If given the choice, most people probably wouldn’t want to work. Given that’s not a realistic option, their second choice is probably working at something they love, or that comes easily to them.

Finding that balance can be the key to success for a budding entrepreneur.

When Sasha Dutta founded Fierce Events, a wedding planning company, in early 2023, it was the result of stepping in to help at a friend’s wedding and realizing that she’d found something she loved doing.

“I was there as a guest, but I couldn’t help but step in as a photographer’s assistant to ensure he was capturing the perfect shots and that everyone looked their best,” Dutta said. “Two hours before the reception was about to start, the couple graciously allowed me to switch up the flow of the evening to optimize time and ensure they got photos with everyone in attendance. A month later, Fierce Events was born.”

The Florida-based Fierce Events provides comprehensive wedding planning services, from conceptualizing the couple’s vision to executing the fine details. Dutta also provides day-of operations services to ensure everything goes as planned.

She said she doesn’t plan to make Fierce Events her full-time focus. Dutta has a career in public relations. She started her own company because she wanted something that fed her passion.

“There’s that saying, ‘jobs are where passions go to die.’ I have multiple interests, and I think we’re increasingly seeing, especially as life expectancy rates go up and post-pandemic, people realizing they don’t have to stay in a specific box,” Sasha said. “In the U.S. especially, we tie our identities so closely to what we do for work. When I meet people, the second thing I tell them is what I do for work, and that’s not the case in other countries.”

Keeping Fierce Events as a passion project keeps her from burning out on doing something she loves, Dutta said and lets her be more flexible in how she pursues it. She only takes on a couple of clients a month, which leaves her time to enjoy her life outside of her two jobs.

It also has the added benefit of letting her charge clients less, which makes Fierce Events a more attractive option for those couples in the market for a wedding planner.

Her public relations skills have played a huge part in getting the business going.

“Network and leverage your network to spread the word about your business. Never underestimate the power of using your network to get connected with other prospects in the industry,” Sasha said. “When you do excellent work, your network will want to tell others about you, and word-of-mouth marketing is a major marketing strategy to win in client acquisition.”

She didn’t have a background in running a business, though, and that’s where she turned to her network. Sasha’s husband runs a startup named Silicon Assurance, so she said she often consulted with him about how to get going.

Even with her background in public relations, Fierce Events didn’t jump from idea to success overnight. Dutta said client acquisition in her first year was “a bit challenging.”

She said she struggled to find her niche at first, but once she found her space, she started connecting with other vendors who helped her build her business by referring clients to her, a favor she returns by referring her clients to them.

It’s also important to attend industry events. Dutta said she landed her first cold client (someone who wasn’t a friend or family member) from a wedding trade show. The person was impressed by meeting Dookhoo and followed up “immediately after the show ended.”

You also have to stay abreast of industry trends and talking points. Dutta said podcasts, such as The Bouquet Toss and The Wedding Biz, are invaluable resources.

Sasha said it’s also vital that a budding business be legitimate and look like it.

“This may seem easy enough, but so many small businesses in the wedding industry are not registered LLCs in their respective states, which is a major issue that clients can be unaware of until it’s too late,” Dutta said. “These businesses also don’t appear professional, lacking the basics like a website and company email.”

As for the technical side of things, Sasha said she’s always loved Google Workspace, so she didn’t have to consider anything when she started Fierce Events.

“It makes working from anywhere seamless. I could easily save files to the Drive and send cohesive and professional emails to clients, among a host of other functionalities,” Dutta said.

Her biggest piece of advice for anyone looking to start their own business is the same as many other entrepreneurs: to just do it.

“I think we all have this habit of waiting for perfection, and nothing needs to be perfect. We can soft launch things and get perfection along the way. The biggest barrier is just starting and getting your name out there,” Dutta said. “Word of mouth is so effective, and we forget that at times. Just start, make a splash, and see where you land. The worst you can do is not try.”

Author: David Borgogni