12-02-2024 7:07pm

SCORE Mentor Helps Entrepreneur Ramp Up Thriving Event Planning Business

Donnella Tilery Editor

While a student at Marist College, Emily Labdon put her fashion studies to work planning community and alumni events in the New York City metropolitan area.

At the time, she envisioned these experiences bolstering her career in fashion. Upon graduating in spring 2020 – at the peak of the COVID pandemic – Labdon struggled to find work.

“Finding a job in fashion was just not going to happen in summer 2020,” Labdon recalled.

In response, she took a full-time corporate job and in 2022 launched her Bridgewater-based event planning business, Events by EMLABDON LLC.

“I realized I wanted to start a business when I was working at my corporate job,” she said. “I wanted to have some kind of independence with work I had a passion for.”

Soon after, she planned a housewarming party. Since beginning in August 2022, Labdon has grown her venture to include baby showers, themed birthday parties, engagement parties, and is beginning to expand to business and corporate events.

Broadening her offerings to include business events as well as personal events was the suggestion of Labdon’s SCORE Central Jersey mentor Fran Green.

“I don’t think it was something she was really contemplating in the beginning,” said Green, who began mentoring Labdon in 2023. “There are a lot of benefits in having business clients as well as personal clients.”

Green, who was a partner in a marketing business for 40 years before joining SCORE, also helped Labdon with pricing her services and presenting the deliverables.

“She’s super organized, super creative,” Green said. “She sweats all the details.”

Green guides Labdon on identifying her top priorities and where to focus her energies.

“It’s honestly the most useful thing for my business to have Fran as a mentor,” Labdon said. “She’s kind of like my guiding northern light. She’s my first go-to whenever I have a question.”

Labdon credits her full-time job with broadening her skillset, teaching her how to work with colleagues and empowering her to effectively and efficiently manage her time. She also received guidance in hiring interns for her business and was able to plan a company retreat for her full-time job.

Personalization is what sets her apart from other event planners.

“I create a whole custom branding for the event,” she said. “People come to me when they want to do a type of theme that they haven’t seen their friends do or they want something unique.”

As part of her event proposal, Labdon creates a custom logo which she includes on all signage, stickers, thank you cards, invitations and gift bags.

“It gives it more of a luxury feel,” she said.

Most of the events Labdon plans through her business are held in Somerset County, but she’s looking to expand her services in order to turn it into a full-time business.

“I am grateful for my experience in the corporate world, although not aligned with my passion for events it was crucial in forming my professional and leadership skills,” Labdon said.

About SCORE

Since 1964, SCORE has helped 17 million entrepreneurs start or grow a business. SCORE's 10,000 volunteers provide free mentoring, workshops, and educational services to 1,500+ communities nationwide. With more than 30 members throughout Somerset, Hunterdon and Middlesex counties, SCORE Central Jersey provides thousands of mentoring services annually to local small business owners through one-on-one counseling and small business workshops. For more information about starting or operating a small business, or finding a mentor, visit SCORE Central Jersey at https://www.score.org/centraljersey.