Connect Who or what is your inspiration in business?

It may sound cliche, but my family is my number one. My husband & kids support & love me unconditionally. My mother & sister are both highly skilled & remarkable business women. My mom opened a business when I was eighteen to support us all when my dad became terminally ill. That grit, determination & love for family & clients are patterns I see in myself. My business partner Amanda pushes me to be a better at my job & my mistakes inspire me every day to be a better p

How do you stay motivated?

It's simpIe. I love what I do. I do this not just to pay the bills but to be able to help those who might not afford to have the weddings of their dreams by keeping our costs as reasonable as possible. That look the brides & grooms give one another at the top of the aisle at their wedding or when the guests are dancing & celebrating the day motivate me to do what I do, even if some weddings may be more challenging than others or the road to planning them is not as smooth as I would like.

What would you do with the $25,000?

That is super easy to answer - I would pay off & clear all my start up debt so I could hire more staff & be better able to support my family. Plus, the more financially secure I am personally, the more people I can help both inside & outside my family. I would love to start a wedding 504(c) to help more people have the weddings of their dreams, similar to Wish Upon a Wedding, which I love working with as a planner and coordinator.