She Creates Business | How to Start a Wedding Venue | How to Become a Wedding Planner | Marketing Your Wedding Business

In this episode of She Creates Business, host Kinsey Roberts welcomes Chelsea Cholas, the owner and lead wedding planner behind Chelsea Cholas Wedding Planning, and the exclusive in-house planner at Kinsey's venue, Vista View Events. Chelsea over-delivers throughout the show today offering listeners a unique and personal perspective on building a thriving wedding planning business. Key Highlights: Building in Silence: Chelsea shares her journey from conducting backyard weddings as a little girl to becoming a leading wedding planner in Western Colorado. Despite taking a hiatus to focus on family, Chelsea's passion for weddings led her back to the industry, where she has quietly built a substantial business based on strong relationships rather than flashy marketing. The Power of Relationships: Learn how Chelsea's commitment to building and maintaining positive relationships with couples, vendors, and her team has been the cornerstone of her success. With over 50 weddings a year, Chelsea's approach proves that consistent, quality service and deep industry connections can lead to a booming business without the need for extensive advertising. Team Dynamics and Communication: Chelsea emphasizes the importance of open communication, trust, and mutual respect within her team. She shares insights into fostering a supportive and efficient work environment, where the focus is on collective success rather than individual accomplishments. Advice for Aspiring Wedding Pros: Chelsea offers practical advice for those feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of social media marketing and the constant search for new clients. She encourages wedding professionals to focus on nurturing genuine connections within the industry and to trust the process, highlighting that a strong network and a reputation for excellence can propel your business. Join Kinsey and Chelsea for a heartfelt discussion on the significance of building a wedding planning business grounded in authenticity, hard work, and meaningful relationships. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, this episode is packed with practical tips and inspiration to help you continue your journey as a wedding pro!

In this empowering episode of She Creates Business, a Podcast for Wedding Pros, host Kinsey Roberts sits down with Paige Hulse, a seasoned attorney, entrepreneur and the brains behind Paige Hulse Law. Paige brings her wealth of knowledge from a decade immersed in the creative and legal fields, offering invaluable insights into the world of intellectual property and trademark law. With her unique expertise, Paige outlines strategic legal frameworks that can transform your wedding business into an enduring legacy. Key Takeaways: Trademark Mastery: Learn the ins and outs of trademarking your business name and creations to safeguard your brand and ensure its longevity in the competitive wedding industry. Intellectual Property Strategies: Paige dives deep into intellectual property rights, offering creative entrepreneurs in the wedding sphere actionable advice on protecting and monetizing their innovations. Legacy Building: Discover how to leverage your intellectual assets to create products and services that continue to generate revenue long after the wedding day has passed. Join us as Paige demystifies the complex world of legal strategy for wedding professionals, providing you with the tools to protect your creative endeavors and build a business that lasts. Whether you're an emerging wedding planner, a seasoned venue owner, or a creative entrepreneur looking to leave your mark, this episode is packed with expert advice to help you navigate the legal landscape and secure your business's future. Connect with Paige Hulse Law: https://paigehulselaw.com/ The Creative Law Shop (legal templates): https://www.shopcreativelaw.com/    

Today I'm pleased to welcome Jodi Brandon to the She Creates Business Podcast!  In today's episode, Jodi is giving us her best tips and advice for how we can self-publish a business book (or books!) that will help us make more sales, grow our businesses, and increase our brand equity.  Jodi Brandon is a book publishing partner for business owners. She has used her 20+ years of experience in book publishing to help 450+ business owners and entrepreneurs write, publish, and market a book to grow their business. She is the author of Write.Publish.Market., 2nd edition, and the host of the Write Publish Market podcast. Connect with Jodi:  https://www.jodibrandoneditorial.com/

Don't call it a comeback!  Just kidding, call it whatever you want. She Creates Business is BACK and I couldn't be more excited!  This return episode shares a bit with you about where I've been, what I've been working on since 2021, and the big changes I've made in my life and business!  Find me on Instagram @shecreatesbusiness

