Today we’d like to introduce you to Cynthia Fletes
Cynthia, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Cyn Luxe Events, LLC started 30 years ago as a family hobby. I have always enjoyed planning, coordinating and executing our family events and started doing more of them as time progressed. I became a Professional Project Manager for a local telecom company in 1997 and the skills I learned on scope, timelines, risk management, budgets and request for quotes also applied to event management. I have also taken extensive courses on customer service like Focusing On Added Value or FOAV. This means that in order to execute a great event you have to not only focus on the milestones, timeline and tasks but also on how you add value to the event and customer interaction.
We can all be great at what we do but it’s how you go about it that makes you stand out from your competition. My goals for every event are simple:
*Make it memorable (FOAV)
*Stay on track with budget, timeline and design (scope of work)
*Always have a back up plan, vendor, timeline etc (risk management)
*Be open and honest with your clients. Over promising and underdelivering is the enemy of customer service,
**Treat every event as it was my own
Cyn Luxe Events, LLC is not my first company/business. I also created, managed and successfully launched DC Entertainment Promotions, LLC with my family. We managed to be in the top 10 DJ System in San Diego, CA in less than 5 years. Our reviews are always at 5 stars and our referrals are mostly word of mouth. As a marriage owned business, we always maintained a professional but fun atmosphere and treated every event/client like family. The company now belongs to my former husband and it is still a well known entity. I took all the lessons learned from that experience and enhanced them for Cyn Luxe Events, LLC. The mission is to make sure we bring quality event planning regardless of event type, size or location, No job too small or too big for us, they are just right!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being your own boss, employee, manager, accountant, promoter, marketer, supplier and mostly sales representative is not the easiest of roles. As a business owner/entrepreneur, you are responsible for everything from establishing your business both legally and physically to buying supplies and setting up payrolls, For me, I have to give credit to MANA de San Diego (https://manasd.org), SBA (https://www.sba.gov) and SBDC (Small Business Development Centers (SBDC)) which is part of SBA. These organizations helped teach me how to set up my business, how to apply for grants/loans, who to reach out to and most importantly, they offer free classes on everything from marketing, to AI, to legal resources. Without any of them I would not be as successful as I am now.
When I first launched DC Entertainment Promotions, LLC, I took out a HELCO agains my home to fund the equipment, gear, van, fees, advertising and other business supplies and needs. this was before I heard of the above mentioned organizations. Had I known that I didn’t need cash upfront to start my business or that they offered special grants to minority owned businesses I would have saved myself a lot of money and grief. My second time around, I didn’t have to upfront my business because I knew where to go and how to set it up. It has most definitely not been an easy road but it is definitely not brain surgery. You just have to be willing to spend time learning, networking and eventually teaching to grow successfully.
My struggles now are getting enough team members onboard to meet the demand. This is the best struggle I can think of!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Cyn Luxe Events, LLC is your one-stop shop vendor. We call it the “bundle of all services under one team. Some of our services include but are not limited to:
I am an ordained Bilingual Wedding Officiant with over 50 weddings under my belt. I am also a Notary Public with over 16 years of experience which means I am always on point with the marriage licenses and small details as this is what creates a memorable events.
We offer event planning for weddings, Quinces, Sweet Sixteens, Marine Balls (military balls), corporate speaking engagements, DJ services, audio visual rentals, party rentals, staffing for set ups and break downs as well as decorating and serving. Our company does it all and if we can’t we will get you preferred vendors for the job!
As part of the planning service we manage day of coordination but if you have already planned, hired and created your event we can be your Day Coordinator to manage it for you. You can enjoy your event your way while we do the work and take the stress out of it. It’s a win-win for all!
What sets us apart from other event companies is that we treat every event with white gloves. If we wouldn’t want it at our event we wouldn’t want it for yours. We listen to our clients and use vision boards to make sure we are capturing their desires and dreams, Follow up is integral, as it maintains us in the loop by constantly communicating between vendors, clients and planners to make sure we are on point. This is where my skills as a project manager come in because I use several tools to track, document and provide updates real-time. You have to be dedicated to your craft but mostly you have to be passionate about it. If you dont like what you are doing it will show.
As a brand, I am most proud of the reputation we have acquired. The number one review from our clients is “Cynthia and her team really listened to what we wanted”. Everyone wants to be heard or made felt that they were heard which means us proactively listening and not just hearing what they want. There is a difference. We offer video consultations to get to know each other to see if we are a fit. We then move on to an onsite meeting where I will bring my understanding and ideas of what you are looking for. Once the client is onboard, we make the booking process simple. Everything we do comes with insurance, background checks and simplified estimates, invoices and contracts. What you see is what you get!
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I am still growing up as every day gives me an opportunity to learn from everyone and teach others how to do for themselves. My personality matches my sign (LEO). We are lovable as long as we are treated correctly and fun when we have some downtime but mostly we are reliable and strong. I play my music loud especially when I am focused, I love to share joy and happiness so my daily goal is to be a ray of sunshine just in case you have not had a dose. We all deserve to be happy!
As a child/young adult, I was raised to be responsible for my siblings and family as both my parents were immigrants without any education or knowledge of the English language. That meant I was both a dependable resource to my parents as well as a dependent. In other words, I grew up too fast but with the right values.
I am fun, easy to get along with and mostly dependable. I like to take ownership and pride of my team and how we work because in the end, I am only as good as they are. I love music and dancing but my passion is executing and completing all of my events/projects. The satisfaction of seeing a bride walk into her venue and start to tear up because we made it better that what she envisioned is gratifying. When we see children enjoying themselves at their birthday parties and to see their family enjoying it without having to work or be responsible for the party is payment enough.
One of my interests is working with the military because it is always a blast and an honor. We have planned and played for Marine Corps Balls, Navy Khaki Parties, Retirement parties and Military Family Picnics for our local servicemen and women. We do offer a 10% discount for them as well as no sales tax. My son is a former Army soldier and because of his service we try to honor those that are and have served our country. Everything we do, we do it with pride because of what they do.
Pricing:
- $1500 4 hour package
- $2500 6 hour package
- $3500 8 hour package
- A la Carte pricing
- Hourly rates
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cynluxeevents.my.canva.site
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cynluxeevents/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CynLuxeEvents
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynluxeevents-llc-063993353/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CynLuxeEvents
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/cyn-luxe-events-san-diego-5
- Other: https://linktr.ee/cynluxeevents
