These two Gen Zers are redefining success in event planning — one celebration at a time

Welcome to a special edition of Let's Talk Offline (the newsletter). Today, you're getting a bonus article not tied to a Let's Talk Offline episode because LinkedIn just released its 2025 Jobs on the Rise list, and I'm spotlighting one of the 25 fastest-growing jobs: event coordinator.

Event planning isn't just a job for 27-year-old Stella Kaplan and 22-year-old Natalie "Nat" Carnovale — it's a calling. 

Their passion reflects a growing interest in the field, with event coordinator ranking as the sixth fastest-growing job in the U.S., according to LinkedIn's 2025 Jobs on the Rise list. The number of LinkedIn members who updated their profiles with an event coordinator position grew 54.5% in the last three years.

With event planning on the rise, I spoke with Stella and Nat to learn how they're paving two distinct paths to success — one as a full-time founder and the other balancing a growing business with a 9-to-5.

From corporate career to full-time founder: Stella Kaplan's leap of faith

For as long as she can remember, Stella's dream job was clear: party planner. But like many of her peers at Northwestern University, Stella followed a corporate career path, majoring in economics and then working in consulting.

"I just wasn't happy," Stella recalls when reflecting on her consulting job. "Something was missing, and when I was reflecting, I realized ... I wanted a job that was a hybrid between a desk job and being on my feet."

Stella wasn't exactly sure what role that was but she made a leap anyway, quitting her consulting job in March 2023 with no clear next step.

"It was terrifying," she admits. "I was like, I just need to get out of this position so that I can get some perspective on what I want to do."

Stella gave herself three months to explore options, including a career in hospitality. Everything changed two months in when a close friend — who knew Stella envisioned herself as a party planner — asked Stella to plan her New York City wedding that was just six months away.

"I got nothing to lose," Stella remembers telling herself.

Even with a tight timeline, the wedding was a huge success. The event solidified Stella's belief in her knack for event planning. She started an LLC shortly after, going all in with the official launch of Stella Style Events that November.

The road ahead wasn't all glitz and glamor.

"After the wedding, I was like, 'Wow, I am only going to make money if I bring in clients. I am completely dependent on myself,'" she recalls.

On top of figuring out how to run a business, Stella had no portfolio, which meant offering discounted pricing, relying on family and friends for referrals and positioning both her personality and business acumen as selling points.

Stella dedicated the first year of Stella Style Events to building her portfolio. By the end of 2024, Stella planned two weddings, two bar and bat mitzvahs and seven small events like birthday parties and trunk shows. The events often had her traveling between Aspen, New York City and destination venues like Mallorca.

"I get to curate completely new experiences at every event, which is something that I really wanted," she says.

One of Stella's key strategies for growth has been building strong relationships with vendors.

"The first wedding I did was at Balthazar, and they've sent me two additional clients," she shares. "Building those vendor relationships are super important for your client pipeline."

Social media has also played a role in her success, even though it's not her natural strength. Stella didn't even have a personal Instagram account before launching Stella Style Events. But while planning her friend's wedding, Stella knew she had to build an online presence.

She remembers thinking, "If this event goes really well and people start looking me up and I have no social media, it's going to be sort of weird. We're inviting 250 people to this wedding and those are all potential clients."

The success of past events has set up Stella for a promising 2025. She says she's focused on scaling her business this year, with goals of hiring her first employee, diversifying the types of events she plans and more. 

Balancing a 9-to-5 and side hustle: Nat Carnovale's journey

Similar to Stella, Nat Carnovale didn't set out to become an event planner.

Rewind to 2021: Nat was in the fall semester of her sophomore year at Penn State, feeling homesick and in search of a creative outlet.

"I saw on TikTok that people were making all these fun craft things," Nat recalls. "I looked online, I saw it was the Cricut machine, so I went to Michaels and got it. I just sat on my tiny apartment floor at school and started doing it."

What began as a hobby — making personalized clothes and other items — soon evolved into a business when a friend asked Nat to help with balloon decorations for a sorority event.

"At first, I blew up every single balloon, strung them together and tied them," Nat says. "After that I was like, 'Wow, people really do balloon art and take it to a whole new level.'"

Nat was inspired by the endless possibilities for transforming events with personalized decor. She wanted to be able to provide a range of services, so Nat taught herself everything through trial and error, relying on TikTok how-tos and YouTube tutorials.

Nat officially launched Miss C's Designs in her spring semester, operating out of her college apartment. Since then, she's designed decor for weddings, baby showers, gender reveals and more — serving clients who discover her business through social media or word of mouth. Nat's offerings have grown to include custom balloon installations, backdrops and unique rentals like a dessert cart that she and her dad built. 

Now eight months post-grad, Nat is balancing her growing business with a full-time job as an associate project manager.

"At first it was a little challenging because you don't want to say no to people," Nat says, referring to managing Miss C's Designs. "You think you're going to lose business, but if people actually support you, then they'll understand."

Most days Nat does work for Miss C's Designs after her 9-to-5, typically working with a one-month lead time for events. 

"It's all about time management," she says. "You have to be on the money every time because people are relying on you."

Looking ahead, Nat says she hopes to continue growing her side hustle alongside her corporate career this year.

Advice for aspiring event coordinators

Both Stella and Nat agree that passion is key to building an event business from the ground up.

"I think events sound sort of sexy, but it's a lot of labor," Stella says. "It's handling tough clients, it's tough hours, but if you love it, that doesn't really matter."

"If you have a passion for something, you have to do it," Nat adds. "Do whatever your gut is telling you."

Editor's note: Photos included in this article were provide by Stella Kaplan and Natalie Carnovale.

💡 Want to learn more about event planning? Check out the LinkedIn Learning course below or by clicking here (the course is free for all members until Feb. 15). You'll learn how to create an event budget, select a venue, manage a timeline and more.

👀 Are you an event coordinator? I'd love to hear from you!

Post a vertical video on your LinkedIn profile (about 90 seconds or less) that takes us through a day in your life. Whether you're engaging with clients or simply going about your daily routine, here are three tips to keep in mind:

1. Share knowledge: Make sure to give a helpful insight about your profession.
2. Be authentic: Show us what a typical day looks like for you.
3. Have fun: Feel free to get creative and make it enjoyable!

Share your video using the hashtag #JobsOnTheRise by next Tuesday (Jan. 14) for a chance to be featured in our coverage. You can check out these resources for inspiration. Can't wait to see what you create!