Unplanned Hustle: Embracing the Unexpected Path to Building My Own Event Business
Hey! I’m Erica. The Founder, CEO and Lead Planner at One 15 Events. I never thought writing a blog would be something I would do. I’ve had several mentors remind me that when you have good info to share, you share it! So here we are. Me with my first blog, for my first small business, and you wondering what I could possibly tell you. My goal is to take you on a journey through my unexpected detour from the non-profit sector to the world of weddings and events. Get ready to get the inside scoop on how I found my passion for events, fueled by my own wedding planning experience, and turned it into the most fulfilling career. So let’s “I Do” this!
Picture this: me navigating the twists and turns of life in New York City as a Education Program Coordinator for a non profit organization. After 3 pretty tough years, I googled “fun jobs NYC” and the website for Tough Mudder popped up. (Side note: If you have ever met me, then you know that mud and getting dirty are not my jam.) Desperate for something new, I took a leap of faith and sent in my resume. A few interviews later, I was the newest member of TMHQ (Tough Mudder Headquarters). Overnight I stumbled into the exciting, intense and insane world of Tough Mudder. It was a wild ride to say the very least. 5 years of traveling the country and the world, building operations plans, applying for permits, meeting with town leaders, managing major budgets, executing multiple iterations of the Tough Mudder brand and creating unforgettable experiences for participants. Little did I know that this experience would lead me down an unexpected path.
Now, fast forward to my own wedding planning journey. It was pretty smooth so the idea of hiring a planner or even a day of coordinator never crossed my mind. My wife and I learned from our venue that they provided a Day of Coordinator, which was great because it was baked into the price we were already paying. I’d be lying if I said handing this important day over to a stranger didn’t make me nervous. Can I tell you that I could not be more thankful for Yulia, our coordinator. Not only did she manage our day, but she also handled a few behind the scenes issues (including running out of food during the reception which we learned about weeks later from a friend) and still found time to make sure we felt like royalty. Her ability to problem solve, stay calm and make sure that everything we wanted actually happened, was truly inspiring. So much so that while visiting our best friends after our wedding, I told my wife that I wanted to do that for other people. She looked at me and said “Ok, let’s do it!”. So, I came up with the name "One 15 Events". To some the name is really random but for me it's an amazing reminder of why I got into this in the first place. (side note: We got married January 15th for those who weren’t 100% sure of the connection) That was the moment that everything started to line up for a future that I could have never imagined.
After the name was picked out I dove in head first. This basically meant that I started asking engaged friends if I could plan their day for free. Luckily I had a couple who jumped at the chance. After planning and executing their upstate camp wedding… I was hooked. I started helping more friends, while working full time. (I forgot to mention that during this time I had a baby, left Tough Mudder and started working for Reed Pop planning comic conventions like New York Comic Con). Loving this side hustle, I never could have imagined what was looming in the future.
One of the most beautiful aspects of my journey in the events industry has been the connections I've forged along the way. Nothing could have prepared me for what was going to happen in March of 2020. I remember leaving C2E2 (Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo) and thinking “I have the best job in the world”. When I got news that coronavirus, as it was known then, was going to put a halt to our industry, I was devastated. Two months later, in May of 2020, I was out of a job. That's when I really had to lean on the connections that I had made in the years past. Over the course of all the events I had done, from Tough Mudder, to X games to the Houston Super Bowl. I reached out to friends and asked if I could help in any way or if they knew of any events that needed assistance. After responding to a random post on LinkedIn, I was able to learn and start working virtual events as the world took to Zoom. A few months later, I got a full time job as the Director of Events at a company that was looking for help with virtual and in person events. After a short stint there, I realized I wanted to do my own thing. So what started as a side hustle was now my main gig. I started doing any event I could under my official company name - weddings, weddings and more wedding of course, BUT I also got to start working nonprofit outdoor charity events (think lots of people on bikes riding for a good cause) and other special events like a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade viewing party for Famous Footwear right on 34th street in NYC. The best part of all of this was that I got to become the boss and decide what events I took on and what couples I worked with. Now in 2023, I have a team of 8 that help me put on amazing events all year long, grow my vendor relationships and have a great time doing the thing that makes me so happy!
And that, my friends, is the whirlwind journey that led me to where I am today. From the adrenaline rush of Tough Mudder to discovering my love of weddings and navigating the post Covid event landscape, it's been a wild ride. I am grateful for the experiences that have shaped this career, the people who have supported me along the way and can't wait to continue creating unforgettable memories for future clients. Stay tuned for more event insight, wedding content and stories from the road from yours truly!
XO,
Erica
