Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Purnell.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Ashley. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I received my undergrad from California State University San Bernardino. When I first started, I thought I wanted to be a nurse, but after taking a few of the science classes I realized I it really was not for me, I would have hated to have myself as a nurse, my heart just wasn’t in it. At that time, I had fallen in Love with my debate class and changed my major to Communication Public Relation and said that I was work in Crisis Management. I was really good at it and enjoyed it. I needed to have an internship and was not able to find one with a PR firm but was blessed to get on with BET network, right around the time of the BET Awards. This was when everything changed for me. I enjoyed working with the Press and PR teams of the clients but it was the coordinating of it the production and all the fast pace commotion that I loved. I started working under the Event Coordinator for BET and she took me under her wing, she was an Event Coordinator on the side and started taking me to work as her assistant for weddings and that was it for me. It’s crazy how it just clicks and it feels right and when it’s what you are supposed to do. Its been 12 years later and I still love it, in fact, I love it even more.
Has it been a smooth road?
One of the biggest challenges for me was realizing I can’t do everything. When I first started, I wanted to know how and tried to do just about everything. Coordinating, Designing, Florals, stationary design, I even baked cupcakes and cake pops for dessert tables. I just wanted to make everything pretty. I realized I couldn’t be great at one thing if I was spread out doing everything. I was working on everything for so long it was hard releasing control, and finding the perfect but it has to be done. After a while, it became too hard on me and I had no choice but to expand and build a solid team around me. Soon as I was able to do that, it seemed like so many more doors opened up. I was able to create and focus on so much more that has helped the business and helps us provide a better service to the clients, and that makes me happy.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the A. Purnell Production story. Tell us more about the business.
A. Purnell Production is a Full event production company. We can provide everything from lighting to a Bartender. We specialize in weddings and design. We are known mostly for themed events and floral designs. As a company, we are most proud of the last minute coordinating and design jobs that we have been able to pull off. Many brides have tried to DIY the weddings and get overwhelmed but have called us at the last minute to pull off the wedding of their dreams and we have made it happen. Brides make me feel the best. To make a bride feel like a princess and that their dreams have come to life. It puts the biggest smile on my face. We pay attention to the client, we create bonds and friendships by giving that extra item and paying a little more attention to the things that matter to them. And the relationships with our clients that have become personal have not been forced. They are natural and it’s the little happy birthday cards, and remembering the couples first dance songs, and the little things that have allowed us to plan weddings for couples then baby showers, the first birthdays. We have grown a part of our client’s world like family and its such a blessing that they continue to think of our business whenever big moments come around. Thats what sets us apart.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I see this more and more tools becoming helpful allow people to be able to do their own events. The things that we are doing as event planners, and designers, Pinterest and Google are helping other people have access to those things as well. So within the industry, we will have to continue to grow continue to think out of the box and create things that others are scared to dream of doing. That is what will keep us ahead and keep us as inspiration to others.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.apurnellproduction.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a.purnellproduction/
Image Credit:
LaTresse Grissom FebeJoy Photos
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