Vancouver accountant ditches corporate life to throw lavish events and weddings
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For years, Rajbir Grewal was, in her words, “a number within a business.” In the regimented and competitive world of finance, she was a competent and dedicated chartered professional accountant after receiving her designation in 2009.
But that all changed in 2014 when Grewal had a call of creativity that led her to embark on an unexpected professional journey, which resulted in the creation of LUX Affairs Production Firm.
While event and wedding planning started as a part-time gig, Grewal has now transformed LUX into an award-winning firm that has been featured in major publications, like VOGUE Magazine, and is responsible for some of the glitziest events and weddings in the world.
Locally, Grewal has been involved with big events like Vancouver’s annual Diner en Blanc, and executed a BÉIS event at Fairmont Pacific Rim.
So, how did she do it? Daily Hive chatted with Grewal about her career transformation and the ups and downs of leaving a steady, in-demand role.
What was your dream career when you were young?
My dream career was always to be a police officer. I really wanted to contribute positively to my community. I was raised in a Punjabi household, where my parents migrated from India. English wasn’t their first language, and it was a challenge for them to communicate here. Being bilingual, I wanted to ensure that my career resulted in supporting families with a language barrier, even in challenging situations.
How did you choose to be a CPA?
When I was 16, I told my parents that I wanted to own my own business and work for myself. However, this wasn’t even an option at the time, so I went to school with the end goal of working in something safe, like finance. My mom really encouraged my education as she wasn’t given the same opportunity as me. When she did try to further her education, the language barrier was exhausting.
Were you content professionally during your time as a CPA?
I was content with my growth and opportunities, but I was not content with my lifestyle and scope of work. It wasn’t fulfilling.
Custom Candy Bar at Reign Metrotown/Diamond’s Edge Photography
How long into your career did you realize you might want to pivot?
I considered leaving accounting after I got married in 2014. I needed to have more control over my schedule and output. It was different when I wasn’t married, and my schedule depended on what only I wanted to do, but now I wanted to spend time with my partner and do things as a family. The other deciding factor was when I was working on a project and had worked over 100 overtime hours that weren’t acknowledged within the workplace. I was a key stakeholder and driver in the business and was rewarded with two days off. The corporate culture really pushed and emphasized ‘”being a number within a business.” Due to this experience, a huge part of the company culture and our ethos at LUX is to ensure that we value our team’s time while creating opportunities for growth.
What inspired you to explore weddings and events?
Celebrations and weddings as a whole are a big part of my culture. When pursuing creating LUX, we researched weddings from a strategic point of view, and we found a gap between luxury and South Asian weddings. This was highlighted when I planned my own wedding, as options were limited. You either had to sacrifice on quality or professionalism, or you had to work with a vendor that didn’t understand the scope of these unique celebrations.
When did you realize you wanted to pursue weddings and events full time?
I started to think about pursuing events not long after becoming a CPA in 2009. For a few years, I was doing a weddings and finance at the same time. However, to fully commit to weddings, the numbers had to make sense to leave a great-paying job with a reputable brand. Once we tested supply and demand, the business made sense and I then became pregnant in 2016. This further pushed me to reevaluate how I allocated my time now that I was becoming a mother, so I didn’t return to work as a CPA at all after my son was born. My husband and I both wanted a lifestyle where we could work hard, but also contribute to our personal and professional growth.
Wedding details/Diamond’s Edge Photography
How does your finance experience blend into the wedding and events world?
My experience as a CPA truly taught me how to analyze a case and business function cohesively. Being on the other side of the analysis, I asked different questions, but running a business has key elements, and accounting truly is the foundation. The bottom line is the bottom line. Being a more operational accountant also worked to my advantage, understanding the flow and connection between projects and numbers.
What has been the highlight of your career?
Firstly, the relationships, hands down, are what keep us going. We have connected with incredible individuals that have become lifelong friends that I would never have imagined. I’m so grateful to be working with our clients on some of the most special and memorable days in their lives. A career highlight is also working with one of the world’s largest luxury fashion brands. This really solidified the quality of our work and that we could work with anyone in the world. The event was a week-long experience, which was another highlight of the project.
When you were young, did you ever envision that you would be doing what you are now for work?
Never. I was creative but not very artistic. I always imagined myself in a very safe career because taking risks was not something that I was taught. But no risk, no reward.
Surrey Hospital Foundation Gala/Taranaujla Photography
What are the best parts about being a wedding and events planner?
Again, the relationships. We have the best clients! They come to us with trust, kindness, and openness to push boundaries. Being able to form these memorable moments and experiences for our clients is a privilege. Not every career allows you to experience happy days and positive milestones, and I appreciate and reflect on this daily despite the stress we undertake for our clients to execute their dream events. But even with the inevitable stress, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
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