Sandy Hook Business Spotlight: The Persnickety Bride

Every local business has a story worth sharing with the community. And that’s the belief behind this exciting series we’ve kicked off at Patch — to shine the spotlight on all our favorite local businesses, and to learn a little about the ones we may not know that well.

Business: The Persnickety Bride
Owner: Denise Buzy-Pucheu
Website: www.thepersnicketybride.com
Address: 9 Gelding Hill Road, Sandy Hook, CT 06482

How did you come up with the name?
I have been in business since 1992 coming up from Westchester NY where I’ve been in the book, music and gift markets. I had a children record and book label called Persnickety Press and the name stuck. I then created Persnickety Promotions (our advertising specialty business) and after that entering into the event and bridal market we started The Persnickety Bride.

Why choose that location? Why start a business in this town?
My husband is an executive for a global company. We moved here to be close to his office 10 years ago and because of the beautiful community. I have have been lucky to balance multiple businesses out of my home since we have moved here with our three school aged children.

Briefly, what business are you in?
stationery and event product as well as custom imprintable goods

What’s the most difficult moment or challenge you’ve faced as a business owner?
Gee I have been in business over 24 years. My company has been a multimillion dollar business years ago when the company was a national business in the publishing industry,record and gift industries. The market has changed over the years so reinventing the business to account for the changing market and my own personal needs has been probably the biggest challenge.

Were there any challenges that made you second guess your decision to be an entrepreneur?
I started the business at 32 - There really weren’t any challenges. I had a solid reputation in my industry and now in all the businesses that have been created since that time. I believe it is all about being honest, hardworking and considerate to your clients. Customer service is KEY whether it be a retailer with 3,000 stores or a bride buying invitations and favors. All customers matter.

What’s been your favorite moment or proudest achievement since opening?
Well we have always grown in one way or another since opening up The Persnickety Bride about 7 years ago. I have clients that refer new clients to us, I have venues that refer couples to us - we have people that just find us on google or who call from around the country. We continue to grow and seek out alliances with other good reputable companies in the event and bridal industry.

What’s the most innovative idea your employees or customers have had that you put into practice?
In The Persnickety Bride we keep in contact with our past brides and event clients. We are connected to them in a very special way and we love to keep that connection alive. Many are on my personal FB page. I follow their babies, anniversaries (we send cards) we thank them for referrals - it’s all part of that personal connection that we just love having with them. We do the same with our corporate event planners and general event planners. It’s so different than our retail corporate clients. It also all comes around to bringing in a variety of new business for us.

How do you deal with difficult customers?
Honestly we have had very few difficult clients in the event and bridal business. I felt badly for one mom of the bride because she was very high strung and had a hard time with trust. I am very old school in my business. I guarantee that my work will be on time, on budget and fabulous looking as my name stands behind it. That is the difference of working with our firm or some other company where you could find a lack of commitment to the customer.

How does your business give back or get involved in the community?
We are incredibly involved in our community - we have several programs of giving back in the name of Sandy Hook School - all my children have been or currently are at SHS - we sponsor currently one special needs child in China (we have a special needs daughter from China) and hope to sponsor a second child this year. We also supplied 100 warm, gloves, hats and scarves to older teens leaving an orphanage in Kazakshtan (we also have two adopted children from Kazakhstan) last year in the name of Sandy Hook. There are several other US non profits we support both in town and around the country for the benefit of children. See our cause page on our website for more information on what we do! We are looking to add more programs - so customer support of The Persnickety Bride and Persnickety Promotions is so helpful in helping some very worthy non profits.

Would you like to see your small business showcased in this series? Email wendy.mitchell@ patch.com.

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