Rebecca Grinnals and Kathryn Arce, veterans of the wedding industry for over 20 years, met in the early Nineteen Nineties. While working at Walt Disney World Resort, where they bred Disney weddings for $ 100 million per 12 months. “It was a bit like lightning in the bottle for the first time when we had the opportunity to cooperate,” says Grinnals Entrepreneur. “We had the opportunity to cooperate with some really cool projects, and it was a really shaping time.”
Image loan: Courtesy of Engage! Peaks. Kathryn Arce, on the left and Rebecca Grinnals, on the right.
After Disneyie, Grinnals and Ark began consulting, helping hotels, resorts and tourist boards around the world to develop their wedding and newlywater firms. In this manner, the duo discovered a significant gap in the industry: there was no event that combined various buyers, suppliers and suppliers focused at luxurious weddings.
What if we were in a position to gather everyone in peace and conduct these really amazing, significant conversations that may help support entrepreneurs and small firms that drive the wedding industry? Co -founders think.
So Grinnals and Ark arrange a conference to do this: get involved! Silesia, currently a brand price many millions of dollars.
Image loan: Corbin Gurkin. Get involved! in Paris, 2023.
It was April 2008, when the co -founders decided to maneuver forward with an idea for commitment! Silesia – and their first conference can be June. Having only six weeks on a one -day event in the Orlando Celebration Hotel, Grinnals and Ark began to work and leaned on their industry contacts. Seventy -five people participated.
“We were able to invite [celebrity wedding planners] Preston Bailey and Marcy Blum were our VIP speakers: “Ark recalls.” We also invited Harmony Walton, the founder of The Bridal Bar to come and provide insight into the trends she saw. And then the editor with Target weddings and honeymoon. “
The event was a hit. Bailey and Blum have opened on building their very own successful firms over the years and challenges – relative experiences for everyone present. In the morning after the conference, the participant blogged how useful it was and said that he couldn’t wait again.
Then Grinnals and Ark knew they were on the right track. They continued their consultation work and built commitment! The peaks as a kind of “side hustle and bustle” for the next decade, organizing one or two events each 12 months, before full -time in 2018.
“In many cases, [we had one business] Give the other in a very ecological and natural way. “
Of course, co -founders relied on their experience in the industry, using the capabilities of the crossover, if possible to develop! The peaks in power are today. For example, the Tourism Department of the Kajman Islands was a longtime consulting client and they led Engage! Peaks on the Kajman Islands five times.
“In many cases, [we had one business] Give the second in a very ecological and natural way, “explains Grinnals.” I think that many people who have their own companies find ways to not be completely divergent, but are able to run and support. “
After the events organized in Mexico and the Caribbean Engage! The peaks staged their first event based in Europe in Puglia, Italy in 2016, which until then attracted the most international audience and began the years of organization around the world. Get involved! The upcoming Summit event in Tuscany will rejoice the forty eighth place, and the brand will rejoice the fiftieth place in London this July.
For 17 years, get involved! Summits hosted 43 sold out events with 50 five -star luxury real estate, with over 7,500 participants from 45 states and 35 countries. The brand also has over 100 million experiences of social media and media.
Image loan: Anya Kernes. Get involved! In Boca Raton, 2023.
“Basically, owners of small businesses and entrepreneurs need a community.”
Conferences still cultivate the environment in which business owners can personally connect, which will be difficult to get in today’s digital world. Virtual connections and relationships in social media will be useful network tools, but they are not replaced for these personal conversations, especially for entrepreneurs, say co -founders.
“Being an entrepreneur is really exciting, but it can also be very insulating,” says Grinnals, “Especially when you sit in your office all day at Zoom, it is so easy to think that everyone else is getting better than you or no one else is struggling. Basically, owners of small businesses and entrepreneurs need a community. They need the opportunity to be in a safe space to share the best practices. “
Engage! The event of the peaks in Tuscany can host suppliers from 22 different countries, connecting them in one place to speak through challenges and support each other. Because regardless of the special area of the company owner, they share one goal: serving their couples as best they can.
“Personally, she could go through various scenarios [other business owners is something] We discovered that you cannot repeat yourself and is really invaluable in building successful and strong profitable companies, “adds Grinnals.
“We wanted to dream of larger and better with every event.”
Co -founders encourage beginner entrepreneurs who have an idea for their very own business based on events to prosecute their great ambitions, even if they seem discouraging at the starting.
“We were not afraid to ask for things,” says Arce. “We wanted to dream of a larger and better event. If you have an idea, map him as best they can and see how things are. Learn, introduce changes and go forward. Surround yourself with love and positive people who believe in what you do. There is no restrictions for anything you can create and dream. “
Grinnals agrees and adds that making contacts in order to find out the informal “advisory advice or directors’ management”, apart from a specific activity, he can provide help to advance as an entrepreneur.
“It is easy to stay really focused on a laser person who runs your type of business,” he explains Grinnals, “But it is really powerful to create networks of various people who understand the nuances of your company, but also do it in a different way and understand it [the industry-specific challenges]. Find people that they are a solving board, giving and receive advice from each other, as well as having a small group of people you can call [on] And trust. “
This article is part of our current series of women entrepreneur® emphasizing the stories, challenges and triumphs of running a company as a woman