Today we’d like to introduce you to Kara Makasziw.
Hi Kara, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
DO-U Events really began as two friends saying yes to something fun.
What started as a creative outlet — helping people celebrate, decorate, organize, and bring their ideas to life — slowly became something much bigger. In the beginning, it was very hands-on and very personal. We were the ones carrying the boxes, setting the tables, lighting the candles, problem-solving behind the scenes, and making sure the event felt like the client. That season taught me so much about service, flexibility, creativity, and what it really takes to make an event feel effortless for the people attending it.
As DO-U Events grew, so did the range of events we were trusted with. What began with weddings and private celebrations expanded into larger productions, community events, fundraisers, corporate gatherings, and festival-style experiences. I found that I loved the strategy behind events just as much as the beauty of them — the timelines, logistics, guest flow, vendor coordination, sponsorship pieces, floor plans, and all the moving parts that have to come together at the right time.
Over time, it became clear that the business had naturally grown into two different lanes. DO-U Events continues to represent the heart of personal celebrations — weddings, private events, and the kind of meaningful moments where the details should feel deeply personal. At the same time, Wayfinder Events was created to give a clear home to the corporate, nonprofit, festival, and community side of the work.
The transition was not about walking away from where we started. It was really about stewarding the growth well. DO-U Events gave me the foundation: the relationships, the creativity, the work ethic, and the belief that events can be both beautiful and meaningful. Wayfinder Events is the next chapter of that same story, focused on purpose-driven events that help organizations create impact, build connection, and move people toward something bigger than the event itself.
Today, I get to serve clients in both spaces with more clarity. DO-U Events is centered on luxury weddings and private celebrations — “your day, your way.” Wayfinder Events is built around direction with impact, serving businesses, nonprofits, festivals, and community organizations that want their events to be organized, intentional, and memorable.
Looking back, I am grateful that it started simply. Two friends, a creative idea, and a willingness to work hard opened the door to something I never could have fully planned on my own. The business has grown through every table we set, every client we served, every lesson we learned the hard way, and every opportunity that stretched us. Where I am today is the result of saying yes, staying teachable, building strong relationships, and continuing to follow the work where it was clearly growing.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely not been a perfectly smooth road, but I also think that is part of what makes the story meaningful.
Like many small businesses, we learned a lot by doing. In the beginning, there were plenty of moments where we had the heart and the creativity, but we were still building the systems, pricing structure, processes, and confidence that a growing business needs. Events are very visible on the outside, but behind the scenes there are hundreds of small decisions that have to be made well — timelines, budgets, vendor communication, setup plans, guest experience, weather, staffing, inventory, and last-minute problem solving.
One of the biggest challenges has been learning how to grow with wisdom. It is exciting when opportunities come in, but not every opportunity is the right fit, and not every season can hold the same pace. I have had to learn how to say yes with intention, how to say no when needed, and how to build something sustainable instead of simply staying busy.
Another challenge has been navigating the natural evolution of the business. As DO-U Events grew, it became clear that weddings and private celebrations needed one kind of focus, while corporate, nonprofit, and community events needed another. Creating Wayfinder Events was a clarifying step, but any transition requires discernment, communication, and patience. I wanted to honor where we started while also making room for where the work was clearly growing.
There have also been the very real challenges of being a business owner, wife, and mother at the same time. Event work often happens outside normal business hours, and the responsibility does not stop when the event ends. Learning how to balance ambition, family, faith, and stewardship has been one of the most refining parts of the journey.
But every challenge has taught me something valuable. The hard seasons have made me more organized, more resilient, more thoughtful with clients, and more committed to building businesses that are not just creative, but dependable, well-led, and rooted in purpose.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about DO-U Events + Wayfinder Events?
Today, I operate two event brands with two very clear lanes: Wayfinder Events and DO-U Events.
Wayfinder Events is the corporate, nonprofit, festival, and community event side of the business. Wayfinder was created for organizations that need more than pretty decor — they need direction, strategy, logistics, and someone who can help carry all the moving parts from idea to execution. We specialize in purpose-driven events that bring people together with intention, whether that is a corporate anniversary party, a fundraising gala, a community festival, a brand activation, a retreat, or a nonprofit event designed to create real impact.
