Insider to Insider: Annette Warnick, Owner of Swanky Tables

Photo by Kate Kelly Photography

Annette Warnick is the owner of Swanky Tables, an event design company in Portland, Oregon.  When I emailed Annette about this interview, we got into a fun little email chain about our kids.  (Yes, all parents’ conversations eventually turn to children.)  Can you believe this smarty business lady has twin boys!  LORDY!

I seriously think Annette might have one of the funnest jobs in the industry.  Check out these awesome candy tables.  (How in the world do you not eat the candy, Annette?)  OH – speaking of sweet treats, check out the Swanky Tables blog.  Really great tips on weddings, entertaining, and fashion.  Delicious and Swanky!

Annette Warnick
Owner of Swanky Tables
Portland, OR
Established 2008
www.swankytables.com

Why did you start your business?

I started my business to talk to adults. After I had my twins, I made the decision to stay home with them full time. As much as I loved every minute with them, I was itching to get back to work part time. Thanks to a very supportive husband, I was lucky enough to be able to follow my passion for weddings and events and dove right into starting my own business.

What book(s) do you recommend to new business owners? Why?

Two books that I enjoyed were Purple Cow: Transform your Business by Being Remarkable by Seth Godin and Give em’ the Pickle! by Bob Farrell. With a strong background in customer service, I feel it is one of the foundations of my business as well as producing a unique, quality product. I think these two books illustrate the concepts well.

Do you have any cool goal-setting tips to share with us?

Print out a copy of your short term and long term goals and post a copy in your office. This keeps me on track and focused. I also like to revisit them regularly, along with my business plan, to tweek where needed. Of course, you also should celebrate when you reach one of your goals. A glass of champagne works well!

What do you find to be the biggest challenge as a business owner?

My biggest challenge is balancing work & home. With a home office and almost 4 year old twin boys running around, I tend to work till the wee hours of the morning. I’m also quite new, so I’m still fine tuning my pricing structure.

If you were starting your business all over again, what would you have done differently?

My business grew a little faster than I anticipated, so I wish I had taken more time to establish my niche from the start. I could have had a specific plan in place regarding client base, advertising, and target market.

Thanks Annette!

Is there someone that you think is AWESOME in the wedding industry?  Tell us about’m!