Today we’d like to introduce you to Emsly Briggs
Hi Emsly, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
In early January of 2020 I was asked by a friend If I wanted to take over her Orange County Chapter for Gals That Brunch. A social media group and global platform I was very familiar with and had enjoyed attending and socializing at. So what did I say? Being 3 Months pregnant at the time and craving everything brunch food, of course I gladly accepted the honor!
Alright, 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?
The journey to get to where I am today with Gals That Brunch – South OC was like driving on a California coastal road! A windy road, with blind turns and scattered bumps and potholes you try so hard to avoid! All while seeing sunny skies and beautiful serene view of the ocean and landscape in the distance waiting for you to enjoy once you get to your destination.
It wasn’t an easy and always successful road. I took over the group with a couple hundred followers, stagnant growth and not a strong presence in social media or awareness of the group in our community. I wanted this chapter to be a place for the women in our community to cultivate and empower friendships and kinships. Like all our sister chapters, I wanted an inclusive space for women to let their hair down, meet like minded women at a table over brunch while also servicing our local businesses and sharing our experience!
I struggled to build social media presence, engage viewers and get more attendance and getting more new people to events every time. It was a lot of perseverance, patience and thick skin to accept failure at events and keep it moving onward and forward.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m known as Queen of Event Planning and Social Butterfly! LoL! I plan, organize, manage and execute every aspect from beginning to end for all our GTB events. I find the what’s new, what’s coming, hidden gems and fun spots and experiences for our Gals. I do the research, community outreach with venues and business owners, secure space/reservations months ahead of time, prepare giveaways or gifts for special event, manage RSVP’d and event fees. I pay and manage checkout for the entire party. I try to make the experience as easy and smooth as possible for the Gals so they can enjoy every minute of their brunch.
In addition, I talk to local businesses and restaurants to collab on marketing and branding opportunities to share their spot and what they offer or sell on our socials. I build and maintain relationships with all our venues and businesses ( past, present and future ). I support and seek to share women owned business in our community and highlight all our Boss ladies In the group and what they offer. I work with local charities and non profits every year to help and donate on behalf of GTB. It’s about community, sisterhood, empowering each other and cultivating friendships and partnerships at brunch and after!
I am so proud to have grown the group from a couple hundred followers to now over 2600 and growing! We have events that book out and always have newbies at every event now! Which makes me so happy! We have venues and business that now reach out to me to host an event at there establishment, or ask me to collab with them and get together and do something for the Gals in our community…together! That was my goal and had always been the mission for GTB! We do this ride together and bring each other up!
What sets us apart from others is that Gals That Brunch is truly all About The Gals! Always For the Gals and with the Gals. It’s a truly an empowering and uplifting group and platform for women that will make you feel, normal, equal and seen! My GTB- South OC Chapter is truly an inclusive space for everyone! No pre requisite of age, title, life plan, marital or kid status, religion, how you dress, what purse you wear and how many followers you have! Come have brunch and meet other women, just as who you should be…YOU! That’s what I push for in this chapter and I am most proud of with seeing all the friendships that have cultivated from GTB. Their stories should be your interview…not me. They’re more important! They’re the reason I do what I do.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Taking over as Chapter Leader right before the Covid crisis and shutdowns was definitely an interesting time. As much as people were scared to go out and get sick they were also afraid of just staying in! Gals That Brunch was about meeting new friends and old friends at a new local brunch spot, in person! You couldn’t do that during covid. so I had to navigate a new way of socializing and new definition guidelines of community and getting together. Figuring out how to give the Gals some needed girl time and sanity without getting exposed or unknowingly getting someone sick. It was challenging. I did a few Skype Brunches and had a few ladies come on with a drink in hand ready to go! What I learned during that time is that women are resilient and we will always find ways to get together! Women need other women! Especially in times of fear and the unknown and feeling alone. We help each other, we lift each other up, we make each other feel less crazy and really feel vented and aired out and recharged from it. Its amazing what personal interaction, virtual or in person talks can do for the mind and soul.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://galsthatbrunch.com
- Instagram: galsthatbrunchsouthoc
- Facebook: galsthatbrunch-south oc
- Other: personal instagram: mrs._em_b
