Night owls unite!  Before I met Trisha Dean at The Simple Plan in San Francisco, I met her online.  We would tweet late night and email each other late night.  She was always so friendly and inquisitive.  And, when you’re up late like me, you just gravitate to others that share the love for the night.  Our creativity is fueled by the moon.  In real life, Trisha is just as sweet.  She’s clever and creative, smart and sensible.  Trisha, you’re good people!

Trisha Dean
Owner of Trisha Dean Events
San Francisco, CA
www.trishadeanevents.com

Established 2008

Why did you start your business?

I wanted a way of life where could I take all of my “loves” and use them in one job that I was excited to wake up and greet every day – and let me tell you I am not a morning person. At the time I didn’t realize it, but each of my past careers really paved the way for me to start my business.

I have a degree in graphic design and visual communications and for years I enjoyed designing printed pieces and creating installations, but felt something was missing.  I shifted gears into branding and business development, and was able to get out from behind the computer and start collaborating with clients.  I loved being challenged on how to bring a brand to life through different touch points.

Then one morning I woke up, and after some coffee of course, it hit me – designing and orchestrating events would allow me to combine all of my loves. I’ve always been a creative and visual person and a romantic at heart. I thrive with on the spot challenges, and I love to collaborate with people. I view an event as a way to share a moment in life. It’s an opportunity to create something meaningful to a group of people from an idea. And with weddings, it’s an idea that is inspired by love – how cool is that? That is my favorite part!

What book do you recommend to new business owners?

I love the book AdaptAbility by M.J. Ryan. Change is always going to be thrown at you – most of the time it’s unpredictable and uncontrollable.  Surviving change and working to make it a positive change is something I think most people struggle with, I know I do. This book is a helpful little reminder of how to adapt.

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

Write them down! I am a bit of a paper geek and notebooks are one of my most favorite things in the world. I’m particular about how they feel when you write in them and how well they fit in a purse. I carry them with me constantly and write down ideas, goals, thoughts, rants and raves. A good ballpoint pen is nice too. Writing it down really helps me prioritize my goals and thoughts about how I see the future.

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

Time. Especially as a new business owner. I want more time to learn how to do what I want to do better. I frustrate myself trying to get from point A to point B and think, “Oooh if I just had five more minutes!” I am a night owl and I always feel like the clock is working against me.

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

Because I tend to lean more to the creative side, I really should have sought out more support in getting the vitals completed – the legal, financial and safety nets of a business. It’s hard to back into them, not impossible, just hard. Also, I would have attended networking events sooner. At the time, I felt if I went out to different meet and greets and had nothing to share, it wasn’t worth going at all.  But if you just go, put yourself out there and listen you can learn so much.

Want more great reads?  Check out our book list!

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