If you’re unhappy with your job and considering quitting to start a wedding planning business, you’re not alone. It’s difficult to stay in a job that makes you unhappy when you’re already making some money as a part time wedding planner, but don’t quit until you’ve reviewed the questions in my Q&A today.
Question
I have a full time job, which I hate, and I would like to quit.
I have been planning weddings part time and I have a wedding to plan every month through the end of the year.
My family and friends think I should quit and start a wedding planning business full time but I’m not sure I’m ready now, I’m scared of losing my salary.
What do you think?
Answer
Your family and friends want you to be happy but only you know if you are ready to take the risk. You need to feel comfortable financially and be confident that you’ll succeed.
Here are 7 questions to answer as you think of moving from part time to full time wedding planner:
1) Are you ready to make a major life change?
Your daily life will change completely. You’ll enjoy spending more time working with brides and planning weddings but having your own business means doing more than planning weddings. You’ll need to be able to handle a variety of tasks including creating your daily schedule, managing your business finances, marketing your business, and even troubleshooting problems with your technology.
And, your family needs to be prepared to support you financially and emotionally throughout your transition from employee to entrepreneur.
2) Do you have the money you’ll need to start and run your business?
The costs of starting a wedding planning business are low but you’ll still need to make some purchases. For example, you’ll need to get a business license, buy equipment for your office and invest money in marketing and advertising.
3) Do you have money available to support you as you are becoming successful?
You should have money set aside so you do not feel desperate if you don’t attract a lot of brides right away. Desperation scares off brides! You’ll need to have savings available or the financial support of your family.
4) Are you focused, self-motivated, and prepared to work harder than you might be doing in your current full time job?
As I mentioned above, not only will you be planning weddings, you will be taking on many different tasks as you run your business. This means you have to be willing to work longer hours and be more committed to your work than you might be in your current full time job.
5) Are you bold and willing to do what it takes to get and keep clients?
Planning one wedding a month, unless they are very high-end, luxury weddings, probably won’t support you financially. You’ll need to continuously attract new brides in order to have a successful business. To do this you have to be willing to get out, meet people, and talk to them about the benefits of your wedding planning services. You’ll also have to be active online.
And, since you are putting yourself out in public, you’ll need to be able to handle yourself professionally when people disagree or are critical of you face-to-face and online.
6) Are you prepared to be an employer?
You’ll want to be able to plan multiple weddings at one time so you’ll need to hire assistants. This means you’ll need the confidence to interview, hire and manage people so they maintain your standards of high quality customer service.
7) Do you know if there is a big interest in the services you’ll offer?
This is very important, you must offer services that you know brides will want to buy from you. It’s perfect that you’re already planning weddings part time, you can easily ask what attracted your brides to you and what additional services they would have been willing to get from you, then offer those services too. (Don’t forget to get testimonials and photos from their weddings so you can add them to your portfolio and website.)
If you answered “yes” to these questions, you may be ready to quit. If not, figure out what it would take for you to be in a place in which you could answer “yes” to everything, set a date by which you will make it happen and take action.
And if you want more help to become a top wedding planner, sign in to get my ezine “Wedding Planner Tips.”
