Latest / The Preferred List: A Wedding Vendor Podcast / Episode 23 From A Basement Of Decor To Full-Service, Custom Rentals: Nittany Valley Events

Transcript

Episode 23 From A Basement Of Decor To Full-Service, Custom Rentals: Nittany Valley Events · The Preferred List: A Wedding Vendor Podcast

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to The Preferred List, a podcast about the people behind the best wedding days.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_00: I'm James, a wedding filmmaker.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_00: I've spent years in the industry working alongside incredible vendors, and this show is all about the real conversations with one to make it happen.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_00: Whether you're a vendor or a couple, you'll get honest insight, good stories, and maybe a little inspiration along the way.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_00: Let's be at today's wedding vendors.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: Hey Rob and Ellie, how's it going?
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: How are you?
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: Good.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_00: I'm so glad to have you guys on.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: Um Rob and Ellie run Nittany Valley Events.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: It's an event rental company here in State College.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm so excited to dive into more of what that all looks like for you guys and to hear about your experience.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: Um but before we do, we're still here at Harmony Forge Inn.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_00: Harmony Forge Inn is nestled into the Rolling Hills of Belfont, just 15 minutes away from Penn State.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_00: It features a historic house built in 1795, a newly remodeled creekside lodge, and a rustic barn with some modern touches.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: And you guys know the owners here, fantastic people.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: Fantastic people.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: And they're doing so much to the space to make it even better than what it was before.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: And if you guys have seen some of the stuff they're doing here, it's just like it's so cool.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_02: I wish I had a fourth of the energy that they had.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_01: Casey and Billy have been great to us.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, they've helped recommend us and just really um, you know, brought us sort of on their team as uh vendors here.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_01: And yeah, they've been great.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's so fun.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_00: And I feel like there's always something new that I hear Billy's working on.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's always a new project and they're always tackling it with, like you said, just so much energy.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_02: I don't know when they sleep.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: We were joking with him today.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, how did you get off today?
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_01: Because he's he's working all the time here or at work.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you guys are in the event rental space.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_00: Um, tell me a little bit about how you guys got started.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: Where's all this begin for the two of you?
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_01: Sure.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so we're coming up on year two right now.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_01: We probably about two years ago exactly, is when we started talking about this.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_01: We officially got our LLC about two years ago in October.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_01: Um Allie's background is in event planning.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_01: She got a degree in recreation park tourism management here at Penn State in uh specializing in event management.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so she and her mom, for as long as I've known Allie, whether it's a birthday party or Thanksgiving or Christmas, go all out.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_01: So their basement is a treasure trove of decor and everything you can imagine.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_01: So um for years, you know, after various weddings and showers, we have friends, family say, Hey, you still have that?
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_01: You still have this?
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_01: Can we borrow it?
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_01: And when Allie was between jobs, um, after having our baby and it was time to go back to work, we kind of said, you know, I think there's a space in that industry for us, and what do we have to lose?
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_01: Let's give it a shot.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_02: My biggest thing was I knew I was going to be like I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, but I also, you know, I had these passions, you know, of I've always said to him that I want to, you know, have an event rental or, you know, our end goal is to have a venue one day.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_02: Like that's that's our goal.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but I just wanted to be, you know, be able to be a stay-at-home mom, create my own hours, but still be able to fulfill my passions that you know I I have.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_02: You know, you you don't have to the world doesn't have to stop once you have a kid, you know.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, you can create your own hours and you know, a lot of times she's helping me now.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_02: So I have a little helper.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_00: She has all the opinions, right?
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_02: Our biggest critic.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_00: Quality control.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_00: There you go.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: That's so fun.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_00: So it started out with the basement treasure trove of like, was it like knick-knacks that you're kind of like gathering, or was it like it was a lot of stuff from our wedding, honestly?
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_02: Because me and my mom, we bought all the decor, we made a lot of the decor.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_02: And um, so it was a lot of like it was most uh mostly decor.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_02: And then once we started the business, we were like, we'll just keep it decor, we'll keep it small, keep it simple, and then it just kept growing.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_02: You know, people are like, Well, I love your decor, but do you have tables and chairs?
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_02: And we're like, I guess we should get those.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_02: And they're like, Well, do you have linens?
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, might as well add them on.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, we kind of wanted to be like, let's be a one-stop shop instead of having to, you know, go for you know, people to have to go to different vendors, you know, try and make it easier and just one-stop shop.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_00: So you're Rob, are you like in the basement and you're like, we could totally have an event rental space?
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I'm always, I guess I would say wheeling and dealing.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_01: I'm always trying to figure out the next thing.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm looking at things and I'm like, you know, we could really do a lot with this.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_01: And and also one of my passions and something I've done for a long time is woodworking.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_01: So uh stop.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, we're gonna have a whole podcast episode about woodworking.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_00: I'd be happy to.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_01: I I could turn this into a woodworking podcast right now.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_01: But um, you know, a lot of uh weddings now, people see stuff on Pinterest, Etsy other things, and a lot of people are looking for custom signs, custom arch, custom, you know, bars, all sorts of things.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_01: And there's no real place around here, at least, you know, that you can just go and say, hey, I want, I want this.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_01: So we sort of were like, you know, we we could get into this, but also have a a custom personal spin on it, where you know, hey, you need tablecloths and napkins, but also you want this custom sign or this custom bar, you know, and we could really work with people.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_01: And so Allie can work her passion into it with uh planning and and managing, and and I can, you know, put that custom side to it.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_02: Literally five minutes before we came here, he was putting polyurethane on farmhouse tables.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_02: I love that.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_00: Always I love that.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_00: Oh man, I want to talk about woodworking, but we need to talk about wedding things.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: No, I we I always said we had when we had our house here in Belfont, we had two-thirds woodworking shop, which was slowly gathering all these tools, and two-thirds home gym because everything was completely covered in sawdust.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_00: But also when we were working out, we just like took over the other part of the gym.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_00: What else do you need?
• 6:03
  unknown: Right?
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_00: Good coffee and you're set.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_00: No, that's so fun.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_00: So were you guys um like were you guys business minded at first, or was it just like this could be a hobby that could kind of fulfill some of that like vision of of still working after having your your your first kid?
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_02: So for me it was it was being able to be a stay-at-home mom, but I was to be able to make just a little bit of money here and there.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_02: Like it wasn't really like to profit or anything.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_02: It was just I'm a stay-at-home mom.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_02: I'm trying to keep, you know, I I have a passion for this and a little side hustle, you know, just something fun and to be able to help people, that's kind of where it started.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_02: And now it's, you know, taken over.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_02: It's uh so much more than we thought it was ever going to be in the best way possible.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_01: I think side hustle is a perfect word for that.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_01: That I don't think we were ever against it getting big, but we were like, hey, you know what?
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_01: If if this can keep us busy and and make a little bit more money, and Allie still has that flexibility to to do what she wants to do, then great.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_01: And if it turns into something bigger, then you know.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, because yeah, when I was gonna be a stay-at-home mom, we were fully, you know, I'm like, I'm oh know that I'm not going to be making an income, but that's okay because that's the sacrifice that we wanted to make.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_02: But if I can make it work and be able to make my own hours, stay at home with my daughter, and make a little bit of extra money, then it's perfect.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_00: So how does the you have I I think I remember background in like planning?
