Before you get your wedding meltdown number — well, billions — call Jen Glanz. 34-year-old bridesmaid He is the founder of Four Hire.She is standing. From Williamsburg, Brooklyn, sheassists brides and groomsacross the country.
Since quitting her job as a copywriter for a tech startup in 2014, Glantz has been a full-time entrepreneur, making sure her valuable career and her advice along the way. I'm getting
In addition to launching the world's first service that allows complete strangers to hire professional bridesmaids, Grants is the author of "Always a Bridesmaid (For Hire)" and more. (Simon & Schuster ) as well aspodcast host of "You're Not Getting Any Younger", content fromJenGlantz.com
Also the creator. Gold creating professional bridesmaid services.
"I was a bridesmaid to all my friends in their early twenties. When distant friends started asking me for the role, my roommate at the time called me a 'professional bridesmaid.'
Then came the breakthrough in 2014.
“I took the idea to Craigslist and ran an ad offering my services as a hired bridesmaid for a stranger. Over 300 responses in 48 hours. I received it, built a website, and booked my first client (Ashley of Maple Grove, Minnesota).”
So what does a professional bridesmaid do? Essentially, Grants and her team do everything bridesmaids do, from walking down the aisle in bridesmaid dresses, to making toasts, to last-minute runs to the drug store for eyelash glue.
"Plus, we're a support system before the wedding starts," she said. "Often, clients want to hire us and keep it secret. That's when we disguise ourselves, have fake names and backstories, and really immerse ourselves in your life.
The company also offers packages for couples, maids of honor, and wedding day outfits.In total, Grants has performed more than 125 weddings. Working with dozens of freelance bridesmaids, with more than 100,000 applying for the role, Glantz says their job is very different from that of a wedding planner. Say:
``We work with the couple (or just the bride and groom) as a support system during the wedding adventure.
Writing vows, shopping for dresses, crushing drama - you name it, Grants did it. Bridesmaids Four Hire offers a wedding vent session for $200 if you need a one hour phone call to explain everything.
"Plus, if you're there for your big day , our number one goal is to keep you and your guests stress-free,” she said. Everything is ready to go.”
Glantz's unique gigs are usually attended by bride-to-be Zoom, to answer questions, practice backstory, and deal with the expected challenges. It starts with a call. Bridesmaids can try on her dresses, write maid of honor speeches, shoot TikTok videos and more to keep your audience engaged.
When it was time for the show, Grants got up early in the morning before greeting the bride, had coffee, helped manage the other bridesmaids, dealt with any problems that might arise, and bribed her. Take pictures and dance at parties. At the reception, she runs the bride's errands, gives the maid of honor's speech, and more.
"Think of us as your personal assistant, her on-call therapist, her social director and peacekeeper," she said.
Of course, all this pixie work comes at a cost, but considering the price of the wedding, plus she's $2,499. This includes 6 pre-wedding phone sessions, virtual wedding tools, vendors, a timeline for the day, 6 hours of support for her on the wedding day, and email support.
If diving into her life as an entrepreneur appeals to her, Grantz believes that all the skills she's acquired in her current job, past odd jobs, and side hustles will come in handy. I'm here.
"After graduating from college with an English degree, I didn't know what to do next, so I did anything. I was a sorority travel consultant, magazine assistant, I worked as a publicist.As an associate and copywriter,” she recalls. "When I started Bridesmaids Her Four Her Hire, I realized that I was drawing skills from all these jobs."[55][56] learned directly. “Rejection is a step forward. Instead of taking the rejection personally, I constantly asked myself a series of questions: What can I fix now about the ‘question’ and what can I start doing now to be better in the future?” See, "No response," she explained.
For those considering entering the wedding industry, Glantz offers some helpful guidelines.
Matching Her Skills
"There are a lot of transferable skills that can be used when starting a business in the wedding industry," says Glantz. says. Knowing your top 10 skills, strengths, or personality traits will help you understand what value they bring and how they can differentiate your business or service.
Finding a Competitive Edge
"The world doesn't need another wedding business, but something else, better, more modern." We need another wedding business to do," she added. “Find a handful of competitors and analyze what they do well, the value they provide, and how you can improve your overall business plan.”
Get smart with social media
One of the best free marketing tools in 2022 is the power of social media, especially Instagram and TikTok. “Invest in learning how to use these platforms and learning how to engage your audience on these platforms,” she said. "Helps generate free business."