A Flair for Affairs® 407.896.1476, elisacsep@AFlairForAffairs.com www.AFlairForAffairs.com Employees: Owner-operated with strategic partners 
Revenue breakdown: 60% coordination, 25% full-service, 15% strategic partner/freelanceSocial media: Twitter @ELISAcsep and @weditorial, Facebook, LinkedInFamily: She and her husband, John, have one daughter, LeighAnn, 17.
Education: Attended New York Institute of Technology for studies in Interior Design.MBC™ Status: I pursued the MBC™ designation to benchmark my accomplishments, and because it has always been important to me to earn the endorsement of esteemed colleagues.  I’ve been in business more than 15 years and a member of ABC for at least 12 years. It took about three and a half years to progress from PBC™ to MBC™.On the business: I’ve been active in the hospitality industry since high school, and upon graduation began working full-time for a catering company. I began college to become a licensed interior designer, eventually working for an architecture firm, but left that industry when I had my daughter. In 1997, I decided that rather than return to a 9-5 job, I would pursue my own interests, and fuse my experience in the hospitality industry with my creative and technical design skills.Industry influencers: Without question, the Internet, as a whole, has transformed the entire process of planning a wedding and every other type of event. Pinterest, Skype, YouTube, WordPress, WeddingWire, Facebook, and the like have streamlined the sales and communications processes required by a 24/7 society.Mentors: I haven’t formally engaged any mentors, but consider myself fortunate to have established very meaningful relationships with ABC members, like Elise Enloe, MBC™; Heather Canada, MBC™; Sasha Souza MBC™; Mark Kingsdorf, MBC™; and Kerline Docteur, PBC™.  Further, my involvement in ISES has been very rewarding in terms of connecting with industry peers.Inspiration: I surround myself with creative individuals and people who appreciate design. Whether I am walking the mall, watching “Project Runway,” turning the pages of a home design magazine or browsing the Etsy site, I am always struck by artistic creativity and ingenuity.Marketing strategy: One: Try something new. Two: Stop doing what doesn’t work. Three: Develop a unique message—your bride/client will find you. (Accept that not every bride/client is for you.) Four: Build relationships on actions not promises.On Staying Fresh: I have absorbed many essential skills in web maintenance, graphic design, and blogging so that I am able to keep my virtual presence up-to-date. After the spring and fall wedding seasons, I take advantage of the downtime to upload fresh content. Printed materials, such as business cards, are reworked about once a year. As for refreshing myself, I intend to be better about that in 2013.Ideal client: I specialize in assisting detail-oriented professionals, worried “to-be weds,” and demanding divas. It has taken years to hone the skills required to handle the unique challenges they present, but that is what sets Master Bridal Consultants™ apart from others less seasoned. Ultimately, my ideal client is the person who turns to me with total confidence and allows me to do what I do best without micromanaging me. They are the best!Recent Reads: Tiny Buddha by Lori Deschene and Life Without Limits by Nick Vujicic.Hobbies: Cooking and baking—usually only on Sundays. It keeps me away from the computer. I also enjoy shopping, socializing and road trips to the beach.Words of Wisdom: We all have something to offer, so be authentic.  Be patient, yet not complacent. A favorite quote: “Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things only hoped for.”On Giving Back: Whenever possible, I try to volunteer or donate to benefit organizations that serve those in need. I have supported Brides Against Breast Cancer gown sales, Habitat for Humanity, SEARCH, and Wish Upon a Wedding, to name a few.