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Meet Jamila Watson of Parties On Purpose

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamila Watson.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’ve always loved working with and encouraging kids as long as I can remember. My mom and I used to run a summer camp for inner-city kids. Seeing the happiness that my mom brought to the community is what sparked my love for serving others. Fast forward, I worked in retail management for 15 years and started planning local events for the brand I worked for.

After having kids and wanting to spend more time at home, I started daycare and soon after starting volunteering at my church as the workshop director for the children’s ministry and as a small group leader as well as becoming a girl scout leader. Being in this environment made me want to start another child-focused business, one that combined serving others and all things pretty!

So that’s when I started Parties On Purpose. A service to help busy parents create customized memorable celebrations for their kids. We have expanded to social and corporate parties since then, but we started off with kids events. In the past eight years of business, we have planned countless events with our Parties on Purpose team, and it has been so fulfilling!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I certainly has not been a smooth road. I believe lots of people think about starting a business because they want to be their own boss. Being your own boss and running a company is so not easy!

You have to wear so many hats, you work more hours than you usually would in a traditional 9-5 job and you can’t “clock out” until your work is done. You are accountable for every aspect of your business.

That’s why when they say you have a have huge “why,” it’s so true. Your “why” has to be greater than all the blood, sweat and tears that goes into having a successful business.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Parties On Purpose – what should we know?
My company is called Parties On Purpose. We specialize in children’s custom events, entertainment, and dessert buffets and in the last few years we have added social and corporate events. Most often we provide full event planning where we start from a concept, provide the services needed, set up on event day and facilitate the full party.

Then we’ll have some clients that will hire us for a specific service like creating a dessert buffet or providing a themed party. I love helping our clients take an idea to fruition with none of the hassles which gives our clients more time with their families. We have a phrase on our website that says ” we want you to be a guest at your own event.”

I also have a non-profit called Parties For Purpose that we started with my friend Julie Read (Phoenix community advocate) and we provide large birthday celebrations for children in need.

When you look back, what are you most proud of?
My proudest moments are when I see the excitement on my client’s faces (little and big clients). I just love showing them what we have created for them, and I love seeing how proud they are to show their guests what has been created for them.

I also love having repeat customers. About half of our clients are repeat or referral customers. That truly makes me happy, and it shows that we provided value to them.

Contact Info:

Image Credit:
Photographers: Ina Ivanova Photography, Kourtney Marie Photography, Mindy Deluca Photography

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

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