Do You Believe In Magic? 365 Days In Business And Beyond
April is a special month here at EE, because we’re celebrating 1 full year as a brand on the 26th! Happy Birthday to us! This month’s blog is a letter to you directly from Founder Joanna V - a few words on believing in magic ❤️
Dear You -
When I was 18, I bought a binder from Office Max and filled it with all of my hopes and dreams of being a professional event planner.
Up to that point, I had both modeled in and worked backstage at a few local fashion shows, but my desire for planning other types of events had grown exponentially. I started using the binder to write out imaginary plans for parties linked to my favorite brands… before I ever realized it was a tangible career path I would later take.
As a kid, entertaining was always a thing I enjoyed helping out with at home, too. I’d style the table for fancy dinners, all the way down to floral ice cubes (before instagram) and folded napkins in cute shapes. I remember styling the food after my mom had cooked, making sure to lay out each plate as if it were served by a Michelin star rated restaurant. As I got older, I’d invite friends for dinner and hand-letter menus on cardstock. Making people feel special always made me smile. I’ve always believed in magic.
By some stroke of divine intervention, I even ended up with a summer job at a fabrication shop… before I knew what those were. I tell that story in full in next week’s YouTube video, so make sure you check out the channel and subscribe so you don’t miss it (#ShamelessPlug). The short version of the story is that that summer job changed my life in ways I hadn’t even realized at the time. It reinforced my belief in magic, and I kept going.
The exact binder I bought almost 15 years ago, with all my dreams written out in pen.
I found over time that even the detours in my journey were magical. I worked as a stadium bartender and felt like every single day was hell on earth, except when I was able to sneak backstage during a concert and ask the crew questions, or completely abandon my post to just watch the show. The magic in those moments is something I carry to this very day. Eventually I would find myself with the opportunity of a lifetime - landing my dream job. Insert angelic choir track here. Since then, I’ve worked with clients like Google, Netflix, New Balance, Target, and Absolut to name a few - again, pure magic. Now, believing in magic has taken me somewhere new, and landed me here as the founder of this little brand that could.
You see, over the years and through the encounters I’ve described, I haven’t only believed in the magic of events and making other people smile. Each of these small wins (even the ones disguised as shitty jobs) helped to build and reinforce my belief in my own magic, and what I bring to this crazy world. I’ve also honed in on the magic of what makes my perspective unique and special in this industry, and I’ve poured it out into what has now become Everyday Experiential.
“It’s all here, as a testament to the magic of my personal journey, and a call to action to harness the magic of yours.”
This brand isn’t just about planning nice events. If you’ve read any other blog, you’ll know it’s deeper than that. This brand is a culmination of all the magical things I believe in, and a plea for you to believe in them too. The magic of togetherness, the magic of simplicity, the magic in the little things, in sustainability, and even in mindfulness. It’s all here, as a testament to the magic of my personal journey, and a call to action to harness the magic of yours.
As I celebrate 365 days in business, I encourage you to continue to seek magic in every little thing you can. Bottle it up and get drunk on it. But also, pour a little out for those who’ve stopped believing.
Here’s to the next 365 days and beyond. I can’t wait to share more magic with you.
XO,
J