Kristina Chau: Today’s Notable Young Entrepreneur

Today’s Notable Young Entrepreneur is Not Your Average Party Founder Kristina Chau, who, along with partner Stella Yu of Food Junkie Chronicles, co-founded Toronto’s Hottest Chef and Toronto’s Hottest Bartender Charity competitions. What was the inspiration behind the idea? Find out in today’s profile…

Elevator Pitch: Describe your business in a nutshell. 
Not Your Average Party is your one-stop event planning destination. We have the know-how and know-who to create unforgettable events – weddings, corporate events, fundraisers and parties – that capture the people and brands behind them.

Why did you start your business, what was the inspiration?  
All my life I’ve been a natural host, so event planning was a no-brainer for me. After working for about 10 years in various sectors of the events industry, I realized I wasn’t getting any younger and I decided to take the plunge into entrepreneurship.  I’m lucky to have a supportive network of people who have always encouraged me to pursue my dreams.

What is the best part of what you do on a day-to-day basis? The most challenging part? 
It’s funny; for me, the best and most challenging aspects of my career are one and the same: I work from home. I love that each day is different. Having said that, working from home can also be challenging. Your work/life balance is melded into one, and I need to make a conscious effort to separate the two.

Where do you see your business going in five years?
It’s hard to say. Right now I have a couple of ideas that could change the direction in which I grow my business. Regardless of what I decide, I definitely see Not Your Average Party still alive and kicking!

What does success look like to you? 
My success is always evolving. Starting a business on my own was a huge feat, but nowadays success for me is having happy clients and executing flawless events, which in turn has rewarded me with repeat business.

What is the most memorable milestone in your career? 
My most memorable milestone is becoming an entrepreneur. As I mentioned earlier, I have always worked in the events industry, but taking that step and becoming a small business owner was daunting and exciting all at the same time. I had no business experience and no idea how to get started, but I researched, networked, and sought mentorship to point me in the right direction.

Do you have any advice for other young professionals? 
You have to hustle hard. No one is going to just hand you opportunities; you need to create them for yourself. Get out there and network, but the key to this is being genuine. It’s not what others can do for you, but what you can do for them. I consider myself a connector as I bring people and resources together all of the time, and in turn I seem to be top of mind. 

Do you support any charities? If so, which one(s) and why is that important to you? 
I have co-founded Toronto’s Hottest Chef and Toronto’s Hottest Bartender Charity competitions with my partner Stella Yu of Food Junkie Chronicles. We created these as a fun and cheeky way to promote local hospitality talent while raising money for a good cause. The unique spin is that each contestant gets to select their own charity of choice to represent, but the winner’s charity is the one that’s awarded all of the proceeds.  

We recently held the 2nd annual Toronto’s Hottest Chef finale event on October 30th at The Great Hall, where we had nine finalists battle it out for the title and to win the proceeds for their charity. We had 250 guests and raised approximately $10,000 for our winner Leah Wildman of Fit Squad’s charity, The Children’s Breakfast Clubs. We are thrilled at the success of our event and can’t wait to do it again! Stay tuned for information on the 2nd Annual Toronto’s Hottest Bartender edition by checking out our website and by following us on Twitter @TO_Hottest.

What is Notable to you?
As a young professional, Notable is a great source on what’s happening in our fine city. 

BlackBerry, iPhone, Android, or Other?  iPhone.
I used to be a BlackBerry user and I think BBM was what kept me with them for so long, but for the past year I have been an iPhone user. It makes utilizing social media apps so much easier for me and my business… although I do miss that keyboard! 

How do you keep active, energetic, and vibrant? 
I love the energy of living in downtown Toronto. Since I live centrally, most places are a short walk or a bike ride away, which is fantastic. I have to admit, though, that I loathe the gym and make feeble attempts at going on a regular basis, but I do enjoy yoga.