Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristin & Matt Lashoff.
Hi Kristin & Matt; so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My journey started right out of college when I moved to New York City to pursue a dream of working in the theater world. I grew up doing musical theater here in St. Louis and spent a few summers performing shows with The Muny and local theater groups around town. I had always wanted to move to NYC to pursue that dream and decided in college that my talents would be better suited to the business side. I got a job working for an NYC media company, TeleNext Media. They were a subsidiary company of Procter & Gamble that produced two daytime soap operas (As the World Turns & The Guiding Light) and The People’s Choice Awards. I initially started working in marketing with the soap operas but moved over to work on The People’s Choice Awards a few months into the job. My love for events began in this role, but my theater background shaped that passion. Events are similar to shows where you plan for this big event, and then it’s show time, then it’s over, and you start again! I spent a few years in that dream job and met my now husband, Matt. He was playing pro hockey then, so I took a break from working full-time to follow him and his dreams. We lived in various different countries (Canada, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany) and began our family (3 kids: Ryder (11), Lyla (8), and Kayden (4)). Once Matt retired, we settled back down here in St. Louis. I jumped back into the workforce and worked as a Project Manager for a local digital media company, Lelander. I realized how much I missed planning events and was hired by Schnucks as their Event Manager. I gained lots of experience in that role, especially navigating events in a COVID world. I had always wanted to start my own event planning business, so in the fall of 2022, I ripped that bandaid and started my own company, Stryve Creative.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
There are always ups and downs, but it has been a long journey for me to this point professionally. I spent most of my 20s following my husband and supporting his dream of playing pro hockey, so my work took a bit of a backseat to that (no regrets, though!), and truthfully I don’t think I was fully ready to determine my career path until we were more stable. The biggest challenge is starting my own business while being a mom to 3 kids and sometimes solo parenting due to Matt’s work travel. Still, if you truly love something and are passionate about it, you make it work no matter the obstacles. I am so thankful for my experience early on with living and working in NYC, which truly shaped who I am today, both personally and professionally.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Stryve Creative, LLC?
Stryve Creative is an experiential events company specializing in custom events for companies, organizations, and nonprofits. We offer full-service event management and other marketing programs, including social media planning/managing, marketing promotion development, and website support. We also support athletes currently playing or entering their next chapter. My husband Matt consults with athletes on professional next steps. When working with Stryve, companies have the flexibility to determine their level of involvement, whether they need full-service hands-on event planning, design, and management or just some help with the overall event process. Our custom event packages will suit any company’s unique needs. My most proud accomplishment is our recent Skate Under the Stars event, which supported the local STL rare disease community and St. Louis Children’s Hospital. This event was deeply personal as we have two kids living with a rare disease, one of who had major spinal surgery at Children’s in the summer of 2020. It was the perfect event to kickstart my business!
Let’s end by discussing what matters most to you and why.
I chose to start my own business because I want to provide people with the opportunity to create their ideal event creatively and offer the expertise to see it through. There are lots of event planners out there. Still, my philosophy is to work with those who need the extra support they might not have internally within their organization, but most importantly, work with those whose missions/goals I also believe in. Personally, what matters most to me is my family and showing my three kids that you can continue to pursue your dreams at any age! I want to work on events that mean something to me and be able to help bring communities together in a meaningful way.
Pricing:
- Pricing is dependent on the event and customized to their needs and budget.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.stryvecreative.com
- Instagram: stryvecreative
- Facebook: stryvecreative
- Linkedin: stryvecreative
Image Credits
Matt Joe Photography (Skate Under the Stars event signage picture)
