Hey, I'm Jess M Cutler

I love Lists, Organization, Details, Color-Coded Calendars, Systems, and Bubble Baths!

But more than that, I love that I am able to share these gifts, along with my passion for event planning, through a life-long career in the event service industry.

I didn't choose event planning, it chose me.

Even after Covid forced my business to shutdown and I debated giving it up, the career that once defined me, became the calling that realigned me.

Building the same business - TWICE - hasn't been easy. But, it has allowed me to grow bigger and better by reviewing, re-living, and readjusting my growth goals based on years of lessons learned the hard way.

My career as an event planner can easily be divided into two major time zones - B.C. and A.C.

Before Covid and After Covid.

B.C. || Getting a Foot in the Door

Before Covid and right out of college, every opportunity led me into a career in the event planning industry.

Being hired on the spot into a small independent planning company, I started my event planning experience where every little girl dreams of beginning, wedding planning. In addition to weddings, we also organized festivals, tradeshows, a few social functions, but it wasn’t until we planned a corporate convention that I fell in love with the profession.

Trying to pay bills, I transitioned into a front office management position at a local area attraction, Dixie Stampede / Pirates Voyage and soon found myself managing up to 80 team members and coordinating group reservations up to 1,000 people per show and multiple shows a day.

The stress, the timelines, the need for perfection, and fast-paced environment was thrilling!

I enjoyed every minute and wanted more...

B.C. || Climbing the Ladder

Next, I chose a career at our local convention center as a Convention Service Manager (CSM). As a CSM, I planned some our our area's largest events. Coordinating our in-house event team, we hosted multiple events over 250,000 square feet of meeting space.

From small groups of 20 people to city-wide functions for 20,000 attendees, I was right where I belonged. Strong Bonds, Military Balls, Jewish Weddings, Family Reunions, Fashion Shows, Dance Competitions, Presidential Debates, multi-day conferences for medical, corporate, non/profit companies, and state-wide association conventions back-to-back and on top of each other was just a normal day in the office, and I LOVED every minute of it.

Finding a career that I could bring all of my type A tendencies to the table was a dream come true. But after a few years, the challenge of the career was over.

I enjoyed every minute but I wanted more...

B.C. || Stepping up to the Challenge

I pursued another avenue of event planning and became the Director of Sales + Events for our local Destination Management Company (DMC).

Coming from a position where I had mastered the menu, the options, and the space, I was overwhelmed and over my head when I realized EVERY vendor, EVERY venue, and EVERY option was available for my planning pleasure.

We offered every type of event service from dine-arounds, themed events, professional staffing, registration, airport meet and greets, city-wide transportation logistics, tours, teambuilding, on and offsite activities, and any other event service that would meet the needs of our clients.

The DMC business was creative, challenging and life-changing. So, when the DMC decided to close their office in my city, I hesitantly and humbly accepted their vote of confidence to continue serving the area as the owner of my own event planning company, ENVENTS.

A.C. || Shifting from a Career to Calling

The first 5 years of business were beyond tough. Planning an event was challenging enough, but add accounting, marketing, technology, human resources, administrative and ownership tasks to the day-to-day "to-dos" and it was a whole new level of hard.

I tried to be everything to everyone at every moment. And although ENVENTS continued to be a successful and sought after event planning company, my personal lack of boundaries and bitterness began creeping into every crevice of the business, poisoning my heart, my home, and my love of the hospitality industry.

But luckily, covid changed all that.

Watching everything I worked for disappear in a matter of a few emails forced me to question my career entirely. Desperate pleas from friends and colleagues couldn't remove me from the isolation and lack of identity that came from being an event planner with no events to plan.

By realizing my identity does not come from a career, but rather from Christ, I learned how to lead my business with boundaries. I no longer view planning events as a casual career, but as a calling with a higher purpose. Every day I step into the office I work to deliver mastery over mediocrity, progress over perfection, and a heart of service out of love over fear.