Meet Bea Cunha: Event Planner

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

Hi Bea, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
I’m passionate about creating and developing things from scratch. In my family both my grandmothers were really into handicraft work.My father was an engineer but he really had an “out of the box” way of thinking, always being really creative and looking for solutions that were unique. That eventually led me into becoming an Architect and Urbanist. I believe that somehow I was guided to become a really creative person but above all I just became really good in creating things out of an empty space. That’s why I chose to become an Urbanist in the first place and that was something so easy for me. As life passes by, I became a mom and I decided to stop working. That was a double blade sort of thing because in one hand I was really happy to be able to look after my child but on the other hand I started to feel this empty space inside me. I needed to find something else that fulfills me. Maybe other mom’s can relate to that. You know you are doing the right thing by looking after your baby but I always worked with something I was passionate about and had my own income. So I started thinking about something that could be a balance between being with my baby and working with my passion. I knew it sits in the creative, crafting space but wasn’t sure exactly what. Then one day, I had an epiphany. When I was preparing my daughter’s first birthday party, I decided to create the most beautiful party I could. I sat down to create and my brain just went crazy about all different options I had to design for her party. I felt the excitement again. The same excitement of when I was creating urbanism projects. During her party, I received so many compliments about it, everybody was asking me “who did this?” or “where did you buy this decoration?” and was funny because I did it all and people were thinking I had bought it from an Event Planner. That was the first time I realized that I actually found something really special for me to do, because on top of loving to design and create the party, I could see how unique, exclusive and special was that moment for my daughter, my family and all of my guests. That’s how I came up with the idea of my business, by using my powerful creative skill to design unique and memorable parties while being with my child. 

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
There’s something magical about doing my work as an event planner. I can make someone’s dream turn into reality. And it is priceless to see the reaction of the person when the work is done and they can see their idea materialized in an unique and exclusive moment. So what I am most excited about my work and what also sets me apart from others is this ability to connect with someone’s emotions and to deliver something that represents it so well. I feel proud of my work but above all grateful for my clients to have trusted me to have done something that meant so much for them. Of course I have challenges. Sometimes I can’t connect with an idea or an emotion and get this understanding of what the clients expectations are. However I found a way to overcome this by trying to have as many conversations as possible to get all the details that I need and to give different solutions to solve their problems. Along the way I learnt that there is no right or wrong. People are different, they have different perspectives, backgrounds, ideas, taste. I learnt to accept it and to be open to any idea. Because at the end of the day my mission is to make their dream come true and I will do my best to achieve it. Box a Party is a way I created that anyone can have an event planned the way they want, delivered at their doorstep. They don’t need to go to endless meetings or catalogues. We catch up for a couple phone calls and I am already able to design what they are looking for straight away. My brand is unique, I am driven by purpose, passion, attention to details, and I will never deliver the same event twice. It’s really special. So if someone is looking to make a moment memorable and unforgettable I am here to help and serve.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Houston is a big and spread city with so many amazing places to go. Each neighborhood has its own personality and this diversity amazes me. Places that I would certainly tour over and over again includes the Hermann Park Area, the Museum District and the Medical Center. Its a huge complex of technology, culture and nature that’s impossible to miss. Around this area I would also include a tour to Rice University, the beauty of its building is really unique. For shopping I love to go for a walk at the Highland Village Stores and The River Oaks District Shopping Mall. This nice feeling of being outside amazes me and I really prefer to go shopping on open malls. Rice Village area is another place that is so nice to go shopping around. Eating is the most difficult criteria for me because cuisine in Houston is so international and diverse that its hard to choose from so many excellent places to go. The ones that I love to go and certainly suggest are: -The Bistro 555, a French restaurant hidden at Memorial Drive between Wilcrest Drive and Kirkwood Drive. The food is delicious and the restaurant is super cozy. It opens at night time and it needs reservation most of the time. -Colina’s is a great and traditional Italian restaurant. Opens for lunch and dinner and it is kids friendly , we love it. -Buffalo Bayou Brewing Co. is a great place for sightseeing. Over there you can see Downtown and its skyline. While watching you can choose from their many house made biers and their delicious menu. From Burgers to salads every choice is worth it. – State of Grace is a must go to celebrate with style. Their Oysters are incredible. After so many great choices I would include a dessert at Crave Cupcakes. We love it. Each day they serve different flavors of cupcakes so before going you must check online what’s up for that 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?
Having a business idea is certainly a starting point however understanding the “how to” go from an idea to an actual business is another story. After I found what I was passionate about working, I had a hard time to get my business off the ground. My biggest roadblock was the overwhelm. I started to find so many different things on the internet and that was deflating and frustrating me. Until I found an online course, called “Small Biz Accelerator”, from The Mindbug. It’s a online course that you can do at your own pace. It gives what people that are starting off in business needs straight away. In the course I learnt that having talent wasn’t enough. I needed to know my niche, who are the people I am serving and what problem I am solving for them. I realized that having the skills are the first step but then you have to tailor it into a market to be able to make a passion a business. I learnt how to write my message, my offer and also how to price it. But the biggest discovery I had was the entrepreneurial mindset that I needed to acquire. That was huge for me. The only thing that separates myself from where I am to where I want to be is knowledge. So investing in education, courses, books are the best thing you can do. I am really grateful for them and we still work together until now. I highly recommend them for anyone that is struggling in business, stuck or just not being able to take their business to the next level… just like I was to do it. Here is the link: https://courses.themindbug.com/ but before starting it you must jump in a call with them as they need to diagnose your situation first and then check if the course is suitable for you or not. You will absolutely love it! 🙂

Website: https://www.boxaparty.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boxaparty/