Karine Brighten
Karine Brighten Events

In the few months since graduating in December 2009 from Women’s Initiative’s Simple Steps course, Karine Brighten has kept busy with one business success after another. In January, Karine was elected to the San Francisco Vegetarian Society’s Board of Directors and her event planning business helped launch the grand opening of Nature’s Express, the vegan fast food restaurant in Berkeley. In February, Karine Brighten Events became a Certified Bay Area Green Business. Karine planned the Valentine’s Day benefit dance for Vegan Outreach at Berkeley’s greenest building, the David Brower Center. Karine’s success is impressive when you consider that she’s relatively new to the SF Bay Area. Karine and her husband were married two summers ago while they both worked as interns in the SF Bay Area. Their wedding photographer was Genevieve Shiffrar, a 2007 Women’s Initiative graduate. Back in her native Canada, Karine worked for Montreal’s largest event planning company. In August 2009, Karine and her husband relocated to the SF Bay Area and while waiting 3 months for her work visa, Karine enrolled in Women’s Initiative training based on Genevieve’s referral. In October, Karine organized Farm Sanctuary’s Walk For Farm Animals fundraiser in San Francisco. In November, while still taking the Women’s Initiative course, Karine started her own business specializing in eco-friendly events that are kind to animals and the planet.

In addition to her high-profile corporate and non-profit fundraiser events, Karine does weddings and other social gatherings. Karine’s work in coordinating the silent auction, sponsors, speakers, performers and volunteers at the Walk For Farm Animals event impressed one bride-to-be so much that she asked Karine to plan her June wedding!

Karine credits Women’s Initiative for teaching her the financial skills to run a business. “It was most inspiring to be surrounded by other women going through the same ideas in starting a business,” says Karine. “Without Women’s Initiative, I would still have done the business, but without the tools, confidence and support.” Karine also appreciates the ongoing support through SuccessLink, noting one workshop on building a portfolio particularly helpful and added to her website.

True to her eco-conservation values, Karine puts into practice the permaculture principle of turning problems into solutions. This allows her to keep business costs low so her clients can benefit from affordable, eco-friendly events. For example, instead of taking on debt with a start-up business loan, Karine found ways to minimize both her expenses and her carbon footprint like working out of her home. At the same time, she says she enjoys working from her home, where she cares for her two dogs, and setting her own hours. Since she no longer enjoys Canada’s universal health care benefits, she’s adjusted by taking better care of herself such as eating well on her vegetarian diet while establishing herself as the East Bay’s only vegan event planner.

Karine gives back to the community by organizing events for the Sustainable Business Alliance and doing business with other local WI graduates such as Four Winds Catering and Bake Shop (formerly Nathanial’s Naturals).

For more information about Karine’s business, go to www.kbrightenevents.com

» Home | » Return To Top