Entrepreneurship is not easy.  It’s takes sweat, hard work and dedication.  All the more challenging is working to achieve success and stability in the industry of wedding and event planning, an extremely tough industry to break into.  Especially with a new business the world has yet to know.  But with a little inspiration from those ambitious entrepreneurs that have paved the way, you might just notice at the end of that rainbow, there sits a pot and inside that pot shimmers a business you started to call your own.

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Elaine Rau, a 25-year-old wedding consultant and event planner, is the perfect example that anything is possible.  I had the pleasure of interviewing Elaine and soaking up her queendom recently, and was left with a lasting impression.  As the Founder and Principal Planner of the event services company Events with Elaine, it’s safe to say Elaine is someone you should know.  

Originally from Taichung, Taiwan, Elaine stays true to her roots since it was her upbringing that inspired her never ending love for people and a desire to experience life’s greatest joys alongside them.  She’s also pretty fluent in Mandarin.  Upon enrolling at Wheaton College, she participated in numerous clubs and committees, including service as the President of the Chinese Culture Club, which all helped hone her passion for leadership.  After graduation, she continued to invest in her community and is currently on the social committee for the Taiwanese American Professionals organization in Chicago, through which she hosts events all over the city to help promote various charities and organizations.  When she’s not running her own event planning business or volunteering, she blogs about food, beauty, and fashion for Halfstack Magazine, and does promotional modeling.  How does she do it?  Below, Elaine shares her story, what motivates her and how she’s managed to conquer it all.

Stay optimistic

I asked Elaine about the 'weather report' for a typical day as an entrepreneur.  'Definitely sunny, but can be cloudy,' Elaine chuckled as she thought about how her day can start off sunny, which metaphorically in her mind means ‘running smoothly’.  But, she explained that sometimes the clouds of self-doubt and the pressure of coming up with new business ideas can throw her into a frenzy.  ‘Nevertheless, the sun always radiates through the cloudiness.’  Day by day meeting newly engaged couples, setting appointments, presenting event and wedding service packages to clients and managing the internal crew of photographers and videographers, she maintains her cool and stays optimistic.  Because she loves what she does wholeheartedly, that’s what keeps her on her heels.

Do what you do well

Earlier in her career, Elaine realized that what she did  on a daily basis for leisure which is event planning, she did really well.  'So why not start a business out of it?'  You should explore the field of interest that people will recognize that you’re good at.  This is the philosophy that inspired her to get into the event and wedding planning industry and start her own business.  She’s able to make a living doing what she loves all the while benefiting and leaving a lasting impact with her clients.  Everyone wins.

Find a support group

Elaine suggested aspiring entrepreneurs to find a support group and get involved in.  She joined bSmart after an invitation by a friend to a viewing party in Chicago to watch the live stream of bSmart’s #MyBigGoal networking event in New York on December 8, 2015.

'Initially I didn’t know much about bSmart as an organization, but attended to support my friend. Then after watching the livestream of the networking event and chatting with the other women who attended the viewing party, I became more aware and fell in love with the idea. I loved the support I received from the other women in the group. It felt good to have accountability and instead of just talking about my ideas, I felt motivated to act on them. I remember one of the girls in the group challenged me do something with all my ideas… so I did, and that is how Events with Elaine was launched.'

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You don’t get paid for having ideas, you get paid for making them happen.

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Her passion, hard work and newfound support from a group of women who challenged her to stay accountable to her dreams, turned her bubble of great ideas into a business.  Sometimes we procrastinate, put awesome ideas on hold or we let fear cloud our possibilities.  DON’T.  Elaine’s motto is, 'You don’t get paid for having ideas, you get paid for making them happen.'

Launch your dreams

February 19th is an important date because it’s the official date of her launch party for Events with Elaine.  If you’re in Chicago, expect an exclusive party including a lingerie fashion show, art and cocktails.  This is her next big move and she knows that she will have an amazing turnout.  She’s proud she has came this far so quickly during her journey as an entrepreneur.  She has more plans up her sleeve for the launch party to promote her event services company.  We’ll be on the lookout for that. 

 

Interested in the event and wedding planning industry? Contact Elaine Rau below for additional details on internship opportunities with Events with Elaine.  Connect with her on Facebook and like her page: Events with Elaine.  Contact her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (734) 751-9010.

 

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