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_00: How does that planning stuff fit in with the event rental?
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_00: Because you're not like you're not coordinating your planning for these couples, you're just kind of helping them figure out like what's gonna work best for their space.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_00: Like, how does all that work?
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so I would say um, with me with the event planning background was just being able to picture everything all together.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_02: So helping them realize, like, okay, so you rented just chairs and tables.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_02: So like let me look at the bigger picture of all this.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_02: Like, I know how you know weddings happen.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_02: Would you or would you like to, you know, here's my suggestion on things that I think would help, you know, at your wedding.
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_02: So, like you only, you know, if or if they're asking, you know, I have this size tent, and you know, how many tables and chairs do you think would fit under there?
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, it doesn't take an event planning degree to figure that out, but it just helps when you have the oversight of like how everything goes from start to finish to be able to help them because you know, I've been to weddings, I've you know, helped plan events and stuff like that.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_02: So it's just to be able to see, you know, how it starts and ends.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_02: A lot of the times this is their first wedding and hopefully only wedding.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_02: So it's not like they have all this experience.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_02: So I like to just be able to, you know, if they want any advice, I'm I'm here to to help them as much as I can.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_00: So what kind of, I mean, you touched a little bit, Rob, on like the custom side of it, but like what kind of things are you seeing most couples coming through and um renting from the two of you?
• 8:51
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so like Ali said, we started off with we're just gonna keep it small, it's just gonna be decor.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_01: But then people are like, well, hey, we like this stuff, but do you have tables?
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_01: Do you have chairs?
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_01: So a lot of the bulk of what we put out is is similar to other event rental companies, tables, chairs, tents, flatware, um, linens, um plates, but we also offer that extra, you know, uh the the f you know, tying up the loose ends, the the finer details, um, the custom aspect.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_01: So um the the bulk of what we do is, you know, to to draw in clients.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_01: People are looking for tables and chairs.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_01: Um, well, if they can get tables and chairs from one place and or get them from the other place, and also grab, you know, those little finer details that they want as well, then even better.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_01: So um that's a lot of what we do, but we also have a lot of people reach out specifically for something maybe custom and then say, Oh, I didn't realize that you did this as well.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_01: You know, maybe we'll just turn this into a one-stop shop.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_02: Our biggest thing that that I like to still focus on.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_02: Now we have like tables and chairs just like everybody else has.
• 10:05
  SPEAKER_02: But um we have like assorted vintage floral plates, and that's not something that you can just go, you know, and grab.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_02: Not a lot of people have that.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_02: So I like to try and find those little like, you know, one-off things where it's something really cool, eclectic, you know.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we have like assorted colored goblets, and you know, you can't just go and find those anywhere.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_02: So I like to kind of focus on those things too because they're unique and they make us stand out.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_01: We actually just on that point, we have a wedding in um New Kensington near Pittsburgh in two weeks for uh it started with just our floral plates because you can't just go to the average place and say, Hey, I want 200 assorted vintage floral china plates.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_01: Normally we probably want to buy that many.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_02: And collecting it is a whole other story.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_01: It's a long time to get them.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_02: Yep.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_01: But then from there they said, Well, actually, how about linens?
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_01: How about this?
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_01: And and that built it into a much bigger event.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but you know, we're two hours away from there, and and they found us and said, Hey, you you've got what we want.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_00: So that's cool.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_00: So you you just mentioned something about like the collecting side of it.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um how much has your collection sort of grown over that time from like the basement of like we have some stuff and now we have like a lot of options?
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_02: That's like a a fun question.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_02: People are always like, where did you where do you store all this stuff?
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_02: That's a great question.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_02: Do you have 10 minutes?
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_02: Because yeah.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but yeah, a lot of it is is uh collecting, collecting, building it up.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, like even just on Sundays, he'll go to Goodwill for like two hours and just look through like plates and stuff like that to build up our inventory.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_02: Um, it's not like you can just you know go to Amazon and buy more.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_02: That's not that's not how the vintage you know stuff works.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_02: You have to look, find, make sure it's good quality.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_02: So it's time consuming, but it's worth it because that stuff is is beautiful.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_01: We're always on Facebook Marketplace and because that's one thing that I think that we do a lot different than other event rental businesses, is we don't just have things that you could go out and and grab, yeah, you know, uh two days before your wedding.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, uh we see things that we think, well, that would really fit in, and that's unique.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_01: And um we saw an old busted tea cart for like two bucks on Facebook Marketplace.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_01: I said, I can fix that up.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_01: And now we have a nice white tea cart that's gone out for a couple um, you know, bridal showers and and and events like that.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_01: Um we we have uh greenery wall like backdrops, you know, you can't just go to the to the store and grab one, but um we built them or we found them on Facebook Marketplace and and sort of create this collection of things that we think that people would be looking for.
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so I could imagine, you know, you said something earlier, couples are doing this for the first time.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, there's probably hundreds of hundreds of items to choose from.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_00: How do you help them like get started in that process?
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_00: Like, where do you direct them?
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_00: Do it, you find a lot of couples like come with a bunch of like, I want this, I want that, or do they like, I don't know what I want, I need help?
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I would say it's a bit of both, depending on if they so there's two different ways.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_02: So sometimes they'll go onto our website and place like an order, which is basically a wish list to make sure that it's available on that date.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_02: And so then I can kind of see their vibe from there.
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_02: And then, you know, I can offer different ideas.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_02: Um, or um, you know, we even have our rentals listed on Facebook Marketplace so they can come from there, just so that people can see it.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_02: And so sometimes even people message me and they're like, I love these plates, but obviously they don't, they haven't like been able to look at our website or anything.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_02: So then I'll send them our website and say, take a look.
• 13:44
  SPEAKER_02: Like, if you like these plates, there's uh you know, other stuff that's similar to that.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_02: Take a look, um, you know, and let us know, you know, what you what you would like.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_02: So it comes from two different avenues, but there are some people who are literally like, I don't have any idea.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_02: And um, you know, I've used Chat GPT a couple of times to show them like we've got a picture of their venue, and I'm like, okay, so this is what it would look like with these tables, chairs.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_00: Um that helps too.
• 14:07
  SPEAKER_00: So the AI is like giving you some visual to what you would have maybe been like, well, it it kind of uh looks maybe like that.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_02: I'm a visual person, so like the Chat GPT AI thing has helped me a lot, and I know you you'd want to be able to see it.
• 14:23
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, obviously, like you want to trust them, but then you know, like you're like, Are you sure that's gonna look okay?
• 14:27
  SPEAKER_02: I'm like, No, we'll look on Chat GPT, I promise.
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_00: So it seems like couples are kind of like either in two camps, they have a lot of ideas or they kind of have like no ideas.
• 14:37
  SPEAKER_00: Do you have advice for couples in either camp on like what are some more nice to have, or like what are some essentials for different, um, maybe different parts of the day, or just like in general?
