Get To Know The CEO/Founder Of Kehoe Designs - Tom Kehoe

What motivated you to start your business?

Seeing a need and more so, finding a niche within special events. I worked in a flower shop in high school that I ended up buying in the suburbs. I had a lot of wedding clients and was expanding into the city. When I would make deliveries at hotels and banquet facilities every weekend, I would pop my head into the ballrooms. It really made me think, “What if I tried this? How could I evolve this design?” I opened my first event design office on Ontario Street and said yes to everything. Kehoe Designs slowly built-up inventory and capabilities based upon client’s needs, and here we are today!

What design aspect are you most passionate about?

I have always been most passionate about furniture. For instance, you can design an entire event off one chair. Utilizing the trends, history and talent of furniture design enable so much creativity and depth to an event design.

What is something you constantly strive for?

To create environments for our clients and guests that leave a lasting memory. Our team turns ideas into both visual and tactile experiences that allows guests to truly escape and emmerse themselves in a magical event.

What is your best advice for engaged couples?

When it comes to planning a wedding, the best advice I can give to couples is to not overwhelm yourselves with tasks. Striving for perfection will cause tasks to go on forever and will not be satisfying.

Unsolicited advice for the relationship is remarkably like the advice I give my team about their relationships with their clients...listen. Make sure your partner feels heard, so that you can be inspired to make the needs they are sharing even better than they imagined.

Who inspires you?

My team. We have such a vast array of talent; it is mind boggling. Our service offerings do not even fully cover the capabilities of the team. They have more than one talent and medium that they can create amazing work from. It’s also incredible to watch the team inspire each other with their open mindedness and great attitude to create something new and fresh.

Tom Kehoe
CEO/Founder
Kehoe Designs
kehoedesigns.com
312.421.0030