Jemma Payne is a highly acclaimed entrepreneur who lives on the lovely Central Coast of NSW Australia—a coastie through and through. Her go-to (couldn’t be bothered to go to Coles) meal is pasta, tuna, cheese, and a glass of cab sav. She’s (unintentionally) addicted to coffee and loves a good pair of statement earrings to take her outfit to a whole new level.
She’s the owner of two wonderful businesses. Rewind Dance Studios has been her baby for six years now, and her freshest addition is The Twine Junction. In a nutshell, she loves movement art and planning kickass weddings for awesome people!
What motivated and inspired you to start your own business?
Many things inspired me to start The Twine Junction! The idea of this had been floating in the back of my mind for quite some time. I’ve always loved weddings, and helping my friends get married seemed to be something I did often and something I did well.
It wasn’t until I went on vacation to Italy in 2017 that I had the time to think and consider what I want to do with my life. I remember specifically being in a little shop tucked away in an alley somewhere in Florence, looking at an image of a man and a woman in bridal wear and thinking…”hmmm, wedding industry could be fun.”
After coming home and discussing this idea with my friends and family over many a glass of wine and many opinions being thrown around, I decided to jump into the deep end and begin this brilliant wedding planner/wedding coordinating business.
Tell us about your business.
The Twine Junction is all about loving people. Its heart is to deeply care for brides through the process of planning their wedding. Reality is that not many people are equipped to plan such a big event! Without the proper assistance and guidance, it can become a very unpleasant and stressful time.
I am passionate about helping brides feel comfortable, calm, and ready to take on this challenge in planning a wedding and really enjoy every step of the process. We provide the tools brides need; these include the following.
- A brilliant physical planner with intricate details and a step-by-step guide to help you plan your big day.
- A local business directory that provides you with a list of quality businesses on the Central Coast.
- A detailed checklist of all the things you need to complete before the big day.
- Helpful scheduling/organizations sessions between the coordinator and clients.
- And a lovely pamper package to ensure our brides are taking care of themselves and remaining stress-free throughout the process.
Are you currently running any promos/contests/giveaways that you would like our readers to know about?
20% off our premium package if you mention ‘LadyBossBlog’ over the phone and quote some of the interview to me. 😉
Where is your business based?
We’re based on the Central Coast. However, we cater to weddings up north coast and south coast of NSW.
What were the first few steps you took to get your business up and running?
First steps were figuring out if it’s worth the time and energy! Having already owned Rewind Dance Studios for the past 6 years, I know how hard it is to start a business from scratch. But after a good amount of reflection and planning, I decided to go for it. If things go according to plan, then it is definitely worth my time.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness of your business and getting new customers?
I started by communicating with businesses involved in the wedding industry and sharing what I do and how we can support each others’ visions! Sitting with people and understanding their passion and hopes for their businesses was inspiring and a wonderful way to build good relationships with other vendors and specialists.
Instagram is a big one for us. Just getting our vibes out into the world and showing people what we like and how cool our fellow business owners are has been awesome!
What have been your biggest challenges so far?
I’ve been challenged mentally above everything else. Pushing myself to step out of my comfort zones, being okay with promoting myself and my abilities, and just overall wondering if it will all be rewarding in the end.
How did you overcome these challenges?
I’m still in the process of trying to overcome these things. I have wonderful people in my life who encourage me and give me good, solid direction and guidance. And I’m working on self-confidence in myself and my business—believing what I do is valuable and worth it!
How do you keep motivated through difficult times?
Wine helps.
But mostly just communicating with others who are going through similar struggles. Sharing the burdens and voicing my hardships is very helpful; otherwise, it fills your mind constantly and isn’t good.
How do you distinguish yourself from your competitors?
I suppose at the end of the day, I’m very real with my clients. I don’t promise them that their days are going to be flawless and everything will go perfectly to plan. I think it’s helpful to mentally prepare them for things to go wrong, which isn’t exactly a great sales pitch, but being honest and real with people is so important to me and to them as well!
Another thing that sets me a part is the passion I have for their mental health through the process of planning a wedding. There are so many ways to support people through this time and make it a really lovely experience for them. And I make sure that is a priority with my clients.
What is the best advice you have received recently?
“Be confident! You got this, girl!” in a nutshell.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?
Share your burdens and stresses. It’s super hard being your own boss and staying motivated and encouraged when there’s only you in the room. Keep communicating. Share the good stuff and the hard stuff. You’re not superwoman. You need to be supported as well.
What are your favorite business tools/resources and why?
I’m real old school. I love a good paper diary and a large blank notepad. I physically cross things off when I’ve achieved them and—oh man—it feels good!
What is a good article or book you have read recently?
I read a wonderful article in a magazine called Equally Wed about what a wedding planner’s role is and what a wedding coordinator’s role is. Helping brides understand this distinction is very valuable!
What are you currently learning about for your business or looking for help with?
I’m learning that building good connections with other businesses is vital. Word of mouth is such a strong form of advertising, and being able to confidently suggest people and businesses that I love is a great asset to have. And I hope people feel confident and passionate about sharing what I do with people they do life with.
What are your goals for the next few months and how are you striving to achieve them?
My goal is to continue caring for the clients I already have and keep spreading the word about my fresh business in any way I can! Lots to do!
What social media outlets do you use? List them below.
Instagram @thetwinejunction
Facebook @thetwinejunction
Website www.thetwinejunction.com
Email thetwinejunction@gmail.com