CARNDUFF - Alyssa Jorgensen was born and raised in Carnduff and always knew that she wanted to be an entrepreneur.
Of all the ideas that she had come up with through the years, her husband agreed that buying the Promises Rental Company was the best one.
“We wanted to be our own boss. You know live the dream,” shared Jorgensen.
The business became theirs on Valentine’s Day of this year and they bought the previous Carriage Works building for their main storage and office in March.
“I’ve always been entrepreneurial,” says Jorgensen.
Before taking over the company she had been a nurse in Gainsborough, but found that the shift work was not flexible enough while also juggling two young kids and maintaining an acreage with cattle.
“Now I’m in the zone, I don’t even see this as a job because I’m in the creative.”
It also helps that she now has eight staff to help her with her dream job. Having enough people to cover linen, warehouse organization, decorating staff for set up and tear down as well as bartending, her clients don’t have to lift a finger on the day of the event.
It all starts with the client or wedding planner meeting with Jorgensen either at her newly-styled office or online, which is helpful because some of her clients are from Regina or in Manitoba. She consults with her customer about exactly what they want for the event going through the options.
Events that she has already done include weddings, corporate events and lots of fundraising. She has even set up tents at batteries for turn around.
“I am happy to talk with people online but it is better if they come in so that they can touch the fabric and see all the options,” explains Jorgensen.
Following the initial meeting she will send them a quote within 48 hours.
And if choice is what someone wants there is tons to choose from. The warehouse is full of shelves and totes with a variety of colors and styles in fabric, dishes and cutlery, and having everything else one would need for any event. From classy to holiday themed, they even have bouncy castles, popcorn makers, a 12-person R.V., and chandeliers.
There are tents to house it all including the biggest that can seat 400 people along with all the tables and chairs.
Even with the tons of goods that she received from the previous owners she has still put a lot of money into buying more.
“I’ve been updating things and getting rid of some older styles.”
But all that outdated material is not going to waste; she has donated some to the Carnduff Drama Club who used some of the pink tulle for a good witch costume, as well as donating a lot of fabric to the quilting club in Glen Ewen, who makes blankets for Africa.
“It’s been so good working with my best friends and my husband. It’s been a dream,” says Jorgensen.
As well as old there is many new ones to make, she has met and found a lot of support in the trade, networking at events.
“This event industry is mostly female run and there is a lot of support among the small businesses.”
Jorgensen has also been learning new skills, they all got the scissor lift certificate and she learned how to back up and hitch up the trailer.
“It’s so empowering. I love how in this job I can be very flexible and open to new ideas.”
New ideas are something she has come up with.
Her bartending “Serve it Right” idea creates new opportunity for her clients, because for no cost her team will come to an event, having bought all the booze, perhaps even the binzebo bar (a bar made from a grain bin), to set up and serve all night.
The client puts no money into it but still benefits from the service.
With 70 events already planned for the next 16 months, her industrial linen press and chair washer are going to be in use to make everything pristine. And even though there is a lot planned she hasn’t had to say no to any event yet.
“We are really good at making it work.”
