An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis

You can’t do it all: You can’t be in charge of everything as much as you want to. Delegate tasks to your team and trust them to handle them. This will free up your time to focus on the bigger picture.

As a part of our series called “Making Something From Nothing”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jacqueline Vizcaino.

Jacqueline Vizcaino is a powerhouse Latina entrepreneur who stopped building other people’s businesses and founded an award-winning full-service wedding and event design firm, Tinted Events, in Atlanta, Georgia. In addition, she is a best-selling author focusing on the advancement of the wedding industry. Jacqueline is committed to empowering wedding entrepreneurs through equitable education, treatment, and positive mentorship. She believes everyone should be provided the opportunity and guidance to achieve their entrepreneurial dream. She currently serves as International Board Director of Diversity and Inclusion at WIPA™️.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a bit about your “childhood backstory”?

I had always been the person who loved everything about celebrations growing up in the Bronx, New York, and later moving to the South in a Latin-Caribbean home. Additionally, we didn’t celebrate the usual holidays like most families. My family emphasized milestones. They made sure we didn’t feel like we were missing out, and they were terrific at it.

That’s how I became the unofficial event planner of the family, my friends, and their parents. The challenge would be a repetitive guest list and a limited budget while creating a unique experience each time. Do you see? I would get bored quickly. So, I had to make memorable events to give myself something to look forward to. This skill would serve me well when conceptualizing and designing for future clients I didn’t know I would have.

Aside from that fun hobby, academia was not at the forefront growing up. No one in my family had a degree. I hadn’t met anyone who had attended college until I moved to the south. I was sixteen when I found out my father was illiterate due to having to work in the family business at the age of eight. I had no idea because he ran a successful meat business and was the ultimate salesman, equally strong with finances. I was blindsided.

From that day, his guts and grit made sense. The words that echoed in my head growing up were loud and clear, “Outwork and outperform those around you, follow your passion, and don’t let anyone tell you where you belong. It’s your choice where and when you will be present.” And so, I took that route and undoubtedly rose in positions and would eventually land leadership roles. You know what they say, “Ignorance on fire.” For me, it was not knowing that what I was doing was extraordinary for someone with my background.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

Maya Angelou famously said, “When you know better, you do better.” Knowing better doesn’t just mean gaining book knowledge. It also has to do with who you surround yourself with and the person you become because of those influences; your environment can shape you without realizing it.

When I was starting in the corporate world, very few people looked like me or had a similar background. When you don’t have people around you doing what you want or have done, how will you know what’s possible? So, I would hide in the shadows and observe those in leadership positions in their business or my department and watch how they conducted themselves. I was always very observant of the behavior that contributed to their success or was keen to pick up on what wasn’t working for them and what was a liability for them. In either scenario, there was a lesson to be learned.

Is there a particular book, podcast, or film that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

The Color Purple is a film that had a profound effect on me. The protagonist, Celie, is a woman of color who doesn’t know what she didn’t know. She was always that girl in the room, soaking up every little thing, trying to make sense of it all, and often feeling like she didn’t belong. However, that still didn’t hamper her curiosity; she would take what she learned and eventually create her world.

This is an excellent analogy for someone starting their entrepreneurial journey. You must be willing to learn as much as possible and create your path once you know. The best way to become an expert in something is by becoming a student of it and committing to the process. So, be Celie, be the one in the room who takes everything in and eventually creates their world.

Ok super. Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. There is no shortage of good ideas out there. Many people have good ideas all the time. But people seem to struggle in taking a good idea and translating it into an actual business. Can you share a few ideas from your experience about how to overcome this challenge?

When I was younger, my father would tell me, “If you want something done, you have to be the first willing to do it yourself.” And that’s how I approached business. If there was a task or project I wanted to complete, and I knew no one who could help me, I would find a way to do it myself. This tenacity and willingness to do whatever it takes to get the job done have served me well in business.

One of the most important things I’ve learned is that you can’t do it alone. You need a team of people around you who complement your skills and help you achieve your vision. Being the ship’s captain is okay, but you need a solid crew to help you navigate the waters.