• 14:52
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I think um wedding planners definitely have helped a lot of our clients out with that.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_01: Where I use myself as an example all the time.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_01: If I my wedding would have, if I if I if it was up to me to plan it, there would have been some tables, maybe chairs, bowls of chips, you know, sodas, like beers.
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_01: It it would have been bland.
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_01: You know, when you have somebody like a wedding planner who has that vision, I think that's where it turns from tables, chairs, plates, cups to all right, we could have some uplighting here.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_01: And what about some drapery from the ceiling here?
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_01: And how about we put this accent couch in the corner?
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_01: And that's where it really starts to go from just necessities to how could we really like spruce this up?
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_02: And there's necessities too.
• 15:41
  SPEAKER_02: Like, obviously, you need cups for someone to drink out of.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_02: You have our regular goblets that are obviously cheaper, and then you have our etched goblets, which are a little bit more, but that's an upgrade.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_02: You don't absolutely need to have etched water goblets or the assorted colored water goblets.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_02: They're a little bit more, but you know, that's not something you absolutely need.
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_02: So there's always upgrades, but like you can always start, you know, with just the basics, then we can go from there.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I mean it, I mean, obviously you need something to drink out of.
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_02: Right, right.
• 16:08
  SPEAKER_00: And the assorted colored goblets are very cute.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, exactly.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_00: But you don't need to go the extra mile on that part.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_00: Um, how do you help couples with like the budget side of things?
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_00: Are they coming with to you like saying, hey, we want to spend X amount, what can we do with it?
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_00: Or are they coming more with like we want this stuff, how much is it gonna be?
• 16:28
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's it's the the second one that you said.
• 16:31
  SPEAKER_02: So we send out um quotes.
• 16:33
  SPEAKER_02: So they put every and on our website, everything is technically priced at zero, but the price is in the title because we don't want them to pay when they check out because we to check to make sure it's available.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_02: We have enough.
• 16:43
  SPEAKER_02: So our biggest thing is um they just you know submit their wish list and we create a quote and we'll email it to them.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_02: We'll say, hey, and I always suggest, you know, when if they reach out to us before they order, I say, add absolutely everything that you would want, and then we can always remove.
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_02: You want to know how much you like at everything and see what that total is going to be, and then we can remove back down, you know, into more of your price range if it's out of it.
• 17:04
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we found that if someone comes to us with a vision for whatever, as long as it's within reason, you know, we can't do everything for for for 30 bucks, yeah.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_01: But you don't need to spend$10,000 to get that vision, you know.
• 17:21
  SPEAKER_01: You could probably do the same thing for$2,000 that you could do for$10,000.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_01: And the average person's not going to look at it and have any idea that there's that much of a difference.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_01: It might be the difference between a different kind of napkin or instead of this style chair, let's do this one that's a couple bucks cheaper but still looks really good.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and and we can really work within that budget.
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_01: But I I I think we do a really good job of giving as many options as possible so people don't have to settle.
• 17:47
  SPEAKER_01: They may not get the top tier of everything they wanted, just you know, so they can save a little bit of money, but they don't settle for a lesser uh finished product.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_01: They they can really get that finished product that they want for what price they want.
• 18:02
  SPEAKER_01: And um we try to stay really competitive and I think we're we're really reasonable and and keep people on track.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, the biggest thing is having options.
• 18:09
  SPEAKER_02: Like you said, the goblets, you know, from the regular ones or to the edge ones are chairs the same way.
• 18:15
  SPEAKER_02: We have chairs for$1.25 all the way up to six dollars, you know.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_02: So it's what depending on what you want, but there's options.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_00: And I oh I feel like that gives couples a chance to be like, maybe we want to spend less on a chair and more on drapery or some other element that might add more to what their what their vision is.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_02: And with the quote, they can see, okay, so let's not spend that much, let's go and get those, you know, other goblets.
• 18:40
  SPEAKER_02: They can kind of price it all out and see what what it it is for them.
• 18:43
  SPEAKER_01: Something super important that we actually didn't mention yet is since we're still relatively new, we're building our inventory like crazy still.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_01: So somebody may go and price everything out for their wedding and say, wow, that's gonna be six thousand dollars.
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_01: Well, if they come to us and say, Hey, do you have some of this stuff?
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_01: We might already have some of it.
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_01: And if they say, hey, do you have this?
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_01: and we don't, we might say, no, we don't have it, but you know, we're building our inventory.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_01: So right now, the only way they were gonna obtain it was by spending X amount of dollars to buy it.
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_01: Hey, we're looking to expand our inventory.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_01: Let's cut that price in half for you.
• 19:16
  SPEAKER_01: You know, we'll we'll buy them for you, we'll rent them out.
• 19:19
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and that way you get what you want, but you're not stuck with footing the full bill to buy them.
• 19:24
  SPEAKER_01: You don't have to get rid of them afterwards, you don't have to store them.
• 19:27
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, that's the biggest thing, right?
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_02: Because like who wants cupcake stands after your wedding?
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_02: I know.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_02: Like, and where are you putting them?
• 19:31
  SPEAKER_00: It was so funny.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, my wife and I sold like half the things to the venue after the wedding.
• 19:37
  SPEAKER_02: And that's that's also a fun thing, too, because that's what people do to us too.
• 19:40
  SPEAKER_02: Like, literally, like what, two weekends ago, she was like, I don't want these gold candlesticks.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_02: Do you want them?
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_02: I'm like, absolutely, they're beautiful, yes.
• 19:48
  SPEAKER_01: So I think that helps clients is that they can come to us and be like, we want this look, but it's gonna cost us this much.
• 19:54
  SPEAKER_01: Basically, what can you do it for?
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_01: And it may cost us more up front.
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, we're eating some of that cost right away, but we're building our inventory.
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_01: So we can do it for them cheaper than they could do it for themselves just because we're gonna buy something and then charge them less for it, but it's helping us to expand our business in the end.
• 20:10
  SPEAKER_00: You you have more options for couples that come in later.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_01: So basically the the choices are endless.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, yeah, yeah, if it's not on our site, you just ask us about it.
• 20:19
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 20:20
  SPEAKER_00: What are some common misconceptions that couples have in this like event rental, kind of developing a look for their venue?
• 20:29
  SPEAKER_01: I think uh people probably think that they have to come with everything, you know, the have all their uh dot all their i's, cross all their T's.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_01: People can come to us and say, hey, I'm looking for this kind of theme.
• 20:42
  SPEAKER_01: What do you suggest?
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_01: And and we'll throw a lot of choices and and ideas their way.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_01: We don't do the day of planning per se, but they don't need to come to us and say, I need 200 of this, this, and this.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_01: They can come to us and say, Hey, I have a 200-person wedding, kind of going for this.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_01: What do you suggest?
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_00: I feel like that it's probably takes a lot of pressure off of couples.
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 21:04
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah to be able to like, I like this theme, I like these kinds of things.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_02: They'll send us their mood boards on Pinterest.
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_02: I've worked with that.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_02: Like, yeah, pictures are great.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_01: Just hey, I like the my friend had this wedding.
