The best entrepreneurs don’t just build businesses — they build lifestyles that work for them.
Hi y’all,
Father’s Day got me thinking about the event pros who’ve figured out how to build businesses that really work for their families. This week, I want to introduce you to someone who embodies that philosophy.
Meet Travis Hempstead of 11:11 Event Co. What makes Travis’s story compelling isn’t just that he’s a successful single father running a thriving decor rental business — it’s how he designed his entire operation around being present for what matters most.
Want to hear more stories like Travis’s? Reply and let me know what topics you’d like us to cover in future editions — I read every response!
See you next Monday,
Mallory Mullen
Goodshuffle
Hey everyone,
You know, when people ask me about work-life balance, I say it’s very possible to achieve in the way that you want it to be. Life changes dramatically when you become a parent, especially when you lose the life of the one you became a parent with. Your view of what’s important shifts completely. That’s exactly what happened to me.
I was a DJ doing weddings for 12 years. I loved the music, loved the energy, loved being a part of people’s biggest celebrations. After our youngest was born, we found out my wife had cancer. For nearly six years we fought hard to overcome it, but in September of 2022, she lost that battle. As we were going through those 6 years, I realized something had to change. I couldn’t be off doing a wedding every weekend and working all week when I had three daughters who needed their dad.
So I stopped DJing to focus on a business I started in 2021. I bought decor from two smaller companies to create 11:11 Event Co. and designed the entire business around not having to miss my daughters’ lives. My last wedding as a DJ was in March of 2023, and I’ve said “No” to countless inquiries to DJ a wedding since then! My time is my priority, so I focus on my decor business and the relationships I’ve built to support my family financially, and my goals personally.
I set up my business plan to where the majority of my business comes from the venues I have specific contracts with. These venues do the setup and teardown of the decor. It’s taken some time to refine this process through training and feedback, but it’s working very well for both my business and the venues. I’ll spare the behind the scenes details, but this allows me the ability to just drop off the decor and pick it up. With special access to these venues, I have the ability to drop off earlier in the week and/or pick up early the next week, depending on their event schedule of course. That means I’m not gone all day Saturday or Sunday and I can be at volleyball games, dance recitals, gymnastics meets, you name it. My 16, 13, and 8-year-old are into everything, and I want to be there for all of it.
The way I see it, you’ve got two choices as a parent entrepreneur. You can build a business that constantly pulls you away from your family, or you can build one that gives you the flexibility to be present. Both can be successful. I chose the latter, and honestly, it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Hoping for work-life balance is not a business strategy — you have to intentionally design your operations around what matters most.
My mom, who’s retired now, helps me part-time on Tuesdays when there’s a lot to clean from the weekend. She loves it, and she gets to spend time with her son, by also getting paid for it of course! My girlfriend and I just bought a house four minutes from my warehouse so my commute is minimal. And most importantly, my daughters see that I’m doing this for them, not despite them. They even come to help me prep deliveries sometimes. They see the love I have for this industry and the relationships I have with people.
You know what I realized through all of this? Time is more valuable than money. My wife’s cancer journey really drove that home for me. Sure, I could make way more money if I still worked weekends DJing weddings, or took on setups myself, but what’s the point of building wealth if you’re missing the very people you’re building it for?
I see a lot of event pros getting caught up in the “grind” mentality — working every weekend, saying yes to everything, being available 24/7. I’ve been there and had the same mentality, until those life changing events made me really take a look at how much time we don’t have… Your kids won’t remember how many events you booked, or how much money you made last weekend. They’ll remember whether you were there for the important moments, and even the not-as-important moments.
That’s why I’ve built systems that allow me to manage business growth at a pace that works for my family and doesn’t leave me chained to my business. My business allows me to drop my girls off at school, be home for dinner, and create my own schedule around what they need. Is it always perfect? NOPE. But I’ve created something that works for me, my priorities, and most importantly, my family.
To any parent reading this who’s struggling with that balance — start by asking yourself what really matters. Then build your business around that, not the other way around. Trust me, it’s possible to have both success and presence. You just have to be intentional about which one you’re optimizing for. For me, it took a life I didn’t want to lose in order for me to see it. My hope is to help influence that shift in someone who needs it by sharing my story.
Much love,
Travis Hempstead
11:11 Event Co.
