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

Hi Jasmine, what’s the most difficult decision you’ve ever had to make?
Starting my business! In 2015, after being hospitalized on complete bed-rest for two and a half months, my husband and I welcomed a precious baby boy into the world. However, he was born prematurely with many health
issues ranging from Hydrocephalus to Cerebral Palsy. In Wesley’s first year of life, he endured 3 brain surgeries, debilitating epilepsy, pneumonia, countless doctor visits and therapy sessions. Due to Wesley’s medical needs, my husband and I decided that it was best that I not go back to my traditional Monday-Friday work schedule because he required so much attention. Of course, change can be great, but it can be scary as well. Not knowing what I would do, I had to make peace with the fact that my son needed me more than anything else. What I did not know was the birth of my son would be the birth of Ellis Productions as well. Due to my previous experience in the events and entertainment industry that I love so much, it made sense to begin my entrepreneurial ventures in the special events industry. During
the initial start-up process, there were many hardships I endured and overcame; fear being the biggest factor. Fear of failing! Fear of putting my family in a financial setback to fund my dream. Fear of not being good enough! Although I endured many hardships, I did not allow that to stop me from achieving greatness. In fact, I used that as motivation to build my company and create a thriving business.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
At Ellis Productions, we serve corporate businesses and organizations by creating unique event experience through event planning, creative design, experiential marketing, event management and production. From the logistics of planning to our commitment to staying true to our client’s values and visions, we can take care of all the minor details, no matter how big or small.

Our competitive advantage stems from the resources we have within the company. Our team is comprised of spry and vibrant, forward-thinking individuals who produce innovative and fresh ideas by keeping up with the latest trends to ensure our events are authentic and true to the company’s values. We are relationship driven, so we focus on building partnerships with our vendors to build a solid foundation on trust, loyalty, and quality service and products. Due to this
rapport, our clients often receive discounted services as a professional courtesy from our partners simply because we bring them repeat business.

Currently, our biggest challenge is breaking down the barrier of not having 20+ years of events within our portfolio. However, we do have and always will value the exceptional customer service we provide our clients, along with authentic event experiences that will meet the objectives of the event and respect the confinements of the allocated budget. We recognize there is a generational change in a large share of American companies, and we are positioned to relate and grow with the change.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am happy to say I live in a city that values great food and fun. It’s the city where you work hard to play hard and Houston does it right. Depending on my mood, I typically patron Warwick, Bungalow, Oporto, Uchi, Mad Houston for food. Unique mixology experiences can be found at Diversion Cocktails or Bandista, two of my favorite spots. You can’t go wrong with visiting any of the museums in the Museum District (there’s so many to choose from).

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to thank my son, Wesley, for giving me the push to begin this venture and my husband, Andre for his unwavering support. It has not been easy, but it’s definitely been worth it!

Website: https://www.ellisprod.com

Instagram: @ellisproductions_

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/jasminehicksep

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutHTX is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.