Link to original article from Canvas Rebel
We were lucky to catch up with Jessica Dawn recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jessica, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?
Opening my own business has been the single best decision I have ever made for myself and my family! As a working mother, having flexibility in my working hours was of the utmost importance. As my son started to get older and enrolled in school, I realized that the normal 9am-5pm just wasn’t going to work for us as a family. How would he get to school? Who would pick him up during the day? Who would watch him when I went back to work? All of these were questions that started to come to play, as I’m sure all working families can relate to! (And don’t get me started on the cost of daycare!) It was then that I made the decision to let go of any fears I had surrounding opening my own business and launched “Fear No More.” Now, I am truly able to create my own schedule and hours which has been such a blessing to my family. I don’t have to ask permission to leave the office to pick up my son or go to the doctors. I have complete freedom with my schedule, and that in itself is something I will always be grateful for.
Do I ever miss the 9am-5pm? Absolutely not. LOL! Even on the days when I’m up until midnight working on a design board for my clients, I find gratitude knowing that I was able to put my son to bed and not miss out on those special moments you can’t get back. It also helps to find something you are passionate about and make it a career. I am fortunate that even when I’m working, it doesn’t feel like “work” to me.
Jessica, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
“We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” – Marianne Williamson
I’m sure we are all familiar with this famous speech from the movie “Coach Carter.” But how many of us actually knew what it meant way back when the movie first came out? I know I sure didn’t… LOL! It was a few weeks before I was going to launch Fear No More that a very dear friend of mine gifted me with this quote. And with this quote, I was given the courage and strength to “let my light shine.” This quote is the foundation of Fear No More and what we strive to give to our couples.
As a Wedding Planning and Design company, we want all of our couples to feel our love and light. Our company is so much more than just putting together a pretty tablescape. We want our couples to know that we believe in them and care about them on such a deeper level. We are here to not only design and execute a day of their dreams, but to provide them with encouragement during their down days and bring as much joy and light into their lives as possible. Our goal is for our couples to let go of their fears and trust in us on a personal and professional level.
Over my ten years in the wedding and event industry, I have found that my light shines brightest when I’m surrounded by all things wedding related. I mean, how could you not love your job when you get to witness two people commit their lives to each other?! It is truly the most incredible experience! When it comes to to the design side of the business, my love for design began with my grandma, who is the Queen of all things home design and decor. From a young age, I remember being in awe of the decorations in my Grandmas homes – from the bright pink and teal green chairs, to the incredible art sculptures and paintings.
When the idea sparked to open Fear No More, I knew that combining the two things I love most in the world – weddings and design – would be the best way to “make manifest the Glory of God that is within us.”
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Building trust with our clients and vendors has given us the most growth in our reputation. Through this trust, referrals are created which are so important to our business – especially in the service industry! When you perform a service that exceeds the expectations of your client, trust is built. From this trust, your reputation will begin to spread and grow throughout your industry by referrals. If you think back to when you’ve made a large purchase, you probably purchased from the company in which you felt you trusted the most. A connection was built with someone in the company and that ultimately determined the company you chose. And now, when someone asks you for a recommendation of where to purchase that product or service, you are more apt to refer them because of that trust in their performance. The same goes for your reputation within your market. Build the relationships with your vendors/clients by consistency in your performance and you will see growth in your reputation through referrals.
We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.
When I first launched Fear No More, I was working in the wedding industry as a Master Bridal Stylist. I thought that Fear No More would take several years to grow until I could rely on it full time… but boy was I wrong!! Within two months, we booked thirteen weddings and what I thought would be a “side hustle” quickly exceeded my expectations. I left my position as a Master Bridal Stylist after two months and the business only continued to grow from there. Being able to dedicate myself fully to my business has allowed us to grow each and every month. After four months in business, it occurred to me that I was not going to be able to sustain the growth of the company working in my basement. An opportunity arose for a storefront in Downtown Brighton, and I jumped at the opportunity. With the help of my spouse and brother, we renovated the space and made it our own. Fear No More now operates out of this office and houses all of our decor rentals and consultations.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fearnomoreevents.com
- Instagram: @fearnomoreweddings
- Facebook: @fearnomoreweddings
Image Credits
Heather Jowett Photography, Golden May Media, Kailee Marie Photography
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