LUMI LOVE CLUB: Elle + Honey and Maple
It's time for Part 3 of Lumi Love Club and today we chat to the lovely Elle from Honey and Maple Events about growing a business and time management skills. Elle is a Mama and Event Planner who resides in seaside Kiama and whose events are gorgeously unique and draw inspiration from earthy tones and touches of whimsy. Her pallet picnics are the sweetest way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon!
ELLE; HONEY AND MAPLE EVENTS
@honeyandmaplevents
Tell us about yourselves and the story of Honey and Maple.
I’m Elle, Mum of two, Heath (6) and Piper (3). I have always been from the Camden area, however 6 months ago my husband and I made the move to Kiama and couldn’t be happier with our sea change. Honey and Maple Events originated as a friends business, after a few months of it being established I approached her with interest and shortly after we formed a partnership.
We worked well together as a team for about a year and then when she chose to take another path I took the business on as a sole trader, which was a challenge at first but I’ve now been running it successfully on my own for a year. Honey and Maple Events strives to provide unique props and set ups for all adult celebrations within the Macarthur, South Coast and Southern Highland region.
Any advice for anyone out there thinking of starting a business or a brand?
My advice is - just go for it! It’s a challenge but it’s super rewarding. You literally build something up from nothing and watch your creation grow with the bonus of making a living out of it. It has taken me 2 years to find the clear vision for Honey and Maple Events, but now that I know what direction its going in, I know what audience I want to target and what brand/style I want to create. My biggest piece of advice is not to expect anything overnight, to expect hurdles and to try and avoid comparing you and your brand to others. The beauty of your brand is it’s YOURS and it ‘should be different.’ Also, the amount of followers you have means absolutely nothing - as long as you’re receiving engagement from the audience you’re wanting to target, you’re winning!
Where do you find your inspiration?
My inspiration for my business comes from my personal style and what attracts my creative side. I find myself drawn to any type of beautiful mess, earthy colours, natural beauty and bold, brave and unique items. I have always sworn by never creating the same event set up twice.
The hardest part of starting out / being a business owner and how you overcame any challenges/stay motivated?
The hardest part is definitely working out exactly what you want, and then working out how to get there. It isn’t something that just clicks, well it didn’t for me anyway, it’s something that you might learn as your business grows. For instance, initially we provided our services to all occasions and ages, however now we have decided that kids events no longer work for what we want to achieve, so we now no longer offer Honey and Maple to kids celebrations. We may lose out on some potential jobs, but it’s the risk I’m taking to allow the brand to be consistent in its style and so that Honey and Maple is recognised for that.
Time management can also be a challenging factor. Being a Mama is my number one job and priority, so finding a way to manage a business and still be the best Mum I can be was almost impossible at first. Now I have found my groove with the support of my husband, friends and family.
Time management can also be a challenging factor. Being a Mama is my number one job and priority, so finding a way to manage a business and still be the best Mum I can be was almost impossible at first. Now I have found my groove with the support of my husband, friends and family.
Tell us about your AM routine eg skin products, routines and rituals?
I’ve got to be honest, my AM routine is almost non existent. If I’m lucky, I sometimes spray on a toner mist and pop a facial moisturiser on just before I leave the house. Although, this is actually better than what I was once like, for a long while I didn’t use any skin products at all.
And now your PM routine?
I use a facial wash/exfoliant 2 times a week and every other night just wash my face with a wet face washer in the shower. After my shower I use the toner spray and moisturiser, I make sure to do that part every night. But again, this is way more than what I use to do. One upon a time I was actually bad for sleeping in my make up and never washing my face (woops!).
Three skin care, beauty or wellness items you couldn't bare to live without?
Facial wash, toner spray and moisturiser. They’re all Sukin and all I have! Haha. I need motivation from you beautiful people at Saint Lumi to inform me of what I should be using and doing. I’m pretty clueless with it all.
What does self-love/self-care mean to you? Is it an important part of your day or something that may fall by the wayside?
It’s definitely an area I need to work on. I love self love and self care, but I seek it out more so from salons where I may get a facial to treat myself. I find it relaxing and it’s also good for my skin, so it’s a win, win! I don’t go and have them as often as I would want to and should do considering my at home routine is so sad, but being time poor factors in to it! I’m hoping when our bathroom renovations are done, I’ll want to fill my vanity top and bath nooks with pretty products and oils so this may encourage me to use them more often! *note to self: order bath salts and oils from you!!
