Q & A with Amanda Douglas Events | Winnipeg Event Planner

Hello! And welcome to our second Q & A with Amanda Douglas Events post!

Firstly, thank you to everyone who submitted a question! We look forward to many posts where we can answer them all for you! We’ll try and answer them as they come in but we’ll be keeping each post to four questions (something to look forward to for the next post!)

So let’s get right into it (Answers from Amanda herself):

Did you always have a long term vision for your success?

Yes and no. I’m a planner to my core. Ever since I was little I planned. I can’t remember the last time I haven’t had a 5 year plan.

I can remember one summer in day camp, we were supposed to go through magazines and look for pictures to do a craft. I found a picture of this log cabin bed that had a built in room underneath (I know right?! Pretty great!). I snuck the picture home and for the following few years I poked my dad about it until I got it. He tried to change my mind and get me to go for something else but I framed that magazine clipping, put it up on the wall and waited, reminded, explained, and pitched why I wanted that bed. I got it and had it until I was 18 (when we moved out of that house).

I’ve always known what I’ve wanted and have planned for it. I’m not someone that jump into something until I’ve done a good amount of research and sat on the idea for a while until I see it clearly. Then when I do go after something I go after it with everything I have.

I wanted to be an event planner for a long time but I honestly didn’t think it would work. I’m not a huge fan of taking risks (who is?!) so I sat on it and just kept going on in life and going after other goals of mine (traveling, getting married, buying a house, dog, new car, building lasting relationships, reading more books, going to school, you get the idea). In a way I sort of ran out of goals and was left with doing work I hated. Sometimes it takes life (and God) cornering me to get me to choose the right thing.

But the rest is mainly history AND I even now have a promo video to share a little bit more about my company and successes and how I got started and I couldn’t be more thrilled with where I am today and what I get to do everyday! (The video if you want to check it out, cause you should : )

How much money did you start up your company with?

$0, sort of. Along with being a planner at my core I’m also a habitual saver. The whole “save for a rainy day” thing? Well I save as if a flood is coming (ok, I’m maybe not that bad, but you get the idea). So I had money in the bank but I didn’t have certain money just for starting my business.

I went in wanting to put in as little as I could, to start, and building on it as I went. I begain with building my own site and working social media as much as I could. As I went I learnt what I wanted to spend my money on and what would give me the most bang for my buck.

I’m not sure I would suggest this route for everyone, so if you are thinking of starting a planning company 1) Keep your day job until you can afford to leave it 2) Have at least $5,000 in the bank (for your website, advertising, maybe some event clothes, emergency kit, etc)

How do you work with commissioners and religious leaders? How much do you do or not do?

I always make sure the couple has let the commissioner/paster know they have hired a planner to be a part of the day. That is VERY important. When I get there I make sure introducing myself and letting them know what I will be doing (and not doing) is one of the first things that happens. Things should be clear, and easy, and they should feel comfortable with me and I want to feel comfortable with them. Depending on the religion I might simply just be in the back and only really giving the cues for the wedding party when they enter and telling them how to stand and hold their flowers/hands.