Meet Nichole Lefort | Creative Director & President

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

Hi Nichole, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I have always been involved in Sales, Marketing and Events as a corporate employee. Learning all the nuances of a job and bringing in new ideas has always been very satisfying part of the job. With some jobs, you have more leeway and trust than other jobs.

Previous to starting my own business, I worked for a very large company that had a huge number of events annually. As their Event Manager, I was tasked with being inventive and breathing new life into projects. I found out very quickly that I was greatly hobbled due to internal policy and procedures. They had very limited access to innovative products and vendors. It became apparent to me that I could actually be more helpful to them on the outside than I was on the inside, especially because I understood how to work within their system. I spent a year planning my exit strategy and getting everything in place. They were disappointed when I left, but soon they became one of my biggest clients and we did a lot of fantastic work together.

So my advice to anyone who is looking to start their own business, if you see a hole or opportunity in the market that you can fill, learn all you can about it and make an informed decision. Also learn as much as you can about running a small business. There is a HUGE learning curve if you have only worked for others, put in place processes that will make you successful on day one.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
We are both a business and creatives, they go hand in hand. Our business CLE Events & Rentals, we are event production company- we like to say we can provide a piece or the whole package. We specialize in being creative and love to be different, no cookie cutter designs! We design and create events for the most important occasions in peoples lives, whether it’s a wedding, branding/ product launch or interactive stage set that engages the audience in all ways.

What sets us apart from many of our peers, is we do not just buy items, but we build and create them. It can be a 20′ tall x 40; w stage set or 12′ t x 16′ w storybook that we bring to life with performers and props. It can be unique floral displays or interactive back drops. We love collaborating with our peers and clients to bring their visions to life, It’s amazingly satisfying to see a job go from a rough sketch to a finished product and the joy and happiness it brings.

We work hard, really hard. There are times of euphoria and joy and times of doubt and feelings of failure. It has never been easy. Owning your own business is incredibly difficult, you need to pull yourself up by the bootstraps every single day and make it happen. There is no paycheck if you feel like coasting. I have tremendous respect for business owners, especially small business owners who get up every day and grab the new day by the horns. We overcome challenges with perseverance, consistency, strong work ethic and doing what we say we are going to do, on time, on budget. We always want to overdeliver.

I have learned many hard lessons on the way, you look at your mistakes, analyze them and work hard not to repeat them. Communication is key, there is no issue that cannot be solved with communication. Also, own your mistakes- you messed up? Admit it, don’t pass the buck, the client will respect you for it, especially when you make it right,

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?
So this is a given, but there’s no way we could skip taking a newcomer to Joe’s Stone Crab. Let’s face it, this restaurant is iconic. Joe’s has been around in some form since 1913 and serving stone crab since 1921. That’s lots of time to perfect the art. While waiting for your table, take a stroll through the neighborhood, there are some great quaint restaurants nearby where you can have a nice glass of wine or an aperitif!

Another favorite local of ours is Bubbles & Pearls in Wilton Manor, FL. Tiny restaurant big on taste. They also have an amazing Happy Hour where you can get fresh shucked oysters for $1. and discounts on bottles of champagne. This is my happy place.

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?
When it comes to planning and executing events, the team involved is typically enormous, it take a village and a half! There have been many people that have contributed to my success and journey.

Firstly. I would like to thank the professional event organizations I have been involved with ILEA- International Live Events Industry and NACE – National Association for Catered Events. These organizations allowed me to meet, network and build wonderful relationships in the industry.

There are a few individuals who truly stand out- Kelly Murphy from Events on the Loose has been a wonderful mentor and great source of information and encouragement.

Keith Willard of Keith Willard Events, who I met through NACE. He soon became one of my favorite people in the world and someone who is supportive but also loves new ideas and taking things to a new level, He never shies away from a challenge and is one of the hardest working people I know.

Finally, my business partner and husband, Michael Sellars; he has supported me from even before I left my corporate job encouraging me to follow my dreams. He is a builder who helps bring my crazy ideas to life and looks great doing it! He is my partner in life in all ways, I am truly blessed and grateful for him.

Website: www.cle-events.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cle_events_rentals/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nichole-lefort-ab547596/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beCLEver.rental