We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kendra Furlow a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kendra, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
Being a part of 2 groups that can fit into the minority, being a woman and being a black woman. In the planning industry, I am a lot of times the only black woman in a lot of spaces. I am a very detail oriented person and I just make sure that my skills are emphasized. By that I mean, I sometimes have to prove my skills and in doing that, I leave no room for anyone to have anything negative to comment on. I am confident in who I am as a person and I am even more confident in my ability to successfully carry out an event. Being the only one that looks like me, allows for me to showcase my skills and elevate other women (all races) and show that we, ourselves can be our biggest factor in our failure or success no matter what the room looks like.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am a wife and mom of 3 AMAZING children. Kierrian age 17(son), Braylin age 14 (daughter), and Kestyn age 10 (son). I am a Director of Development for Faith Alive Ministries, a faith based nonprofit. I am also a wedding and event planner. Planning is my passion. Planning and carrying out events is what excites me. I am allowed to be the creative I am and I get to see people in their happiest times. I started off crafting and helping with decor for showers and parties. Then I started helping friends and family plan small parties and baby and bridal showers. My husband then started his DJ company and I started helping him with assisting the clients with planning questions and concerns and my love for planning took off. I planned weddings for my husband for a while and then went to work for a restaurant and venue. I found myself to be my happiest self when I was planning and knew that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.
I now plan for my company, Kendra Furlow Events while also planning fundraising events for Faith Alive Ministries.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The biggest thing is, although I have an eye for detail and for what creatively looks aesthetically pleasing, the client’s vision is the most important. It took a while but I learned to never force my likes/wants onto the client. Listen to the client and really take in their request. Opinions are always needed but never force your vision onto the client. Pay attention to detail and always think outside the box. When planning events, you never know what will happen. Always have a back up plan.
Have fun. It is hard to ensure a client that their event will go as smoothly as possible when you have an uptight personality. Get to know your client and make sure you are meeting their needs.
My advice to beginning planners is to practice as much as possible. If you have a mentor, take in as much of the experience as possible. Ask questions to planners with more experience. Research before taking on any event that you are not comfortable and be honest with the client.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I am always looking to collaborate with people in the wedding and event industry. I love to network with other planners to see their perspective and just learn from them. I can be reached by email or on social media.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kendrafurlowevents/?img_index=1
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kendrafurlowevents
- Other: https://www.zola.com/wedding-vendors/wedding-planners/kendra-furlow-events