• 21:15
  SPEAKER_01: Can you do something like this for me?
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_02: Yep.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_00: That's so fun.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_00: Um, do you find more couples are coming with less of an idea, or are they is it kind of like in between?
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_01: I wouldn't say I I would say most people come with 75% complete ideas of what they want.
• 21:35
  SPEAKER_01: And then we're in the right.
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_02: And then they'll see our website or something, and then be like, oh, I love that.
• 21:38
  SPEAKER_02: Like, let's add this, or you know, something like that.
• 21:41
  SPEAKER_02: So I think they uh come with something and then it just adds on from there.
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_02: They have like a little bit of an idea, but then things on our website spark their interest or spark their ideas, and they we definitely pride ourselves in being personable.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_02: Um like I give them my phone number.
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_02: I'm like, text me, like, cause you know.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_02: Sometimes we're out in deliveries, or you know, I'm I'm a stay-at-home mom, so I can't always answer the phone.
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_02: I'm like, seriously, text me.
• 22:05
  SPEAKER_02: Like if you have a question or if you're unsure of something, like text me.
• 22:08
  SPEAKER_01: I feel like we've become friends with clients.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_01: Like we the last thing I want someone to feel is that it is a strictly business transaction.
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_01: And and I genuinely mean that.
• 22:18
  SPEAKER_01: You know, that sounds like anybody would say that.
• 22:20
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, we're not just a business, we're we're a family.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_01: That's so cliche, but but no, I don't want someone to feel like, oh, we got some stuff from Netney Valley events, but I don't really remember their names.
• 22:30
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know where they were.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_01: No, like it's Rob and Allie.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_01: We have our company, but it's it's it's Rob and Allie, and you know, they helped us with this.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_01: We talked on the phone about this.
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, Allie's had 30-minute conversations with people on the phone, yeah, just planning um, you know, their their themes with them.
• 22:47
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 22:48
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's so fun.
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_00: Um I'm I'm getting this idea of like couples wanting their setup, their venue to be unique, right?
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_00: Because it there could be a hundred couples that get married here at at uh Harmony Forge, but like how do they get um with the rentals?
• 23:10
  SPEAKER_00: How do they get that unique look that maybe they have uh in mind or don't have in mind starting the planning process?
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_00: But how do they get that unique look from the rentals?
• 23:20
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I would say with the amount of options that we have, you could have 10 weddings here from us and like they could all be totally different.
• 23:27
  SPEAKER_02: Starting from like we have gold silverware, we have silver silverware, all the different colors of chargers that you have.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_02: The linens are that is endless, the amount of colors and styles and finishes that you could have on that.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_02: So you could go, there's like endless opportunities.
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_02: Like I said, you could have 10 weddings here and they look all different, and you'd be like, Oh, it's all from the same company because there's just so many different options.
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_02: Like you can make it boho, you could, you know, make it vintage, you know, there's all different styles that you can go.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, the way that we source a lot of our inventory also means that you're not really limited, you know, it's not just there's the same same curtains we saw last week from Nittany Valley events.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we might not have them, but we'll get them.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, you know, so really the the inventory to an extent is is unlimited because we will help you find what you want.
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_02: Or, like he said, he makes custom pieces.
• 24:23
  SPEAKER_02: So there could be someone in there who has something custom, and that's one of a kind, you know, it's completely different.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_01: I've got farmhouse tables right now in my garage.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_01: I'm making an archway for somebody in a couple weeks.
• 24:34
  SPEAKER_01: So it's something we got contacted about a 14-foot round bar that um they're still thinking about.
• 24:40
  SPEAKER_01: We may we may do a 14-foot four-piece round bar with a wedding platform for something.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, right.
• 24:47
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's a big build, but I'm excited to do it if we get that.
• 24:51
  SPEAKER_02: So and that's as exciting because it's his passion and my passion like put together.
• 24:55
  SPEAKER_02: Like, yeah, what could be better than that?
• 24:56
  SPEAKER_01: I don't feel like I'm putting hours into it.
• 24:58
  SPEAKER_01: That's my time.
• 24:58
  SPEAKER_01: I go home, and sure I'm working, but I go home and I put my headphones on and I'm doing what I like to do.
• 25:03
  SPEAKER_00: Sounds sounds enjoyable.
• 25:05
  SPEAKER_00: It is literally, I had my friend over, he was doing a lot of the woodworking with me, and we would be in there and we'd look at the clock and it's like, wow, it's uh 3 a.m.
• 25:13
  SPEAKER_01: We should probably I know that feeling.
• 25:16
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 25:16
  SPEAKER_00: Um, no, that's so fun.
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_00: How what's it look like for you guys working with planners, um, venues, like all these other vendors?
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_00: Because we we are all kind of taking like a little piece of the pie to kind of come together to make a day happen.
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_00: Like, what's that collaborative process look like for you guys?
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_02: I would say, first off, the biggest thing is communication.
• 25:35
  SPEAKER_02: Like we like all the um a lot of the event planners, like I text them.
• 25:40
  SPEAKER_02: So it's helpful to be on that level.
• 25:42
  SPEAKER_02: And even the vendors too.
• 25:44
  SPEAKER_02: Like, we're we we love all the different vendors that we've we've worked with, and it's helpful because we probably have their phone numbers too.
• 25:49
  SPEAKER_02: So we're always like texting each other day of like, hey, we need help with this, or can you do that?
• 25:53
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I'm sure Rob has examples of of different different times that we worked with the vendors, but like I said, they're saints.
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_02: Like, I what they do is absolutely amazing.
• 26:03
  SPEAKER_01: I think us being we we got married six years ago, and I think us, you know, remembering our wedding and how stressful day of stuff is, yeah, um makes us, you know, that much more willing to to go that extra mile on day of or or leading up to it.
• 26:20
  SPEAKER_01: So we'll get a text from an event planner like, hey, do you have 30 of these real quick?
• 26:25
  SPEAKER_01: You know, and it if we do, we do.
• 26:26
  SPEAKER_02: If we don't, I'm gonna give them the best answer of how we might be able to or put them in point them in the right direction of like, hey, you know, we don't, but there's another event rental company that might you want to check with them.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_02: Like we won't leave, we'll lead you in the right direction, we'll just leave you hanging.
• 26:38
  SPEAKER_01: So so building those relationships and hearing the positive feedback, and um, like I I think it's important uh we said earlier, is start as a hobby, not a business.
• 26:48
  SPEAKER_01: Um so to feel like you know, we're really truly helping somebody out.
• 26:55
  SPEAKER_01: And even if it's just a text at the end of the night that's like, hey, thanks for for you know saving us earlier, or we've had we've had brides uh on Fridays say, Hey, my linen's got screwed up.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_01: Can you guys get us stuff tomorrow?
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_01: And the uh the satisfaction of being able to help somebody out, you know, when it's a little detail, it's not a little detail.
• 27:17
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, it might seem like a little detail to some, but that's a huge thing to to the bride.
• 27:21
  SPEAKER_01: And to be able to uh help them out or help out the other vendors, you know, spur the moment and um make a difference for that day is really gratifying.
