Daily Inspiration: Meet Tiffany Carver

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiffany Carver.

Hi Tiffany, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve always loved event planning, crafting and DIY projects. Several years ago, I got my certification in wedding planning and had coordinated/planned a few weddings, including my own.  Unfortunately, life got too busy and I didn’t have the time and revenue to build or sustain a wedding planning business so I let it go.

Around 2015, I started crafting as a hobby and as a means of stress relief. I was experiencing a lot of stress and crafting became my escape. Friends began to request personalized items and that eventually lead to a lot of referrals. I was making tumblers and t-shirts and other personalized crafts which I really enjoyed. I didn’t intend to start a business so initially, it was more of a side hustle for about 5 years. In 2019, my daughter turned 16 and so I planned/designed/decorated a beautiful celebration for her (with the help of friends and family of course).

Once people saw what I was capable of, they began to encourage me to expand my services. I had long wanted to incorporate event planning and decor into my side hustle but was afraid that the market was too saturated. I eventually built up the courage to try it out but then the pandemic hit so most events came to a screeching halt and I again had to put events on the back burner. I turned 40 in 2021 and decided to have a small party/business launch and gifted myself my LLC! So in October of 2021 Carver Customs was officially born. Since then I have had the opportunity to do many different kinds of events and I continue to offer custom apparel and gifts as well.

I’m still growing as an entrepreneur and this path is sometimes scary and frustrating but I keep pushing. I have support from my husband, family, and friends so that helps. Most importantly I have a daughter who is now a college freshman and she’s watching me. I want to set an example for her. I want her to see a strong, smart, hardworking woman who works a 9-5, manages a household, and still pursues her dreams.

Eventually, I’d love to be able to walk away from my 9-5 and work solely for myself and own my own event facility but until that happens I’ll keep working and building this business as best I can. I’m excited for what the future holds and I so appreciate being able to share part of my story with you.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s not always smooth. This line of business is very competitive and the market is heavily saturated. Word of mouth and networking are vital in building this type of business and I’m not always able to “get out there” and meet new people. I work a full-time job and up until this year I was constantly at games and events and practices with my daughter so there was no “extra time” to network.

I’ve also struggled with imposter syndrome and self-doubt. I’ve definitely been my own biggest obstacle at times. There is so much awesome talent in this area so it can be intimidating. 

Running a business can also be intimidating and overwhelming at times. I’ve learned that there is so much more to being a business owner than just making nice things and designing beautiful events. Handling marketing, building inventory, having ample storage space, bookkeeping and so much more are all things that I have to handle on my own right now. I wasn’t prepared initially but I am steadily learning and growing into a smarter, better business owner. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As I mentioned before, I work a full-time job. I work for UNC-Chapel Hill in an administrative role. From time to time, I get to incorporate my event planning and decor skills into my job which I enjoy.

As far as my business goes, my most popular requests are for personalized apparel and now balloon decor for events. Full event décor requests are starting to pick up too and that is super exciting!  No matter what service I offer, I put 100% into producing a product/event so that my customers get exactly what they envisioned and more. My attention to detail and my ability to help bring my customer’s visions to life help set me apart.

I’m proud of the number of repeat customers I have. To me, that means I’m doing something right! It means a lot when you have people who come to you when you know that they know others who offer similar services.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
This industry continues to grow by leaps and bounds and I don’t see that ever changing. People will always want to celebrate special occasions and they’ll always want custom items that only they have or that have special meaning for them. 

Baby showers these days rival wedding receptions in some instances! Lol. Events  of all types are becoming even more luxurious and I don’t see that slowing down any time soon!

Contact Info:

• Email: carvercustomsllc@gmail.com
• Website: www.carvercustomsllc.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/carvercustomsllc
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/carvercustomsllc

Image Credits
Chocolate Girl Photography and Quinton Smith