Can you believe it’s been over 2 years since the start of the global pandemic? What felt like a bad dream turned out to be a serious wake-up call for everyone. Especially entrepreneurs running businesses that went to a complete halt in the midst of the chaos! I think it’s important we discuss all the changes that have happened in the last few years and how now, more than ever being true to yourself can benefit clients as much as it will benefit you.
I had the pleasure of interviewing, Natalie John. If you don’t already know, Natalie is the CEO of Dreamy Weddings. She celebrates 23 years in the destination wedding planning industry. This savvy and trend-forward entrepreneur who oversees a portfolio of growing businesses started with dreamy weddings operating in two destinations in 1999, and has grown to operate in 13 Caribbean destinations! How inspiring is that?!
On this episode of Talk With Renee Dalo, Natalie opens up on how the pandemic affected her business, what necessary decisions+changes were made as a CEO, and a whole bunch of knowledgeable takeaways on how to continue to be relevant and authentic through a crisis.
Friends go grab a coffee, get comfortable & get ready to talk it out!
About Natalie John
Natalie John is recognized by leading media outlets, this recipient of the A-List Wedding Planner designation by Destination Weddings & Honeymoons magazine in 2010, Caribbean Wedding Planner and Off-Site Wedding Planner of the Year 2018/2019 by Caribbean Wedding Industry Awards, and in 2019 won the St. Kitts Business Excellence Awards by the St. Kitts Tourism Authority. In addition to being a certified wedding specialist, she is a Chartered Governance Professional with the Chartered Governance Institute of Canada and a trained florist with experience in insecurities, tourism marketing, and export credit. Born and raised in Saint Lucia, she studied Commerce, Finance, and Marketing at Saint Mary’sUniversity in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Natalie continues to innovate, finding new ways to pamper discerning couples, assist corporate groups in planning Caribbean events, and help island tourism officials develop creative strategies to remain competitive. In 2020 she founded the Caribbean Wedding and Events Professionals, (CWEP) a non-profit regional organization that represents Caribbean professionals and business entities. As a regional champion for event industry excellence, she created CWEP as a platform for industry professionals to network, and leverage their creativity and growth.
As part of Romance and Black History Month celebrations in February, Natalie launched her first book, “COVID-19 Protocols Guide for Weddings & Events” on February 23, 2021, in both paperback and Kindle formats, which are available on Amazon. The new publication has received many reviews as the “go-to” industry handbook that provides standard guidelines of operation that event professionals should follow to ensure the health and safety of guests, employees, vendors, and the community.
Throughout the pandemic, John’s recognition as a regional and international advocate for the weddings and events industry continues to grow as she demonstrates leadership, resilience, and creativity. From a business perspective, TheDreamy Group now includes Dreamy Weddings & Tours Inc., Dreamy Floral & Decor Bar Ltd., Dreamy Proposals, and Dreamy Rentals
Key Takeaways
- Coming out of the pandemic
- passion projects
- committed to the spirit
- too much has changed to go back to how things were
- Journaling
- What is most important
- saying no
- feeling complete
- wondering about relevancy
Connect with Natalie
Thanks for Listening
Talk back to Renee. She loves it!
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Credits
Title Track Voiceover: Melissa Disney
Editor: M. Lynn
Photos: Courtney Paige Ray
Cover Art: Magnoliahouse Creative