• 27:30
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, it's from the way you're answering the question to me, you're putting couples and even maybe not even your couples, like other people's couples, like above the idea of like we need to make more money or be better than another rental company or whatever that might be.
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_01: Of course, again, it's gonna sound cliche, like it's not about the money.
• 27:53
  SPEAKER_01: Sure, we we want to do well in our business, but I'll trade profit for knowing that I genuinely just made somebody's day better.
• 28:03
  SPEAKER_01: You know, if I was gonna make a hundred dollars off of something or just see somebody that thankful that that we helped them out when they were in a pinch, I'll I'll take that over the money any day.
• 28:13
  SPEAKER_01: You know, the if we just keep doing business, the the money will come eventually.
• 28:17
  SPEAKER_01: And um the the gratification and and just knowing that we're helping people.
• 28:22
  SPEAKER_01: And we've received thank you notes in the mail from from brides before and like the thank you cards that they sent out to their their guests, and it was just totally unexpected.
• 28:30
  SPEAKER_02: We were like, But that's like all the hard work is worth it for for that.
• 28:35
  SPEAKER_02: And to even see like pictures afterwards, like I'm like, oh my gosh, like just the way because sometimes we deliver it and like they're in totes, and I'm like, you know, I kind of know what they're gonna do with it, but like until we see pictures afterwards, I'm like, oh my gosh, that was such a good idea with what they did with that.
• 28:50
  SPEAKER_02: Someone there could be five like of the same item going to five different weddings and they've styled it five different ways, and that's what's so fun is to be able to like see their creativity.
• 28:58
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 28:59
  SPEAKER_00: So are you guys doing a lot of like on-site styling and prep?
• 29:03
  SPEAKER_00: Are you mostly just like delivering?
• 29:05
  SPEAKER_02: Delivering right now, because it's just us, and like eventually we would love to get to that point to be able to, you know, help with setup and stuff like that.
• 29:10
  SPEAKER_02: But since it's just us, a lot of the times it's if there's something that requires setup, like our our tents and stuff, we require that we we set it up.
• 29:17
  SPEAKER_02: So there's that kind of setup, but if it's like decor and stuff like that, we would just drop it off, you know, uh, whenever they ask, and then we'll pick it up whenever they ask.
• 29:25
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 29:25
  SPEAKER_01: In this market, I think it's we definitely see either people are kind of doing everything themselves, yeah, or they're hiring an event planner.
• 29:31
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 29:32
  SPEAKER_01: So if they have a planner, then usually they're they're doing all the things.
• 29:34
  SPEAKER_02: Planners are usually the ones like getting everything out of the totes, setting it all up.
• 29:38
  SPEAKER_01: And if they're doing it themselves, they're doing it themselves.
• 29:40
  SPEAKER_01: But along the way, um, especially to the people that are kind of DIYing everything, um, we try to help them with that that vision.
• 29:48
  SPEAKER_01: Some people completely have it.
• 29:49
  SPEAKER_01: But if you're like me, like I said, she could give me 300 totes of stuff and it would still be 300 totes of stuff.
• 29:56
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, he'd be like, Well, I get it out because it would be like touched.
• 29:58
  SPEAKER_02: I just feel like the paper plates do just fine.
• 30:00
  SPEAKER_01: What do you mean?
• 30:01
  SPEAKER_01: We didn't need I learned what a charger was a couple years ago.
• 30:03
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, very funny when they try to take the chargers up to get the food.
• 30:06
  SPEAKER_01: It's like, don't take the charger.
• 30:09
  SPEAKER_01: Why do you need something under your plate?
• 30:11
  SPEAKER_01: Like it's for decoration.
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, but why do you need that?
• 30:13
  SPEAKER_01: It charges your page.
• 30:14
  SPEAKER_02: A charger is something that it doesn't just charge your phone.
• 30:17
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 30:18
  SPEAKER_00: Um, what what's some things that you guys wish other vendors knew about your process or about like the event rental side of things?
• 30:29
  SPEAKER_01: Our process, I guess, that the process is so fluid that there is no, you know, we will deliver this day, we will pick up this day, we will do this, we will.
• 30:41
  SPEAKER_01: It's hey, what do you need?
• 30:42
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I mean, it is literally what do you need from us and how can we help you with it?
• 30:48
  SPEAKER_01: Now, of course, we've only been around two years, say a couple years down the road.
• 30:52
  SPEAKER_01: Are we gonna be able to just say, sure, we'll do a delivery on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, all an hour away from here?
• 31:00
  SPEAKER_01: Like, no, we're gonna have to consolidate some stuff and and work on logistics.
• 31:04
  SPEAKER_01: But um, you know, there is there's a process, but it's so fluid that I just want people to know that, you know, they don't have to have any idea what they want, when they want it, how they want it done.
• 31:17
  SPEAKER_01: Just come to us with an idea and help out.
• 31:20
  SPEAKER_02: Like we first hand know that things change, you know, like that's our biggest thing is like we're flexible.
• 31:25
  SPEAKER_02: Like we get it, RSVPs are coming in, like things are changing.
• 31:28
  SPEAKER_02: You know, we try and be as flexible, you know, as we can with as as things change.
• 31:33
  unknown: Yeah.
• 31:33
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, it seems like you almost have to be.
• 31:35
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, we're flexible day of as a wedding videographer.
• 31:38
  SPEAKER_00: Like you have to just like roll the punches.
• 31:40
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 31:41
  SPEAKER_00: Um, when stuff does come up, um, like like how are you guys handling like the last minute changes?
• 31:49
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's like maybe more so on like the couples that you're specifically working with, maybe not the the random uh planner text or stuff like that.
• 31:57
  SPEAKER_00: But like how are you guys handling those last-minute changes?
• 32:00
  SPEAKER_01: So, I mean, luckily with Amazon and stuff now, we're able to get stuff really quick.
• 32:05
  SPEAKER_01: So if someone says, Oh my gosh, I forgot a card box and I really like this one.
• 32:09
  SPEAKER_01: If we can get it for you by tomorrow, we will.
• 32:11
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 32:11
  SPEAKER_01: But we also have a really good relationship with vendors.
• 32:13
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so we're not afraid to reach out and say, hey, we need somebody that that needs this.
• 32:18
  SPEAKER_01: And I actually have to go talk to Billy after this because we have somebody that needs a little bit different style uh of a chair.
• 32:26
  SPEAKER_01: I have to go talk to Billy and look at some of their chairs in the barn to see if I can borrow a few for a wedding.
• 32:31
  SPEAKER_01: You know, so our inventory is bigger than just ours.
• 32:34
  SPEAKER_01: We're we're really able to be flexible and help people out last second by calling on other resources.
• 32:39
  SPEAKER_02: And other vendors other rental companies have reached out to us.
• 32:42
  SPEAKER_02: Like we're taking six-foot tables that they don't have to another vendor.
• 32:45
  SPEAKER_02: So it's like we're not offended that you know, like we're happy to help out where we can.
• 32:49
  SPEAKER_02: Like, we obviously know that there's gonna be other event rental companies.