Leah Weinberg, Owner and Creative Director of Color Pop Events is a published author! Her first book, The Wedding Rollercoaster, is out now and available for purchase! Get a FREE chapter of Leah's new book here.  In today's episode of She Creates Business, I'm honored to have Leah on the show. We dig into the emotional side of weddings, how vendors can support their couples through the ups and downs of planning, and Leah shares her best tips for navigating these often tricky situations as a vendor. About Leah: Leah Weinberg is the Owner & Creative Director of New York City-based wedding planning company Color Pop Events and author of the newly published book, The Wedding Roller Coaster.   Celebrating seven years of business, Leah continues to leverage the organization skills, calm communication style, and ability to multi-task she initially developed as a commercial real estate lawyer in her previous career.   Her colorful work and party planning tips have been published online and in print with Vogue, the New York Times, People, CNBC, Bravo, Martha Stewart, and The Knot, among others. Recently, Leah has been recognized as a 20 on the Rise winner by Honeybook and the Rising Tide Society, one of the 25 Young Event Pros to Watch by Special Events Magazine, and one of BizBash's Top 500 Event Pros in the US.   A WeddingPro Educator with The Knot + WeddingWire since 2020, Leah travels throughout the country sharing insight with her peers regionally, as well as at national conferences such as ALT Summit, NACE Experience, and The Special Event.

Register for The Wedding Summit Series happening February 22nd-26th, 2021!  And don't forget to forward me your receipt if you purchase the All-Access Pass!  Today on Episode 187 of the She Creates Business Podcast I'm honored to welcome Ashley M. Fox as our guest. Ashley is a former Wall Street Analyst who pivoted in her illustrious career to offer investment and wealth-building advice and strategies to everyday people like you and me. Ashley M. Fox is a former Wall Street analyst, a Howard University grad, and she is now an expert in her field as a Financial Education Specialist. After helping manage money for both millionaires and billionaires, during her career on Wall Street, Ashley felt that it was her God-given purpose to financially empower those Wall Street would never talk to. This passion lead her to quit her job and start her own company; EMPIFY. Empify (merging of the words EMPower and modIFY), is a financial ed-tech start up created to show both adults and children how to build wealth. Empify focuses on the creation of life-altering programs and informative digital content curated to teach all aspects of financial education in the classroom, online, and on their WealthBuilders Community app. Since 2014, Empify has reached thousands of individuals, and its programs have been implemented in over 50 different schools and organizations across the country. Since leaving her Wall Street career, Ashley has used her message to educate the world as a financial contributor for Forbes, and as a profound international speaker. Ashley is now a highly sought-after financial expert who has been featured on international tours, college campuses, and keynote speaking platforms. Her work and story have been featured on Jim Cramer’s “The Street”, Yahoo Finance, Rolling Out Magazine, Philly.com, Fox News, ABC, Huffington Post, Glamour Magazine, and Forbes.

JOIN THE MARKETING SPRINT: https://www.theplannersvault.com/shecreatesbusiness Are you hiding from your clients? This is the question we're asking in Episode 186 of the She Creates Business Podcast. As a marketing coach, I often see wedding pros hiding from their clients. I don't mean they're not on IG Stories (though that's a piece of the puzzle). I mean they're not marketing in a meaningful and impactful way that brings in clients and revenue. I've brought my friend Megan Gillikin from Weddings for Real and The Planner's Vault onto the podcast today to help you break that cycle! It's time to step out of the same patterns that are NOT working and step into a culture of in-house marketing that will change your booking rate and your revenue. JOIN THE MARKETING SPRINT: https://www.theplannersvault.com/shecreatesbusiness

Wedding Pro Friends: I am humbly requesting your help in this episode of the She Creates Business Podcast. Last week I launched my Annual She Creates Business Survey. This short survey is a tradition I started in 2016 when the podcast launched. It helps me connect to you, it helps guide the future of the podcast and it helps other wedding pros join you and I on our journey together. If you would take the survey and then share it with one friend, I'd sure appreciate it. I recently announced my new business venture, Open Heart Paperie. I'd love to share some free products with you in exchange for a 15-second spot on your Insta Stories on Launch Day. Click Here To Take the Survey Click Here to Support Open Heart Paperie

