In this blog, I am spotlighting an amazing woman who wears many hats by the name of Melissa Klatt. Our paths crossed during the Lacey Pac sponsored sensitive bunny event at the New Towne Mall. The more we talked the more we noticed how much we have in common with our passion and drive in creating content and networking. This is when Melissa asked me to do a story time at one of the play dates she leads for Newsymom. ( * Play date is July 13th at 11:00 AM at Belden Village Mall) I also had the honor to work with Melissa at the NewsyTowne Zoo Sensory friendly hour. She was such a pleasure to work with. She was so upbeat and ready to lend a helping hand for setting up, running the activities, and tearing down. I could not ask for a better person to work with! I am so happy I met Melissa and look forward to our new friendship and future events. If you need help planning an event I highly recommend contacting my girl Melissa for she is great to work with! Please take a few minutes to read all about this creative woman an how she is crushing it as a small business owner and a mama!
1.) Tell me your name and a little bit about yourself(hobbies,interests,favorites, etc.)?
Melissa Klatt ;) A little about me:
Born in Bronx, NY
Raised in Luna Pier, MI until I graduated high school in 2012 (small lake-front town where my dad’s side of the family grew up)
I married my high school sweetheart, Alexander, in 2017. Our wedding costed a whopping $75. We had the blessing of our family coming together to pay for our little brunch wedding at the park and the best thing about it was the 2pm nap we were able to take after all the stress.
We have a four-year-old daughter, Xiomara, and two dogs, Cleo and Wesley. Cleo is a German-Shepherd/Husky mix, Wesley is a Collie mix (and a rescue).
My husband and I are foster parents as well, currently providing respite care, but super hopeful that we’ll be matched with incredible kiddos who will fit in our home!
I love to read, watch movies, play video games on our PS4 and shop at stores like Marshall’s, Home Goods, and Burlington.
2.) What is your company name?. MK Events
3.) What is your role? I’m the owner and lead event planner.
4.) How long have you been in this role? I started my company in the midst of the pandemic in 2020 *OUCH* but used the downtime to get certified in event planning through the New York Institute of Art and Design. :)
5.) What made you start your business? I have a long history of working in the service industry and with the public in various roles. I worked in restaurant, retail, patient care, and much more. During the pandemic, I realized really quickly how easily replaceable I was in the eyes of my employers. I was treated awfully and paid scraps, despite working harder than lots of my coworkers and superiors. I was tired of it. I had so much to contribute, so much to give, but all they saw were my “limitations” (i.e. having to work within the limited hours that childcare was open during the pandemic, not able to pick up additional shifts on the fly, calling off when my child was sick).
Unfortunately, as a mom, there’s this stigma that moms “come with baggage” because we are the first person called when our family members are sick and need cared for. Employers give us the worst treatment when they find out you’re a parent because being a mom is the toughest obligation, the highest calling in life. It’s the biggest responsibility out there, but boy is it worth it!
So, I started MK Events. My talents include leaving things better (and prettier) than when I find it, organizing everything seamlessly, and communicating to the whole team that makes every event stress-free and memorable. I also help design events, not only to look lush and beautiful, but also to enhance events! For instance, I’ll provide options for my clients that could solve a problem such as scaling back on budget or increasing convenience.
Photo Credit: Spotted Banana Creative Studio: Valley City Photographer
6.) What type of products can someone find at your business? I provide event design, planning, and coordination services; however, stay tuned! Rentals are in the future.
7.) What type of skills are important for an employee to have at your business? Creative problem-solving is the first. The ability to creatively come up with a way to “put out a fire” at an event is the first skill that’s important to have! For instance, not finding the tapered candles for the holders your bride provided? You need to be able to switch gears and replace them quickly so the flow isn’t disrupted, but the bride’s vision isn’t compromised. That’s just one way creative problem-solving comes in handy!
8.) Please tell the readers something they would be surprised to know about you? I’ve moved around a lot before residing here in Ohio.
Born in Bronx, New York
Raised in Luna Pier, Michigan (until my high school graduation)
Lived for two years in Arizona (Mesa for one year, Payson the other)
Lived in Branson, Missouri
Moved to Ohio to close the distance with my now husband
9.) What’s a typical day or week for you at your business? Each day is the same and different all at the same time! I spend some time doing social media activities, writing, working on project timelines and responding to emails. The occasional meeting or venue tour is sprinkled in throughout the month, but the majority of my work is from home!
Then event day comes, I go with my timeline, apron, and Emergency Kit in hand and my team by my side to execute a magical day. Those days are long, but so worth it! The glow I feel after a job well done is incredible. I wake up the next morning feeling so light and happy. :) This is truly what I was meant to do!
10.) What are some of the challenges of your role? The biggest challenge is working around my daughter (time management). Some days she’s clingy, other days she’s energetic. Mix that in with doctor’s appointments, errand-running, and my own self-care, it’s a constant battle! This life is much better than working around an employer’s set schedule. :)
11.) What are the rewards? Some of my favorite rewards:
Being able to spend more time with my daughter
Less commuting (only for meetings, tours, and events)
Charging my worth and working with incredible teams to bring an event to life
My clients’ faces when they’ve had their best day ever, stress-free
The feeling of getting my couple down the aisle at their wedding, and hearing them exchange the vows binding them together in this life. (No matter how many times I’ve seen it done, it still brings about an overwhelming joy. Yes, I cry everytime without fail.)
12.) Do you have any words of wisdom for the readers? “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life,” -Confucious
The road to getting to this point of my life has been 29 years in the making. I still have a long journey ahead, too. My advice to every reader is that it’s NEVER too late to do something you love as long as you’re still breathing. Find the balance within the things that make you happy. Stop doing things for other people that don’t bring you happiness. (Trim that fat out of your life.) This was a huge challenge for me as I believed for a long time that my time is only worth the amount of money I was bringing in. When I re-evaluated my life and started actively choosing to do the projects that meant the most to me, I was rewarded more than I could’ve ever thought! Choose to always be the light in a world that seems dark.
Also, read the book “Energy Bus” by Jon Gordon. It’s a short read about the rules you should apply to creating happiness in your life.
13.) Please highlight some of the events/projects/services you're involved with? On top of my business, I do so much and also feel compelled to do more:
A foster parent with my husband, Alex.
Writer/content creator/Belden Village Playdate Lead for Newsymom
Writer for Special Needs Living Magazine - Akron/Canton
Freelance writer for anyone inquiring about their own projects
14.) What is next for you? My story is being written more and more everyday! I look forward to acheiving my ultimate business goal: Growing my business to hire a team of hand-working mamas who can show the world all of the joy and creativity we have to contribute. I see a design studio that is super mom-friendly. I will never make a mom feel like a burden for being a parent. If you work with me, you never have to apologize for what you need to do as a mama.
I also can’t wait to see my little girl grow up more into the spunky, bright, and charming person she is!
15.) How can people reach you with questions or find out more about all the great services you offer? The easiest way to inquire about your project would be to visit: www.mkevents.online/inquire and fill out the form. This starts your project in my system so we can chat about it! Additionally, you can PM me on Facebook (@mkeventsonline) or send me an email (mkeventsonline@gmail.com).
16.) Please feel free to share anything else you would like to share with readers Live your life as a shining beacon in the night sky!