As a young woman in her mid twenties, Jen Glantz found herself constantly being the bridesmaid, but never the bride. However, instead of resenting the title of “permanent bridesmaid,” Jen decided to embrace it and even turn it into a business venture. At the age of 26, Glantz decided to post an advertisement on Craigslist as a bridesmaid for hire, which received a massive wave of responses within the following two days. Little did she know that this was only the beginning of what would turn out to be an extremely successful endeavor.
Glantz’s various services range anywhere from $500 to over $2000 and have brought her in enough money to allow what was once a side hustle to become her full-time job. What appeals to her (and I) the most about the entrepreneurial lifestyle is the freedom of being one’s own boss. While it can be difficult to manage time wisely when you do not have a “real boss,” having occupational and artistic freedom trumps the rigid idea of the 9-5 work day.
This decision to take a chance lead Glantz to more success than she had initially even imagined; the young entrepreneur has written two books, hosts a podcast series, coaches professional bridesmaids in training, provides multiple other wedding-related services, and sells online courses, all while still offering her personal services as a bridesmaid. This woman identified an issue from a personal experience, saw that there was a genuine need for it, took the opportunity of a lifetime, and created a thriving business.
I admire the fact that she took something that many people may be disappointed about, but then saw the good in it. She turned her own problem of always being the bridesmaid into a successful business, showing her entrepreneurial thinking.