As an entrepreneur, getting caught up in the day-to-day and losing sight of the bigger picture is easy. But it’s important to step back and reflect on your journey and where you want to go. What are your long-term goals? What is the legacy you want to leave?

Often when people think of a new idea, they dismiss it saying someone else must have thought of it before. How would you recommend that someone go about researching whether or not their idea has already been created?

If you’re beginning your entrepreneurial journey and don’t know where to start, my advice is simple: get out there and start talking to people. I’m a big believer in releasing my dreams into the universe so that it doesn’t stay plugged inside me. No one has all the answers, but by sharing your dreams and goals with others, you open yourself up to limitless possibilities.

I also feel that researching your industry is critical. When starting, you don’t know what you don’t know, so educating yourself and learning as much as possible about your field is important. Read books, listen to podcasts, and attend industry events. Again, by surrounding yourself with knowledgeable people, you’ll get a feel for what’s possible and what isn’t.

I’m in the full-service wedding and event design and planning industry, and I had to embrace the fact that even if there seem to be hundreds doing what I do, my lived experiences, knowledge, and unique perspective make me the only solution for my ideal listener or client.

You never know who you’ll meet or what opportunities will come your way. And that’s the beauty of entrepreneurship: it’s an ever-evolving journey with limitless possibilities.

For the benefit of our readers, can you outline the steps one has to go through, from when they think of the idea, until it finally lands in a customer’s hands? In particular, we’d love to hear about how to file a patent, how to source a good manufacturer, and how to find a retailer to distribute it.

One of the things I wanted to do but thought of many reasons why it could not work for me was writing a book. However, I first needed to know about myself and the best method to extract information from between my ears.

Well, as I mentioned, I put it out into the world. I knew self-publishing wasn’t the way for me to go, but I always look to be led by those leading in their expertise, so I did just that and stumbled upon a method and publisher that was the perfect fit for me.

I would love to say that I had a laundry list of secrets, but I can’t. Two tricks helped.

One was outlining talking points. Perhaps you already have a course or a coaching program you could use as a guide. It’s a literal brain dump, deleting those speaking points that could be considered repetitive or consolidated.

Now, this next part of the process was where the magic happened. Instead of staring at a blinking cursor, I had three one-hour and thirty-minute sessions three days in a row and just spoke into the zoom screen and let the record button fly. That is where the liberation of my thoughts and experiences began and oozed out and became its paragraph, page, chapter, and book.

From there, the transcription was produced, and I had the opportunity to edit at will. There wasn’t a lack of thoughts to choose from, so filling in the content was not a concern. Instead, I was purging the unnecessary.

Those edits were submitted to a developmental editor. Now, this is what I like to say is the roller coaster ride. It gives the chapters the tracks to ride on and provides the highs and lows that make for an exciting journey.

Then the final stages of formatting and category selection, and submission. And a book was born. “I Was the Help. Now I’m the Wedding Pro.”

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Started Leading My Company” and why?

1. It’s not all about you: As the leader, getting caught up in your vision and what you want to achieve is easy. However, it’s important to remember that you’re not the only one affected by your decisions. Your team relies on you to make the right choices, so consider their input.

2. You can’t do it all: You can’t be in charge of everything as much as you want to. Delegate tasks to your team and trust them to handle them. This will free up your time to focus on the bigger picture.

3. Be prepared for the ups and downs: Running a business is not a smooth ride. There will be highs and lows, so it’s important to be prepared for both. Stay positive during tough times and celebrate successes.

4. Be patient: Rome or any city wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a successful business. It takes time to grow and establish yourself in the market. So be patient, and don’t expect overnight success.

5. It’s okay to make mistakes: We all make them, so don’t beat yourself up if you do. Instead, learn from your mistakes and use them as learning opportunities. Your team will respect you more for owning up to them.

Let’s imagine that a reader reading this interview has an idea for a product that they would like to invent. What are the first few steps that you would recommend that they take?

Have a clear vision and purpose: Before you can even begin to bring your idea to life, you need to have a clear picture of what it is you want to achieve. What is the problem you’re solving? What need are you filling? What solution are you providing? What are your long-term goals? Once you understand your vision well, it will be much easier to start putting the pieces together.

