Today we’d like to introduce you to Haines Jones.
Hi Haines, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Growing up in a family of entrepreneurs, I always had a feeling I would start my own business one day. Even beginning at age 12, I enjoyed working for myself doing various odd jobs to serve others. This included pet sitting, babysitting, yard work, errands for the elderly, volunteering at local food banks, you name it. I’ve always had a heart for serving others. Meanwhile I’ve also always loved creating community and celebrations. I’ve also always naturally gravitated toward being the leader creating such environments. On half-days at school, my parents would not be surprised to come home and find dozens of middle-schoolers in our backyard while I passed out sodas and snacks. Making others feel welcome and taken care of has always sparked joy for me.
My servant’s heart and love for leadership and problem solving led me to pursue a career in healthcare consulting after college. After graduating with my master’s degree in Healthcare Administration and a bachelor’s in engineering, I worked for Duke University Hospital and later had a stint at a smaller healthcare consulting firm based in Durham. However, my time in the corporate world was brief. All the while, I had a desire to own and run my own business.
I decided to start Significant Events in 2022, but my experience and work in the events industry stems further back in time. While in college, I was the programming director for Greek life and led events for thousands of Panhellenic women. While in my corporate roles, I oversaw social events to build a healthy community outside of the workplace. So, starting an event planning company felt like a natural progression. Meanwhile, I was in an age where peers all around me were getting married and celebrating life’s milestones, and I felt drawn to the industry.
I started Significant Events as a team of wedding planners in Raleigh in a part time capacity. However, six months later, I was laid off from my corporate job. Therefore, I took my severance pay, invested in coaching and better infrastructure, and never looked back. Since then, Significant Events has executed over 100 weddings, mitzvahs, and other social celebrations. I have enjoyed the independence of working for myself, and am proud to say that I have started and continue to run a successful event planning company.
Today, Significant Events is a full service North Carolina wedding planning company. We execute weddings and other social events across the Southeast and we are continuing to expand.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
All entrepreneurs know that the path in business ownership is never smooth. I was lucky to start my business in the “post-covid boom” of the wedding industry. Getting business during that time was not too challenging, especially with my lower rates as I was just getting started. Many years later, we are starting to see the industry settle into a more stable supply and demand. As a result, bookings are slower and we have to work harder to secure clients that are the right fit. I am lucky that I have gained enough experience to identify who my ideal client is. However, adapting to the rapidly changing economy and the scale at which technology is evolving has certainly been a challenge to this day.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
At Significant Events, we are proud to serve our clients with a high attention to detail. As the lead planner and owner of the company, I am committed to serving a select number of full service clients each year so that we can ensure every client is given the attention to detail and creativity they deserve. We are with our clients from start to finish. This means we support with venue selection, vendor contracting, creative designs, and everything in between.
In particular, our team is known for being highly communicative and we excel in creative problem solving. We are committed to truly thinking through something for our clients before ever saying no. We believe that the hospitality industry should always lean toward saying yes. Furthermore, we believe that a luxury service should match a white glove experience, and we are committed to ensuring our clients are blown away and well taken care of at every point in the process.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Owning a business instead of having a corporate salary with benefits is a risk in and of itself. I took a risk when I left the corporate world to run Significant Events, and I am lucky that my hard work has paid off. I believe that taking risks in business is essential, but should be well thought out. I believe in calculated risks with evidence behind them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://significantevents.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/significant_events_/
