Today we’d like to introduce you to Jarrett Kirby
Hi Jarrett, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I really got started by getting into music while I was in high school. I found such a passion for performing, that it continued into college, where I joined the campus activities board. I spent the entirety of my college career actively engaged in student leadership and activities, and traveled the region for conferences.
After I graduated, I wanted to keep doing events, because it’s where I found my closest friends and greatest joy. I founded My own company, Kartel Events and Entertainment, shortly after I graduated. Ever since then, for almost 10 years, I’ve continued putting on automotive, music, and hybrid events for my community.
It’s with the support of that same community that we’ve gotten as far as we have. In 2025, we’re looking to expand into wedding planning, hosting collectible trade shows, and add more festival style events. Next year, we intend to start hosting in other major cities up the Eastern seaboard!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As with most business owners, it’s always a struggle. I see statistics everyday that state roughly 90% of startups fail in the first 5 years, or similar numbers. I’m so grateful and blessed to say that we’re celebrating 8 years in 2025, despite a lot of grief from people who don’t want to see us succeed.
At the end of the day, the supporters vastly outnumber the people trying to drag you down, and we’ve done our very best to make our road alongside those same supporters.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I tell people all the time that we specialize in things you haven’t seen yet! The fact that we can put a hybrid event together faster than anyone else I’ve ever seen continues to be a pleasant surprise for our clients. We’re able to combine our network, our community, and our clients vision to put on events that most people don’t believe are possible.
I’m probably most proud of the fact we’ve made it nearly a decade in spite of the odds, especially coming through COVID in 2020. We took the year that sunk so many businesses, and it was our largest growth year. In the first half of our business. People needed a place to go that still maintained government guidelines on event planning, and we were one of the only businesses in Atlanta to pull that off successfully.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
The only thing that I wish I knew when I started out, was that my personal social media would be tied into almost everything for the first several years. I really do not enjoy social media, but as a business owner, you have to learn so many algorithms and platforms that you may not have anticipated before.
My biggest piece of advice is not to give up when you haven’t had a day off in months and not seen the progress you want. You’re going to see that progress show up quicker and quicker the farther you keep it going.
Pricing:
- Open House Coordination, includes food truck, starting at $800
- DJ / Photographer services, starting at $400
- Private Valet services, starting at $1200
- City Festival Coordination, starting at $2200
- Monthly Retainer, starting at $1200
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kartel.life
- Instagram: Kartel.lifestyle
- Facebook: Kartel..life