• 32:52
  SPEAKER_02: Like, yeah, we're not gonna be the only one, and we're not offended because that just means more rental companies is more options for other people, and that's what I'm happy about.
• 33:00
  SPEAKER_01: And and so those last minute things, if we can't make it happen, they're gonna understand.
• 33:03
  SPEAKER_01: Because I mean, the only way that we won't make it happen is if we physically can't make it happen.
• 33:08
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 33:08
  SPEAKER_01: You know, um, I we do everything we can to try to, and I think people just appreciate that effort.
• 33:14
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 33:14
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 33:15
  SPEAKER_00: What has your business kind of like changed over the the two years that you've been in business?
• 33:20
  SPEAKER_00: So you started, obviously, like the inventory has grown, but even just like process or things you've learned over those two years, thinking more like entrepreneurial side of things.
• 33:30
  SPEAKER_02: We learn something new every day.
• 33:32
  SPEAKER_02: Like every day.
• 33:34
  SPEAKER_02: Like in and I'm appreciative of that because no day is ever the same.
• 33:38
  SPEAKER_02: Like we're learning something new, a better way to build our business or a better way to organize ourselves, or taxes, like those are so confusing.
• 33:47
  SPEAKER_01: There's a lot of business stuff right up front that obviously we didn't know anything about that is slowly, you know, we're figuring out, but we've streamlined a lot of things.
• 33:54
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 33:55
  SPEAKER_01: Um, put money into you know, software that we can use, extra storage.
• 34:00
  SPEAKER_01: Um I I bought a uh box truck, you know, to make deliveries easier.
• 34:05
  SPEAKER_02: So we were using a well, we at first we're just using his truck, like and then we were like, this isn't gonna work.
• 34:11
  SPEAKER_02: And we bought a covered trailer.
• 34:13
  SPEAKER_02: That worked, but then we needed like a ramp.
• 34:15
  SPEAKER_02: So then we upgrade to the box truck, and that's been like amazing.
• 34:19
  SPEAKER_01: So I I guess other than the inventory, it's just it's slowly evolved to make everything more streamlined and allow for us to, as just a husband and wife duo, um, handle a lot more, keep things organized.
• 34:32
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, we've definitely invested a lot of money back into things just to make it so that we won't plateau.
• 34:40
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 34:40
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, or burn ourselves out.
• 34:42
  SPEAKER_02: Like, you know, there there's you have to put money into software and to you know, different things that you don't burn yourself out.
• 34:47
  SPEAKER_02: Like you have to be able to have some things to help you along the way and to be organized and so we don't forget.
• 34:53
  SPEAKER_02: Organization.
• 34:53
  SPEAKER_00: I if I didn't have honeybook, I would not make it to any of the what I've seen.
• 34:58
  SPEAKER_00: We'll have to look at that.
• 34:59
  SPEAKER_01: We just started using something called Good Shuffle, which is like a yeah, this is not a pay promotion.
• 35:04
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's not.
• 35:05
  SPEAKER_00: It could be shuffle.
• 35:07
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know what you are, but it's like QuickBooks, but it's for event rental.
• 35:10
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, it's just made our lives so much easier because now we can I I felt like we were personal before, but now we can be even more personal because we're spending a tenth of the time on the background paperwork side of everyone.
• 35:24
  SPEAKER_02: Where I can put more into the clients, into finding new, you know, items for our business and stuff like that.
• 35:29
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah.
• 35:31
  SPEAKER_00: No, I I feel like there's a whole like maybe four or five categories as a business owner that you jump into the moment you're like, yeah, well, try this.
• 35:41
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 35:42
  SPEAKER_00: Like you're marketing, you're running the thing, like CEO kind of thing.
• 35:46
  SPEAKER_00: You got the taxes.
• 35:48
  SPEAKER_00: Yep.
• 35:48
  SPEAKER_02: I didn't know what boosting a post was.
• 35:50
  SPEAKER_02: And then I'm like boosting, I'm like, uh, okay.
• 35:53
  SPEAKER_02: Well, now I do it all the time.
• 35:54
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 35:54
  SPEAKER_00: Not from your iPhone though, right?
• 35:56
  SPEAKER_00: Um, from you pay 30% more if you do it from the back end.
• 36:00
  SPEAKER_00: No way.
• 36:00
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 36:01
  SPEAKER_00: Wow.
• 36:01
  SPEAKER_01: Well, we learned something new today.
• 36:03
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 36:03
  SPEAKER_00: You want to do it from the back end, like on your computer, like business.
• 36:07
  SPEAKER_01: You know how we just said we learn something new every day?
• 36:09
  SPEAKER_00: Learn something new.
• 36:10
  SPEAKER_00: From an iPhone.
• 36:11
  SPEAKER_00: There's like an Apple tax that you have to pay for 30, 30%.
• 36:15
  SPEAKER_00: Learn something new.
• 36:16
  SPEAKER_00: See.
• 36:16
  SPEAKER_00: I mean boost the post, boosting posts is it works.
• 36:19
  SPEAKER_00: Does things that are good, like more followers and all.
• 36:23
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 36:23
  SPEAKER_00: But yeah, you pay more from your iPhone.
• 36:25
  SPEAKER_00: Wow.
• 36:27
  SPEAKER_00: Glad we know that.
• 36:28
  SPEAKER_00: Yep.
• 36:29
  SPEAKER_00: Um talk about streamlining.
• 36:31
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, right.
• 36:32
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 36:32
  SPEAKER_00: Um, yeah, there's just so many things I feel like as a business owner that you get thrown into and you're like, ah, I just I have no idea.
• 36:40
  SPEAKER_01: And again, the source star started as like a hobby, not we're opening a business.
• 36:44
  SPEAKER_01: And then it was sort of like, all right, well, now we do have to get an LLC.
• 36:47
  SPEAKER_01: Well, now we do have to get business insurance.
• 36:49
  SPEAKER_01: Now we do have to do, you know, and now it's a full-blown.
• 36:52
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 36:53
  SPEAKER_00: What if someone jumps off one of your chairs and breaks their legs?
• 36:55
  SPEAKER_01: I know, right?
• 36:56
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 36:56
  SPEAKER_02: Like what do you mean we have to get like a legal rental agreement?
• 37:00
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, yeah, right.
• 37:01
  SPEAKER_00: Like we don't want to use the insurance, we just want to pay for it.
• 37:03
  SPEAKER_00: Right, right.
• 37:04
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 37:04
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 37:05
  SPEAKER_00: Um, where do you guys see trends like shifting?
• 37:09
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I not not to sound like mean, but it's only been two years.
• 37:13
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 37:13
  SPEAKER_00: Have you guys seen some trends shifting in the two years?
• 37:16
  SPEAKER_00: And like, where do you see things kind of going and like the way people are decorating for weddings and and all that?
• 37:22
  SPEAKER_02: I would say me just being in the event industry for for what, eight years, like in various different jobs.
• 37:31
  SPEAKER_02: It's always like the colors are constantly changing.
• 37:33
  SPEAKER_02: I I think every year like a new color palette comes out for a wedding.
