For any parent who has faced an upcoming child's birthday they neither have the imagination or energy to plan, Simone Longworth's party-planning business, Birthday Fairy, is a lifesaver. Operating all over Sydney, her small business can do a little to help – like sending over a grown-up fairy to play games or a dreamy cake – or handle the whole thing, complete with unicorn adoption for every guest and a day spent playing games, sitting at an enchanting table and enjoying a feast of birthday treats.
She was drawn to kid's birthdays after deciding that her part-time job of being a children's entertainer while at uni and her graduate role in corporate events would come together quite nicely in a business dedicated to planning memorable children's parties. "I wanted a work life that was filled with the joy I felt at that part-time job but that was also drawing on my degree and experience seeing events produced at a higher level in the corporate world.
This corporate conditioning combined with her genuine desire to throw great parties has helped Simone with one of the most important elements of her small business – working with parents to create a unique and personalised experience for their children. "There's a lot of back and forth that goes into making sure parents feel that the party reflects their child," she says. "But what I also know is that because I have personally trained the children's entertainers that attend and run the events, I can be confident that what I discuss in those conversations will be followed through on the day." Like most small businesses, being surrounded by great people has allowed Simone to scale her parties much faster.
In terms of growing her customer base, Simone also knows that every enchanting and memorable day for children can result in many more parties. "The beauty of being a kid's party planner is that if you genuinely focus on making the day great, chances are that will lead to more bookings," she says. "Either from children returning to us next year or their friends enjoying it so much they want their own party planned."
Simone admits to being someone who finds it hard to switch off – and likes to be across every element of the business. "There's nothing that any of my employees do that I haven't done before or wouldn't be willing to step in and help with when things get busy – it really is a case of all hands on deck and they know that," she says. But even Simone has found relief in being able to relinquish certain tasks as her small business has grown. "Turns out I love managing our social media accounts but when it comes to the finances, I now have help from people who really know what they're doing."
Simone's ultimate lesson learned from her business
Above all, fostering a sense of wonder is the ultimate lesson. Birthday Fairy knows that in the world of children's parties, it's not just about the decorations or entertainment – it's about creating moments that transport children to a place of total joy.
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