Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in wedding planning but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kendra Coons, owner of Confetti and Co., located in Kitchener, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am a wedding planner and industry mentor! I work with fun-loving couples who are looking to host an event that honours their love story and inspires their guests.
Tell us about yourself
I have always wanted to work in the events industry! As I wrapped up my undergrad in Biomedical Sciences, I felt incredibly lost and off-track, so I decided to pivot. I let my creative side take the driver's seat and found myself working as an event planner in the fundraising industry. Something was always missing, and I knew that something was the special details that can really only be found in personal events like weddings!
Getting to help couples tell their love story through intentional event planning is an enormous honour. Standing on the sidelines with their closest friends and family knowing that we played a (even a small) part in making the best day of their lives come true is a blessing, and something I will probably never get tired of!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
This is a tough question! Does surviving the pandemic count? haha! No, but seriously, I think the thing I am most proud of is feeling confident in prioritizing myself over making sales. During peak wedding season I made the scary decision to not take on new business for 2022. I was working 16 hours a day, 7 days a week trying to keep up with the sudden onset of the 2021 season, and I knew there was no way I could add onboarding new clients to my plate. As a result, I turned down dozens of potential clients - which, at times, felt absolutely terrifying and insane.
Once wedding season wrapped up, I re-opened my 2022 calendar. We are now fully booked for the season! Knowing and believing that there will always be an abundance of opportunities feels like my biggest accomplishment as a business owner.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things for me is not really having anyone to bounce ideas and thoughts off of. Yes, I have a support system, but as far as the actual decision-making goes, it's entirely up to me. The pressure of that can be a lot sometimes.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Start even if you're not ready. No one is ever ready and the best way to improve is to just do it!
Be yourself! Do not compromise who you are to fit into your image of what you're supposed to be.
Invest in your business! My #1 suggestion would be to hire a photographer and plan a rock-solid branding session. Buy yourself a new outfit, make yourself feel like a bad*ass and tell the world who you are and what you do. This is going to feel like a big investment (of time and money) if you are just starting out, but it will help your audience connect with you.
Where can people find you and your business?
https://www.instagram.com/confettiand.co/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.
