We were lucky to catch up with Vanessa Narvios recently and have shared our conversation below.

Vanessa , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. The more we talk about good leadership the more we think good leadership practices will spread and so we’d love for you to tell us a story about the best boss you’ve had and what they were like or what they did that was so great?

I’ve been very fortunate to have had several great bosses. However, two in particular served substantial roles in helping mold me into the person and entrepreneur that I am today.

When I was in my early 20s, I managed a tanning salon. My boss, Ryan, had such an infectious energy and was so driven in his life goals. He was laser-focused on what he wanted. I remember our discussions about our business, relationships, and politics like it was yesterday. I always admired his confidence and conviction, and it gave me such a great foundation to build my career from.

In my late 20s, when I was living in China, I worked for an incredibly creative, passionate, and determined entrepreneur named Shane. Shane was set on building his dream and didn’t let anything stand in his way. His ability to network, persevere through the most challenging of circumstances, and show unparalleled resourcefulness gave me a deep understanding of what it takes to run and grow a company.

I will forever be grateful to these two former bosses (and friends) for the deep impact they had on my life.

Vanessa , 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?

A bit more about me, I am a multi-passionate entrepreneur who has built both my career and my companies in the hospitality, events, and food and beverage industries. During college, I lived in Barcelona, Spain, and Querétaro, Mexico, while completing my undergraduate degree at Cal State Long Beach. I went on to live in Shanghai, China, to complete my Master’s degree in International Business. During my 8 1/2 years there, I opened a consulting company specializing in events and marketing for the hospitality and food and beverage industries. I had the opportunity to work with companies like Disney, MACY’s, Sysco and countless more!

I moved back to the US during the Pandemic, relaunched my events company and currently have just rebranded my company, Finer Events & Co., to reflect our growing services and team. We host weddings and events of all shapes and sizes and are passionate about not only bringing your vision to life but also ensuring the experience is stress-free and seamless along the way!

What sets us apart from the competition is our ability to overcome obstacles, our willingness to do whatever it takes to make the event a success, and our diversity in the services we offer. We handle the planning/coordination, rentals, staffing and bartending! Our team has experience in everything from weddings and social events to corporate events and fashion shows. Our understanding of different cultures, traditions, and needs makes us a truly unique company to collaborate with.

Outside of my events business, I co-own a creative dining concept in Temecula, CA called 4th Street Garage. Our restaurant not only serves delicious BBQ food, but our guests can also enjoy a classic car show every day! It’s a truly unique dining experience and something that my team and I are incredibly proud of! In September it will officially be a year since opening!

Whether clients come to me to plan their dream wedding or enjoy a night out with the family at my restaurant, two things will always be there – service and quality. After over 20 years in the hospitality industry, I know the importance of ensuring these two aspects shine in everything that you do, and that is what my teams and I are committed to delivering.

If you have multiple revenue streams in your business, would you mind opening up about what those streams are and how they fit together?

I’ve always been a firm believer in having multiple revenue streams. That’s probably why throughout my entire life, even before I became an entrepreneur, I’ve never had just one job. Nowadays, I run multiple businesses.

With Finer Events & Co., we offer a wide range of services, including full-service event planning and management, event design and decor rentals, mobile bartending, and event staffing. This means that whatever your event needs are, we have you covered.

Have you ever had to pivot?

The biggest pivot in my life to date came when I had to leave my new home and adventure in the tropical paradise of Bali, Indonesia, and move back to my parents’ home during the pandemic. My business stopped on a dime, and I found myself working for someone else for the first time in over five years. The shock of living at home, not being an independent global traveler, and not working for myself was almost unbearable.

However, as they say, everything happens for a reason, sometimes even beyond what anyone can imagine. In less than two years of returning home, I met the love of my life, re-launched my events business, and opened a restaurant!

Now, I’m in a stage of pivoting my business. We have significantly grown our team and diversified our offerings to better serve all of our clients. I’m so grateful for where we’ve been and where we’re headed. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.finerevents.co
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/finerevents.co/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/finerevents.co
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessanarvios/
• Other: https://www.facebook.com/finerweddings https://www.instagram.com/finerweddings 4th Street Garage https://www.facebook.com/4thstreetgarage https://www.instagram.com/4thstreetgaragetemecula

Image Credits
@kassielayne