Tiffany Bechard doesn’t really have a typical workday, and she likes it that way. As owner of Emerald Coast Vibe, an event planning and event services business based in Fort Walton Beach, and general manager of The Place on Beal, a locals event venue in the heart of downtown, she splits her time between client calls, venue setups, team meetings and the events themselves.

She does most of it with her 1-year-old daughter in tow.

A Panhandle native and Navarre High School graduate, Bechard is a mom of four who starts her mornings at 6 a.m. packing lunches and tending to the family’s backyard ducks and chickens. She spent 18 years as a gymnast and soccer player, swears by the “Automate, Delegate, Delete” approach to staying productive, and says her favorite local tradition is the annual Trunk or Treat she hosts at The Place on Beal.

A former member of the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Bechard isn’t slowing down. She hopes to launch three more businesses by the end of 2027.

Are you a life-long local? If not, where are you from originally and how did you end up in the area?

I am born and raised here in the Panhandle. I graduated from Navarre High School, Class of 2005. I left briefly to attend UCF for two years and then returned home to finish my bachelor’s in psychology with dual minors in substance abuse and child welfare. My stepfather was Air Force at Hurlburt, and both my mother and father graduated from Choctaw.

What’s your current job title and where do you work?

I am the owner of Emerald Coast Vibe, an event planning and event services business based in Fort Walton Beach and servicing the Panhandle. I am also general manager for The Place on Beal, a locals event venue located in the heart of Fort Walton.

What’s your morning routine?

My morning routine is mainly focused on the mom aspect of life; the business aspect comes in a little later in the day. I am a mother of four, ages 16, 14, 8 and 1. My day typically starts at around 6 a.m.: getting the two high schoolers up, lunches packed, breakfast made and out the door.

Then I usually get about 15 to 20 minutes, which is either spent on a quick home workout or in the backyard tending to the ducks and chickens. Then it’s rousing the 8-year-old and 1-year-old for breakfast, getting dressed and ready for the day, packing our lunches, and packing the four bags to get everyone out the door by 8:15 a.m. Then the workday starts…

Describe what a typical workday looks like for you.

To be quite honest, there is no typical workday for me. Each and every day is a little different. I toggle between business meetings, cleaning and setups for the venue, office meetings with my team, prepping for events, working events, meetings or calls with clients and brides, social media content and design, networking with fellow event planners and providers, and shopping and stocking for the next event. And I do all of it with the 1-year-old in tow. So, multitasking on top of multitasking.

What’s the first thing you do when you get to work (or start your workday)?

I love to write out my list. Sunday is my plan-out-the-week day: prep the week for family meals, write out everyone’s weekly schedule and to-do list, and budget and plan house and work projects and timelines. For my business, no two weeks are alike, so getting a good handle on what’s coming up helps stave off midweek chaos and confusion. Writing my list as soon as I get the chance allows me to focus and prioritize what needs to happen.

What tools, apps or gadgets can’t you live without?

For work: my phone, the HoneyBook app, the Setmore app and Venmo.

For home: my trusty handwritten weekly planner, the FOCUS app (for all those kids), and my multitude of chargers for the electronics that are always on 5% 🙂

Apple or Android?

Apple.

What’s your go-to coffee (or tea) order?

I do not drink coffee. I love a sweet tea, but my morning is a fresh juice from the juicer in the kitchen.

What’s your go-to lunch spot or work snack?

I make a mean chicken salad, and I love some veggies and dip, but a lunch meeting at Sax Grille or Buffalo’s Reef is my favorite.

What’s one local business you love supporting?

I try my best to shop and eat local as much as I can. If I shop, it’s local thrift stores. Date nights are at Ali’s Bistro, quick lunches at Mary’s Kitchen or ordering from Lost Pizza, and fun weekends with the kids are at Rad Junk, TBS Comics, the Emerald Coast Science Center, Wild Willy’s and Goofy Golf.

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?

I loved learning the term “Automate, Delegate, Delete.” It really helped me create a flow that meant I could produce results without burnout or just appearing busy. If it doesn’t serve me well, then it does not take up my time.

If you could give your 20-year-old self a piece of advice, what would it be?

Never stop learning, and be hungry for knowledge.

How do you unwind after a long day?

This I am not so great at. Four kids, two businesses, sports schedules, a house to manage, a baby always on my hip — it feels like I never turn “off,” so I don’t unwind easily. But it would be a nice cold sparkling water or Zevia, a snack, my couch, a blanket and some thriller or suspense movie that I most likely doze off to.

What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?

That I was a gymnast and soccer player for 18 years.

What’s your favorite local event or tradition?

That would be one of our own: the annual Trunk or Treat that we host at The Place on Beal. Every year it gets a little bigger and better, and we love hosting community events for the kids.

What’s inspiring you right now (book, podcast, person, hobby)?

Book: “How to Talk So Teens Will Listen and Listen So Teens Will Talk.”

Podcast: I am not a podcaster, but I do enjoy following the United Way ladies when I remember to.

Person: My mom is always an inspiration to me, along with my three boys, my husband John and my sweet baby Lily.

Hobby: My plants somehow remind me to slow down, drink the water, just be and thrive.

Early bird or night owl?

Neither. I am not afraid of naps.

Most used emoji?

Probably the laugh-cry emoji.

Music while working — yes or no? (And if yes, what’s on your playlist?)

Yes, and it’s eclectic for sure. You’ll get a little “The Greatest Showman,” Michael Jackson, ’80s, Christian, Blink-182, maybe a little ’90s country and some pop.

Favorite motivational quote?

“It’s a good day to have a good day.”

Standing desk or sitting? Mix?

I’m gonna give these feet a break and sit, although our office does have a walking desk treadmill.

If you could give any advice for someone getting into the same field as you, what advice would you give?

Don’t wait to start. You’ll get better and better the more experience you have. Don’t look at fellow businesses as competition but rather as comrades. Promote each other, connect, network and support each other, because there is always room for improvement, always ways to grow and always people to build bridges with.

Are you a member of the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce?

I am a member. I sat on the Board of Directors from 2022 to 2024 and continue my membership not only for the growth of my business but also for the connections I have made with like-minded business owners and clients.

Anything we missed that you want to add?

In true entrepreneurial spirit, I am hoping to grow into three more businesses by the end of 2027. I like the “what’s next” question to never be empty, so I’m focusing on putting what I currently have operating on autopilot and allowing my focus and energy to start putting forth the next big enterprise with a few business partners.