Today we’d like to introduce you to Karla Solórzano.
Karla, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I moved to the United States from Venezuela in 2008 as a student to learn English. The political situation in Venezuela was really difficult for me. It was obvious that it was becoming a dictatorship and I did not want to be part of that.
Even though I had a degree in Computer Science and worked in IT Security for many years, it was challenging for me to find a job in that field here in the U.S., right away because I was still learning the language. I later realized a lot of those positions required certain clearances, which I could not have because I was not a citizen. So, after learning enough English, I attended UCLA and received a certificate in Business and Marketing, which led a job managing the marketing department and planning all the events at a school for international students. I soon realized that I really enjoyed planning events, and found it especially gratifying to see all the students happy and having fun at each event even though they were away from home.
In 2015, I was asked to coordinate a wedding for a friend of a friend. I had no experience with weddings in particular, but I said yes, and I am so glad I did. I easily fell in love with weddings when I got to see all my favorite things in one room: Love, family togetherness, cultures & traditions. Since then, I have been fortunate enough to help clients bring their dreams to life and be the witness to a once-in-a-lifetime moment.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road has been rough and rocky, but I would not change a thing. I learned so much along the way that has made me better at my job and more importantly, better equipped to serve my clients.
There are no other entrepreneurs in my family so, the world of risk and reward is totally new for me. As a small business owner, wearing many hats can be overwhelming at times. When starting out, self-confidence was an issue, but with hard work and happy clients, I began to believe in myself.
Please tell us about Kiss & Say I Do Events.
My business was born out of pure coincidence, I never thought I was going to be an entrepreneur. Back home, in Venezuela, most young people go to University, get a degree, and start a career at a nice company where you can retire after 25-30 years.
Reinventing oneself is never an easy thing to do, but it has been a blessing because I found my passion for Wedding & Event Planning.
Kiss & Say I Do Events specializes in the Modern & Fun LatinX or Multi-cultural couples. I help them incorporate those important traditional elements from their culture with a modern twist. Those small details are the ones that make their wedding unique and meaningful. It is important for me to serve and help other brides or couples that are first or second-generation LatinX because I understand and appreciate what it is like to protect your culture and to share it with the others.
I am proud to have helped nearly a hundred couples bring their wedding vision or special event to life. I am by nature a good listener and my couples always tell me they feel heard, understood and at ease working with me and that is always one of my priorities.
Listening to my clients has helped me create and modify my services to meet their needs. For that reason, I have recently added a Petite Wedding Package for those that want to have a more intimate celebration.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I take every lesson learned as a process I need to go through to be a better person and a better business owner, however, I think I would have started my company earlier in my career I was too scared to do it, too afraid of failure.
Coming to this country by myself had its challenges, but the journey made me stronger and very focused on my goals.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kissandsayido.com/
- Phone: (626) 790-8140
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/kissandsayido
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/kissandsayido
Image Credit:
Monica Linda Photography, Carrie Rogers Photography
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