Today we’d like to introduce you to Simone Johnson.
Simone, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve learned that others will identify the greatness that is in you before you identify the greatness that’s in your self. Pure Elegance was born as a result of a friend of mine who put me on the spot to plan a wedding. I have a friend who’s brother and his wife had decided to tie the knot, not aware of the couple’s decision because I was traveling I received a phone call “Simone my brother is getting married and you have to plan the wedding”, my response was “okay, when is the wedding? End of May 2014, so I only have 3 months to plan?1…Yes” I accepted the challenge and I started planning the wedding. Thinking back She did not ask me if I could plan the wedding or did I want to plan the wedding I was just appointed to do the job.
With not much time to plan and coordinate all the details, I quickly jumped into action and started working.
That was my first taste of wedding planning and the adrenaline rush that I felt in planning that wedding was a feeling that I wanted to experience again. I contacted vendors, venues and despite the short notice, everything worked out well for my first attempt at planning. After planning the wedding I took some time and prayed about what steps next to take. I got the business going, created a logo and then started to reach out to other planners volunteering my time in exchange for learning the business. I connected with everyone I could possibly connect with.
In my first year, I had the opportunity of working with Custom Couture Bridal & Formal Gown Designer Nneka Alexander (Brides By Nona) who is from Atlanta but is know across the world. While I loved how a beautiful a wedding looked at the conclusion, I realized in my first year that I was now starting to become more open to other possibilities. I organize, I work well under pressure and I’m a people person, I quickly learned that these skills were great for another area in planning that I would quickly flourish in production. Pure Elegance Wedding was a foot in the door, in my second year, Pure Elegance Event Services was developed. We got into fashion working production, I was able to do some backstage management, and styling.
Almost 4 years into the business I’ve had the opportunity to travel and work with celebrities such as Angela Simmons, Nicole Murphy, Taye Diggs, Chris Spencer, Anthony Anderson, George Lopez and the list goes on. We are still learning and every opportunity I get, I volunteer my services and give back my time and gifts to organizations and events.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Being an entrepreneur is definitely not a smooth road, you can’t do it all alone and you will have to test what works for you. I’ve had to rebrand several times, What I once used to think was a loss of money. I know realize that it was an investment or an expensive way of learning. Marketing and trying to figure out what works best for my brand especially as we transitioned from being a wedding planner into doing more production and now working predominantly in fashion was a big step financially but I understand that we will make mistakes as we grow.
Connecting with the right people. Often times we see people who we admire and aspire to work with and when given the opportunity you realize maybe not everything glitters is gold.
In a world where were social media is so important and a platform that is also constantly changing it can be a bit of a challenge trying to keep up. The demands to keep up especially when you’re running a small business is not easy, so marketing and finding the right platform that will for one’s business is challenging.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Pure Elegance Event Services – what should we know?
Pure Elegance Events Services is a production and fashion planning company that provides services exclusively to the fashion industry. We specialize in providing services to the fashion industry by providing backstage management, fashion production, and fashion stylist. For a small company that has been around for a short time, we have had the opportunity of working with several celebrities. While we started out in the wedding industry, we quickly realized that our niche was to work exclusively in the fashion industry.
Our attention to details and imaginative creativity have earned us a reputation for being highly sought-out fashion event planning company. Our willingness to execute ideas and concepts seamlessly while maintaining a trusted, pleasant and positive environment and amazing experience are some of the things that sets us apart from others
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
First and foremost God deserves the credit, and yes I have had, and still continues to have mentors, supporters etc. that has and continues to play a big role in the success of Pure Elegance. Having a successful business requires teamwork, time management, organizational, and excellent communication skills with great customer services. I have great friends and family members who assist in marketing, social media, and customer services. Pure Elegance Event Services thrives to be the best at all times, so we continue to research and create innovative ideas on how to best serve our customers.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.pureeleganceeventservices.com
- Phone:404-661 7926
- Email:simone.pureeleganceevents@gmail.com
Image Credit:
Umeek Images
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