Waxahachie, TX

Waxahachie Daily Light: April 3, 2018 | Ashley Ford – [email protected]

At the youthful age of 24, Heidi Hood is already an established small business owner. She also enjoys her princess lifestyle.

Hood used her background in musical theatre and a little business experience to establish a thriving self-owned company, Feeling Fanciful .

“It’s hard doing the business and also the services because the services are the acting and singing — the children are the biggest part of it,” Hood said.

Hood has lived in Waxahachie for the past 10 years and is a 2013 graduate of Southwestern Assemblies of God University . She obtained her degree in vocal performance with a minor in theatre and an associate’s degree in Bible studies.

The vision of owning her company came naturally. Since she was 10 years old she would create business plans for small ideas or even what she wanted to do that day. She once even created homemade business cards.

“For me, it’s dreaming big and realizing dreams coming true in my heart,” Hood expressed. “I’ve gone through some pretty trying times when I thought, ‘what’s the point of hoping or dreaming for anything?’ I’ve come out of those times, and I want to help people enjoy their lives.”

She established her business in 2016 and performed her first princess party for free. It was nerve-racking but she wanted it to be a stress-free experience for her partygoers. Hood said it was “magical” and gave her a feel for the company. She then began to brand it and set herself apart from other similar companies.

She started to lay more of the legal foundation of her company, hired five women to join her team of princesses and is now booking on a regular basis.

“I didn’t want to put limits on my business so it could grow. I’ve had to hire people out of necessity. It just really took off,” Hood admitted.

She offers a variety of packages, meet-and-greets and photography packages. She sang at the Frisco and Ennis Christmas tree lightings last season, performs at birthdays, business openings, tea parties, and can do public and private events.

What she said next on the list is to fulfill her vision of a party house venue. She said this concept should come to fruition in the next two years.

If she had any advice to give to young women starting a business, it would be to make mistakes and take risks.

“I’ve made a lot of mistakes, expensive mistakes. Don’t be afraid to take risks — you know, calculate your risks obviously. But your risk factor has to go up if you want to be successful. Don’t be afraid to fail and lose a lot because that’s part of being successful,” Hood emphasized.

Hood has an extensive background in musical theatre, and she had the well-defined mindset for business. All it took was diligent research and speaking with several established professionals.

In the beginning, Hood said it was sometimes hard for people to get over her youthful image, but she feels lucky to have started her business at a young age. She believes this puts her ahead of the game in her career.

“In my mind, there is not a better time to start because you’re on a journey, a long journey, especially if you have a big vision for your company,” Hood said.

What sets her company apart from other princess parties is her team of professional singers and actresses and her streamline booking. Hood prides her group of women for their authentic princess portrayals. She trains the team herself to ensure her company is providing quality entertainment. She is also continually updating activities, costumes and packages to keep things fresh.

Those interested can schedule a princess party directly from the website. If the date is on the website, it is bookable. To learn more about her enchanting services, visit www.feelingfanciful.com .

To view the original article by the Waxahachie Daily Light, click here .

Southwestern Assemblies of God University is a private, Christian university located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas. The university was established in 1927, and now offers more than 70 associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees on campus or online. More information is available at www.sagu.edu.