We had the good fortune of connecting with Ta’Veca Collins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ta’Veca, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Balance is such an integral part of life, it’s the one thing that is always changing and evolving. As a lateral business owner who still works a 9-5 and run a small business, balance is what sustains my sanity. I have a little touch of OCD, it’s my superpower! I live by my calendar! I color code events and entries for personal, ROTGO, and corporate job. The reminders that I set ensure that I’m present for various events on time! I also plug and share my calendar with my husband, so that we are on the same page for our family. I also share my calendar with my team, so that we are aware of upcoming events and gigs for our clients. In the beginning of building the business, I was a very visual person and used wall and desk calendars to stay organized and balanced. However, over time I’ve now become accustomed to using my electronic calendar, I mean let’s be real for a second. Technology has advanced and the electronic calendar is a real time saver and I need ALL my time to be well-balanced. I can plug in details for clients (i.e anniversary dates, birthdays, kid(s) details, favorite food and colors, and more) and send yearly reminders for myself and look like a rock star business owner for remembering to send an email or text message of the little details! I’ve also learned over time the importance of using automations to run the business. My daddy, use to always tell me, “work smarter, not harder”, so I’ve been leaning a little more on automations and systems that further propel that concept. In an effort to remain well-balanced, I’ve also learned the importance of relinquishing control of the key aspects of the business that my team can handle and allow them to BE GREAT! After all, ROTGO is a business that promotes the maintenance of a well balanced intimate and romantic relationship for our “Romantics”. So, it only makes sense that we create balance in the process as a business too.

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.
Romance on The Go was established in 2012 after several years of me planning and executing numerous romantic rendezvous for my husband, family, and friends. The defining moment that allowed for Romance On The Go to be born was in October 2010, when my bridesmaids and close friends surprised me on my wedding night. My bridesmaids and close friends sneaked off and decorated The Collins Honeymoon Suite with candles and rose petals throughout the suite. A Honeymoon Survival Kit and other Newly Wed “Love Items” were placed throughout the suite. My husband and I were so surprised! We initially thought that the hotel had set up the suite until I saw a message written with lipstick on the mirror that was personal and unique to us. Throughout my honeymoon, I kept thinking about how surprised I was and how I finally got to experience what all my family and friends had experienced when they walked into their homes or hotel rooms that I designed. I felt that everyone should be afforded the chance to feel that experience and that I hands down would’ve paid someone to do this. So, I started to research if businesses existed that provided room designs and more. I knew that this could be a business! I spent the next few years building and branding Romance On The Go into the successful business it is TODAY! I’m a self-proclaimed romantic, I truly enjoy working with “Romantics” to create priceless memories. ROTGO’s services include; standard romance concierge services (Romantic Room Designs (AKA Suite Experiences & more) date night planning services, marriage proposal services, membership services, wedding night concierge services (AKA Honeymoon Suite Designs), and wedding vow concierge services. I believe in keeping LOVE & ROMANCE ALIVE in relationships and marriages! I’m a self-proclaimed romantic who truly enjoy working with other romantics to create priceless memories. I truly care about EVERY “Romantic” (Clients) and enjoy getting to know the couple and being able to execute “The Planner’s” vision. I’m known for my fresh, innovative style and impressive attention to detail! As a romance concierge business, we understand how life can become overwhelming and people have little to no time to plan dates or they may have planned a date in their mind, but have no clue where to begin to execute their plans. Well, that’s where ROTGO services come to the rescue! We specialize in planning dates and romantic room designs (Birthday, Anniversary, Wedding night/Honeymoon, Naughty & Nice, & more), without the stress! Our couples literally just show up! We have a wide range of vendors that we have established partnerships within our service area (South Florida) and a few out of state. Romance and Intimacy often dwindle in long term relationships/marriages, which is why our themed room designs help couples in long term relationships/marriages reconnect with one another. Our motto is, “We Bring Romance To ANY Space or Place”. Romance On The Go, Concierge Services handles everything from concept to execution all the details for couples with a romantic evening perfectly designed just for the two of them! Everything is for Keeps, so our couples can recreate their unforgettable night at home or on their next romantic rendezvous. Our couple always remember when their spouse called Romance On The Go, Concierge Services! We recently became a preferred vendor for The W Hotel Fort Lauderdale. Since this vendor contract, we are primarily responsible for styling suites for various occasions from Bachelorette/Bachelor Parties, Birthday, Honeymoon, Proposals, and more. We are literally at The W at least 2 – 3 times a week designing a customized suite experience! Since these recent preferred vendor relationships, word of our services and how we significantly enhance guest experiences during their stay, we have been contacted by several other hotels interested in adding us to their preferred vendor listing. We are currently in the process of hiring and training Romance Concierges to expand our team and meet the demands of our new partnered hotels. We’re most proud of some recent partnerships with local businesses that have allowed us to enhance our proposal planning services. We have spent the last year planning and designing some pretty epic proposals throughout South Florida! Our vendors have been amazing and we are excited to continue to plan more unique proposals for our “Romantics”.

