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

Sara, appreciate you joining us today. Do you take vacations? Why or why not?

I do not think any business owner can ever truly step away. I don’t think they would want to. I don’t want to return from a vacation dreading my workload and fearing the amount of emails I need to address and deal with. I perfect vacation for me is one where I can allocate an hour or two a day to address and answer my emails. I do let clients know in advance I will be away. I think auto-reply emails are silly. What’s the point of them when everyone knows I am indeed reading my emails and I will of course also answer them? Here in South Florida, we do have an event season. We only take our true vacations in the off-season. The best trips for me are ones in a different time zone. During the day I can relax and not hear my phone buzzing nonstop. This allows me to be more present. When I get up in the morning I can address all the emails that came in overnight (which my overnight would be daytime hours in America. This formula works for me. However, I fully understand that a vacation on the other side of the world may not work for everyone. However, the same rules can apply. Allocate your window before bedtime to address and answer everything. Warn your clients that you are traveling. Turn off Auto Reply. It’s a lie and nobody pays attention to it. It’s just one less email your client needs in their inbox. I don’t think any successful business owner can ever truly step away (nor will want to)

Sara, 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 am a native New Yorker who got my start in this industry dancing at Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. From 18 onward, I became obsessed with the event industry. I was blessed to find an industry where my hyperactive, multitasking brain could thrive. I dedicated the next 12 years to learning about the industry. I dabbled in every part of it. I worked on the catering side, the DJ side, the band side, the florist side, and the corporate side. I decided I loved the social side the best. In those 12 years, I was able to work with event leaders and genuinely able to soak in so much knowledge. I moved to South Florida in 2000 and started my own company; I hustled big time. I took on any event that would hire me. This was needed to build my portfolio and client base. I think Hotel Venus and the vendors I was hiring saw someone with knowledge and expertise in every area and were so happy to finally work with an event planner who did not plan their wedding and become a “wedding planner.” This helped my business thrive and grow. I was (and am today) a hard-working individual who never gets complacent and treats clients the way I would want to be treated. We have zero egos and never need to be the “hero.” We never tell clients all the problems we are solving. We never make this about us. Remember, I started in this industry as a vendor. I was the girl that did not have 10.00 to valet park my car. I make sure everyone working the event is treated how I want to be treated. I do not walk around one of my events yelling at vendors and bossing everyone around. I have so much respect for them. We are all equals and have the same end goal in mind—a happy client.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

I chose this to answer because this is an area I could be so much better at. We have been lucky in this regard for Social Media. Our clients follow us, and we follow them. Thankfully, we can see when they are having exciting milestones in their lives—graduation from medical school or the birth of their babies. Social Media allows us to stay in touch and maintain communication. However, I always want to send them a first-anniversary card and do little things to add that “special touch.” I could do better in this area. The majority of our clients come from former clients. When working with a family for a year, you miss them after their event. You are part of that family. So we stay in touch via social media, but I wish I made time for more post-event social things with them. I am working on this. Now that we are taking in less (and charging more), we have more time for those things. This is a 2024-2025 goal of mine in deed!

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

I am real. I am honest. I have no feelings and do not care if you hurt mine. I tell it like it is. If your idea could be better, I will tell you that. If you still do not listen, I will execute your lousy idea to the best of my ability LOL I am known not to be fearful of my clients. I am not afraid to tell them things. I am fearless in speaking the truth. It’s why they hired me. If you hire an accountant for your taxes, you listen to them. You take their advice, and you execute it. Same with your doctors or your lawyers. Just because you planned your daughter’s Bat Mitzvah in 1995 does not mean you know more than me about planning weddings. And I will tell you that. We have a seamless and flawless reputation. We got that way by being honest and speaking the truth. Nobody wants to be fed bullshit. Do you want everyone to leave the ballroom for a fireworks show? Guess what? They are not coming back into that ballroom, and you just killed your entire party.
Do you want your escort cards on a champagne glass, and each guest gets one? Great! Are you aware that it takes 2 hours to pour that much champagne, and your guests will grab a warm glass? Just because you see it on Pinterest does not mean its a great idea. I could go on and on and on about this forever.

Contact Info:

• Website: SaraReneeEvents.com
• Instagram: SaraReneeEvents
• Facebook: Sara Renee Events
• Other: TIK TOK Sara Renee Events

Image Credits
Luv Rox Photography