Adjusting to New Role as Owner [CBJ]

When Cassie Brown took over ownership of event-planning firm Tribble Creative Group on Jan. 1, she felt she had been preparing for that role her entire life.

She had worked for company founder Mary Tribble for nine years. And she had earned degrees in hospitality and event planning from the University of South Carolina and Georgetown University. She also had worked in several states in practically every aspect of the industry.

“I have a real passion for the industry — this is my dream job,” says Brown, 40.

But being the boss has taken some getting used to. “I’m renegotiating our health insurance and learning how much our phones cost — things I knew existed but had no real knowledge of.”

One of the first things Brown did was find new office space in South End for the three-person company, which Tribble started in 1985.

But the hardest challenge has been adjusting to the changes in her work and personal life. “I was a planner and had my own events, but now I am just an overseer,” Brown says. “My staff goes on site, and I stay in the office. They were my interns and don’t need me there. That’s hard getting used to.”

Also, Brown previously enjoyed a clear demarcation between her work and personal lives, exemplified by the fact she had two cellphones, one for each part of her life. But no more.

In the past, when Brown went on vacation — she has traveled to six of the world’s continents — she was incommunicado. But later this summer, when she travels to Italy for a few weeks, she’ll leave an itinerary and phone numbers, read her email and regularly check in with the office.

Read the original article in Charlotte Business Journal.