We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shelli Nornes. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shelli below.

Shelli, appreciate you joining us today. What’s the best or worst investment you’ve made?

I, like many entrepreneurs, am a true Type A personality. I’ve always been something of a go-getter, throwing in a sprinkle of perfectionist tendencies for good measure. I thrived on the thrill of steering the ship – the what, when, where, and how of my business, being there for my clients around the clock. I was proud to personally handle all aspects of client work, ensuring they benefited from my expertise and quality work. I was good at my job and it showed! But as the business grew, my time was split among countless tasks, and juggling client work while focusing on business growth became a real challenge. It felt like I was running on fumes, spread too thin. There just were not enough hours in the day to get everything done well. I needed help, but the idea of finding someone who I could trust seemed impossible. I was exhausted.

It was during this whirlwind period that a past client of mine mentioned on Facebook she was on the hunt for a flexible, part-time job. I had always enjoyed our collaboration and the thought of having her on board was quite appealing. We connected, I told her upfront, “I’m not entirely sure how this will unfold, but if you’re game, we can navigate the waters together.” It wasn’t easy let go of the control and trust someone else with my business, but it turned out to be one of the most transformative decisions I made.

This paved the way for an epiphany – my team was the best investment I could ever make for my business! My hiring strategy was to ask for personal recommendations from community members I respected and who knew me. I asked other small business owners, church members, and teachers. Everyone I hired was a result of a personal connection. Each hire was meaningful and added value to my team.

Prioritizing my team became my mission. Many left secure jobs to join me, and I felt an immense responsibility towards them. I committed my time, energy, and resources to ensure their growth and success. I make it a point to have individual sessions with them every week, ensure they’re being adequately challenged, and provide them with the resources they need to succeed. They’re offered competitive salaries, bonuses, and perks, because, to me, they are my biggest investments, but also my biggest assets.

Thanks to my team, I’ve seen a tenfold increase in revenue, built a formidable company reputation, and managed to restore some much-needed work/life balance. My team is dedicated, loyal, and equally invested in our shared success. It’s a level of commitment I wouldn’t have achieved if I hadn’t made that initial leap of faith to invest in them.

Shelli, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Who knew that planning a destination wedding in the remote wilderness of Alaska would lead me to a rewarding entrepreneurial career that I absolutely love? In 1998, less than 50% of Americans had an internet connection, yet I managed to plan the most incredible, intimate wedding experience ever. I knew I had stumbled upon something pretty awesome.

The past 25 years have been a bundle of every emotion imaginable: joy, exhilaration, exhaustion, defeat, optimism, fear, pride, and of course, gratitude. Success is never just a straight line, and believe me, I took all the twists and turns I could find. I truly believe that mistakes help us improve, but only if we are willing to learn. Every wrong turn has led to today, which is pretty amazing.

My team and I plan the most spectacular destination weddings throughout Mexico & the Caribbean for couples located throughout the US. From start to finish, we help couples navigate every stage of wedding planning, from choosing the perfect resort and date, to helping guests book rooms, to just listening and empathizing when the couple is having a moment. Our wisdom, expertise and resort partnerships make up our secret sauce, and gives a nod to our company mission:

Our mission is to take away the overwhelming doubts and replace them with feelings of excitement, comfort and anticipation as couples learn how our team is dedicated to providing outstanding service and expert destination wedding guidance. We share the same goals as our couples; finding the perfect resort, affordable pricing and an incredible destination wedding experience.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

February 2020, Covid hit. We had dozens of wedding groups booked, paid and ready to travel in the coming months. We were flooded with an endless stream of calls and emails from concerned couples and guests. We spent hours consoling devasted couples, patiently listening to angry clients, all while trying to communicate with resorts thousands of miles away to figure out what to do. Slowly, we began to recognize a pattern. We quickly set up a process and a checklist, and began reaching out to wedding groups one at a time, to proactively and personally help them through. Despite the chaos, couples welcomed our recommendations and appreciated the options we put forth. We successfully rebooked over 85% of our 2020 wedding groups, doubling our revenue for 2021. Every couple who rebooked received a bright, cheerful flower bouquet and a personalized note from our team, assuring them that their wedding day will still be just as magical as they can imagine. When other agencies waived the white flag of surrender, we found a way to thrive.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

My philosophy on managing my team is pretty simple: treat team members how I would want to be treated.

I run a small team. No one slips through the cracks. No one can hide in meetings or avoid participation. Because of this, I make sure everyone has what they need to feel needed, welcome, and important. I ensure everyone has their own responsibilities that they can own. I give personal time and attention to each individual person, and encourage them to help me set our meeting agenda. We are a team in every sense of the word. I genuinely value them, and they are loyal and committed to me. It is a win-win.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.romancetravelgroup.com/
• Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/RomanceTravelGroup
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RomanceTravelGroup
• Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/romancetravelgp/