Today's episode is sponsored by The Planner's Vault. If you're a wedding planner who is 0-5 years in business, ready to grow and scale, and looking for a community of supportive women who are at the same level of business and ambition.....you've found it.  Get on The Planner's Vault Waitlist Here Working in the wedding industry goes hand in hand with being inundated with news and noise on the latest trends. With the speed of the news cycle and how quickly trending topics come and go, how do you create a reliable foundation for your wedding business? The answer? Being Your Own Inspiration in a Trend-Focused Industry. My guest today on the She Creates Business podcast is the incomparable Kristy Rice from Momental Designs. For more than 16 years, Kristy has let her own inspirational compass guide her and it's led to being widely regarded as an industry tastemaker, the author of nine published books, mentions in the world's top publications, and MORE. We're digging into this and much more on the podcast today! Connect with Kristy:  Instagram  Website 

Today on the podcast I'm honored to have Renee Sabo on the show!  Renee is a luxury wedding planner, educator, and the President of ILEA Boston. She's the Founder and Owner of Urban Soirée® and host of The Confetti Hour Podcast. In episode 183 of the She Creates Business Podcast Renee is diving into 5 Steps to Strategically Position Yourself in the Wedding Marketplace. What You'll Learn Today:  How to divvy up your market into well-defined segments that drive your marketing approach. All the questions you need to ask to analyze your current position in the market (and how the answers influence what you do next). Tips for revisiting and refining your brand position to ensure you’re always up to date with the current market and where you stand. Renee's Freebie:  SWOT Analysis and Market Position Guide Connect with Renee: Website: https://www.urbansoireeboston.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Urban-Soir%C3%A9e-Boston-407494302917347/  Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/urban_soiree  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renee-sabo-9a84a21b Other Links Mentioned in Today's Show:  Get on the Planner's Vault Waitlist Here

Welcome to the NEW BIZ SERIES on She Creates Business! I want to introduce you to a new business I've been working on since early-2020 called, Open Heart Paperie. First and foremost, I'd love for you to follow Open Heart Paperie on Instagram and get on the Launch List at www.openheartpaperie.com. @openheartpaperie Twice a month on She Creates Business, I'll publish one of these NEW TO BIZ episodes. I'll share the good, the bad, and the ugly of starting, marketing, and growing a business from the ground up. You get a front-row seat or, as I like to say, a "peek under the hood!" of everything happening at Open Heart Paperie. Hope you enjoy it! Let's dive in!

I like to look outside of the wedding industry when it comes to marketing trends, growth strategies, and predictions. Why? I believe looking completely outside of the wedding industry for new marketing, sales, and growth strategies gives us a competitive advantage and can cleanse our palette from all of the industry noise. In today's episode, I'm sharing several 2021 Marketing Trends that I gleaned from articles on HubSpot, Social Media Today, and NetHunt. Then, I'm taking you through how each trend could be applicable to the wedding industry in 2021 and how you can capitalize on that trend. Ready? Let's go!  Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Content Creation Bundle from She Creates Business  Marketing Trends to Watch in 2021 by HubSpot 7 Digital Marketing Trends of Focus for 2021 by Social Media Today Hottest Content Marketing Tips for 2021 by NetHunt

Systems for Your Sanity - $47 for a limited time! The Planner's Vault Waitlist When we think of creating systems or outsourcing we almost always reference our wedding businesses and how we can get our time back as business owners. But what about another area of our life that takes up just as much (if not more) of our time......our home. I rarely hear thorough conversations around creating systems in our homes that result in MORE business success but my guest on the podcast today is here to change that. I'm honored to welcome back to the show, Geomyra Pollard, from Coaching for Creatives. About Geomyra:  Geomyra Pollard is a well-rounded life + biz coach and course creator for creatives that aspire to create and live with grace, passion, and purpose. Through her coaching firm, Coaching for Creatives, Geomyra finds joy as the strategic support and encouragement for entrepreneurs seeking a thriving business and a well-rounded life! She was recognized as one of HoneyBook’s 20 On The Rise business coaches based on empowerment, impact, purpose, and passion. As a former wedding planner and designer, she uses her fourteen years of experience and formal education to coach clients, so they may focus on what matters most. Geomyra is the host of the top-rated weekly podcast, A Well-Rounded Life, and owns the online shop, Living Well-Rounded Merch Boutique. Geomyra considers it a blessing and her calling to educate, coach, and encourage determined small business owners and boss moms. She is a systems and workflows guru, lover of handbags, can’t live without dessert, and is always ready to use her passport. Geomyra is married to her high school sweetheart and is the proud mama of favorite daughter Payton and favorite son Jackson.

