Podcast - Episode #4 with Professional Celebrant, Reverend Dr. Jayne Gibson

My guest today is Reverend Dr. Jayne Gibson. Dr. Jayne is a professional celebrant who designs and delivers customize wedding ceremonies for couples who are looking for something meaningful, heartfelt and all about themselves.

Dr. Jayne's mission is to make one of the most important days for couples getting married magical and memorable for them and their guests.

In this interview we discuss entrepreneurship and what it was like for her to take the leap from having a j.o.b. to diving into a start-up business. We talk about biggest hurdles, creating a positive mindset, how to recharge and more.

Joe: The first question for you Jayne is to describe just exactly what a professional celebrant is...can you explain what a professional celebrant does?

Jayne: Well that's a great question because a Celebrant is somebody who performs a wedding ceremony, but also in my business I do other kinds of ceremonies as well for instance baby blessings and anything else that people would like to celebrate in their lives.

We can certainly be as creative as possible and make something that is memorable and meaningful.

Joe: I think that's probably one of the advantages of working with a professional celebrate is that you'll customize the wedding ceremony and even go beyond what a traditional pasture might do is that correct?

Jayne: Yes. I have been known to create something right from the beginning and that is completely and totally about the couple. It can include anything that they would like; something traditional - cultural things that they are used to having in a ceremony. It's always different from one couple to the next. I think that's probably what makes it interesting.

Joe: What made you decide to turn this into a business?

Jayne: That's a really great question and it's interesting to think about what happened with me and being an entrepreneur because I actually just kind of fell into it. I found myself as an employee getting laid off from my last two jobs, so my entrepreneurial spirit got stronger during that time, but mostly I was kind of an employee that ran my business on my own in in the evenings and weekends.

From the last time that I was laid off from my job, I just wasn't able to get a job and I think that the Universe got in the way and and said "no, you're actually going to be an entrepreneur now", so that's what happened. I got my first wedding by referral and you know that was six years ago, I've just continued on and went into this as a business.

Joe: Launching this as a business woman, what were some of the biggest initial hurdles to getting your business off the ground?

Jayne: There was a lot of fear of exposure from me, because I'm far more spiritual than many. I am a metaphysical minister, so I was really worried about being able to step out of that spiritual closet. To be able to tell people that. I didn't want people to think that I was going to be to woo or that I was going to insist on a much more spiritual language than they were accustomed to.

So, that was one that that would have been a major big hurdle.

Another thing that was unheard of for me was not knowing anything about starting a business. I thought I did, and I thought I knew about business, but I really didn't. I had lots of potential with my credentials, but you really need to know how to market your business. You need to know your target audience. We need to know about materials and websites and things like that.

I really didn't know that much about it. So, that was an interesting little journey for me and that continues.

Joe: That's an interesting point because you need to be willing to put yourself out there in order to market your business and generate sales for your business.

What would you say was the single most influential factor in getting your business started and the success behind your business?

Jayne: I would really have to say that one of the very best decisions that I made was hiring a very good business coach. The first thing that I got with her was a 10 week course that she was offering. My business coach name is Patty K and I would recommend her to anybody especially for those people who are really at the beginning stages.

So, I hired her and I went to my ten week course and really she helped to walk me through all of those things that I mentioned, that I didn't really know about - About running a business. It is very different to run your business and then have your credentials behind you in order to do that.

As a result of that program I've ended up with a group of people who are in my mastermind and I would strongly recommend anybody in business to find a group of people who are like minded, so they can sit and be with you. They will keep your feet to the fire and hope you move your business forward.

I do work on my own. I work out of my home, so I am a bit isolated that way and I find it so much easier to be creative and to get ideas with a group of people when we're all together, who truly know me and also really know what my business. It's just been wonderful experience having this group of people together.

Joe: Transitioning over to the dark side, what's been one of the biggest mistakes that you made running your business?

Jayne: Well my goodness what mistakes haven't I made? I think it's just by the very fact that you're an entrepreneur, you make mistakes all the time and it's how you recover that is important.

One of the biggest mistakes that I've made is that I lost focus on my business. I joined a committee and at the beginning of this year I joined the committee and I became the chairperson. It was a much busier position than I thought it was going to be. I took my focus from my business and placed it on the commitee. I put my business second and because I did that, I think I lost business over the year.

With the bulk of that committee work done, I went back to focusing on my business. I don't want to say the committee was mistake, I mean those those things are very important, but had I focused on my business and then the committee work second, I would have been in a lot better shape.

Joe: For anyone who might be listening to this, what would you have done differently?

Jayne: I think about it and reflect on that. I probably should have treated it much more like when I was working full time and running my business. If I had treated my business like it was my employment position and then worked on the committee projects in the evenings and on the weekend, I think it would have been a lot better for me. I know that this is something that I will never do again because It was difficult to recover. It was emotionally and physically challenging.

Joe: This is a really good segue into my next question. What do you do to recharge when you're feeling drained?

Jayne: Well you know as an entrepreneur it's funny because we work all the time, but sometimes you need a break. I actually take a day off. I will remind myself throughout that whole entire day that I'm on a day off and that seems to help. I usually do something for myself during that time like meditation - something spiritually enhancing for me and for my energy.

Another thing I like to do is that I like to feed myself, ha ha. I get out my favorite recipes and I cook something that I enjoy and I would just have lots of really good food all day, and again reminding myself that I'm on a day off. I just make sure that my body, my mind and my spirit are all reconnected again.

Joe: Who's your hero? Who do you look up to when you need someone?

Jayne: Doctor Paul Leon masters as the founder and spiritual leader of the University of Metaphysics. I think about him everyday. I think about his his teachings that he's given over the years. This is just an anything inspiration. Here's an example of a person who always followed his passion. He always walks his talk and he never wavered from his life. Our society was nowhere near in a position to think about things on a spiritual level and he came along and this was his life passion and this was his profession and he did it anyway. He was just a real pioneer of the time, so it really helped set the groundwork for more acceptance.

Joe: Jayne do you have any final thoughts?

Jayne: Well you know I just like to be able to say that I don't believe I'm your actual average celebrant. I do go above and beyond with customer service and very passionate about working with my clients and I want to get the very very best that I can for them especially that it's their wedding day.

We want to make it special and because of that and I have been known to make quite a few crafts on behalf of my client. For instance I like to make their hand fasting ropes if we're going to do a traditional hand fasting ceremony. I tie up really pretty candles if we're going to do candle ceremony. I will often arrive forty five minutes to an hour early so that I can make sure that everything is done and ready to go and nobody needs to worry about that.

I think that that kind of helps me to go above and beyond for my clients.

Joe: Thanks Jayne for being on with me today I really do appreciate it.

Jayne: Thanks for having me, it's very nice to talk with you.

Reverend Dr. Jayne Gibson, owner at Our Own Celebrations.

As a Minister, I have far more leeway in my ability to create the ceremony that will honour you. I spend time getting to know you as a couple and your love story, so I can incorporate that into your wedding ceremony.

Contact Jayne Gibson

website: http://www.ourowncelebration.com/

email: [email protected]

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