Meet Erin Nyahay | Owner, Wildest Dreams Party Co (Happy Glamper Parties)

e had the good fortune of connecting with Erin Nyahay and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Erin, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My family moved from New York to Colorado in the summer of 2018. After getting my kids settled into their new lives it was time for me to figure out what my new life was going to look like. I have a degree in fashion merchandising and had previously worked in fashion and after having my kids worked in the restaurant industry for several years. I knew I wanted to do something different. To be honest opening my own business had never really crossed my mind but the more I thought about it the more I was excited about it. Being a busy mom of 3 boys I knew that if I owned my own business I could control my schedule. It was important to me to still be able to attend my kids sports games and events. For well over a year I had tossed around several different business concepts but nothing really ignited a spark in me. If I was going to open my own business it was essentially going to be my 4th baby and so it had to be something I was passionate about. One day I was scrolling social media and saw a picture of a “luxury sleepover and picnic”. Those few pictures really ignited that spark and got me excited! The more I thought about it the more I realized that both sleepovers and picnics are events have been around for a very long time and have really stood the test of time. Being that we live in a social media fueled world I realized if I took both these concepts and made them more aesthetically pleasing aka “instagramable” that people would be interested. On top of the fact that there are not many options for kids birthday parties. It is always the same few places that people host their kids parties. As a parent myself, I knew throwing another option into the “birthday party ring” would be helpful. So my plan was to take the old school concepts of a sleepover party and picnics from ordinary to extraordinary! I spent the next few weeks carefully curating my set ups, getting my officially business plan on paper and opening an LLC. On March 17, 2020 I started social media pages for my business and was days away from announcing the grand opening. Then COVID shut the world down. I was now the owner of a brand new party business and no one was even supposed to leave their house. Devastating. I had no choice but to put the business on the back burner while myself and everyone else was trying to figure out the new normal. In early 2021 I was putting my Christmas decorations away and saw all the business supplies tucked away in my storage room. At that point Covid restrictions were starting to loosen up so I was tossing around the idea of launching the business but was still very uncertain of if it was “the right time”. After talking with friends and family I decided to go for it! I had realized that most kids did not get to celebrate a birthday in 2020 and my business was giving parents an opportunity to host a party in their own home, have it be as big or small as they were comfortable with, and the birthday kiddo would still have an incredible and memorable party. So on February 1, 2021 I launched Happy Glamper Parties CO (now Wildest Dreams Party Co) and it’s been a whirlwind ever since! People were excited about this new concept and I started booking parties within a few days of launching. I quickly realized that while in the beginning Covid had held me back it was now helping to propel my business because of the at home aspect. It’s been a little over a year now and my business continues to grow. Birthdays, Bachelorette parties, bridal showers. baby showers, anniversary’s, elopements, girls night the list goes on and on! I am so grateful to be able to play a small role in helping my clients celebrate the special events in their lives. While this whole journey of opening and owning business has been a rollercoaster I truly believe this is what I am supposed to be doing.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The luxury sleepover and picnic business is still a fairly new concept but it’s quickly becoming a very popular option for an array of celebrations. We service children’s birthdays, adult birthdays, bachelor/bachelorette parties, bridal/baby showers, elopements, anniversary’s, girls night or any special event in your life. I love that my business allows me to tap into my creative mind. After being a stay at home mom for many years I didn’t realize how much I missed being creative. I love collaborating with my clients to come up with a theme/style/vibe that uniquely fits their event. It is so rewarding to see everything come together and my clients reaction to their party or picnic. With so much going on in the world it’s nice to be able to provide an environment that allows people to celebrate the good things in life. I think what sets me apart from others is my attention to detail and that I’m always thinking outside the box. No two parties or picnics are ever the same and I am constantly challenging myself to come up with new ways to style my events.
I think growing up in New York has had an impact on my professional drive, I have always had that go getter attitude. If I want something, I make it happen and I’m all in. I think when you own your own business you have to have that constant hustle and drive to have continued success.
I think I have had 2 challenges on my business journey. The first was having the guts to actually start a business on my own. I think anyone who starts their own small business will tell you it’s very exciting but also very scary. The fear of failure is real but if you don’t try you will never now what could have been. I am so happy I didn’t let my fear get in my way. The other challenge I have had to deal with was Covid. Trying to launch and navigate a new business when everything was so uncertain was difficult. Adapting and overcoming was the way I was able to succeed during the pandemic.
The lessons I have learned along the way are to continue to push myself creatively, personally and professionally. I’m always learning, observing and trying to grow in all aspects of my life.
I want the world to know that I was just a 36 year old stay at home mom that had a idea and ran with it. I didn’t let the fear of failure get in my way and now I’m running a company that I’m proud of and fulfills me. I think a lot of women in my season of life question whether it’s too late to start something new. I say GO FOR IT!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am still relatively new to Colorado and there is so much of this state I have yet to explore.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My husband Ben who continues to support and encourage me everyday. Since day one he has been my number one fan.

Website: www.wildestdreamspartyco.com

Instagram: @wildestdreamspartyco

Facebook: wildestdreamspartyco

Image Credits
MIA photography