It's Woman Crush Wednesday, so meet Alex of Royal Enchantment Events, LLC.
When did Royal Enchantment Events LLC get its start?
When did Royal Enchantment Events LLC get its start?
Royal Enchantment Events was officially a licensed company as of October 2014.
Can you tell me about your background? School? What set you up for this endeavor?
I have been performing in local Northeast Ohio theatre for 16 years. I was always babysitting as a teenager and I paid for college by being a nanny. I have always loved working with kids and for a while a struggled with whether I wanted to go into education or theatre. Instead I studied Musical Theatre and got a degree in Event Management. I worked for a similar entertainment company right out of college, but the travel was so bad I was putting any money I made into my gas tank. I watched the way they managed their company and could see many flaws, and ways that things could be improved. With my Event Management degree I thought, "I could do this." and here we are! Now I get to combine my 2 passions by performing for children, and I get to utilize my theatre and management degree every day.
What all does Royal Enchantment Events do? What are your products?
We are a licensed (emphasis on the licensed) company providing character entertainment for children's parties and special events. A typical party package is an hour long, and we do a fun interactive story time allowing the children to help us tell the characters story, we sing live with accompaniment, give princess lessons (if applicable to the characters), play games, sing Happy Birthday, and leave time for the parents to take photos. We also offer add ons to our packages including face painting, crafts, or make-overs.
I (Alex) am the owner. Alyssa was the first person I promoted to "manager." She helps me market the company, find locations for events, and basically helps everything run smoothly. Our other manager is Marissa and having the 2 of them to bounce ideas off of is fantastic. We have a total of 9 employees that are all excellent actor/singers. Everyone has training of some kind in theatre and hands on training when they first get hired with the company.
Is this your sole job? If not, what else do you do?
As much as I would love this to be my sole job, unfortunately being a princess doesn't pay all the bills. I am a part time Nanny as well. It's a really great gig because it gives me the flexibility to do the daily tasks I need to do with the company.
If you’re not doing it, what would your dream job be?
Acting in some fashion full time whether its stage or continuing my career in character entertainment.
How important is social media to your business?
It is VITAL. We tried newspaper and magazine ads in the beginning and it basically got us nowhere. No one pays attention to that anymore. Facebook ads, Instagram, and our website are what keeps us going.
What would you say is your personal brand is?
My personal brand is musical theatre and performing.
What can others learn from you?
That you can do anything you want to do with hard work and dedication. If you had told me 5 years ago that I would own a company I would have laughed at you. Sometimes I take a step back and look at what I have accomplished in the last 3 years and I can't believe it. It hasn't been easy, but it has been so rewarding.
How do you do under pressure? How do you handle stress?
I am a very anxious person. I get really stressed out to be honest, but I think I get the most done when I am stressed. Sometimes stress tends to make me over organized, if that makes any sense. I think stress kind of drives all of us here to be our best.
What’s the average day in the life of Alex look like?
I wake up, feed my dog and my cat. Every morning I drink this concoction I've sort of created that helps me with my health (I have celiac disease and Hypothyroid, 2 auto-immune disorders, plus I've struggled with some larynx and vocal health issues as well.) It's a mug of warm water with honey, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, and ginger. This aids in acid reflux and gastrointestinal health as well as boosting the immune system. Every morning I respond to any e-mails or auto-gig requests that we receive for the company. If we have contracts to write or any clients to contact I do this mid morning/early afternoon. I post something on Instagram every day for the company. Once a month I will also run some kind of ad on Facebook either running a special or just advertising the company in general. If it is a day I am working I do all of this with watching a 3 year old, who is one of the best kids I have ever had the pleasure to Nanny. I periodically check the company email throughout the day, and in the evening I eat dinner and spend time with my amazing Husband.
Do you/Did you have a mentor/mentee?
I haven't had a true "mentor", but the person who guides me and gives me advice the most is my mom. I have a very close relationship with her, very similar to Rory and Lorelei of Gilmore Girls (we swear, they wrote that show by following us with cameras.) She is truly our fairy god mother and helps us with business, wigs, costuming, assisting events, etc all out of the goodness of her heart.
How did you advance your career?
By taking the initiative to do things myself. I'm not saying I don't ever make mistakes, because of course I do. But I learn from them and that helps us grow. Also it's important to know I only advance because of my amazing team. Without them we wouldn't have any of this, and that is so special. They are the greatest.
Why do you do what you do?
I absolutely love performing and I love working with kids. Seeing their faces light up when you come through the door as their favorite character is priceless. We are creating memories that will last a life time. There is nothing better than a huge smile and hug from a child, especially when we do our volunteer work at hospitals or with the Make A Wish Foundation. Knowing that we brought some happiness to them is what this is all about.
How would you describe your personal style?
On an average day, comfortable/cute. If I am dressing up I have a bit more of a vintage style.
What makes up your wardrobe?
Leggings, tights, skirts, dresses, a few pairs of skinny jeans, and cute/ comfortable tops. Oh and scarves, scarves for days.
Who is your fashion icon?
Honestly, I don't have just one. I have mix of quite a few people. If we are talking about modern day people, I love my Emma's (Stone and Watson.) But I definitely love Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, and Jackie Kennedy.
What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment?
I think my greatest accomplishment is definitely Royal Enchantment Events. Not many people can say they own and run a business at 28 years old.
What is your ‘must have’ accessory?
A scarf or a bow in my hair.
Don't give up, because there will be a lot of times you want to. Also, don't cut corners. For instance there are several other character entertainment companies in our area, but what sets us apart is that we have the licensing to be able to portray these characters. Many do not, and unfortunately that means eventually they will get caught and be penalized for it.
What advice can you give on failure?
Don't take it personally. Learn from it and move on. Failure in a way helps you grow, because you are then able to have an even better tactic next time.
What was your big break?
To be honest, I'm not sure I've had my "big break" yet. In a perfect world my big break will be when I land a role with a professional theatre. With the company I would say one of our recent events was one of our breaks. It was our largest event to date and was hosted by Geauga Park District. 3000 people came to it and we have had phone calls and emails pouring in ever since.
Are you a member of any organizations? Trade Organizations, etc.
Currently I am not a member of any organizations personally. The company however does work with The Make A Wish Foundation through the local branch.
What’s next for you? What’s next for Royal Enchantment Events?
Next for me is focusing more on a professional acting career. With Royal Enchantment Events, our next goal is to introduce super hero characters, which will be happening very soon!
Thanks Alex!
xo,
KJB
Keep up with Royal Enchantment Events LLC here
** Update/Edit**
Royal Enchantment Events LLC officially merged with Imaginos Productions this week, which is super exciting because the two companies bring different talents and different things to the table. We also have more coverage over Ohio and a larger opportunity to grow!
** Update/Edit**
Royal Enchantment Events LLC officially merged with Imaginos Productions this week, which is super exciting because the two companies bring different talents and different things to the table. We also have more coverage over Ohio and a larger opportunity to grow!
