I am Alexandra Stead and I cover the Harrogate Area, My venues include,
Rudding Park, Wood Hall, Goldsborough Hall, Allerton Castle, and all the
Harrogate Town Centre Hotels.
I was trained in Hotel Catering and
Institutional Management and worked in hotels at home and abroad. I always
enjoyed dealing with the customers and the fact that no two days were the same.
Latterly I worked in a variety of small businesses being involved closely in
the day to day running of the operation.
I had known Sarah a number of years and was a
huge admirer of her drive and enthusiasm as well as her business acumen. She
told me of her idea when she started the company and always said she would like
to have me on board. I had seen the company grow and when I was made redundant
in 2011 due to the recession I did not need asking twice.
I have never been someone who leaves the job
when I leave the office. I would follow things up in my own time if it was
necessary. As I worked for small companies I had always managed to make the job
suit my lifestyle. Working for myself is not a whole lot different but the
rewards and credits are mine not someone else’s.
It can be quite lonely working for yourself,
with the franchise it is the best of both worlds as the support and back up
from the rest of the team is second to none. Our marketing and website is
something that would be hard to achieve as a sole trader, and Sarah has
initially sourced some fantastic suppliers which ensures the quality of the
brand.
Where do I see my business in a years time? In a years time I see the franchise having grown about
100% in the volume of orders and venues that are using our service. I also see
myself having dressed some prestigious events. In three years I hope that this
growth has continued and we have 2 or 3 teams out dressing events regularly. I
would like to think that we will be the primary supplier in the Harrogate Area
due to the quality of our product and the efficiency of our service.
The last two years have been exciting and fun. I
am constantly learning things about my business and even about myself. The
wedding industry is a fun and vibrant one to be involved in and I have met some
lovely people. I would recommended it to anyone!
