Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Becky Baker. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Becky , looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
Growing up, I was one of four children. My father was an alcoholic and addict, and we were pretty poor. I knew that there was more out there, and that I didn’t have to live the way I grew up forever. I knew I wanted to live a different lifestyle as an adult and one day as a mom. I didn’t know exactly how to get there, but I thought if I worked really hard I could change the trajectory of my future. During high school, I thought the key was to graduate, figure out how to pay my way through college, and get a corporate 8-5, which is what I did. A few years later I launched Becky’s Brides and worked on that simultaneously for a few years until I was exceeding my corporate income with my business. I’ve always had a strong work ethic, because I wanted more. I wanted more for myself and for my children. These days my work ethic is driven by being able to create a legacy for my children. They are able to experience the world in a way that I never did, and that inspires and encourages me to work hard every day.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am the founder and executive wedding planner at Becky’s Brides where we plan timeless, joyful weddings throughout the Southeast. We have the unique gift of being able to walk our couples through such a special season, and prepare for one of the most exciting milestones of their lives – the celebration of their marriage. We focus on providing a tailored, seamless planning process so our couples can enjoy their engagement. Our goal is to get to know each of our couples on a personal level so we can work to plan a wedding that is a true reflection of their personality and style. We believe that Southern hospitality is the cornerstone of every great event, and we pride ourselves on prioritizing the guest experience at each of our couples’ weddings. Wedding planning is known to be stressful by many, but it’s such an exciting time in life and we want our couples to feel celebrated and stress free during this season. It’s an honor to be selected to work with the inspiring couples that we get to work with!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
In my opinion the three most important qualities/skills that have allowed my company to grow are:
– Understanding that relationship are our most valuable asset, and working hard to foster genuine relationships with both our clients and our creative partners
– Kindness and empathy are underestimated qualities these days. People will forget a lot of things, but they rarely forget how you made them feel. Being kind and having empathy for people will take you far.
– Understanding marketing is pivotal in any business. I can be an incredible wedding planner, but if I don’t understand how to market my company I won’t have any couples to plan for. If this is not a skillset you have, it’s worth it to hire it out.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
As Becky’s Brides has grown, my team has also had to grow to meet the demand. I don’t particularly love managing people internally, but it is necessary. Finding the right people for my company has been a very long journey. Understanding personalities, understanding that different personalities need to be managed differently, understanding how to clearly communicate things…these are all things I’ve struggled with. I did a coaching call with a company who helps small businesses grow their teams and they suggested that I hire based on chemistry and not experience. They said I can teach someone how to do the tasks needed, but if they don’t have the chemistry to fit in with my team and serve our clients they way I do, then experience won’t overshadow that. I have taken that advice to heart, and it’s been pivotal in our most recent hires.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.beckysbrides.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckysbrides
Image Credits
Hannah Miller Photography
Eric and Jamie Photography
Niki Marie Photography
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