Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Leenheer.
Samantha, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
It started when I was a teen planning all of our family vacations and ski trips. I would be responsible for matching up all of the flights with the corresponding rental car. It grew into lodging and then planning the whole trip. After college, I started in a marketing department for a manufacturing company and slowly took over all of their events from customer appreciation events of white-water rafting, horseback riding, and surfing trips to employee holiday parties and appreciation luncheons and grew into weddings. I started working as an assistant for a Chicago-based planning firm and loved it. I wanted more. The energy and the quick pass of the day were so exciting. When I moved to Ohio, I knew it was time to start my own firm. From there we have grown every year and now have a team of 6.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been a journey. Without the lows, we don’t have the highs. Without bumps in the road, there is no learning, without learning we can’t be better. We have learned a lot about selling, building a team, and the challenges of being self-employed when it comes to insurance and taxes. I would encourage anyone to dig into the business sides and really be encouraged to shape it to fit their lifestyle.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Samantha Joy Events is a national event planning and design firm. Inspired by people, we believe that any celebration should be rooted in the story and personality of the client. We believe in the balance of grand gestures and quiet moments. In simple details and transformative experiences. Our focus is on creating events with great designs that tell a personal story. We source and use quality products and work with the best of the best when it comes to vendors. A result is an event that will leave your guests with a lasting memory. With a love of private homes, historic estates, and transformative spaces we always design with our client’s family or business as the focus.
We are most known for our unique process that pulls out the personal details of our clients and blends them into a stunning design. Our event designs are deeply personal and full of color. We are most proud of how we have developed this process and can dig into the unique details, stories, and histories of our clients to bring them something that resonates so powerfully with them. Our approach to creating events that have a lasting memory and get guests to engage is what our clients love.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Watching the sunset in my grandparent’s lake house in Michigan. Every night the colors would be different but so powerful.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.samanthajoyevents.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samanthajoyevents/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samanthajoyevents
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/samanthajevents/
Image Credits
Chelsey Barhorst Photography
Amy Ellis Photography
Kortnee Kate Photography
Leah Berry Photography
Christen Endicott Photography
Amanda Donaho Photography