One of the questions I get the most often from my one on one marketing clients is: Do I Have to Blog for My Wedding Business? The short answer is: YES. I had an incredibly simple but very significant customer experience with a company over the holidays of 2020. This experience just further solidified my opinion that #1 blogging isn't dead and #2 your email list should be a huge focus in 2021. I want this episode to inspire you to get on the blogging/long-form content train in your wedding business. Will you see "instant gratification" from this marketing method? Absolutely not. Will it create a long-term, gold mine of clients and client referrals? Absolutely yes. Links from this Episode:  WED Content 365 The CE Shop Blog Actions Steps from this Episode: 1. Go update the Copyright/All Rights Reserved year to 2021 in the footer of your website.  2. Go create two brand new Pinterest Pins per blog post on your website. If you have more than 10 posts, do it for the most recent 10 posts. Then, schedule them in Tailwind. 

Click here to get on the Waitlist for Jen's Ops Boss Course! Today on the podcast I have the great pleasure of chatting with Jen Taylor from Jen Taylor Consulting and Taylor'd Events. Business Growth. We all want it....but are we ready for it? The answer may surprise you! Jen is here to help you explore growth opportunities as an entrepreneur and how to know whether those opportunities are coming at a good time, and whether or not they will be a great fit, for your business. www.jentaylorconsulting.com

*Warning* If you are not in the mood for some straight talk today, skip this episode. No hard feelings at all. Listen, there are a few foundational principles in life and business we should all follow that will help us get ahead. One of those is "treat others the way you want to be treated." I don't disagree with this at all. However, I think many of us take this to the extreme in the wedding industry and make it an excuse so we don't have to make hard decisions, so we don't have to grow and so we don't have to reach out potential. Let's talk about it.

Important Message: Our sweet guest in this episode, Christina Sloan, has recently lost everything in a devastating house fire. If you're able to and would like to donate to Christina and her family to help them get back on their feet, please consider donating to the GoFundMe that her friends have created for her here:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/christina-sloan-amp-family-fire-relief How to Open a Size-Inclusive Bridal Boutique Today on the podcast I'm delighted to welcome Christina Sloan to the show. For many years Christina was a successful wedding planner in Alabama through her company, Christina Sloan Events. But, a few years ago, a dream was put on her heart to pivot in the industry and open a size-inclusive wedding dress shop. Enter: Refined Bridal Boutique. Christina made the intentional decision to close her planning company and fully focus on Refined. Join us in today's episode to learn Christina's step by step story for going from one passion to the next in your wedding industry journey!

Thank you to today's podcast sponsor: Sourced Co. Sourced Co. is your one-stop-shop for stunning stock photography and video made exclusively for wedding and event professionals. My favorite thing about investing in Sourced Co. is the fact that I use 100% of my investment every. single. month. I don't have to pick through a bunch of images that won't work for my business as a wedding pro. Get 15% off any purchase or subscription by using the code: SHECREATESBIZ I'm humbled to welcome back Candice Coppola to the podcast. Candice was an early supporter of me and the show and it's always a delightful and very educational experience for me to get to speak with her for the podcast. Candice is sharing her actionable plan for you to uncover The Secret to Owning the Business you WANT. Candice Coppola is an author, podcast host, and entrepreneur who believes that if you want your dream business - you have to become the owner that dream business needs. As a successful entrepreneur who grew a business from the spare bedroom of her home into a multi-country, multi-six figure company - it's safe to say she's navigated the bumpy road of entrepreneurship. Her 5-star podcast, The Power in Purpose, explores how to build a profitable business with purpose—and the stories behind successful entrepreneurs who have. Candice's work and voice can be seen in many publications, but most recently and most notably in her two books The White Dress in Color: Inspirations for the Modern Bride and The White Dress Destinations: The Definitive Guide to Planning the New Destination Wedding. Her favorite color is pink, she's obsessed with all things skincare + bravo TV, she's always overdressed, and now lives in beautiful Barbados with her husband and two pups.

