To celebrate the launch of The Bombshell Business Woman: How to Become a Bold, Brave, Female Entrepreneur, friends, clients, family, colleagues, and vendors drove, flew, or simply skipped across town to Mo’Cara Southern Dining in Lebanon, Tenn., also home to Two Fat Men Catering, for the book release party. It also happened to be my birthday, October 7th, 2017. Double party time!
Events are my way of making things official. I mean, an online-only launch would not have felt real. Add that so many people helped, encouraged, and sometimes endured me this year, and even more have invested in me throughout my career, and I wanted to personally hug everyone I could.
Throughout the night people kept asking if my face hurt from smiling or if my hand was cramping from writing personal notes in everyone’s signed copy of the book.
No and no.
That party was packed with people I absolutely adore. ADORE. There was not a single handshake, only hugs and kisses. How could I possibly stop smiling when it was a parade of people I am so grateful for? And because everyone at the party had a personal connection to me, I was NOT going to simply sign my name. While it would have kept the book signing line moving I would have lost my best opportunity to relay how important and special each person is to me. (I would also like to hold myself harmless from spelling errors, missed words, etc…my head was spinning, and I was having conversations and writing notes all at once. Not the best way to multi-task.)
The Bombshell Business Woman Book Release Party Location
While The Bombshell Business Woman: How to Become a Bold, Brave, Female Entrepreneur is a non-fiction business book for women, it begins with my very personal story. Also, the business strategies are my unique takes on how to approach business based on my combined learnings and experience. With these two facts in mind, this book feels very personal. So I found it important to have the launch party at a place that is also personal. Anyone who follows my Instagram account knows that MoCara Southern Dining is our second kitchen. (Don’t judge.)
If we got in the way back machine you would find me, Chef Ed, Dana (also a part of MoCara now) and Brian (the later two who own Party Providers Party Rentals) working on multiple events together. When you are successful in the event industry you are constantly on a deadline, you have to have great people in your vendor network that you can count on to do what they are supposed to do…and sometimes even read your mind. Oh, and when you get a break you better rest or you’ll never make it. Your vendor network becomes your closest friends. So yes, we eat at Mo’Cara a LOT.
The event just had to be there or it would not have been the same!
The Details
Since I so value the invited attendees, nothing less than a red carpet was suitable to lead them into the main area of the venue.
My vegan-leather (AKA pleather)-doned friend duo greeted everyone as they arrived, directing them to the various event opportunities.
The color theme was my brand color pallet, of course: cranberry and white. This was carried throughout the linens, custom logo napkins, the floral arrangements featuring white hydrangeas and painted eucalyptus, as well as lilies and more. Sandra Spicer, who also makes the most gorgeous arrangements for my home on the reg at Gardens on Main, just whipped these up, along with other arrangements, for the big day. Various encouraging and motivational signs were placed throughout the venue — because I’m me. Ha! Also, I ordered a pop up banner to take photos in front of (and to use at future signings) from my friends, Rick and Debbie, at Signs Now.
The food was a combination of yummy delights that Two Fat Men Catering whipped up to appeal to both the women and men in attendance. (Gents, you’re welcome for your fancy pigs in a blanket. Thank you for keeping your pinkies up all night.)
The Signature Cocktail
The bar, tended by Kyle, the most awesome mixologist, featured the standard red and white wine, as well as my Bombshell Signature Cocktail. (And being the overachiever that he is, he somehow made that drink a prettier color than I could get it when I created it in my kitchen, AND he magically colored the sugar rim in a spot-on color. It. Was. Perfect.) I was giddy seeing both women and men sauntering about the party with their signature cocktails in martini glasses in hand. (I die.)
While I had a table to sign copies of the book for all, there was also a table with my book for guests to sign as a guest book. Yup! I turned the tables! Have I mentioned how much I love my friends and family and all of their support?
Finally, everyone was encouraged to grab a swag bag on the way out. In it there was a pre-release copy of the book to give to an aspiring Bombshell in their lives, a Bombshell Business Woman bookmark, a cool sticker from our friends at Buffer, a letter from me, and a free appetizer coupon from Mo’Cara.
My Loyal Friends
My girls, Judy, Stephanie and Cindy were also 100% behind the scenes helpin’ a sister out! They stuffed the swag bags, as did Steph’s daughter, Reese. They ran errands, helped me set up, and even sent text messages like, “Hey…how about slowing down for a little zen at yoga on Saturday?”
Yes, they handled my sanity through this entire experience.
Then, while I should not be surprised, my friends Shawn and Lindsay Smith (AKA half of the Smurdles: Smith + Hurdles), along with Shawn’s Bombshell mom, Nancy, came back after the event and helped us pack everything up. Who does this? The Smiths.
And if my entire “Tribe” being there before, after, and during the event wasn’t enough, my virtual CFO, Alex Hubenthal of Bookscaping flew up from Florida for the event, and one of my copywriter/editors, Hailey Walden, drove up from Alabama. Our DEAR friends, Darrell and Lori drove up from Georgia (as did my Hurdle family crew in Georgia), and my sister and her boyfriend flew in from New York City. Add to that the special folks that trucked it out to Lebanon from all over Middle Tennessee, and I’ll tell ya—I felt the love.
I was in the corner all night getting to see each individual guest (yet getting far less time with each guest than I would ideally want), so I wasn’t the normal uber-event manager that I like to be. Yet I was told by many that there were moments where you could barely move throughout the party for the volume of people there. As a woman who has felt like she has royally let her friends down this year in pursuit of completing her book, knowing I had a packed house full of people who get it totally overwhelmed me. Lots of tears. I know I’m a weirdo, and the fact that my friends love me still lights my heart on fire. Like it was a reset of energy. A gush of wind for my tattered sails.
Best of All: My Family
Perhaps most importantly, my family was there. Not all of them because when you have a family as big as mine, it is often impossible to get everyone in the same room all at once. The ones not there were there in spirit! (All of our kids were in the same room, though, and that always makes me the happiest!) Nonetheless, it was the best part of the entire evening. I know there will be more book launches in my future, but probably none so personal, nor as stressful. Sharing in such a vulnerable way is not my forte. At all. Vulnerability is so not my jam. I’m a warrior. And my family gets that, so they knew just how much it took to get those first few chapters down before I put on my bossy pants and start teaching the how-tos of running a Bombshell business. Having them there was everything.
Special shout out to my husband, especially, who worked tirelessly to help set up, transport stuff, run errands, and even play photographer for the night! (Not to mention he has dealt with a very distracted and often-times stressed-out-on-deadline wife for nine months!)
Since it was my birthday several people sent flowers (which we ensured we incorporated into the decor) and brought gifts, for which I’m so grateful! (My friends are seriously the best.) The funniest combo of the day, though, was when we were setting up and I opened Judy’s 6th gift of the week (because she brought me one every day since Monday!!!!) and Cindy’s. Put them together, and I think this is the perfect picture for what I needed at the end of the book launch week: a Bombshell pillow and a bottle of tequila! This gave me a total belly laugh!
I couldn’t have been more happy to have a party full of people who either have been with me for the entire crazy journey, or have walked alongside me for even a piece of it. There is no way that celebration could have been any better simply because it’s hard to top an experience that was so radiating with love. I’ve said it a million times, but I’m so grateful for everyone who said, “Yes, Amber! We’re in this with you!”
I love you!
To see all of the event photos, visit my Facebook album. (And be sure to Like my page while you’re there!) If you don’t have the book and the free bonuses, yet, you can get those HERE.