Marissa Vogel studied public relations and worked for a corporate for a few years. But she knew she wanted something else from life. She quit her job, moved overseas with her husband, had two children and moved back to South Africa, where she set up her own business to pursue her real passion.
ALSO READ: List of best web hosting South Africa services for your website
Marissa has poured all of her creativity into building Konfetti Love, an inspiring event design and styling company that makes every event one to remember.
GoDaddy is such a big fan of Konfetti Love’s work that we asked Marissa Vogel and her team to do the styling and décor for our official South African launch event in March 2019.
We were curious to know more about her journey as an entrepreneur and how she is putting digital tools and technology to work for her thriving business. Read below to find out more about her inspirations and successes.
Interview with Konfetti Love’s Marissa Vogel
GoDaddy: What got you interested in or excited about your current line of work?
A: I started my career in public relations. After practising for a few years, I was longing to do something more creative. I quit my job and decided I would specialise in event design and management. The possibility of working with colours and textures, pushing creative boundaries, and creating something from concept to installation really excited me.
GoDaddy: What first steps did you take to launch the business?
A: The most important step I took was to create content to showcase what Konfetti Love could do. In a saturated events market, it was important to illustrate our range of skills and different take on styling. This could only be done through visual content.
GoDaddy: What sets you apart from other businesses in your market?
A: What makes Konfetti Love different is our balanced use of colour. When I started Konfetti Love, the market was dominated by a Scandinavian style with neutral and muted tones. I decided to enter the market with an explosion of colour – colour excites me! It certainly grabbed attention and differentiated my brand from others.
GoDaddy: What were some specific obstacles you faced in your first year?
A: My biggest obstacle was getting clients on board and getting them to entrust me with their vision. People were interested in my work and the content was pleasing to look at, but they were still hesitant to use colour. My bookings were few and far between at first.
GoDaddy: What steps did you take to overcome them?
A: I took a different approach to gain trust and created content for children’s parties using tons of fresh, fun colour. People started reacting favourably and, after a few elaborate parties, clients were willing to take the risk of incorporating colour into their own events.
GoDaddy: Thinking about the business you’ve built, what makes you most proud?
A: Seeing an idea grow into something tangible is incredible. Having people respond to my creativity in a positive way is really what makes me proud. I’m doing something right, right? My business has not only grown in terms of revenue but also in returning clients. Our range of services has expanded. We now offer creative concepts for event design as well as prop and décor rental.
Inspiration
GoDaddy: What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned since starting your business? What advice would you give to people thinking about starting a small business?
A: A small business relies on other small businesses to survive. Collaboration over competition is truly important. Joining hands with people in the industry – sharing knowledge with each other, supporting each other, and uplifting each other – has really been the key to my growth.
GoDaddy: Where do you see your business in five years?
A: In five years’ time, I see Konfetti Love doing what we love but with more hands to take on more events. Having a creative space dedicated to retail and a range of workshops is another long-term goal.
Products and tools
GoDaddy: Can you tell us about what it was like using the GoDaddy Website Builder?
A: The process of creating my site was empowering, intuitive, straightforward and rewarding, but also cost-effective. To see the content that I’ve worked on for the past couple of years come to life was quite exciting. The GoDaddy Website Builder has allowed me the same flexibility that social media platforms have given me, enabling me to keep my brand and information up to date.
GoDaddy: Why did you choose GoDaddy to put your business online?
A: Time is of the essence for any small business. Not having the technical know-how to set up a website, I needed something that would be quick and cost-effective. The GoDaddy Website Builder took the difficult parts out of the website creation process. It wasn’t intimidating at all and it allowed me to build the site in my own time. What I particularly liked about it was that you can make changes as you go along – quickly and at no cost.
About GoDaddy
GoDaddy is empowering everyday entrepreneurs around the world by providing all of the help and tools to succeed online. With 18.5 million customers worldwide, GoDaddy is the place people come to name their idea, build a professional website, attract customers and manage their work. Our mission is to give our customers the tools, insights and the people to transform their ideas and personal initiative into success.
Image Courtesy: Supplied