind faith, countless late night research sessions, and an unshakable instinct that I could make it work. Within months, I was on-site coordinating rehearsals and weddings before the year had even ended. What felt like an impossible gamble at the time became one of my greatest advantages. Coming into the wedding world with only corporate event experience allowed me to approach things differently, with a perspective that felt fresh and unique. Ironically, it was only when I tried to conform to what I thought a wedding business should look like that I lost momentum. That first risk taught me the power of trusting my instincts, because while knowledge and expertise are invaluable, authenticity will always set you apart.

The second defining risk came five years later. By then, I had built a thriving wedding brand, but deep down I knew it was time to return to my true roots: corporate and special events. The decision wasn’t small, it meant reinventing everything I had worked so hard to establish. Within weeks, we rebranded entirely: new name, new colors, new website, new direction. We stopped booking clients who didn’t align with our vision and leaned fully into our corporate network. It was bold, it was scary, and it could have cost us everything. Instead, it brought us exactly where we belong, thriving once again in the corporate and brand event space, more aligned than ever before.

Both of these chapters remind me of the same truth: growth lives on the other side of risk. The best decisions I’ve ever made were the ones that felt the scariest in the moment. And every time I’ve trusted my gut, it’s led me exactly where I was meant to be.

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?

At Thom & Co. Events, I’ve built a business around a simple belief: events are meant to connect. For me, it’s never just about filling a room or making it look beautiful, it’s about how the space makes you feel, the journey you take as a guest, and the story you walk away remembering. That philosophy shapes every event we design.

My own background is a little unconventional, spanning marketing, motorsports, and special events and I’ve found that mix is exactly what makes our approach different. Marketing taught me the importance of brand alignment and storytelling. Motorsports gave me an appreciation for precision, timing, and the thrill of experience. Special events gave me the structure to bring it all together. The result is a balanced approach to planning: creative yet strategic, experiential yet seamless.

For our clients, that means every detail is intentional. We focus on guest-first solutions, building events that are not only stress-free to host but also impactful for everyone who attends. From corporate activations to personal celebrations, our goal is to translate your vision into an experience that feels effortless, thoughtful, and perfectly aligned with your brand or personality.

What I’m most proud of is the way we take the weight off our clients’ shoulders. We make the process smooth, stress-free, and enjoyable—so our clients can step into their event confident, present, and ready to connect. Because at the end of the day, events aren’t about logistics on a spreadsheet; they’re about people, and the moments that bring them together.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was the idea that I needed to adapt every element of my process to each individual client. In theory, it sounded ideal, changing communication styles, workflows, and systems to perfectly match whatever method a client preferred. But in practice, it often led to a lack of organization, blurred boundaries, and ultimately, a less effective planning process.

What I’ve come to understand is this: we are the experts. Our role is to guide, not to constantly reinvent. We’ve built processes that work because they create the best results, seamless events, stress-free clients, and elevated guest experiences. That doesn’t mean we don’t collaborate or adapt to personality styles, but it does mean we hold firm to the systems, philosophies, and workflows we know deliver. It was a mindset shift from “people-pleasing” to “leading with authority,” and it’s one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned as a business owner.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I believe my reputation has been built on a simple philosophy: you’re always stronger as a team than as a lone tyrant. From the very beginning, I’ve approached every working relationship as a collaboration. At the end of the day, we all share the same goal (a seamless, memorable event) and that goal is best achieved when we work together cohesively rather than forcing a “my way or the highway” approach.

I stay open to input from my vendor partners and adjust when necessary so everyone can perform at their best. We keep our cool, treat everyone with respect no matter their role, and lead with a team-first mindset. That culture of collaboration not only makes events smoother, it builds trust and I think that’s what people remember most when they choose to work with us again.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thomnco.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thomnco_events/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thomnco/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paige-thom-n-co/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAJCYd9YwhE

Image Credits

Kristen Joy Photography, M Place Photography, Jamie Y Photography, Iris Image