Today we’d like to introduce you to A’Sheka Jordan.
A’Sheka, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My work as a Planner begin in 2008 in Virginia Beach, VA, continued to San Diego, CA, and has now found it’s home in the lovely Dallas, TX. We are here to stay! like to say that my work as a Wedding and Event Planner started out like most Wedding and Event Planners, planning events for family and friends. I prefer to highlight why I remained a Wedding and Event Planner. I am a true believer in love and happiness. I believe in the joy of celebrating every moment in life and creating memories that are everlasting. Everyone deserves to experience this but most important they deserve to showcase this. Making other people happy and sharing in their happiness with them feeds my spirit. I take the time to learn the story of their life in order to create a moment or a time that is built distinctly on their personal growth, love, and the chapter that they are celebrating. This is really important to me because I actually spent a lot of years of my life depressed after experiencing some hardships and some of life’s pitfalls. My life was a bit dark but once I begin planning Weddings and Events the pinhole of light that I begin to see grew so much bigger. There is so much beauty in the life that we have and that’s around us. With that said, becoming a Wedding and Event Planner changed my life and saved my life. Knowing that my energy transfers to the people that I work with and that I am a source of their happiness created a desire for me to only want pure happiness and peace in my life while adding that same peace and happiness to others.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
OH, MY GOSH NO! NOTHING HAS BEEN SMOOTH ABOUT IT! The struggle has been real. I am an open book, therefore, I will be completely honest. I have quit about 3 times. Haha! It gets rough. The competition is immense, evolution and the ability to professionally evolve is a challenge, and the need to keep is exhausting. For starters, have you ever been the new kid on the block? Well, I have been that, 3 times! Despite being in business a long time, I have moved several times due to my husband being in the military then eventually transitioning out of the military so every time we moved, my company was the new kid on the block. It was very difficult as I would get my feet planted in my business, finally, begin to receive “word of mouth clients” then move to a completely new place. That is a challenge as people and the industry itself changes from region to region. What worked for me in Virginia did not work for me in California, therefore, setting me to ground 0. I wanted to quit because I didn’t know what to do but I stood on faith. I am a learner by nature, therefore, I tapped into that learning spirit and did what was necessary for my company to grow, no matter where I went which is why I have found total success in Dallas.
Another challenge that I faced was figuring out who my target client is. I remember when I was first asked that, I was confused because I thought everyone was my client. It took me some time to understand why I needed to have a “target client” and more time to understand who that client is. Isn’t everyone my client? Through trial and error, I discovered the importance of knowing my target client. My company is built on building relationships, the right relationships. Knowing my audience is important because those relationships have to be built off of trust, good communication, and common ground. Those are our connective pieces. If those are not there, I may get the client but I will not get the relationship. My final challenge was social media. I started my company during a time where social media was growing and not as big. There was no Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest… definitely no Pinterest. It was during a time where marketing was a tad easier and the need to “be found on social media” wasn’t as necessary. Nowadays, the social media world is considered THE world and in order to compete, I had to learn that world. I complained about it, heavily. I just wanted to advertise the way that I’d been advertising since the beginning. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a millennial but I still have old school ways. I like my paper calendar, notebook with pen, and newspaper ads! Haha, I had to evolve. It was hard but I’ve done it and I’m proud.
Please tell us about Beyond Posh Events.
I am a Certified International Event and Wedding Planner, IEWP. I am the Founder, CEO, COO, CFO,
F A C E, and all of the above of Beyond Posh Events. Beyond Posh Events specializes in Weddings, Corporate Events, People, and All Things Posh! I am most proud of our growth and versatility. We aren’t a one trick pony and have learned to rise to the occasion, every occasion. I’d like to highlight the fact that I love every event that we plan and don’t tell anyone this but I cry at every wedding that I am the planner for. Haha! With that said, the best event that I ever planned was a 3-day Retreat for Therapist which was called, Most Awesome Conference, founded by Zynnyme. They are located in Southern California. This was my greatest accomplishment in my business. We had the honor of planning this retreat with the founders and being there with them all three days. This was not an easy task as there were a lot of moving parts and the retreat was one that required mental concentration for the attendees as well as the founders. We had to rise to the occasion and tap in mentally as well. The end result was amazing and emotional. It was indeed the Most Awesome Conference. This was a big accomplishment for us because it opened my eyes to the very reason why I remained a planner and truly showed me what we were capable of. We have had our hands in many things. We have been the planner for a tv show, back to school events, other retreats, and a host of other things. In fact, it was at one of the retreats that we planned that I realized what makes us stand apart from others. I realize that what sets us apart from others is me, myself, and I. The fact that every client that comes through our doors will interact personally with me and receive their services from me. Every client will understand the spirit of Beyond Posh Events as they interact with the heart of it. My clients love the fact that I am their inspiration and their friend in planning. People will remember me before they remember the name of my business. That’s good energy and that’s the energy. This is why I choose my team wisely. We are dream chasers and dream makers, we all have to keep the same energy.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory from childhood was my 7th birthday. Every birthday, my family made a homemade yellow cake with chocolate icing spelling “HAPPY BIRTHDAY with the edible candies. Every birthday my cousin, Trayl, stuck his finger in my cake before I could blow out the candles. He’s younger than me, so he was just being a baby but geeez, it was every time. For my 7th birthday, I kept watching him and finally, I saw that look in his eyes, then as soon as he started to stick his finger in I grabbed it. Haha!
My second favorite childhood memory was with my Uncle Dennis. He was one of my favorite people in the world. My cousins and I loved going to his house because he always had the music blasting Patti Labelle and Mariah Carey… and he could sing on their level. He played dress up with my cousins and I, sang with us, and just let us have carefree fun. We tried to run away to his house once when we were little. We didn’t get very far though 🙂
Pricing:
- Touch of Posh Package -Day of Coordinator ( 6 weeks of service) $1500.00
- Perfectly Posh Package -Full Service $2,700
- Beyond Posh Elite Package- $3,550.00
Contact Info:
- Website: www.beyondposhevents.com
- Phone: (972) 704-9817
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondposhevents/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beyondposhevents/
- Other: https://www.weddingwire.com/reviews/beyond-posh-events-frisco/2760d4eea5835c51.html
Image Credit:
Keith Cephus, Events by Carlos, Ernesto Segismundo, Crystal Huffman, David Ferraro
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
