Today we’d like to introduce you to Anne McGraw.
Hi Anne, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My husband and I moved to Nashville in 2007 for a job opportunity in my corporate marketing and advertising career. I’ve always been working full-time and traveling all over the world for work, on top of raising two daughters who are now 16 and 18. In 2020, one of them discovered these indoor slumber parties on social media and asked if we could do that for her next birthday, and I really couldn’t find many options in town. Long story short: We started the business here ourselves as a small side hustle, not thinking much would come of it other than a fun family business, but it’s now booming with a team of 10+ people! I’m also been coaching others who want to start slumber parties in their own towns, which has been incredibly fulfilling.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I hate to say it out loud, but this really has been mostly smooth sailing for us – this business was such a perfect combination for my marketing background, event planning experience, and my husband’s love for projects and making things. The biggest hurdle for us was figuring out how to scale beyond just our family so we could hire people and start getting our own weekends back, especially as our daughters’ schedules got busier and busier during middle and high school years. Letting go of some of the hands-on control of each party setup and customer communication was scary, but we finally did it and have had such an amazing experience with our team members.
I’m such a huge believer in customer experience that when things have gone even slightly wrong, we’re quick to fix it and bend over backwards to make sure everyone is happy…especially since it’s almost always a kid’s birthday party involved!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Firefly Slumber Parties ?
Firefly Slumber Parties has been creating magical events for Nashville-area families since 2020, providing hundreds of 5-star experiences with our luxury themed slumber parties and backyard glamping events. We cater to busy parents who want to provide memorable experiences for their kids and want to trust someone to come into their home to set it all up, make it perfect, and pick it back up the next morning with no muss or fuss. We treat every inquiry and booking as if it’s one of our friends or neighbors who are counting on us for these special events – with professionalism, warmth, attention to detail, excellent communication, reliability and punctuality – because these are the things we care about when booking services for our own family.
There’s nothing cookie-cutter about our business – we’re completely hands on and make sure every party is special, down to the finest details. If someone wants personalized party favors like pillowcases or goodnight kits, we’ve got those handled. Custom theme ideas are always fun, and we mix and match elements to put together the look they’re going for. Some of these kids (and their moms!) have very specific ideas and we love nothing more than bringing them to life together! It’s fun for everyone, but most of all, it’s easy for parents to plan and pull off with us, and then get to see the smiles and cheers when the party setup is complete and the reveal moment happens.
We’re so proud of the fact that this business has been built almost entirely on word of mouth. Nashville families have a wide variety of choices when it comes to planning birthday parties and special events, and we’re thrilled that after so many years we’re still top of mind for so many. We have repeat customers that come back year after year, and our favorite moments are when the youngest sibling says “it’s my turn for a Firefly party!”
We love our team members who work so hard to set up the parties in homes and make sure details are perfect. It’s been a great fit for mother-daughter and son teams to do together as a part time side job, and we have the greatest appreciation for their passion for making these parties come to life as a part of the Firely family.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Even after 20+ years in corporate marketing and customer experience, this side business has taught me so much about finding your target market and sticking to it. I have such an appreciation for small business owners and what they require from all family members to make them work, and walking that line with our own teenagers has been an adventure. Having them as now eagerly willing participants in the party business and seeing their friends ask if they can work for us too, is such an unexpected joy, and I feel so good that when Nashville families are booking with us, it really is creating opportunities for so many people beyond just us to do work that feels tangible and meaningful in creating happy moments together. It can feel silly or “extra” to be splurging on something like a fancy slumber party, but I just really believe that there’s zero harm in being a little over the top for kids and teenagers these days who are navigating this crazy, crazy world.
We love nothing more than donating to public school and local charity silent auctions where our slumber party gift certificates perform really well for raising money for your cause, so please don’t ever hesitate to ask for your upcoming event!
Pricing:
- Parties start at $425/night
- Includes delivery, setup and pickup services
Contact Info:
- Website: https://fireflynashville.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firefly_nashville/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fireflyslumbernashville
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abmcgraw
