B4 The Baltimore Afro-American, September 5, 2009 - September 11, 2009
Business
WWW.AFRO.COM
WWW.AFRO.COM
The Business of Empowering
Baltimore Businesswoman Markets Lucrative Niche
and training while also
Natalie West-Makel, the
teaching them the business
savvy necessary to become
a heavyweight name in the
Christian Wedding Planner
industry.
“Most people don’t
understand that speaking By Mia Fields-Hall
professionally is actually Special to the AFRO
o
disc
a business. So, they don’t
hot
know [things like], ‘How For the past
©P
do you set a price for your 17 years, Natalie
speaking? How do you West-Makel
charge somebody $2,500 has coordinated
or $3,500 for 30 minutes of everything from
what you’re saying?,’” said lavish, upscale
Conyers. “So, we will take
marriage ceremonies
care of that but at the same
to uncomplicated
[time] we want to give them
quaint weddings for
some type of experience, so
couples throughout
at the end they will know
the Baltimore/
how to run their own small
Washington area.
speaking business.”
This summer, West-
Both New Voices founders
Makel introduced her
have lengthy backgrounds
services to the world
in professional speaking.
with her book, The
Conyers leads Speak2Society,
Christian Wedding
a public speaking firm
Planner.
that engages youth in
The AFRO sat
entrepreneurship ventures,
down with the
while Johnson heads Jeff’s
detail-oriented
Nation, a consulting firm
businesswoman to
Courtesy Photo
that works to better urban
find out how she
Quinn Conyers
communities globally.
started her business
In addition to being the
and what drives her
By Bobby Marvin
founder of Speak2Society, Conyers is a host
entrepreneurial spirit.
Special to the AFRO
and reporter for “Our School,” a local TV
series highlighting educators and students in
AFRO: What
Engaging an audience of wary strangers the Baltimore City Public School System. She
exactly is a Christian
“I try to not only treat my clients as a client, but to have
causes some form of anxiety for most people,
wedding planner?
has spoken at the Collegiate Entrepreneurs
Natalie West-
whether it’s telltale flutters in the stomach or Organization, the Black Expo, Morgan State
the personal touch with my clients, letting them know
Makel: My business
panic attacks and nightmares. But professional University and Juniata College. Conyers also
is a wedding business
that God should always be the center of their marriage.”
speaker and local talk show host Quinn teaches public speaking in the Department of
but it is a ministry. I
Conyers has made a career out of her gift for Visual and Performing Arts at Coppin State
try to not only treat the association of bridal on cruise ships, destination
gab and wants to help others develop the craft. University.
my clients as a client, but to consultants. With that, I was weddings, anywhere you
Conyers has entered into a partnership with Although Conyers and Johnson are
have the personal touch with ready to begin my journey. name, I’ve probably planned
BET journalist and Tom Joyner Morning Show established veterans in their field, they
my clients, letting them know a wedding there… Some [of
commentator Jeff Johnson to form New Voices continue to develop new ways to convey
that God should always be the AFRO: What makes my clients] are not affiliated
Speaker and Events Bureau, a group that aims seemingly timeworn messages about myriad
center of their marriage. your services stand out from with any particular religion.
to recruit professional speakers relatively subjects, a skill they are passing down to the
other wedding planners? My book, The Christian
unknown on the national circuit. New Voices roster. According to Conyers, the
AFRO: How did you NWM: My keen Wedding Planner, is named
Launched earlier this year, New Voices talent lineup is as varied as the topics they
get started in the wedding ability to organize.Years that because 70 percent of
scours through videos and resumes submitted speak about.
planning business? ago, I would get tired of the weddings I do are in
by potential candidates and taps the most “We are excited because we have a nice
NWM: I’ve always had a attending weddings that were churches. However, I cater to
promising prospects to join their alliance. The variety. We have some people who are in
passion for planning events unorganized and late, I knew everyone.
bureau represents, promotes and markets these ministry, we have some people who are
ever since I could remember. I needed to chang that and I
speakers to colleges, conferences and civic straight business,” said Conyers. “We open
I received my degree from have. AFRO: In such a bad
organizations for affordable fees. to whites, Hispanics, whatever, we don’t care
Morgan State [University] economy, how do you ease
Conyers, the organization’s director, assists what color you are. If you have a message and
in business management AFRO: Since you’re a couples’ minds about cost?
speaking candidates with additional coaching you’re powerful, we want to have you.”
and my certificate from Christian wedding planner, NWM: I offer free
do you only do weddings consultation services for the
held in churches? first meeting. I also lay out an
NWM: No, I do weddings agenda of what’s expected of
me and make it known from
the very beginning that I’m a
professional wedding planner
and all will be taken care of.
AFRO: What are some
important things couples
should do before walking
down the aisle?
NWM: I’d definitely say
it’s important to ask yourself
all the right questions. For
example, “Are we going to
have separate accounts? What
kind of budget will we have?
How many kids?”
AFRO: It seems like you
do a lot with your wedding
services. Do you have a
large team behind you?
NWM: My team consists
of four other people who have
been working with me from
day one. They are loyal and I
really appreciate them.
AFRO: What is your
ultimate goal for your
wedding business?
NWM: My ultimate goal
is to have everything in one
facility---wedding planners,
cars, limos, bridal/groom
boutiques and so on. My goal
is that when you walk up
everything is already there
for you, there’s no need to go
anywhere else.
To find out more
about Natalie West-Makel
and her service log on
to www.unforgettable
weddingservices.com.
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