We had the good fortune of connecting with Stephanie Nguyen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Stephanie, other than deciding to work for yourself, what else do you think played a pivotal role in your story?
I believe that the reason my business celebrated success as early as it did was because I stayed true with the mission of my business and I did not let outside factors change the way I wanted to do things. In the industry its very easy to get lost in what other people are doing and the one thing that has stayed constant for me was that I always solely focused on what I was doing and what my clients needed for their specific event.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Please tell us more about your business. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today business-wise. Was it easy?

– The thing that I am most proud of about my business is the simple fact that I made the decision to go for it. It was extremely scary to leave the comfort of my 9-5 job and commit to something that I had no idea would work out. The one thing that has remained constant in my business is creating a space that is extremely transparent and honest for my clients. My intention with all of the people that I work with is to give them a realistic expectation of what is possible while always keeping their dream day in mind. It has not been an easy journey by all means but it has 1000% been so worth it. On the tough days where I feel overwhelmed or go through imposter syndrome, I simply just take a day off and remind myself that everything will be ok and I am extremely lucky that my clients are very understanding of all of our mental healths.

What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?

– The biggest lesson that I have learned while starting my company is that if you believe in yourself you truly can accomplish anything. Take the time to build out a plan, do your research and shadow whoever you can in your industry to learn as much as you can. My company was founded on the principle of being honest to our clients and always treating their event like it was one of our own. I continually remind myself to not stray away from that core foundation because other people in the industry are doing things differently and its very easy to feel as though you don’t fit in. The reality is that, fitting in is not necessary, someone somewhere will love your work and process exactly as it is.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I have to be honest and say that I don’t spend a lot of time in my own city as I am always on the go traveling to other cities for events. I have also only recently moved to Los Angeles so everything here is still very new territory for me. If my friends were to visit however we would definitely be exploring a lot of flea markets, thrift shops, museums and LOTS of eating at various brunch or dinner spots. As of now Tiktok is definitely one of my favorite obsessions and I have found many gems just from searching hashtags on there!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
As a child of an Asian American household, a lot of pressure has been placed upon becoming a Doctor or Lawyer growing up. I am very grateful to my parents for allowing me the space to chase a dream that is in the creative field. I think knowing that I have support from my immediate circle has truly helped me push forward.

In addition, a leader is only as great as its team and I truly would not be here today without my team as they are the ones who face the long days, scorching hot days and simply being present with the execution of our events with me.

Website: https://joyandesign.com/

Instagram: @joyandesigns

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joyandesign/

Other: https://www.pinterest.com/joyandesign/ https://www.tiktok.com/joyandesign/

Image Credits
Haley Garces Photography Sarah Plum Photography Foolishly Rushing In Photography Ali Beck Photography Siera Harbin Photography South of June Photography

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