Research your industry: It’s important to educate yourself about your industry and learn as much as possible, but don’t become paralyzed by the need to get all the information before beginning. Yes, educating yourself will help you better understand the landscape and what’s possible; however, you may also learn along the way with books, listen to podcasts, attend industry events, and talk to people who are already doing what you want to do.

Build a prototype or create your ideal client avatar diary: This is a great way to bring your idea to life and get feedback from potential customers. This will help you further validate your concept and ensure that it’s something people want B2B or B2C. Each has its own set of challenges and opportunities, so it’s important to do your research and understand which one is right for you.

Build a strong team: You can’t do it alone. As an entrepreneur, it’s important to surround yourself with people who complement your skills and help you achieve your vision. First, gather feedback from your team. Then, ride the momentum of your team’s appetite for sharing your dreams and goals as a collective.

Launch: Once you’ve gone through the above steps, you’re ready to launch your business. This is when the real work begins, but if you’ve done your homework and put in the hard work, you’ll be in an excellent position to succeed.

There are many invention development consultants. Would you recommend that a person with a new idea hire such a consultant, or should they try to strike out on their own?

There is no easy answer to this question. It depends on the person’s circumstances and what they feel comfortable with. In the wedding industry, the barrier to entry is low, and sometimes hiring a business coach or consultant can be a good way to get started if someone doesn’t know where to start. They can help with market research, developing a business plan, and figuring it out. However, they can also be expensive, and the person will still need to do a lot of work independently.

Ideally, immersing oneself in the local wedding community and connecting and laying the groundwork for solid vendor-partner relationships with providing a footing in the beginning.

What are your thoughts about bootstrapping vs. looking for venture capital? What is the best way to decide if you should do either one?

For someone starting a business from scratch, it’s important to have a clear vision of what they want to achieve. One of the benefits of launching in the wedding and event space is the cost is minimal as it relates to the planning side of things: the customary business startup licensing and insurance expenses. In addition, taking on debt for a storefront is a thing of the past. Instead, you can meet clients and the very offices of vendors most suitable for their wedding day dreams. Get them excited about the overall feeling at these creative studios.

Ok. We are nearly done. Here are our final questions. How have you used your success to make the world a better place?

As a leader, I have always strived to make the world a better place. One of the ways I have made a difference is by mentoring other aspiring and up-and-coming wedding professionals who, at one time, were the help. The creatives behind the scenes inspire, design, and execute lavish and luxe weddings. In addition, I have always been a strong advocate for women in the workplace and have tried to help other women navigate the often-tough business landscapes.

I believe we all are responsible for making the world a better place, and I will continue to use my skills and success to help others.

You are an inspiration to a great many people. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

I would inspire a movement of a kind, accepting, and supportive wedding industry. The fortitude to stand up on behalf of other minority and underrepresented professionals when they are not given a fair chance, especially when they are not “in the room,” even if that means denying myself or a majority member the opportunity.

Inclusively recognize, acknowledge, and compensate these pros for their expertise and creativity. But, unfortunately, even giving a mention or a share on social media doesn’t result in the same for them.

A movement of people who lead by example and who are unapologetically authentic. These are the people I would want to inspire with my words, actions, and businesses for what is right. A movement of people who believe that love is love, and weddings should reflect that. A movement of allies to help those who can’t fight alone. That is the world I want to see.

We are blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or the US, with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.

Years ago, I began a long-standing morning routine with Darren Hardy’s Darren Daily #BetterEveryDay. He is the Author of the Compound Effect, a former Publisher of Success Magazine, and one of the most positive influencers of leaders and high-achievers. But, as a student of his Insane Productivity Program, his poignant leadership and personal development messages fuel the tank. It would be an honor to meet him, and I wish I could say break bread with him, but if we are eating, he wouldn’t be talking and pouring his wisdom, so I would opt for a meeting and a glass of water.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

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Making Something From Nothing: Jacqueline Vizcaino On How To Go From Idea To Launch was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.