• 37:36
  SPEAKER_02: So, like, you know, a lot of the times like this year it was like the light blues and the sage greens and stuff like that.
• 37:41
  SPEAKER_02: But like next year that could be like completely out.
• 37:43
  SPEAKER_02: I think every year is a new color palette, which is exciting because then there's there's different things.
• 37:47
  SPEAKER_02: That was that's the biggest change that that I see.
• 37:50
  SPEAKER_01: I think we probably haven't seen so we know that that's like a a thing that's just gonna be cyclical, it's gonna change from year to year.
• 37:58
  SPEAKER_01: Not necessarily I I can't necessarily say that I've seen this in the industry in two years, but just with the way the world's going and AI and stuff, you know, 20 years ago, I think you had a lot of people that weddings had tables, chairs, plates, candles on the table.
• 38:15
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 38:15
  SPEAKER_00: Very simple.
• 38:16
  SPEAKER_01: Like there wasn't a whole lot of different stuff.
• 38:18
  SPEAKER_01: 10 years ago, okay, there's a lot of Pinterest, a lot of Etsy, people are finding different ideas.
• 38:22
  SPEAKER_01: Five years ago, uh, you know, different Instagram and Facebook influencers and what and now with AI being such a big thing now, I mean, the possibilities are like endless.
• 38:34
  SPEAKER_01: Two people could have the same idea, take a picture of the same venue, type in the same sentence with one different word, and they have two totally different, you know, now now pictures of what they might want.
• 38:46
  SPEAKER_01: So the ability of people to uh kind of brainstorm different things, I think is gonna keep us on our toes.
• 38:53
  SPEAKER_01: And and I like that because it's just gonna keep expanding things and and allowing us to not have that cookie cutter interaction with a client, which is fine.
• 39:02
  SPEAKER_01: You know, if someone just needs 10 tables and 10, 20 chairs, that's fine.
• 39:06
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 39:06
  SPEAKER_01: But we have a lot of fun with, hey, what do you guys think about this?
• 39:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 39:10
  SPEAKER_01: And and kind of having some some say in that.
• 39:14
  SPEAKER_00: It seems like the I've I've heard you guys talk so much about that like kind of custom experience with the two of you, and even like some of the things that you're making.
• 39:23
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and like AI is not really gonna replace that side of it, but it seems like the technology and all the things that are happening are just giving people more ideas to run with, and even probably giving you guys some more ideas to run with too.
• 39:38
  SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
• 39:38
  SPEAKER_02: I love it.
• 39:39
  SPEAKER_02: Like when they when, like I said, a lot of the times there's brides are like, Hey, I don't want this afterwards.
• 39:44
  SPEAKER_02: Do you want this?
• 39:44
  SPEAKER_02: I'm like, I love what you do with that.
• 39:46
  SPEAKER_02: Like, yes, like that's a cool part too, because they're giving us ideas.
• 39:50
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, for sure.
• 39:52
  SPEAKER_00: How do you guys see your business growing like in the next five years?
• 39:56
  SPEAKER_00: Do you see it changing much?
• 39:57
  SPEAKER_00: Like, like what what does that kind of look like for you guys?
• 39:59
  SPEAKER_00: Like thinking like a little bit more, you know, long term.
• 40:03
  SPEAKER_01: Well, past five years, we'd love to have a venue one day.
• 40:07
  SPEAKER_01: Like what Billy and Casey have here.
• 40:08
  SPEAKER_01: Of course, we don't want to compete, but but you know, there's a lot of people and we would we would hopefully never, you know.
• 40:17
  SPEAKER_01: There's plenty of room for another venue in college.
• 40:19
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 40:19
  SPEAKER_02: It could be a completely different style.
• 40:21
  SPEAKER_01: So we would we would love that.
• 40:22
  SPEAKER_01: But in the next five years, um right now we have help, but it's not always help.
• 40:28
  SPEAKER_01: I I have a lot of friends that you know call Friday afternoon.
• 40:31
  SPEAKER_01: Hey, you got two hours.
• 40:32
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 40:33
  SPEAKER_01: I I'd like to see us um, you know, be at a point where um we can just offer more and more volume.
• 40:40
  SPEAKER_01: You know, right now it's still all right between the two of us, but it it's it's a it's a good and bad problem in one that we're growing a lot and we really have have grown quickly.
• 40:49
  SPEAKER_01: So five years from now, I see us doing a lot of the same stuff, just maybe offering even more services, more items.
• 40:56
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I mean, something just changed last week.
• 40:58
  SPEAKER_01: We had somebody call and say, Hey, I'm coming in from out of town for a tailgate.
• 41:01
  SPEAKER_01: We don't have any of the stuff.
• 41:03
  SPEAKER_01: Do you guys offer it?
• 41:04
  SPEAKER_01: And I said, Yeah, we do.
• 41:05
  SPEAKER_01: We're gonna start offering tailgate packages.
• 41:07
  SPEAKER_01: And now we have tailgate packages, you know.
• 41:09
  SPEAKER_01: So it wasn't on our radar two weeks ago, and now it makes sense.
• 41:13
  SPEAKER_02: Like I said, they give us ideas.
• 41:15
  SPEAKER_02: Like that he was just like, Hey, do you have this?
• 41:17
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, actually, I could this is a good idea.
• 41:20
  SPEAKER_00: That's how my business started.
• 41:21
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, How do I do a wedding videography?
• 41:23
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, exactly.
• 41:24
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, we we talked with this client the whole way through.
• 41:27
  SPEAKER_01: He was like, Do you have this?
• 41:29
  SPEAKER_01: And I said, No, but you know what?
• 41:30
  SPEAKER_01: I was thinking about it, and let's do this.
• 41:31
  SPEAKER_01: He got back to me a few days later, hey, do you have a a generator?
• 41:35
  SPEAKER_01: And I said, Actually, no, but that's a really good idea.
• 41:38
  SPEAKER_01: And so I'm gonna get a generator, we'll run it to you even cheaper than I would to someone else because you're the guinea pig, and then we started getting more people asking about him.
• 41:45
  SPEAKER_01: And nice, um, so we're the the possibilities are endless.
• 41:50
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, that's so cool.
• 41:52
  SPEAKER_00: If if someone was like enjoyed the decor stuff and like wanted to jump into like what you guys are doing and they're listening in, what would you like?
• 42:05
  SPEAKER_00: How would they get started?
• 42:06
  SPEAKER_00: Like, where would they start?
• 42:07
  SPEAKER_00: What would they do?
• 42:08
  SPEAKER_02: I would say the biggest thing is just grow at like just grow at the at the rate that you're comfortable with.
• 42:16
  SPEAKER_02: There was a lot of times that we had the opportunities to jump on things where we could have grown like doubled, but in the end, I think we would have burnt ourselves out.
• 42:24
  SPEAKER_02: Like, you don't want to do that.
• 42:25
  SPEAKER_02: We and then, you know, now I think it was like a blessing in disguise where we're like, thank God that we grew at the rate that we did.
• 42:31
  SPEAKER_02: Because if you get too big too fast and it's just you and you don't have enough help to handle it, you're gonna burn out.
