It's not everyone that can take a hobby and fashion it into a flourishing business.
Experts say to really be successful it takes strict adherence to strategic and methodical steps in order to make the transition from part-time hobbyist to full-time entrepreneur, and that’s something Tonia Sims, the creative mind behind TLS Weddings & Special Events, was seemingly able to do well.
What began as a hobby and weekend activity in high school has grown and blossomed into a thriving business.
Sims said she started out decorating and doing various events for family and friends on a small scale and it had grown into a sideline business by 2003.
It was her participation in a 2014 bridal show that convinced her to fully dedicate her efforts into what many are saying is her natural talent.
“I always knew that I wanted to go full-time, and the overwhelming business boost that I received as a result of that show gave me the confidence to say, ’I can really do this,” Sims said.
The 1997 Gentry High graduate and 2001 Delta State University grad, who initially started out in the classroom, planning lessons for seventh graders, is now planning unforgettable events for her growing list of treasured clientele.
From beautifully crafted weddings to impressively designed venues for all occasions, Sims has a reputation that stands high above.
Over the years, the Venue on the Bayou, at 106 Front Street in downtown Indianola, which she opened in 2015, has become synonymous with spectacular events and nearly four years later, neither she nor it, shows any signs of slowing down.
Ask anyone and they will tell you that she can take a party, banquet or any social event including a wedding and transform it into a beautiful artistic expression.
She said it is seeing the smiles and hearing the expressions of gratitude from her clients that drive her.
Sims said she finds it extremely gratifying when her clients tell her how much they appreciate what she has done to transform their event into an indelible occasion.
If you were to ask the creative connoisseur what her favorite event is to plan, she would most definitely say weddings. “I genuinely love coordinating events particularly weddings because each one is unique,” Sims said.
Sims said the 2001 romantic comedy, The Wedding Planner, is one of her favorite films, and although she identifies with the Jennifer Lopez character, she is quick to admit that the motion picture does not provide an accurate depiction of all that goes into planning matrimonial masterpieces.
Her company’s motto is, “We handle the details of ‘I do’ and your other events too.”
Usually it only takes a simple consultation to ignite the creative process that culminates into the finished product.
With that, Sims and her staff go to work and begin the transformation process that sets a TLS event apart. Sims has said that she gets a rush whenever she has the opportunity to transform a location into something that pleases her clients.
It is a real plus when clients have enough faith to fully hand the planning of their event over to the planner, and that happens a lot with Sims. She said although she prefers to have the creative point, her team can handle any individual aspect of the proposed plan.
Her list of services is not limited to just planning and decorating or providing a venue, Sims is also able to do linen and tuxedo rentals, provide fresh cut flowers and even gift-wrapping in addition to other amenities and resources.
You can contact Sims by calling her at (662) 207-7480, on Instagram, @tls_rocks, by visiting her website www.tlsweddingsandevents.com or through her business’s Facebook page, TLS Weddings and Special Events.
