Meet Erica Caldwell and Sam Ross of The Social Collective

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erica Caldwell and Sam Ross.

Hi Erica & Sam, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
We started The Social Collective back in 2017 with a passion for helping others, organizing memorable events, and bringing light to the design side of events since event design or hiring event designers wasn’t all that common in the Midwest at that point.

We started taking on anything and everything that was thrown our way. We just dove headfirst into the event industry and owning a small business, unsure of what to expect. Not going to lie – it was terrifying! It still is. But even with tons of learning experiences, highs, and lows, and balancing our personal lives in between it all – we’ve grown to be the company we are today. A company that we are grateful to have.

We’re honored to work with and befriend some of the most beautiful human beings in their many celebrations. Not to mention – the insanely talented local creatives surrounding and encouraging us every day. We certainly wouldn’t be where we are now without all of the support of our clients, families, friends, and colleagues.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Being a business owner or entrepreneur is never an easy route. Being two women in business is even more challenging. And both of us being parents while operating a business… well, sometimes it feels near impossible. But it is the most fulfilling: its blood, sweat, tears, and everything in between.

And in the event industry, where you’re helping people plan some of the most intimate and meaningful moments of their lives, it is a heavy load to bear. But we do it because that’s our thing, and we love it 😉 We love working hard to have resources, intentional designs, logistics, etc., lined up for our clients. Allowing them to be present in the planning process rather than overwhelmed and providing them someone to lean on and be reassured by.

We’ve been impressed with The Social Collective, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The Social Collective is a wedding and event planning and design company. We also partner with another local coordinating company, Blue Dahlia Events, to offer our clients built-in day-of coordination services.

Apart from handling all of the vendor communication, preparing and organizing logistical details, and guiding clients through the planning process, we also work heavily on the event’s design. Meaning we focus on the overall aesthetic and experience of an event. From the color palette to any other design-based element you can think of. We aim to create new concepts and step outside of the box. We like to do things differently and convey our client’s unique stories within the look and feel of their project.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
We certainly wouldn’t be where we are today without the support of our families and close friends. Sometimes, they may not understand what we do to every degree or why we do it. But they love us and cheer us on anyway!

A massive thank you to all of our clients (current & past)! Thank you for trusting our ideas, our passion, and our team. Being able to collaborate with you on some of your most intimate and life-changing celebrations was/is an honor. Each of you has helped us grow to where we are today.

We also would be stuck in the mud if it weren’t for our incredible crew of brilliant women who inspire us. Our team works tirelessly to bring an event together and cares so much for our clients. Thank you to; Sarah Kramer, Kate Petach (and all of the Blue Dahlia crew), Whitney Pelfrey, Bryce Landers, Brittany Bucey, and anyone else we’ve had the privilege of having filled in on our set up or tear down crew in the past several years!

And then there is the beautiful community of vendors and creatives who have believed in us, supported us, and worked with us. There aren’t enough words to convey how important our vendor friends are. Our industry has been through some rough times. The last year and a half have been utterly insane. It’s hard to put into words. But we were there for one another, and we had one another to lean on. We hope to return the same kindness to others that you all have shown to us.

Contact Info:

• Email: getsocial@collectivedetails.com
• Website: www.collectivedetails.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ 

Image Credits
Britt House Photography
Whitney Pelfry (Native Iris Photography)
Mackenzie Frank (MKF Photo)
Saul Cervantess Photography