A Professional Bridesmaid Shares Her Secrets to Managing Stress and Forging Strong Relationships

In the summer of 2014, 26-year-old Jen Glantz had been a bridesmaid four times in under a year, with two more invitations in the offing. A friend had joked that she was becoming a professional bridesmaid.

Courtesy of Jen Glantz

A few days later, feeling burned out and discouraged after getting rejected from an opportunity that she had been excited about, her friend’s offhand remark crossed her mind. She thought, why not try a crazy idea?

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She offered her services on Craiglist as a bridesmaid for hire, with her skills including everything from dancing with drunk relatives to holding up the bride’s dress when she had to use the ladies' room.

She posted the ad on a Friday night and by the time the weekend was over, she had gotten 250 responses and the post had gone completely viral. A month later, she was on a plane to Minnesota for her first wedding as a professional bridesmaid. Four years later -- and with no money spent on advertising -- the business is still going strong.

On this episode of How Success Happens, Glantz shares her strategies for building confidence, running multiple side hustles, rising above rejection, taking the leap when opportunities present themselves and creating something that matters to you.