Interview with Shannon Valente, Owner of Shannon Valente Weddings, one of the best Wedding Planning in West Springs Cougar Ridge.
Interview conducted by George Byma

Describe your business.

I own a wedding planning and design studio.
 I offer full wedding planning, wedding day coordination and hourly consulting. Couples hire me if they are looking for someone to help plan their wedding, if they are just looking for some help along the way, or help on the actual day of the wedding. I also provide wedding rentals as well, so if people are looking
 for chair covers and other wedding accessories I can provide them.

What made you decide to open this business?

Part of it was my love of planning a good party. Any job that I have ever done, I always ended up being the “social event coordinator”, whether or not that was the job or not. Also my own wedding played a big role, I just really loved the process. So I got serious with it and took my certification from the Wedding Planners Institute of Canada and started my business. It has grown from there over the years.

What was it like when you first started?

Calgary is a very welcoming city but in the beginning I found it quite intimidating being a newcomer to the business. But once I got a couple of weddings under my belt, people were really receptive. This gave me the confidence
to realize that I was actually quite good at what I was doing and really helped.

What has surprised you most when owning a business?

I think what has surprised me most is all the background work that goes into a business. When you're an entrepreneur, I think 
you end up wearing many hats, you are your own admin, sales, marketing and IT departments. There are so many different day to day tasks that you are required to do in the background to run the business on top of being an expert in your field. Over the years I have learned (the hard way) what to do yourself and what to source out.

What would your customers say they love most about your business?

I have been consistently told that my customer service is exceptional! I come from a customer service/sales background so I think that's definitely helped me over the years. I am often told by wedding guests, clients and their family members things like, 'You did a great job, it was beautiful, it was well run, and you did it all with a smile on your face!"
My attitude is 'you get more bees with honey' and customer service is key.

What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had working with a customer?

I have a lot of very memorable experiences. There are a few specific weddings that certainly stand out. When planning such an important day with people and sometimes working together for over a year or more, you become very close with them. I’m lucky to be involved in such a happy time in their lives.

Do you have any exciting plans for the future that you want customers to know about?

Expansion. Over the years I've had many assistants working with me and I've slowly been building them up. A lot of them have started taking on their own weddings, so there will soon be a bigger Shannon Valente Weddings team and I am really excited about that.

What is something most people don't know about the business?

My business used to be called Frit Fru weddings and I changed it to Shannon Valente Weddings a few years ago.

Who are some of your business idols and role models? And why?

In business my father has been a big role model to me as well as my husband. Both come from a banking background. Their customer service, and dedication to their job and clients, has served me well. I also belong to an amazing group of wedding planners in Calgary who encourage, support and refer each other. Not always common among industries.

What do you like most about being an entrepreneur?

I like the flexibility and rewards that it offers. As many hard days as there are, there's many more great days. With everything you do you get to reap the benefits and see all of your hard work pay off. I’ve worked harder for myself than I ever have for anyone else.

Do you have any advice that you want to share with other entrepreneurs?

Continue learning. I like to take different seminars, classes and courses to improve myself and my business. Establishing a background
in business is useful. You can be great at making something or doing something, but if you don't have the business background to back it up you're going to struggle. The longer I am in business, every course that I take and every seminar that I attend, I learn more from it because I have experience I can relate back to it.

What do you love about this neighbourhood?

I love that it's expanding. I don't have to drive so far to go to a certain grocery store or a coffee shop or to buy a pair of jeans. I have lived in the Cougar Ridge area for 11 years now. When I first moved here, it was a good 20-30 minutes drive for anything you wanted to do. And now it's literally minutes from my doorstep which I am really, really enjoying.

What are your favourite places to go in the neighbourhood?

I love shopping at Apt 22, Frilly Lilly in Aspen Woods to get my nails or eyebrows done and Mama Massage is one of my favorite places, my kids love it too. They are fantastic and their customer service is amazing.

What are your favourite things to do in the neighbourhood?

My son is a really big soccer fan and participates in the local Rangers soccer. My family and I also enjoy going to the local restaurants for dinner.

Why do you think it's important for people to shop local?

I think it's important to shop local because the more you support the local businesses, the more they're going to grow and more is
 going to be offered here. I'm from a small town and I think it's the same mentality. If you don't shop local, then people are going to have to close their doors and then you are not going to have it available when you want or need it. I'm a big believer in keeping things local and as easy as possible.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shannonvalenteweddings

Twitter: https://twitter.com/svweddings

Website: http://shannonvalenteweddings.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shannonvalenteweddings/

Website: http://www.acediner.ca

Twitter: https://twitter.com/acecoffeediner

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acecoffeediner/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acecoffeediner/

Describe your business.

We are a combination coffee shop and diner where we focus on breakfast, really good coffee, and creating an inviting social atmosphere for people to enjoy with their friends, co-workers, or families. Our diverse setting is used widely from hosting business meetings to family friendly moms and kids.

Why did you decide to work here?

I was brought on board early before we opened and I was really excited to be involved with a small local restaurant who wants to make an impact that is family owned, oriented and operated. I wanted to be part of a business who really wants to be a part of their community and who wants to focus on people, whether that be the staff or the customers. I'm a big proponent of taking care of people and so being involved with a place that makes this their focus is really exciting to me.

What has surprised you most while working here?

I've been in the restaurant industry for most of my life and being involved with starting something brand new from the ground up is new and has definitely been very rewarding and interesting. Many times the unknown challenges have turned into the most positive triumphs.

What was it like when you first started?

We have been open now for 3 months and we are steadily interested in finding out what our local customers like and how we can engage with people more to meet their wants and needs. We are still planning our official grand opening that will likely be in March and we will certainly want to engage with the local community when we do. Please keep posted for more details to follow soon.

What do customers say they love most about the business?

Customers love the space and atmosphere. The layout is open and really modern but it still has that cozy diner feel at the same time. Customers love the booths and benches. There are outlets in every seat in the house. Customers love that they can sit and plug in their computer, have a local business meeting or quietly work on a weekday afternoon, or come in with their families on a Saturday morning to enjoy our fantastic breakfast menu.

Why do you think it's important for people to shop local?

I think it's very important to support a business that is small and independent, that is supporting their local community. It creates a a sense of reciprocity between business owners and builds a positive network based on mutual respect, interests and support.

What do you love about this neighbourhood?

People who don't live in the neighbourhood may think it's out of the way. When you get here you realize how vibrant, thriving, and growing the community is. West Springs is a dynamic mixture of young families, couples and singles. There's so many amazing and unique pubs, restaurants and really cool shops. Everything you need is in this area.

What are your favourite places to go in the neighbourhood?

I like the Vin Room across the way from us and I often look forward to the afternoons I can spend all to myself while enjoying a glass of vino.