Rising Stars: Meet Diana Antillon of Thousand Oaks

Today we’d like to introduce you to Diana Antillon.

Hi Diana , we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Like many great businesses, Padme Events (Padme Tea Party originally) mine started because I saw a gap and decided to fill it myself. I wanted to create a magical event for my daughter, but the options out there fell short of my imagination. Around that time, I was also looking for a way to maintain my financial independence and career identity without sacrificing my role as a hands-on mother. Creating my own business was the answer. It allowed me to do something I love on my own terms. We launched specializing in highly personalized kids’ parties, but the response was so incredible that we naturally evolved into a full-service event business for all of life’s celebrations.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Early on, the biggest struggle at Padme Events now wasn’t the logistics or the physical work it was building trust. When you do personalized, in-home events, you are entering people’s most intimate spaces. You’re in their kitchens, around their families, and disrupting their normal routine. I started completely from scratch, so asking people to open their doors to someone they didn’t know yet was a massive hurdle.

It was a vulnerability for them, and a challenge for me, especially since I work with families from all different backgrounds and nationalities. Sometimes there were language barriers where I couldn’t immediately read if they were happy or worried. Overcoming that meant learning how to communicate beyond just words reassuring them through my professionalism, respecting their homes, and proving that their space was safe with me. Turning those strangers into loyal, comfortable clients was a beautiful but difficult learning curve.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?

What sets me apart is that I never actually visualized myself doing this. Growing up, I tried several different paths and studied different fields, but none of them ever felt like ‘me.’ If you had told me years ago that I would be running an event business, I wouldn’t have believed you. But the moment I started, I discovered a passion I didn’t know I had.

To this day, every single time I get hired, I get genuinely excited as if I am planning the party for my own child. While aesthetics and beautiful setups are important and something we do incredibly well that isn’t my ultimate goal. My main priority is how the children feel. I want the birthday child, and every single young guest there, to feel seen, included, and genuinely happy. I’m not just building pretty backdrops; I am creating a core, beautiful memory that these kids will carry with them for the rest of their lives. That level of heart and personal investment is something you just can’t replicate.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that there is no single ‘right’ way to be a family. When I first started, I subconsciously thought there was a standard formula for raising kids or throwing a party. But working intimately with so many different moms and children completely changed my perspective. I realized that every family makes decisions based on their own unique history, culture, and circumstances but those decisions are almost always rooted in pure love.

Learning to completely drop judgment was a turning point for me. It taught me that my job isn’t to impose a standard ‘perfect’ event on a client. Instead, my job is to meet them exactly where they are, understand what they prioritize, and adapt my services to match their values. Every family is right in their own way, and realizing that has allowed me to create truly customized, judgment-free experiences that honor what matters most to them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.padmeteaparty.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/padmeevents/

Image Credits
Diana Antillon