San Luis Obispo area event staffing service CRIÚ creates memorable gatherings
Story by Kasey Main
Photography by Jennifer Olson
Days of planning and early morning prep lead to the special moment when a metaphorical curtain opens on the big day. Like theater, the art of event staffing requires meeting tight deadlines and sustaining intense pressure for many hours. But Pati Coelho, the Founder of CRIÚ Event & Winery Staffing, was made for this chaos. “My parents were actors, so in a sense I was kind of born into hospitality,” Pati reflects. Always being in the theater and watching her mother prepare for the stage, she grew up with a sense of drama and a knowledge of what it takes to achieve a flawless performance.
When the final curtain closes on the event, Pati’s team continues — sometimes into the wee hours of the morning — to disassemble their set. Then, it’s off to bed before another day, another performance.
Pati’s company, which is pronounced “crew,” has since 2017 set the stage for moments across the county, and into Santa Barbara. This comes in part from sheer practice, which involves more than 25 years of hospitality management experience. But not everything has gone according to plan.
“I was fired in 2017 after a long tenure in my prior event management role,” Pati recalls, adding that she was also dealing with some health issues at the time. “I realized how miserable I was after losing my job, and it all felt so devastating to me.” But that didn’t stop her from making a life-changing decision to take back control of her own story.
In her search for a new job, Pati reflected on what went right and what went wrong. It seemed to her that there was some room for a new approach in the event industry, so she decided to take the lead. “When I was let go, I had also just turned 60. So, while many of my friends were retiring, I decided to start a business,” she says.
CRIÚ’s first gig was in March 2018 with the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. Pati fondly remembers CRIÚ’s early days in various events like fundraisers, wine tasting rooms and more. As CRIÚ was gaining experience as a reputable event company, another shocking development interrupted her plans yet again. “When COVID-19 hit in 2020, it was pretty devastating to the event industry. But we pivoted to support events that were held following strict COVID-19 gathering guidelines, including dining in the park in Paso Robles City Park,” Pati shares.
Picking up speed from a successful run of events throughout the pandemic, CRIÚ enjoyed yet another transformation in 2022 with the expansion of the business. CRIÚ joined the Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce, received a new business license and expanded the number of staff to meet the growing demand for their services. Throughout the ups and downs, Pati has made good on her promise to the team: to lead with love. “My team is No. 1. The clients are who we serve, but the team is why [clients’] dreams can come true,” she says.
The CRIÚ crew is comprised of students, semi-retirees and other event professionals with in-depth knowledge of elevated greeting standards, serving guidelines and food and wine offerings. Seamless events require intense preparation, and the staff is always ready to handle surprises.
Sunni Mullinax, General Manager of CRIÚ, describes the business as a sisterhood. “Every single week, we have so many exciting events happening. Pati has a gift for making everyone feel supported,” Sunni says. “Pati’s leadership and confidence is the coolest thing on the planet. She’s fearless, and she teaches us that we can all make our own opportunity.”
One of the most common dreams her team helps come true are weddings, which have been the star of the show for SLO County events. One particularly extravagant wedding at La Lomita Ranch stands out in Pati’s mind as a point of pride. The CRIÚ crew rose to the challenge of the event that took place over three days with more than 400 guests. She remembers the opulent experience fondly. “The groom was wearing a striking turban, and rode in on a magnificent horse gilded with gold saddles. The women were all dressed in a rainbow of silks. It was one of the most magnificent weddings we have had the pleasure to work on,” Pati says.
In a way, CRIÚ encapsulates the essence of the theater: the combination of technical elements, Pati’s artistic vision and the creation of vibrant worlds that captivate guests. Her mission and guiding principles put a spotlight on the simple idea that it’s never too late to chase your dreams, even if it’s your third act. She says, “As a woman-owned and -run business, do what you want to do — even if you’re a woman in her 60s. Women should never back down from their dreams; just do it!”
