Today we’d like to introduce you to Crystal Gross.
Crystal, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
When I started planning my wedding in 2017, I probably went to 80% of the venues offered in Atlanta trying to find the perfect location for our big day. I knew I wanted an intimate romantic space that offered both indoor and outdoor options which wasn’t that hard to find. I quickly learned I couldn’t be solely focused on the appearance of the venue because so much more was involved in the wedding planning process, I had to be logical and economical too. Not every venue offered the same packages. Some venues had a one stop shop, some only had tables, some only had a DJ, and some only had four walls. So I also had to be strategic in making it all make sense.
One of the venues I toured was a picture perfect location, but after sitting down with coordinator I was told chairs, and tables were not included in the package I wanted. The venue however did offer an upgraded package that included chairs and tables at an additional cost but that price was pretty steep for an 8 hour rental period. Like many other couples I had a budget, and within this budget I needed to fit everything my wedding needed. My venue couldn’t take up the whole budget unless it was offering everything I needed.
Being the person I am, I went home and did some research and was blown away about what I found. The price of me buying 150 chairs was not significantly different than me renting the chairs or tables. After my wedding, I had plans on working as an event planner (the reason I was so hands on with my wedding planning in the beginning stages), but now I could offer more to my clients; affordable essential event rentals. My now husband and I sat down and made a list of the pros and cons of getting into the wedding business and the good outweighed the bad. It was a risk we both felt we should take. Luckily, I had a lot of experience in the professional field and had gained beneficial skills and knowledge in different areas that would help us along the way. My husband is good with numbers and financial management so it created a great balance between the two of us. We both had experience in the professional field, which established a nice foundation for us. Starting a business is not glitz and glam, it takes a solid foundation and ours came from observing and helping other people run their business and in return gaining the confidence and know-how to run our own. And that is how Sweet Sadie started.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My experience starting out as a new business owner was a bit hectic. Sweet Sadie was formed in 2018 while I worked full-time at a law firm, took care of our 2 year old daughter, and still in the process of planning our wedding. It was a lot and required consistent momentum no matter the odds. The main issues was expenses; starting a business and funding a wedding do not go well together. Money just kept going out the door. I had to make sure I purchased the inventory needed to supply the demand of chair rentals which was tricky because I had to know what the people wanted. You could purchase black chiavari chairs that may never get rented out, because you just never know. On top of that, I had to get the right wholesaler, deal with spikes in prices due to government changes, buy good quality equipment that would be durable over time, etc. There is so much logistic work in this side of the business.
I also struggled with how I was going to market and make my business heard. I did not have a lot of availability to go to networking events or a big budget for big advertisements. Thank God for social media because it has been the best tool besides word of mouth.
But mainly, I had to know what I could and could not handle. I have received inquiries of clients wanting 50 chairs to 500 chairs. As a new business, I started out small and therefore I had to take on what I could and turn down what I couldn’t while still keeping the confidence that one day I would be able to take on jobs that will need a thousand chairs. I had to be patient in the growth of my business.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Sweet Sadie – what should we know?
Sweet Sadie is a small event rental business. We have an array of chairs and tables for any and all type of events that we can deliver and pick up to all of Atlanta and many surrounding counties. My husband and I own and operate the business which allows us to be flexible for our clients. When you call Sweet Sadie, you will speak directly to my husband or me. We take pride in personally knowing our clients and working with them from start to finish and because we have been down this road before we have made it our top priority to offer top of the line, stress-free service at a reasonable cost.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My husband has been my number one supporter, along with friends and family. My husband has pretty much let me take the lead of operating the business which shows his trust in me and that he believes I can make Sweet Sadie successful. I appreciate him and everyone that encouraged me to go for it. At first it did seem a bit far fetched to friends and family when I voiced to them my plan to open up a business renting out chairs and tables but once I broke it down they all agreed it was a great idea and motivated me each step of the way.
I also have to give credit to all the moving wheels in this industry. I have learned so much from others through their blogs and social media postings and it has helped me tremendously in getting my business off the ground. Knowledge and inspiration is literally at our fingertips now a days and this is very beneficial to entrepreneurs. I have learned so much about business by what people are willing to share to help others.
Last but not least I have to thank God for giving me the strength and courage to go after it all.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sweetsadieco.com
- Phone: 404.545.3848
- Email: sweetsadieseats@yahoo.com
- Instagram: Sweetsadieco
- Facebook: Sweet Sadie LLC
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