Rebecca Grinnals and Kathryn Arce, wedding industry Veterans over 20 years old, met in the early 90s while working at the Walt Disney World Resort, where they grew up DisneyFairy tale weddings to an operation of $ 100 million a year. “It was a bit like lightning in a bottle the first time we had the chance to work together,” said Grinnal Entrepreneur. “We had the chance to collaborate on really cool projects, and it was a really formative period.”
Image credit: gracity of engage! Summits. Kathryn Arce, on the left, and Rebecca Sourie, on the right.
After Disney, Grinnals and Arce started consultantHelping hotels, stations and tourist advice from around the world to develop their wedding and honeymoon companies. This is how the duo discovered an important gap in the industry: there was not an event that brought together various buyers, suppliers and sellers focused on luxury weddings.
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And if we could bring everyone together in a room and have these really incredible and significant conversations to help support entrepreneurs and small businesses This power the wedding industry? Thought the co-founders.
So Grinnals and Arce established a conference to do exactly that: engaging! Summits, now a brand of several million dollars.
Image credit: Corbin Gurkin. Get involved! in Paris, 2023.
It was in April 2008 that the co-founders decided to move forward with their idea of engaging! Summits – And their first conference would be in June. With only six weeks to carry out the one -day event at the Celebration Hotel d’Orlando, Grinnals and Arce have started work and relied on their industry contacts. Seventy-five people attended.
“We were able to invite (celebrity wedding planners) Preston Bailey and Marcy Blum to be our VIP speakers,” recalls Arce. “We also invited Harmony Walton, founder of the bridal bar, to come and give an overview of the trends she saw. And then a editor of Weddings at their destination and honeymoon. “”
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The event was a success. Bailey and Blum spoke of building theirs successful companies Over the years and the challenges along the way – relatable experiences for all those present. In the morning after the conference, a participant blogged on the value of his precious and said that she was looking forward to attending it.
It was then that Grinnals and Arce knew they were on the right track. They continued with their consultation work and built engages! Peaks like a kind of “rush“For the next decade, organizing one or two events each year before going full time with their brand in 2018.
“In many cases, (we had one company) serve the other in a very organic and natural way.”
Naturally, the co-founders relied on their industry experience, taking advantage of the cross opportunities as much as possible to grow! Summit in the power plant, it’s today. For example, the Tourism Department of the Cayman Islands was a long -standing consultation client, and they welcomed engages! Summits in the Cayman islands five times.
“In many cases, (we had one company) serve the other in a very organic and natural way,” explains Grinnal. “I think that many people who have their own business find ways to do so so that they are not completely divergent but who are able to converge and support each other.”
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After events organized in Mexico and in the Caribbean, commit yourself! The summits organized its first event based in Europe in Pouilles, Italy, in 2016, which attracted its most international audience to this point and launched years of reception around the world. Get involved! The upcoming event of Summit in Tuscany will mark its 48th, and the brand will celebrate its 50th in London in July.
Throughout its 17 years to date, commit yourself! Summits welcomed 43 events closed in 50 five -star luxury properties, with more than 7,500 participants from 45 states and 35 countries. The brand also has more than 100 million social networks And the impressions of the media.
Image credit: Anya Kernes. Get involved! to Boca Raton, 2023.
“Basically, owners of small businesses and entrepreneurs need a community.”
Conferences continue to cultivate an environment where business owners can connect in person, an opportunity that can be difficult to find in the digital-premier world today. Virtual connections and relationships on social networks can be useful networking toolsBut they do not replace these conversations in person, in particular for entrepreneurs, say the co-founders.
“”Be entrepreneurial is really exciting but can also be very insulating, “said Grinnals:” Especially when you sit in your office all day on zoom, it is so easy to think that everyone does better than you or that no one is fighting. Basically, owners of small businesses and entrepreneurs need a community. They need the ability to be in a safe space without customers to share best practices. “”
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A commitment! The Summits in Tuscany event could accommodate sellers from 22 different countries, bringing them together in one place to talk about challenges and support each other. Because, whatever the area of particular expertise of a business owner, he shares a goal: to serve his couples as best they can.
“Be able to browse different scenarios in person with (other business owners is something), we have found that you could not reproduce and is really invaluable to create a success and strong profitable companies“Grinnal adds.
“We wanted to dream bigger and better at each event.”
The co-founders encourage aspiring entrepreneurs who have an idea for their own event business to continue to continue their great ambitions, even if they seem intimidating at the start.
“We were not afraid To ask for things, “said Arce.” We wanted to dream bigger and better with each event. If you have an idea, track it to the best of your abilities and see how things are going. Continue to learn, make changes and move forward. Surround with love and positive people who believe in what you do. There is no limit to everything you can create and dream. “”
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Grinnnal agree and add that networking Establishing “advisory or informal board of directors outside your specific business can help you go up as a entrepreneur.
“It is easy to stay really focused on the person on the person who makes your business type,” explains Grinnals, “but it is really powerful to create a network of different people who include the nuances of your business, but also to do it in a different way and to understand (specific challenges). Get advice each other, and have this small group of people, you can call (on) and trust. “”
This article is part of our current entrepreneur® series, highlighting the stories, challenges and triumphs in the management of a company as a woman