Thank you to today's podcast sponsor, Sourced Co. Sourced Co. is my go-to resource for Stock Photography and Video for Wedding Pros! For a limited time get 15% off every month for 3 MONTHS with the code: SHECREATESBIZ www.sourcedco.com  If you're ready to organize your digital life and business today's episode is for you! I'm joined by Jaine Kershner from Tea with Jaine and a 10-year veteran photographer. Jainé Kershner Photography has been featured in several wedding publications including Martha Stewart Weddings, Style Me Pretty, Brides, and The Knot. She was handpicked as one of NYC’s Best Wedding Photographers to know by BRIDES and voted Best Brooklyn Wedding Photographer in 2018! Connect with Jainé at www.teawithjaine.com

Sourced Co. is my go-to resource for quality stock photography and video footage specifically for wedding pros.  Tell a cohesive and consistent story with Sourced Co. and get 15% off your first 3 months with code: SHECREATESBIZ Sourced Co.'s Website How to Set Yourself Apart from Your Competitors Using Quantitative Marketing Data Christie Osborne is the owner of Mountainside Media, a company that helps event industry professionals and brands develop scalable marketing strategies that bring in more inquiries and leads. Christie is a national educator with recent speaking engagements at NACE Experience, WIPA, and TISOH. Christie regularly shares industry insight in her Catersource column, as well as on SpecialEvents.com, Wed Altered, WeddingIQ, and NACE's industry blog.

Thank you to our episode sponsor, Sourced Co! Sourced Co. is my go-to resource for quality stock photography and video footage specifically for wedding pros.  Tell a cohesive and consistent story with Sourced Co. and get 15% off your first 3 months with code: SHECREATESBIZ Sourced Co.'s Website Current wedding industry expectations are changing for today's clients as Gen Z ages up and becomes the primary market for event clients, alongside Millennials. A generation that has grown up with the world at their fingertips and has developed a need for near-instant gratification (hello, same-day delivery) now requires a shift in the events industry in order to keep clients satisfied and engaged. In this episode, Nora Sheils explores that industry need and how event pros can adjust their business processes to accommodate Gen Z and meet today's clients on their level. Connect with Nora: Rock Paper Coin Website Rock Paper Coin Instagram

I want you to join me and hundreds of other wedding planners in The Planner's Vault.  Free Training Here: https://www.theplannersvault.com/shecreatesbusiness Wedding Planners: 2020 will be the most important engagement season of your career. Are you ready? I want to share openly and honestly with you today about The Planner's Vault and why I know this is the membership that will actually grow your wedding planning business. Let's chat.

Click Here to Join Us in The Planner's Vault I'm honored to welcome back to the podcast, my friend and fellow podcaster, Megan Gillikin. Megan and I have recently had many, hard, and truthful conversations about what owning a business and being entrepreneurs have cost us. What we want to do differently in the years ahead and what is REALLY important to us and how we'd like to be remembered. (hint: we don't want to be remembered as the best planner and venue owner ever).  It's a conversation that I don't feel is had often enough. We start businesses and "grind it out" for years and many seasons before we take the time to look around at where we are and oftentimes, it's not where we WANT to be. In this episode, we're going to talk about the big "Myths of Entrepreneurship," what is actually true and what is not. We share personal experiences from our lives running businesses in the wedding industry and what our choices have cost us.  We also share what we're learning and what we're both committed to doing now and in the future so we don't have to pay business tolls that we actually don't want. And finally, we'll share our hope for you. We're in the trenches with you, we're in this together. Resources Mentioned in this Episode:  Dare to Lead by Brene Brown (book) The Planner's Vault 

FREE LIVE WEBINAR:  How to Grow Your Event Business and Diversify to Corporate Events with Caryl Lyons.  Click Here to Register Today on the podcast you get to listen in on a real-time coaching session I had with Caryl Lyons from Roar Events and The Roar Playbook* As business owners, we have the unique opportunity and privilege to grow and scale businesses that not only support our families and communities...but also that support and amplify movements and messages that we're passionate about and that we believe in. One of the ways we can choose to grow our businesses is by diversifying our income streams. Adding corporate events is a powerful way to do that! 