Wayfinder Events is built around the phrase “Direction with Impact.” That really captures what we do. We help clients find the clearest path from concept to completed event, while making sure the event actually serves the goal behind it. Sometimes that goal is fundraising. Sometimes it is community connection, employee appreciation, brand visibility, donor engagement, or creating a guest experience people will remember. We are known for stepping into complex events, organizing the details, and helping clients feel like they have a true partner beside them.
What sets Wayfinder apart is the combination of creativity and logistics. I love beautiful design, but I also love a clean timeline, a strong floor plan, a well-managed vendor team, and an event that makes sense from the guest’s point of view. I care about how people move through a space, how sponsors are represented, how staff and volunteers are supported, how the program flows, and how the client feels before, during, and after the event. The behind-the-scenes structure matters just as much as what people see when they walk in.
DO-U Events is the wedding and private celebration side of the business. DO-U is centered on personal milestone moments — weddings, intimate celebrations, private parties, and events where the heart of the day is deeply personal. The brand has always been rooted in the idea of “your day, your way.” It is about helping clients create celebrations that feel like them, not like a copy of someone else’s event.
With DO-U Events, we specialize in elevated, intentional celebrations with a personal touch. We help clients think through the details that make a wedding or private event feel beautiful, organized, and memorable. That can include planning, design, setup, vendor coordination, timelines, floor plans, tablescapes, and all the pieces that allow the client and their family to actually enjoy the day.
Brand-wise, I am most proud that both businesses have grown into clear identities without losing the heart of where they started. Wayfinder Events serves organizations that want to create impact. DO-U Events serves people celebrating some of the most meaningful days of their lives. They are different lanes, but they are both built on the same foundation: stewardship, service, creativity, and excellence.
I want readers to know that my work is not just about producing events. It is about caring for what people have trusted me with. A company’s anniversary, a nonprofit fundraiser, a community festival, a wedding day — those moments matter. My job is to bring clarity, calm, creativity, and follow-through so the people hosting the event can be fully present for what they are building, celebrating, or sharing with their community.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
There are so many people who deserve credit, but first and foremost, I give the glory to God. I truly believe I would not even be in the state of Utah if it were not for His guidance in our lives. So much of this journey has unfolded in ways I could not have planned on my own. The opportunities, relationships, timing, and growth have all reminded me that this business is something I am called to steward, not just something I am building.
I also have to give credit to my husband and our girls. They are the reason I care so deeply about building something meaningful, sustainable, and rooted in purpose. Their support, patience, and belief in me have given me the courage to keep growing, even in the seasons when business ownership has required a lot from our family.
Alison also deserves a very special place in this story. Our friendship is really where DO-U Events began, and through that friendship I found a dream I did not even know I had, but somehow always seemed meant for. What started as two friends doing something creative and fun became the foundation for work that has shaped so much of my life. I will always be grateful for that beginning.
I also owe a great deal to Kimberly McManus, who mentored me in my 20s during my time as a produce buyer in the food distribution industry. That may seem like a completely different industry, but so much of what I learned from her prepared me for event work. She helped sharpen my organizational and office skills, and taught me about vendor relationships, contracts, pricing, markets, inventory management, receiving, logistics, and the importance of being both detailed and dependable. Those lessons still show up in how I run my businesses today.
From my current client list, I am especially grateful for Doug McCombs of I/G Winery. Doug gave us some of our first meaningful opportunities in the corporate and large-scale event world. Through several dinners, a wine club member appreciation Christmas party, and the logistical planning side of the Utah Wine Festival, he trusted us with beautiful opportunities that helped us grow. We learned so much through those events, and I deeply appreciate the role he played in our early success.
I am also very thankful for the Cedar City Chamber of Commerce and the many small business owners in Cedar City who have supported, referred, encouraged, hired, and cheered us on along the way. We live in an amazing town. Cedar City has been very good to us, and I do not take that lightly. So much of our growth has come through relationships, and I am incredibly grateful for the people and community God has placed around us.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.Wayfinder-Events.com
- Other: https://www.DOuEvents.com
