NDSU alumna builds two successful businesses

For Megan Vatnsdal, entrepreneurship is about more than just building a business. It’s about helping people experience some of life’s biggest moments.

The 2019 College of Business graduate now owns two growing businesses: Behind the Scenes Events, a wedding planning company, and Onyx & Evergreen Travel, a travel agency specializing in custom vacations, destination weddings, honeymoons, river cruises and tailor-made itineraries.

Finding Her Entrepreneurial Path

Growing up, Vatnsdal watched her father build several businesses from the ground up. His example showed her that entrepreneurship could be a career path and one that allowed her to create work she genuinely loved.

“I always knew I wanted to own a business someday,” she said. “Pursuing a business degree felt like the natural first step.”

NDSU was a strong fit. Her father had attended the university and she was drawn to the College of Business. She also appreciated that NDSU was close enough to her hometown of Bismarck, North Dakota, to feel connected to home while still giving her the independence of college life.

Throughout college, she had envisioned becoming a home stager. But after getting engaged, she became immersed in planning her own wedding and discovered that she loved more than the celebration itself — she loved the logistics, organization and project management behind it.

That realization led her to launch Behind the Scenes Events in 2019.

As the business grew, Vatnsdal began considering leaving her full-time job. Before taking that step, she wanted another source of income, and she found inspiration in another personal passion: travel.

A Second Business Takes Flight

Vatnsdal and her husband had spent three weeks exploring Europe after college, and she discovered that she enjoyed planning the trip nearly as much as taking it. Her interest in travel grew after working with a travel advisor to plan her honeymoon.

“I loved the experience and remember thinking, this is such a cool career,” she said.

Vatnsdal launched Onyx & Evergreen Travel in September 2021 and left her full-time job the following spring to become a full-time entrepreneur.

“Looking back, both businesses grew from my own life experiences,” she said. “What started as planning some of the biggest moments in my own life became a passion for helping others experience theirs.”

The Reality of Building a Business

Becoming a full-time entrepreneur wasn’t without challenges.

For a period, she continued working her full-time job while building both businesses. Her days often began at 5:30 a.m. with work on her businesses before heading to her job, followed by more work in the evenings.

“It was exhausting at times, but I believed in the vision,” she said.

Another challenge was developing confidence around pricing. She had to learn how to value her expertise and price her services accordingly.

“As a service-based business owner, it’s easy to underestimate the value of your expertise,” she said. “I had to learn that I wasn’t just charging for my time, I was charging for years of knowledge, the experience I create for my clients, and the peace of mind I provide.”

Entrepreneurship has taught her that she is more tenacious than she once realized and that difficult seasons don’t last forever.

One of the highlights of that journey came when Vatnsdal was named one of TravelPulse’s 40 Under 40, recognizing travel professionals from across the country who are making an impact in the industry.

“Receiving national recognition for something I had built from the ground up was incredibly rewarding,” she said.

Finding Confidence at NDSU

Vatnsdal credits her NDSU experience with giving her both the practical skills and confidence she needed to become an entrepreneur.

She particularly remembers an entrepreneurship class that focused on realistic projects and experiences that mirrored the real world.

“More than anything, NDSU gave me the confidence that I did not have before college,” she said. “The business concepts were invaluable, but the experiences, relationships, and opportunities outside the classroom gave me the confidence to turn passions into two businesses that I genuinely love.”

Just Begin

For current students who dream of starting their own businesses, Vatnsdal’s advice is simple: don’t wait until you feel ready.

“Start before you have all the answers,” she said. “Businesses aren’t built overnight. They’re built one decision, one client, and one lesson at a time.”

Her own businesses have evolved considerably since she started them, and she encourages students to embrace that evolution rather than feeling pressure to have everything figured out.

“You don’t need to have your entire career figured out, you just need the courage to begin.”

Interested in learning more about Vatnsdal’s businesses? Visit Behind the Scenes Events at Behindthescenesevents.net or Onyx & Evergreen Travel at onyxandevergreen.com.