We had the good fortune of connecting with Melissa ( Missi) Hughes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melissa ( Missi), what do you attribute your success to?
The most important factor behind my success cannot be labeled to just one. My TEAM, my clients, my vendors, my family and all the amazing people who attend our events. These people and businesses are the reason my business and my life is so enriched and successful. It truly takes a village!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

When I first started I struggled to find my niche. I knew I loved throwing parties and raising monies for non-profits, so that’s the route we took. I started Two Gals Events/ Two Gals Events & Promotions. I had been doing events for friends and Liberty Wildlife and I thought,  I could do this for a living so,  I called my friend Dawn and said hey ” feel like going into the event business? ” Sure , why not, and we began. Getting to where I am today has not been easy, it’s taken years to gain trust, clients, data, etc. But hard work , surrounding yourself with dependable, reliable and trustworthy people helps. After years of being Two Gals ,  the team changing , some got married, some moved, some found new careers,  we rebranded to With A Twist Consulting. Which is who we are today.

Challenges I have overcome; This is a good question. I have overcome a lot of challenges and learned many lessond. A main one , being perfection- learning that nothing is going to be perfect – try as you might- something will happen and you have to have a back-up plan. It may rain on your wedding day, someone may call out sick, some people wont get along, and a big one- You can’t please everyone no matter how hard you try!

Lessons, take one day at a time, always have a back-up plan and breathe.  It took awhile to realize that we are worth every penny, utilize your community, do your best and if you know in your heart and gut you’ve done your best than that’s truly a win for you and your company.

My Brand- Women operated and owned. We are a full service event planning, consulting and promotional, marketing company for events fundraiser,  concerts , occasional weddings and those special other events.  We offer many different services that can be tailored to your business or event , from 2 people to 20,000. We are not just event planners , we have many areas we specialize in and we love what we do.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

Arizona has so much to offer and that is our home base, even though we have done business all over the country and will travel for events.

Eating: depending on the foods of choice some greats are Bourbon and Bones, Capital Grille, Morton’s or Dominick’s for your carnivore friends. Urban Beans, Fresh Mint, Desert Roots are just a few places for your Vegan/Vegetarians. The Preserve in North Scottsdale , Cat’s Pajamas ( a new place in North Scottsdale) Helton Brewing Company, and Four Peaks for the Beer lovers,….the list is endless on food and drink places in Arizona.

Then there is all of the beautiful resorts to visit for pool time or chill time.
Travel destinations , Sedona, Pinetop/Lakeside/ Munds Park, Tombstone, Bisbee , Jerome and so many more!
Nightlife, Old Town Scottsdale is a place all its own! Farther north is the Dirty Dogg Saloon offering a vibrant rock-n-roll themed bar. Tempe offers some great places as well as Gilbert/Chandler. So much nightlife to choose from, all depending on your taste.

Music, Arizona has some of the best local talent around – you can usually find live local music any night of the week from blues, country, rap, metal to rock ! Jolie’s in Chandler , Roosters Countryin Mesa has great country, The Rockbar, CB Live, Kimmyz, The Marquee, The Monastery and so many more. I LOVE music and the local musicians and artist here are something to be shared!!

In the Valley of the Sun we have so much! The Phoenix Zoo, Liberty Wildlife, Desert Botanical Gardens, Herberger Theater, Phoenix Museums, Native American Culture, The MIM and so many more places that you could visit one a day.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My TEAM is the most amazing group of women! They love what they do and they keep me going! My team has shifted over the years and some have come and gone but without each and everyone of them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. When I first started, my mother and my grandmother helped me so much by making raffle/auction baskets, helping with clean-up and check-ins and check outs. They have been with me since the beginning and believed in my plans and business and me.
For that I give them that extra credit of recognition in my story.
My friends and other family that have volunteered, cheered and attended various events are amazing! I am blessed!
Vendors and sponsors play a huge role in helping create events to remember and after 20+ years I have been honored to work with some of the best the valley has to offer and some nationally that are 5 stars!
Guests, clients and attendees also deserve recognition in my story, without them there would be no galas, fundraisers, weddings parties or corky fun unique events. They make the event a success or a failure and without these people I wouldn’t be in business.

Website: https://withatwistconsulting.com/about-us/

Instagram: @withatwistmh

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/2galsevents

Twitter: @withatwistaz

Facebook: withatwistconsulting

Image Credits
Franklin Studios AZ

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