Meet Arria Stinson | Event Designers

We had the good fortune of connecting with Arria Stinson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Arria, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
Thinking of business ideas is second nature to me because my father taught me to problem solve and inspired me towards a path of entrepreneurship. I’ve had several ideas, though nothing has felt more suited for my life’s work than Free Creative Events. Free Creative Events came from a longtime passion of event design. As a child, I can remember my mother assembling wedding bouquets and boutonnieres for her family and friends. I loved everything about it and can still remember the smell of the faux florals. Months before every birthday party, graduation party, and holiday, I was planning everything to the final detail. Needless to say, I’ve always been over-the-top and my parents were enablers. There are three things that made our events unique: the small details, the DIY touch, and the guest experience. It wasn’t until I planned my own wedding that I knew I needed to turn my passion into a business. After planning and designing the wedding, I realized how many skills my parents instilled in me, and how passionate I was about delivering an incredible guest experience. I replayed every event in my head and realized that my skills are unique talents and I began to consider ways that they could be utilized. I also knew that I wanted my mother, René, to co-own the business because her classic and timeless style in conjunction with her organization and attention to detail is unrivaled. Originally, Free Creative Events was created to feed my creative hunger. As we have grown, we learned that many people need support with finding ways to captivate their guests. We aim for our clients and their guests to remember the events for years to come. Some of our family members still bring up events that we threw over 15 years ago! Identifying our skills, talents, and resources allowed the idea for Free Creative Events to fall right into place.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Free Creative Events is a creative event design company that aims to build our client’s vision and captivate their guest’s senses from start to finish. When clients come to us, they often have a general idea of how they want their event to look, but we work tirelessly to give them everything plus more by designing ways to elevate their guests’ experience. When clients put their trust in us, they receive custom made props and backdrops, themed food stations, balloon decorations, and more. What sets us apart is that we never apply the same cookie-cutter strategy to our designs, so events feel custom and unique for each individual. We offer our clients both packages, add-ons, and a la carte services that can be tailored specifically to their events.

All the stars aligned to point us in the direction of starting Free Creative Events. I had just had a baby during the pandemic, I was coming to the end of my graduate program, and after teaching for six years, I was considering being home with my son during his first few years. I knew I was standing on the edge of a major life transition and everything in me said it was time to take a leap of faith. I knew that if I chose to focus on building the business, this was probably the best time in my life to chase the dream. Still, I was nervous about the journey. My biggest fear was putting myself out there and not feeling validated for making such a big life decision. I learned quickly that the only way I fail is if I choose to quit. I refused to quit regardless of the high’s, the low’s, or the in between’s. I learned that God already validated my decision by planting the seed in my mind to start this journey and giving me mentors and resources along the way.

Building this business has not been easy, but it has been completely worth it. What we have learned is that comparison is the thief of joy. Their process is not our process, their learning curve is not our learning curve, and most importantly, their prices are not our prices. When we first launched Free Creative, we created our Instagram page and began to follow local event experts whom we adore. Then came the questions: Are we doing this right? How does our value compare to theirs? How can I generate enough content to post as frequently as they do? Imposter syndrome is real. We had to step back from that mindset and learn to filter constructive thoughts from destructive thoughts. We began to find our own style and strategies, and while we sought out some expertise from those peers, we learned how to filter out the things that do not align to our company’s vision.

Many times when people start a business, they think the talent alone is enough and they forget to develop the intellect. We have attended trainings, done research, and networked with others in the industry to learn the in’s and out’s of the business. Learning never stops. More importantly, reflection is what keeps our business afloat. We are always looking to improve our efficiency, strengthen our client pipeline, and grow our network. The events industry is people-based, and majority of the time, our soft skills are so much more important than our hard skills. When you accept the fact that your family and friends are not your target clientele, you realize that your people skills are so important. Strangers are looking to you to celebrate one of the most important moments of their lives. Releasing control to a stranger can be difficult, and it is our job to make our clients feel comfortable and secure in their financial and emotional decision.

We follow the motto, “Work hard in silence and let success be your noise.” We have so much planned for the future of Free Creative Events, and we are filled with gratitude for all of the people that have trusted us with their special events so far. It has been the most rewarding feeling to know that we are easing the burden from them so that they can simply enjoy their day with their loved ones, all the while nurturing our passion for creativity.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Metro Atlanta really has something for everybody! If my best friend were visiting for a week, we would start off by having breakfast at the Flying Biscuit in Candler Park. Then, we would rent scooters to explore the Atlanta Beltline. Our journey at the Beltline would end at Ponce City Market, where we would spend the afternoon shopping and the evening watching the sunset and enjoying drinks from The Roof. Dinner at Agave would make for the perfect end to the day. The next day would be all about the great outdoors. We would start our morning early with breakfast at Le Petit Marche. Then, we would head southeast of Atlanta to visit Providence Canyon and enjoy a scenic hike. On the way there, we would stop by Slutty Vegan to pick up meals and enjoy them at the park. When we return to the city that evening, we would enjoy the night by playing Top Golf. The next day, we would start at Mary Mac’s Tea Room for a southern lunch, then head a few blocks over and enjoy a live performance at the Fox Theatre. Dinner would have to be at A Mano, my favorite Italian restaurant where they make their pasta from scratch. As we near the end of the week, we have to make time for a winery tour of north Georgia and visit Yonah Mountain Vineyards in Cleveland, Montaluce Winery in Dahlonega, and Chateau Elan Winery in Braselton. Our last day would include dining at Breakfast at Barney’s, followed by a visit to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. Then we would head to Politan Row at Colony Square to enjoy some shopping and dining. Finally, we would spend the evening enjoying a Candlelight concert. There are so many things that we could do, but these are definitely my favorite ways to enjoy the Atlanta area!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Free Creative would be nothing if it weren’t for my mother and the business’ co-owner, René. It’s a real kind of love when your mother, only a few years from retirement, is willing to start a business from scratch with you. I am so thankful that my husband, Robert, has been nothing but supportive and encouraging during every step of this journey. Knowing that he loves and trusts me to step out on leaps of faith means everything. To my beautiful son, Zurich, who motivates me daily towards self-growth and is the root of my “why”. To Elise, a stranger, who two days before this interview shared with me that the world needs to hear my story, and to write it plain. Thank you for stopping me that morning. We would be nothing without our clients, and we are so grateful for all the friends and family that trusted and supported us from the beginning by being our first clients. Finally, to our dearly missed father and husband, Issaac. His guidance, love, and unwavering support is deeply rooted in our hearts and is central to our work.

Website: freecreativeevents.com

Instagram: @freecreativeevents

Image Credits
Shawn Dowdell