Today on the podcast I'm honored to welcome Aleya Harris from Flourish Marketing. Aleya's Course - Spark Marketing Most catering and events business owners fail at making money doing what they love because they don't know how to market themselves. Through her company, Flourish Marketing, Aleya offers marketing education, strategy, and tools that help wedding, catering, and events business owners stop staring at a blank calendar and start getting and keeping a consistent stream of clients. Aleya is a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef who also happens to be an award-winning, marketing strategist, brand manager, content developer, and storyteller. She has a background as a marketing executive on the leadership teams of large foodservice organizations and has also been a private chef and catering company owner. Aleya speaks your language and understands your challenges. She knows how important it is to work in your passion. That's why for the past 12 years, she has been focused on helping over 1,000 accounts, brands, and business owners to be successful. Aleya is a dynamic interpersonal communicator and presenter with the exceptional ability to inspire, motivate, and equip her audience. She loves opportunities to connect, help people develop, and create the space for her fellow entrepreneurs to see their visions manifest.

Free 20 Minute Pivot Strategy Session with Kinsey In our industry, we have Engagement, Booking and Wedding Season. Now, we're in Scrappy Season. COVID-19 has made all of us step back and think long and hard about our business models, the services/packages we're offering and how we're showing up for our clients. If you need ideas for how to pivot your wedding business right now, you're in the right place. In today's episode we talk about: - Brainstorming new services and packages - What do our clients need NOW? - What do our 2021 (and beyond) clients need? - Should we be marketing our wedding business in the time of COVID-19? (spoiler alert: yes) - Brainstorming additional revenue streams in and outside of the wedding industry Free 20 Minute Pivot Strategy Session with Kinsey

Click here to access all of the resources mentioned in Episode 166 Thank you to my incredible guests: Heather Dwight Meryl Snow Terrica Meghan Ely The title of this episode isn't meant to scare you or assign behavior to the economy. Rather, based on everything happening in the wedding industry during COVID-19, this episode is meant to inspire, encourage and move you to ACTION in your own business. We may or may not face an economic downturn, but if we do, this episode will help you get ready now. I believe in preparedness and being proactive. This episode will help you be both.

Get all episode resources by clicking this link. Everything in the Pro Shop is 50% off. Use code: 50OFF I don't know about you, but I don't want my business to be a one-trick pony. When our business revenue comes from more than one place, our business is more sustainable. There may come a time in your wedding business when you're ready to: - Pivot to a new market or business model - Add an additional product or service - Add a revenue stream to what you're currently offering. This episode will inspire you and help you know where to start for all of the above and more. Let's do this.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE BUSINESS RESOURCE GUIDE In lieu of creating yet more content on COVID-19, I've decided to create this simple spreadsheet to curate and share the best information I've found with you regarding this unprecedented period in the event industry. In the spreadsheet, you'll see tabs dedicated to General information, Legal, Wedding Insurance, Marketing/Messaging and how to keep your kids busy if school is canceled for 47 years (gotta have a few jokes right now). I will be updating this spreadsheet constantly so check back when you can and share this with anyone you know! If you have a suggestion for a helpful tab, let me know and I'll add it and start curating information ASAP. Stay Strong, Stay Healthy!   CLICK HERE TO GET THE BUSINESS RESOURCE GUIDE

In today's episode, I'm honored to welcome Neillie Butler from Mariee Ami. In this episode we talk about: - How Neillie started her planning business with $300 and a computer from Sam's Club - How she keeps human connection at the center of everything she does in her business - How she's helped her 7 full-time employees adopt the same values when it comes to relationships - and MORE! Connect with Neillie: https://www.marieeami.com/ @mariee_ami

