WSTalk Fall Winter 2023 - Flipbook - Page 21
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xclusive Interview with...
enee Patrone Rhinehart
WSTalk Article, By: Denise Pereau
Denise: Renee, where did you call
home as a child? Was your family involved with a local church or religious
organization?
Renee: I was an only child raised in
Erial, New Jersey. We attended a Methodist church and I was very involved
in Sunday school and
the church youth group.
One of my favorite activities was participating
in several mission trips
through middle school
and high school. Today,
I feel I’m not going to
church as much as I
should, but I do believe
that the dreams God has
laid on my heart has led
me to my purpose. As
an Event Planner, it’s
all about serving others.
And faith has helped me
achieve my dreams!
Denise: Where did you
get your education?
Renee: I went to high school at
Highland High School in Gloucester
Township, New Jersey and then I attended Eastern University in Pennsylvania. But my real education has been
grounded in the role of Entrepreneur
while working with the public.
Denise: Single, married? Kids?
Renee: My husband Ted and I tied
the knot in 2019 and soon after we
welcomed our daughter Reese who’s
almost 2 years old. Time 昀氀ies for sure!
Denise: As women, we all wear many
hats. In balancing work and family life,
what’s your biggest challenge?
Renee: I think it’s a learning process
for every woman because we all have
our own situations to navigate. I’ve had
to seriously take stock of what’s really
important to keep focus on family time
since my daughter was born. One key
I’ve learned to 昀椀nding the balance is
being selective about things I say “yes”
to. I’m a morning person which helps,
and I try to wake up before Reese to
tackle my inbox and 昀椀t in a workout
and then I can have quality time with
her. Working from home, unless on location for an event, makes it important
for me to be organized at the start of
my day so it’s easier to concentrate on
work later.
Denise: What motivated you to get
into event planning? Did you choose
your career path or did your career
path choose you?
Renee: I always loved the excitement
surrounding the planning process of
parties, weddings, and
events. But I really
didn’t have a clear
path right away. I’d
have to say my career
chose me. Celebrations are usually a
happy time for most
people although it
can be very stressful.
My success in designing memorable events
hinges on the ability
to understand what
my clients are looking
for, be it a house party or a wedding with
a couple hundred
guests, and beyond
that, commercial or corporate events,
occasionally with upwards of hundreds
which can be pretty chaotic.
Denise: What were some of your biggest challenges in starting your business?
Renee: Believe it or not, being patient
because I’m fast on my feet and once I
get a grasp on what I want to happen,
I want it to happen ASAP. And things
don’t always come together fast enough
for me. Being a female entrepreneur,
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