Senior Krista Eisenhardt Launches Event Planning Business
As businesses around the world have had to adapt how they serve their clients, the stay-at-home order provided Rosemont senior Krista Eisenhardt with the opportunity to get her first client.
Krista has known she wanted to be a wedding and event planner since she was a young
girl. Krista, from Clayton, 
New Jersey, is working on launching her own business called Everlasting Events.
“I’m a very precise and organized learner to begin with, so I am drawn to the organization and attention to details in event planning,” said Krista. “It’s also rewarding to make people smile, knowing that my work and services were able to make someone’s day.”
Krista, a dual Business Management and Marketing major, enrolled in Jennifer Zoga’s Start Your Business Internship program (BUS455) in the Fall 2019 semester. Professor Zoga piloted the incubator course last fall, and Krista was one of the first three students selected to successfully complete the internship curriculum. During the course, Krista created a business plan to launch Everlasting Events.
“As an entrepreneur myself, I know how intimidating the start can feel,” said Jennifer Zoga, Assistant Professor in the Business Department. “I started the internship because I want to encourage young people (and really anyone with an idea and the energy to work at it) to put a thoughtful plan together and try to nurture it into something meaningful and viable.”
When campus had to close during her last semester, Krista was working on a final project for her Business Senior Seminar class. She chose to do a marketing plan for her business, with a focus on how she plans on marketing during a pandemic, and how the global health crisis will affect her business.
She was also able to manage her first event with her first client – the Rosemont Business Department. Krista organized a virtual business department graduation send-off brunch and created cap and gown cards for each senior, with special letters from professors in the department.
“We wanted to find a way for the seniors in the business department to connect and celebrate during a brunch with their families when we had to complete the rest of the semester at home,” said Krista.
“Through this project, Krista had to experience all of the elements of event planning including pricing, researching, order changes, unexpected new information, budgeting, collaborating, creating, procuring, planning and more,” said Christine Hagedorn, Assistant Professor and Business Department Discipline Coordinator. “This was a totally relevant, practical, hands-on learning experience like no other we could have dreamed up for Krista.”
Professor Hagedorn and Professor Zoga hope other students enroll in the course and learn what it’s like to become an entrepreneur, like Krista.
“Given the uncertainty of next fall, I will not host the internship in the fall of 2020 but plan to accept applications for the spring 2021 semester instead,” said Zoga.
Krista is looking forward to receiving her degree and continuing to grow Everlasting Events.
“After this semester, I’m hoping to connect more with clients and get the word out there that I’m ready for business and will help with whatever is needed for my clients,” said Krista. “During this crucial time, a lot of weddings and events are cancelled, but there are still ways to celebrate and have those special moments together.”