Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Newson.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
The first time I knew I was meant to be an event planner was back home in Chicago during high school. I was always on the school event committees, but it was the moment I flipped through one of those cheesy high school dance decor catalogs (yes, I said catalog) that really sparked something in me. The catalog was at least a hundred pages of cloud and star backdrops, banners, balloons, streamers, arches, and so many props. I was in awe (my taste has developed quite a bit since sophomore year) and a seed was definitely planted. Fast forward about four years later, I was working at Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings in Orlando learning and observing the best team when I realized that I could really make a career of this.
While working at Disney, I was in school at University of Central Florida for Advertising and Public Relations. That path led me to working at agencies in NYC which helped create a great mix of an event management and communications background. After some time in NYC and back at Disney in their in-house agency, I decided to make the leap into entrepreneurship. I’d always thought it was pretty incredible that my grandmother, Fannie, was our family’s first entrepreneur. She was a cosmetologist and thought it was pretty amazing she owned her own salon. So I called my parents, told them I was quitting my dream job with benefits to move back home to the south side of Chicago to start a business. And thankfully, they supported that decision.
I was able to have about two years of solid time building the business in Chicago with mostly social events. Returned to NYC and stayed there for almost 10 years, expanding my clientele to corporate and non-profit organizations in addition to my wedding and social event clients. Then, in 2016, I needed a change and was able to take a friend up on an offer to sublet her apartment in LA for 6 months. During that time, I was bicoastal wrapping up events in NYC, but there was no going back. I loved LA and decided to leap once again and build my business on the west coast. Best decision ever! I definitely still produce events in NYC (and worldwide), but LA is home.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s never a smooth road when you’re trying to do something you have no idea how it will turn out. I have a pretty high tolerance for risk and extremely thick skin to handle rejection. There were many days, months, sometimes years when everything was a challenge. Being in business for 17 years isn’t easy, especially in a service industry where some people may not be aware how much work really goes on behind the scenes to create a “flawless” event. But most of all there was an internal debate going on in my head. When I was younger, my friends were getting promoted and raises and it felt like in some way I was stuck. Once I was able to understand the “why” of what I wanted in life, the path became clearer. It became less about comparison and more about asking what I really wanted for my own. And then figuring out how to make that happen on a daily basis.
The thing about this lifestyle, being an entrepreneur, is that you have to keep making the decision to be it, to do it. To adapt, bob, and weave through business and personal life. Making decisions that you have the freedom to make. And keeping one foot in front of the other. I have an incredible village of friends that have always supported me and that makes the road a lot less bumpy.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The name of my business is Onederland Events, where I am the “Event Wonder Woman” – it says so on my card. We’re a Los Angeles-based, 100% black and woman-owned event company producing a variety of celebrations from coast to coast for 17 years (this May!). We are storytellers that create events that captivate and inspire you and your guests. We specialize in design, planning, and management of social and corporate events such as weddings and milestone celebrations to brand activations, non-profit and educational fundraising galas, film screenings, client dinners, holiday parties, and more. With passion, creativity, integrity, and kindness, we’re obsessed with creating unique experiences that are second to none.
I honestly love people. And what sets us apart is that we do our best to make the entire process of planning an event joyful – not just the end result. The favorite part about Onederland Events is our connections to our clients and vendors. One of my favorite couples, whose wedding was postponed due to Covid-19, actually asked me to officiate because they had been through so much with me. That was such an honor. I can create a stunning event, but to really connect with people on that level is truly special. Basically, if we work together we might end up besties.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
There’s a lot of discussion around technology in the event industry as a whole. My hope is that technology can enhance elements of events, and not replace the awe and wonder of walking into a beautiful space or the amazing energy you feel from a crowd. Something I’m working on now is the evolution of not only Onederland Events but what it means to celebrate and bring joy into everyday life. It really bothers me when people take my card and say oh maybe one day I’ll get married or one day I’ll have a business and you can plan the launch party. And my response is that there’s so much of your life to already celebrate – why would you wait for “one perfect” anything? If it’s important to you, celebrate- don’t wait!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.onederlandevents.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onederlandevents/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/onederlandevents
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellenewson/
Image Credits
Kayleen Marie Bernardo Martinez Elmer Escobar
