Today we’d like to introduce you to Paula Heaven-Swaby.
Hi Paula, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My younger years were certainly a bit rocky. I went to college to become a nurse right after graduating high school, but about two years in, I became a mother. My education had to be placed on hold in order to focus on my new role as a parent. Little did I know, this was the beginning of a bumpy road.
I worked retail to make ends meet, but it just didn’t sit right with me. There had to be more. I had no idea how I was going to do it, but I was determined. I went back to school with a two year old in tow. After two years of working two jobs and going to night school, I became a Licensed Practical Nurse. I don’t know how I did it, but I did it.
Fast forward many years, a husband and three kids later, I decided to go back to school when my youngest was two years old. I became a Registered Nurse and then went on to obtain my Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing.
My entire career life revolved around nursing until a little more than a year ago when I decided to turn a hobby into a business. It wasn’t exactly something I had at the forefront of my thoughts, but my daughter decided to open a storefront for her business and somehow, I ended up opening a venue space adjacent to her bakery.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The beginning was no walk in the park. Who opens an event venue in a pandemic shutdown? There were the obvious challenges of not being able to rent the space due to restrictions, but not so expected is the ongoing difficulties in finding reliable staff. I would be lying if I didn’t say I contemplated walking away several times, but fast forward one year later, we are still here. It has taken some very creative, outside of the box thinking to keep the doors open. We have no idea what the future holds, but we have our seatbelts buckled and are ready for the roller coaster ride!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
The Sweet Space is an intimate boutique venue. We cater to smaller events. We are a one stop shop and can provide as little or as much as needed for your event. We provide the space, planning/decorating/coordination and much more for events on-site and off-site. We take pride in attention to detail. The little things matter as much as the big things. We truly go the extra mile to make your event a Sweet Reality!
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I am actually super shy and not a fan of being in the limelight. I prefer being behind the scenes, but people want to know who they are doing business with, so I am working on it.
Contact Info:
- Email: thesweetspace@sweetrealities.com
- Website: www.sweetspaceevents.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweetspacevenue/?hl=en