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?
Oh come along… South Florida has a lot of hidden jewels to offer visitors. I don’t think a week is long enough to show off all that we have to offer. Let’s say my friend arrived in town on a Friday around lunchtime, the perfect time to grab a bite from Tom Jenkins BBQ. They offer some of the best BBQ Ft. Lauderdale has to offer. We could spend the evening in downtown Ft. Lauderdale hanging out on Las Olas at some lounges, maybe grab a bite to eat at YOLO (You Only Live Once). On Saturday morning, I would have a list of local restaurants and activities written down on note cards in a box and tell my friend that she/he that they would be randomly picking our destinations for each meal and outing. This “Pull & Go” concept will be a fun adventure and would allow us to be spontaneous and get a chance to see the city without limits! Also, the fun thing about this fun adventurous itinerary is that we often suggest a similar “Pull & Go” Date Night for couples. It allows couples to partake in new and exciting date night/day fun without spending a lot of time guessing or trying to figure out something to do. Mostly importantly, it allows couples to do something different and new every time! Here is the list of Restaurants: 1. Rootz Bar & Cafe 2. Vegan On The Go 3. The New Vegan 4. Crab Man 305 5. Fat Boyz BBQ & Seafood 6. BG’s 7. Betty’s Soulfood 8. Sister Sara’s Crabs 9. Gigi Music Cafe 10. NYSW Jazz Lounge 11. Vegan Fine Foods (100% Vegan Grocery Store and Cafe) 12. Blue Moon Activities: 1. Las Olas Gondola 2. W Wet Deck 3. Dalmar Sparrow Rooftop Bar 4. Destination Lauderdale* Several water activities* 5. Relax Miami Mobile Massage Services 6. Divine Virtue Mobile Spa 7. Legends Cigar & Lounge 8. African American Research Library 9. Coast To Coast Helicopter Tours 10. Fishing Headquarters 11. City Bike Tour 12. Josephine Dunns Historical Hotel Tour

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to shoutout our exclusive network of vendors! I always say that our vendors make us look good! Honestly, we wouldn’t be able to design and execute half of our services without our vendors. We share the same vision and we work together to ensure that we provide quality experiences to our clients and to ensure that our we are within each “Romantics” budget. Our vendors have become our extended business family. They hold each other accountable and recognize when we drift from our business model. I would also like to shoutout an exclusive group of women who own and operate similar Romance Concierge businesses all in the name of LOVE! We are a group of female entrepreneurs that practice and promote “Collaboration Over Competition”. We are each other’s biggest business fans. We encourage and promote one another in ways that is uplifting and respectful to our individual businesses. We are constantly adding new members to the group and most importantly we have partnered with one another to provide services to each other across the country. My last and final shoutout goes out to my “silent business partners”. My family and friends who are my biggest cheerleaders! They support ROTGO in ways that I can’t even begin to explain. I could literally write another ten paragraphs sharing all the amazing things my “silent business partners” have done to support and promote ROTGO since we’ve launched. It’s important to have a small circle of people that you trust and value their opinion.

Website: www.romanceonthego.com
Instagram: @romanceonthego
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/romanceonthego/
Twitter: @romanceonthego
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/romanceonthegoconcierge/
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=BbMUXd69i0tlWS2aoppwaQ
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCK8wa2Y3A_zdIizh8v1cSw?view_as=subscriber

Image Credits
Alex Dawson – Lex D Photography