• 42:36
  SPEAKER_02: You're not gonna be able to handle the at that capacity.
• 42:38
  SPEAKER_02: So just grow at the rate that you're comfortable with, uh, you know, and be able to adapt to.
• 42:44
  SPEAKER_02: Um, because the main thing is is you have to be able to be comfortable, be able to adapt and be able to have, you know, be able not spread yourself so thin that you're not providing quality work.
• 42:54
  SPEAKER_01: Biggest thing I would say is do not underestimate costs.
• 42:58
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you might look at something immediately and say, I could get that for 50 bucks and rent it out for 60.
• 43:04
  SPEAKER_01: That's it.
• 43:04
  SPEAKER_01: Well, think about insurance, storage, uh, having an LLC, uh, paying a domain fee um once we get vehicles, registration on our vehicles, registr uh insurance on the vehicles.
• 43:20
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 43:20
  SPEAKER_01: Sales tax.
• 43:21
  SPEAKER_01: Like, hey, I made I made 10 grand this quarter.
• 43:24
  SPEAKER_01: Well, don't forget you owe somebody else a thousand of uh a thousand dollars of that almost in sales tax.
• 43:30
  SPEAKER_01: So um just keep in mind, you know, plan everything out, be organized, and and um you'll make a lot of mistakes.
• 43:39
  SPEAKER_01: We we found a lot of things out along the way.
• 43:42
  SPEAKER_02: And my biggest motto is like you live and you learn.
• 43:44
  SPEAKER_02: Like, seriously, it's it's how we go.
• 43:46
  SPEAKER_02: Like we can't fault ourselves if we didn't know something.
• 43:49
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, you know, we just gotta live and learn, and you you realize it for next time.
• 43:53
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, for sure.
• 43:54
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 43:54
  SPEAKER_00: Um if couples are trying to find the best.
• 44:00
  SPEAKER_00: best for them event rental place.
• 44:03
  SPEAKER_00: Hopefully they can have that one stop shop feel whether it's with you guys or someone else.
• 44:09
  SPEAKER_00: But like are there red flags that they should be looking out for in like different offerings or how stuff's packaged or delivered?
• 44:19
  SPEAKER_01: Um I would say definitely if it's if it's too good to be true, it's too good to be true.
• 44:25
  SPEAKER_01: You know, we're happy to tell people sometimes, hey we can do all this, but you want 600 chairs, someone else someone else has to do that and we'll refer them to someone else or um you know we can't do everything.
• 44:35
  SPEAKER_01: I'm I'm not saying that no one can be a one-stop shop but there's a lot of great vendors around here that we will send other people to right because they can do things that we can't.
• 44:45
  SPEAKER_01: It's really hard to be a total 100% one stop shop.
• 44:49
  SPEAKER_01: And most of the weddings that we go to there's two or three event rental companies there.
• 44:52
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 44:53
  SPEAKER_01: So just be be weary that you know if it does seem too good to be true, it might be too good to be true.
• 44:58
  SPEAKER_01: And don't be afraid to to shop around.
• 45:00
  SPEAKER_01: You know, when we show up somewhere with a truckload of stuff and we pass two other delivery trucks on our way in I'm not thinking like they backstabbed us.
• 45:10
  SPEAKER_01: I'm thinking cool.
• 45:11
  SPEAKER_02: Hey I'm glad that you know they found them they got their stuff there but they found some stuff around mean of like talking with the vendors and we're like hey you know just like but the other like biggest thing I would say I mean is reviews.
• 45:24
  SPEAKER_02: Look at the reviews there there needs to be reviews.
• 45:26
  SPEAKER_02: I mean the I mean obviously you start out with zero when you first start your company but the biggest thing that you should really pay attention to is is the reviews.
• 45:32
  SPEAKER_01: I mean we pride ourselves we ask everybody to give you know honest reviews and you know we just pride ourselves on on all of our reviews that we've gotten and we take them seriously you know I I it it keeps I think it keeps people honest because one one person leaving a bad review sure you can go and try to clean that up after the fact but I I said to Ali from the beginning there should never ever be a client that leaves us and has any reason to say I'm not going to give them a five star review.
• 46:00
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 46:01
  SPEAKER_01: Because if they have something that we did or didn't do that would make them not want to give us a five star review well what did we have to do to to change that and what can we do to fix it?
• 46:12
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 46:12
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah I mean we we really pride ourselves on that and that's definitely something to look into.
• 46:17
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 46:18
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah for sure I it's just so tough because it's like they're the couples are doing all this stuff for the first time.
• 46:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 46:25
  SPEAKER_00: They generally aren't renting things right for parties usually like they might do some but um they're not hiring a videographer for really anything.
• 46:36
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah right um so they're just I feel like they're they're put into this spot of like you've never done any of this stuff so um have fun.
• 46:45
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 46:46
  SPEAKER_01: Well and that's what this is for right.
• 46:50
  SPEAKER_02: What's funny too is like we're an event rental company but it's funny because the amount of time someone texts us and they're like do you know like a DJ or do you know like a good cupcake place?
• 46:57
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm like yeah like here here's some people like you know it's like I'm happy to help wherever I can.
• 47:03
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 47:03
  SPEAKER_00: Well Rob and Ellie it's been so great having you guys on um your event rental company sounds so unique it stands out in my mind um there's like so much customization and even just room for couples to come in and and have a unique vision and have you guys be like yeah we don't have that stuff but we'll totally get it or we can pull from here and pull from there and just make it happen for the couples that you guys are working with.
• 47:30
  SPEAKER_00: I appreciate you guys being on where can people find and follow your work?
• 47:34
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah so we're on Facebook we're on Instagram and then we also have our website um and so all the handles are just Knitney Valley events.
• 47:40
  SPEAKER_02: So we post that's the biggest thing is if you follow us on there, we're constantly expanding our inventory.
• 47:46
  SPEAKER_02: So the newest stuff that we get is going to be on our social media pages.
• 47:50
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're you know looking for new stuff we're we're always uploading new stuff new awesome and it sounds like couples can go in they can add stuff to a cart find out if it's all available and start that conversation with you guys from the website um which is so cool.
• 48:06
  SPEAKER_00: Is there anything upcoming projects or stuff that you guys are excited about?
• 48:10
  SPEAKER_01: Um just continuing to to build things uh the farmhouse tables I mentioned them doing right now we actually we had two then we needed six so I'm just waiting for someone to say hey we need 10 and I'll build four more I'm just excited for the custom pieces that he's making there's a couple that are coming down the pipeline.
• 48:25
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah and uh we're always excited to um just get more uh pictures and and and more um you know real world examples of our stuff being out so yeah uh we have a bunch of weddings coming up and we're excited to get pictures back and just be able to share what people are doing with our stuff.
• 48:42
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah yeah that's so fun.
• 48:43
  SPEAKER_00: Well I so fun having you guys on the podcast.
• 48:46
  SPEAKER_00: I hope everyone listening or watching I mean I know I learned a ton um I hope you guys got a ton of value as well.
• 48:54
  SPEAKER_00: So that's all for this episode of the preferred list and we'll catch you guys next time