Today we’d like to introduce you to Marlon Wong.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My name is Marlon Wong and I am the owner and Venue Director of Event Center Miami. We are a flexible event space located in Kendall. I help families create lifelong memories by hosting and planning personalized celebrations for their biggest milestones.
We opened in September 2023 and prior to that I was an Athletic Director and P.E. Teacher for 7 years. I grew up in Miami for the majority of my life to Chinese-Jamaican parents. With my father having 10 siblings, I grew up in big, close and tight-knit family. They were always in the restaurant business from their time in Jamaica even to when they moved to Miami in the late 80s.
It was through food and family that I grew to appreciate and understand the importance of being surrounded by loved ones. As a teenager I used to play piano at my uncle’s restaurant every friday and my family and friends would always come and support. It was during this time that the thought of eventually owning an establishment where people could gather together first came to mind.
Post pandemic, I started to look for a change from my time in education. I welcomed the opportunity of controlling my income and challenging myself as an entrepreneur. This combined with my personal experiences led to find a gap in the market I could serve.
In a short time, we have helped over 100 families host their intimate events with white glove treatment. I continue to looking forward to growing in the community that I hold near and dear to my heart.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has been anything less than smooth. The biggest struggle is this being my first real business venture. Everything is a learning process, from the level of commitment it takes to keep the business growing as well as how to effectively operate it as a 1 man team currently.
While I have been blessed for the opportunity, I am constantly trying to grow personally and professionally to become the person I need to be first, in order to get the business to where I would like it to be.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Event Center Miami?
I opened Event Center Miami because I saw a void that needed to be filled. Many of the venues that exist in the city and particularly around Kendall, the neighborhood I grew up in my entire life, are traditional banquet halls or wedding specific venues. We provide a clean, modern, and blank-canvas-style space that allows to families to bring any vision to life. From birthdays and baby showers to quinces and corporate events, we provide opportunities for families to celebrate their milestones without having the stress of traffic and clean up in their homes. Our flexibility separates us from some of the more stricter traditional banquet halls that require the use of their staff and inventory.
How do you think about happiness?
I’ve found that I receive the most pleasure and a sense of purpose by being someone that people can count on to make things happen. In my business now, the trust I build with my clients puts an expectation that I make their entire experience as enjoyable and stress free as possible. The satisfaction from them has been shown through testimonials that I have received and it is truly a humbling feeling.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://eventcentermiami.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eventcentermiami
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eventcentermiami
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@marlonlwong
