We recently connected with Tanisha Lisle and have shared our conversation below.
Tanisha, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s talk about keeping costs under control when growing. How have you managed to keep costs from getting out of control?
When I first started my business, I was inclined to buy all the “pretty” things I saw online. I wasted a lot of money because of my excitement and flawed thought process – if I buy it, my clients will come. I created my business in 2020 and was unable to get a great start due to Covid. I pivoted to photography and small home outdoor events. To curb my costs, I learned that rentals were my best option. I was running out of garage space in my home and my home office soon became a storage unit. This move from purchasing decor to renting decor became my greatest achievement to keep costs under control as I continued to grow my business.
Tanisha, 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?
At a young age I was very involved with planning events. I would plan summer parties for my barbie dolls, stage plays with my siblings and even performed solely for my family and friends. As I grew older, I followed the traditional path of schooling and obtaining a 9 to 5 job, while deep inside I knew that event planning was my true calling. In 2019, I filed for my LLC but didn’t do anything with it until 2020. The world shut down in 2020 and I was forced to be still, but this time not by choice. I took the time to learn more about my business and the ups and downs of event planning. 2020 was definitely an eye opener as to the pitfalls of an industry I loved. It was at this time, I decided to dabble in photography. I grew to love it, the theme was similar to event planning, capturing moments that clients would treasure for years to come. Photography was a great pivot as it accommodated social distancing as most times the shoots were outdoors and it was great to see people again. As time passed and Covid became less of a threat, my event planning business started to pick back up. Because of that down time, I was able to offer clients a triad of services. My business became more of a one stop shop for events. I networked with venue owners so that clients didn’t have to search high and low for the perfect place. I also formed relationships with vendors who could provide me with rentals or customized decor. I learned how to install balloons and I offered event photography as part of some packages. I believe these are the things that have set me apart from other planners. I am more than just an event planner, I am an event coordinator, event decorator, budget analyst, balloon artist, photographer and so much more! My clients LOVE ME! I am relatable and down to earth, I tell my clients the truth even when it may be hard for them to hear. They appreciate the honesty and the fact that I go above and beyond for them. I had a previous client who hired me for her son’s graduation backyard party. She loved the set up and the fact that I was able to keep the ideas within her budget. She told me she wanted to have me as her go-to person for event planning. Those are the comments that I cherish. I LOVE my clients!
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn is the idea of discounting yourself to build your portfolio. I always believed that in order to build a successful portfolio I had to either offer my services for free or for little to nothing. I soon realized that would never make my business sustainable. I had to learn how to find my clientele. One day after reading online about “how to find your people”, I wrote down who I wanted my clients to be. I answered questions like this: what would he/she look like? what is his/her age? Where do they shop? Do they have kids? What do they do for a living? Answering these questions allowed me to hone my target audience. From there, I was able to market my business accordingly. Tried and True Events LLC was born out of my passion for planning events that were tried and true, it offers some nostalgia with a hint of glam. I look for clients who want the same and most importantly who value my skills and do not have an issue paying for the services rendered.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Tried and True Events LLC is on its way to becoming a household name, at least, that is my end goal. I want to be the premier event planning service in Douglas County, GA. My business has blossomed through word of mouth. I have some internet traction, but my bookings are solely off of word of mouth. I appreciate my clients sharing their experiences with their families and friends.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.triedandtrueeventsllc.com
- Instagram: tandteventsllc
- Facebook: Tried and True Events LLC
Image Credits
Tanisha Lisle and Roland Lisle