The Planner's Vault is Coming! If you're a Wedding Planner who has been in business between 0-5 years and you're ready to scale and grow, The Planner's Vault is FOR YOU.  Megan created The Planner's Vault for wedding planners ONLY as a place to grow, scale, learn and be held accountable. This is the type of membership that will take your planning business to the next level.  On February 27th, 2020 Megan is hosting a FREE webinar so you can learn more about The Planner's Vault and ALL the goodies that come with it! Click Here to Register for the FREE Webinar BONUS FOR SCB LISTENERS: For those of you who join the Planner's Vault at the annual level, you'll receive a totally FREE AND FAST Marketing Audit from me! I'll take a peek at your digital assets and give you 3-5 tips for improvement!  **I'm a very proud partner of The Planner's Vault. If you join through any links I share, I will be compensated at no additional cost to you! ON THE PODCAST:  I'm honored to welcome back to the podcast, my friend, Megan Gillikin from A Southern Soiree and the Weddings for Real Podcast. In this episode, Megan and I share our experiences (both good and bad) with professional development and education in the wedding industry. We talk about what we looked for when we first got started in our businesses vs. what we look for now and what we're trying to learn to continue to grow and evolve as pros. ABOUT MEGAN: Gillikin is a successful Wedding and Event Planning business owner at A Southern Soiree, Consultant to fellow industry workers, Podcaster, and Mom to 3 girls under 7. Her two favorite meals are breakfast and dessert, and she loves dance parties in the living room with her husband and those 3 daughters!   Megan graduated with her hospitality degree and her MBA. After graduation, she earned her stripes in the hotel industry by working for Marriott for almost 5 years on the event operations/planning side in roles that lead her to her love of events. In 2010, Megan left the hotel world and took over ownership of an existing wedding planning company in need of re-branding to remain relevant within the industry!   After 9 years of growing A Southern Soiree, Megan has established it as one of the most sought after, highly regarded event planning companies in the Southeastern United States. She loves getting to know the inner workings of people’s personalities…so much so that she started a wedding industry podcast called Weddings For Real in 2018! That led to another passion, which is consulting with other industry vendors on growing their businesses purposefully!   Megan has a love for providing real, insightful and tangible advice and wisdom on growing and sustaining a successful event business! If you’re Myers-Briggs fans she’s an ENFJ, and a solid 3 on the Enneagram. She’s ambitious, adaptable and enthusiastic and her love for this industry is contagious!

Get 30 Days of Aisle Planner FREE plus 25% Off Your First THREE Months! Get the Aisle Planner Discount and Learn More Here Renee Dalo from Moxie Bright Events is my guest today and she's here to share her best tips for how you can truly get the most out of your CRM System! Whether it's Dubsado, Honeybook, Aisle Planner or beyond, most of us are using some kind of CRM System in our wedding business......but we're likely not using it to its full advantage! Renee is here to remedy that! After more than 12 years in the industry, she's perfected her CRM strategy and will help you do the same. MORE ABOUT RENEE: Wedding planning wasn’t always in the cards for Renée. Instead, what started out as a seemingly one-time favor for a friend evolved into a thriving side-hustle to her acting career. When it was her turn to walk down the aisle, she flipped the script and discovered that the wedding industry was truly where she belonged. Shortly after her “I do’s,” she started Moxie Bright Events, a boutique wedding planning company, and never looked back. It wasn’t long before fellow industry pros were looking to her for advice. With over 12 years of experience under her belt, Renée turned her knowledge towards the advancement of the industry as a whole and launched her top-notch educational resources for event pros. In addition to her self-guided Wedding Management e-course, Renée is also the founder and host of the popular B2B podcast, Rock Your Wedding Biz and host of Talk with Renee Dalo, her currently airing podcast. Renée is a fan favorite on the speaker circuit, taking the stage at conferences across the country, including Wedding MBA, Creative at Heart, Let’s Plan Conference, and Tide Talk LA. She is recognized across the industry, having earned a coveted spot on Honeybook’s 20 On The Rise list, and she contributes frequently to industry publications. She currently serves as the Vice President of WIPA Southern California and has also held leadership roles in The Association of Bridal Consultants and The Rising Tide Society.

