Starr Rivers, Details2Decor

A finalist for the 2014 Blue Ash Small Business Corporate Community Service Award, Details2Decor aims to provide social and corporate event planning, consulting for event planning, and event design.

Why did you start Details2Decor?
My business partner, Ethel Bonner, and I met six years ago while planning a fabulous 50th birthday celebration for a mutual friend, and the party hasn't stopped yet! I am the owner of Starr Treatment, LLC, and Ethel, owner of Décor Plus, LLC. We discovered shared passions and goals to take our businesses to the next level. So why not bring two of our favorite things together? Details2Decor was born. It has become the perfect marriage: Special Event Planning and Decor at its best with Details2Decor.

Did you receive any financial backing to start your business?
No, we did not.

What is your biggest obstacle as a business owner?
Not enough hours in the day to balance work and home. And after six years of aggressive marketing and networking, we are overcoming the challege of proving that we are truly an established, qualified, professional and diverse business in the event planning industry.

How do you view similar businesses in the community? Competition or allies?
Cincinnati has many wonderful and unique event planners that serve different markets; therefore it doesn't feel like a competition. We support and respect the creativity and expertise that we each bring to the table.

What advice would you give somebody looking to start their own business?
If you truly have the passion to start a business, you may hear the word "no" a lot. Don't take it literally. Just understand it means "not right now." Set goals, a detailed business plan and SWOT analysis. Keep believing!

Interview by Sean M. Peters

Architecture + Design, Cincinnati, Entrepreneurship, Regionalism, Regionalism, Talent

Founders

Starr Rivers, Details2Decor