I get to create jobs, save dying plants because I do the landscaping, and I sometimes make a difference in people’s lives.
Letizia Rossi

Letizia Rossi

Owner

Location: San Diego/Catalina Island, CA

WHERE WE MAKE YOUR DREAM COME ALIVE
Our job is to make sure any special event is filled with friends and family in a loving, stress-free atmosphere. Our team offers venues, vendors, decor, and much more! We are your one-stop-shop for all events needs!

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve ever faced while planning an event and how did you overcome it?

Family trying to do our job.

Explaining to the family their job is to have fun, ours is to detail the event.

What are 2 trends in the event planning industry that you’re excited about?

This year, less people. Excited for the couple to be able to enjoy their party and close family and close friends.

What are some tips for creating an elegant and memorable event on a tight budget?

  • Intimate party – no more than 50 people
  • Only wine and beer
  • 4-hour event

If you had unlimited resources, what would your dream client and event look like?

  • A grateful client
  • An event where people gather together to make a memory, not to score points
  • A beach event

How important are your relationships with vendors and what are some ways that you successfully cultivate and ensure good rapport?

I trust, respect, and uplift my vendors.

I recognize their talent and they, when needed, help with someone on a budget.

What advice would you give someone who needs to plan a fundraiser but isn’t sure where to start?

Believe in the cause and that would give you the confidence to look for donations, vendors, and  finding the right resources.

What’s the most exciting thing on the horizon for you personally or professionally?

Catalina Island.

Bringing people to the island helps me give work to amazing people, young adults, maybe to learn a new trade or showcase their masterpieces, but mostly give them an opportunity to set goals for the future.

I lived there and I know beautiful people that need a push.

What inspired you to launch your own company in the event industry? How long did it take from initially having the idea to setting up and starting to attract a client base?

I have always been in customer service. I love pleasing people. Events are forever memories. I listen to what the client wants and I execute it in detail.

I started my own company because I felt my former employees were in it for the money; I care about the people, too.

What’s the first event you can ever remember planning and how did it go?

It was a wedding at the couple’s house.

They told me there were only 80 people – the parents invited double that. We ran out of food. The parents were upset at me but the couple took our side.

Being a good planner you have to be prepared to fix problems quickly, so we did.

I learned to state in the contract how many people will be attending and a box for initials.

What are some things you wished you knew before starting your businesses?

How to deal with hundreds of different personalities and not taking it personally.

What’s the most surprising or unusual request you have ever received from a client and were you able to fulfill it?

It was on Catalina Island. The venue has stairs but not a ramp for a wheelchair, so we built one in 2 days.

Anything else you’d like to comment on while we have you?

I love my job. I get to create jobs, save dying plants because I do the landscaping, and I sometimes make a difference in people’s lives.

Susan Null
Author: Susan Null

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