Today we’d like to introduce you to Melanie Collins.
Melanie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Growing up I was always asked what I wanted to do or who did I wanted to be. I always had a plan for what I wanted to do and how I was going to get there. Then life happened! I am nowhere near or even close to what I planned for myself when I was an adolescent. I would say that plan A and plan B is now plan X.
I graduated high school, went to college, changed my major my second year of college, got a job my senior year at a world renown hospital, graduated college with a bachelors degree, went to graduate school, interned with the federal government, and graduated with a masters degree. These are such great accomplishments in my life that I have earned and am so proud of. Despite the many goals that I have achieved in my life, it is never as fulfilling as what I want to achieve now, which is starting a brand called EMME. EMME Events is housed under the EMME umbrella, as I have great plans for this household name. I came up with the name because I am truly obsessed with my initials, specifically, my first initial. It has always been a definition of strength for me that solidifies who I am and what I aspire to be.
To make it a bit trendy, I came up with “EMME” as my household name (it’s coming) and EMME Events will start that journey for it to grow and flourish. I was so excited to finally start what I have actually desired to do for quite some time. I have always been told that I have a servants heart, that I am efficient and could plan things well; I can get the job done. I used to run from that because although I am okay with being number two or being the one that serves, in the background, I felt like I needed to always do more; what a comparison trap…then I woke up! I am okay with making something out of nothing. I love seeing my clients smile and be so pleased at how their event went; at how much their guests enjoyed the experience. That is what matters to me most. I am finally doing something that I love to do, which is serve others and make them happy. That is the gift that God has given me…to serve. Planning, designing, and coordinating events are so much fun! It is always so nice to see an idea become a beautiful reality and it is even better to know that your vision or the vision that you were told to execute turned out to be so amazing. It is a true adrenaline rush to complete satisfaction.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Heck no! Executing a business off the ground is no walk in the park. You must have perseverance and a heart for it. I needed to do extensive research and I still actively research and educate myself within this industry. Thankfully, I have learned so much from my husband. He is an executive in the automotive industry and is such a big deal (to me, at least). I am his greatest fan. I feel like I have favoritism from my business professor. My husband shows me the ropes from marketing to business infrastructure, branding, and the list goes on. He is the one who really inspired me to do something for myself and see it through. It has not been easy to get EMME Events off the ground but with the right support, courage, and belief in yourself, it is beautiful hard work.
Please tell us about EMME Events.
EMME Events is a complete consulting company for event planning and coordination. We can plan corporate events, weddings, private parties, bachelor/bachelorette parties, and trips; the list goes on. We can be really involved in the process or we can just be there the day of to take away the stress of the logistics so that our clients can enjoy their event. I am most proud of the fact that clients trust our vision to execute what they want to see in their most memorable experiences. EMME Events wants to approach each client with compassion and detail. It is important for our consultants to build relationships with our clients no matter the size of the event, the budget, the venue…no matter what. Each client or potential client is VIP at EMME Events.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I would have definitely did some soul searching of what I wanted to do and stuck with it. Taking risks can be quite intimidating but you have to believe in yourself. The influence of the time when I was growing up was to go college, get a degree, and work. I truly admire this current generation for their tenacity to do what they love, to fulfill what they believe makes them who they are. Sometimes that does not look like the cookie cutter life that I was influenced to be. I also believe that life happens the way that God wants you to live it and each persons path is different, so with that, I would not change a thing because this is where I am supposed to be. This is what I am supposed to be doing at this moment of my life and this is what I should be sharing so that the next person who can relate to this story can learn and grow differently than I did.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.emme.life
- Phone: 832-205-8093
- Email: emmeinquiries@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/emme_events_
- Facebook: facebook.com/emmeeventsgroup/
- Twitter: twitter.com/emme_events
- Other: pinterest.com/emme_events
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