Francie Dorman and Britt Cole are the powerhouse duo behind 42 North and Mavinhouse Events. In today's episode, they're bringing their many years of experience to share with you how they use their business mindset to their advantage when it comes to building their businesses. Both Francie and Britt are passionate advocates about making universal standards of excellence a priority in the wedding industry and you'll hear how those values have informed their own business and those they mentor. 42 North is a full-service planning and design firm founded by Francie Dorman and Britt Cole, two seasoned creative event producers with a specialty in distinctive weddings at private estates and non-traditional venues nationwide. 42 North has been named top planner in the US by BRIDES Magazine, featured by Vogue, Martha Stewart Weddings, Town & Country, InStyle Magazine, and the Huffington Post. Working with just a small number of clients per year, 42 North is able to conceptualize a unique vision from the ground up, interpreting each couple's taste for a thoughtfully designed and flawlessly executed celebration. This year, Francie and Britt launched their sister company, Mavinhouse Events, to modernize the planning process for couples through a transparent and streamlined experience while encouraging a more business-savvy practice and standard of excellence for the entire industry.

GET ON THE ROAR PLAYBOOK WAITLIST Today on the podcast I'm welcoming Caryl Lyons from ROAR Events. Caryl is sharing her almost three decades of corporate event planning experience with us and proving why we should all look towards corporate events to get out of the revenue hamster wheel of weddings only. Caryl Lyons is the founder of ROAR events, a company that has brought to life tons of events, from large high-tech conferences to exclusive and intimate gatherings. She has over 27 years as an event planner and is using her experience to help new planners make their mark on the industry. She also launched an educational platform for those who want to enter or improve their corporate events planning game – called ROAR Playbook. Event planners looking for the perfect space for a meeting, a banquet or a party can also use her app called Capacity.

GET THE FULL BLOG POST AND SHOW NOTES HERE The Pro Shop Boomerang for Gmail The First Step: I challenge you to determine the real reason you have a limited marketing budget. Ask yourself WHY you have a limited marketing budget and be honest.  Why are we asking ourselves this question? Because anyone who owns a business should know that marketing leads to sales and sales are the financial life source of your business.  If you know this, then why do you have a limited marketing budget? And, what does “limited” actually mean to you? Does limited mean you truly have $0 to spend on marketing? Or, does it mean $200 a month? Does it mean $50 a month? Pro Tip: One of the most interesting things I’ve found with my clients is that they say they have a “limited marketing budget” but they don’t actually have a real number in mind. You have to do the work, gather the data, and get an actual number for how much you have to spend on marketing each month. If you’re allocating all of your money strategically and it’s all gone because you’re not making a lot yet, then the truthful answer might be you have $0. Or, the real answer might actually be: I have $0 because I CHOOSE to spend money on other things in my business and I’m not prioritizing my marketing because I think posting to Instagram is a marketing strategy.

GET THE FULL AUDIT AND SHOW NOTES HERE Why should we audit our wedding business? I’m not usually one for a lot of “feelings” in business but what I like about assessing how we felt about our business last year or last quarter is how it helps inform us about which parts of our business to focus on improving and which parts went well.  Questions to help get you started:   Did you feel like you were answering the same questions over and over again to couples, vendors, etc?  Did you feel unorganized in any part of your business? Were you constantly “looking” for paperwork, items you need for event days, communication from your couples?  Did you absolutely crush it with your onboarding and offboarding processes and want to repeat exactly what you did to continue to build on that success?    Now that you’ve taken the time to assess your business, we’re ready to audit our business and make a plan for what we’ll improve upon and what can be maintained because it went well. We’re going to audit 4 key areas of your wedding business: Marketing Administrative (automation, on-boarding, off-boarding, employees, etc) Finances (taxes, bookkeeping, etc) Event Day   PRO TIP: You can sit down and perform this audit in one full day. Or, you can audit one section per day and take a full week to perform this audit. Do what works best for your schedule.

She Creates Business a Podcast for Wedding Pros is supported by The Pro Shop.  My guest on the podcast today is Gigi Barnett. Gigi is a 20-year new veteran who has taken her extensive experience to share with service-based business owners, like wedding pros, how to get their own publicity locally and beyond. Gigi's Website: https://storysellyourbrand.com/ Work with Gigi: https://storysellyourbrand.com/work-with-me/ What you'll learn in today's episode: - How to pitch local television stations - How to pitch local and national publications - What your pitch needs to include to make it an easy YES for producers and publishers About Gigi: Gigi is a veteran TV news anchor, who shows service-based business owners how to become their own publicist; so, they can get more exposure for their brands and be seen as experts in the media. She developed the Story Sell Your Brand “news insider” publicity method in 2011. During her 20-year news career, Gigi has reported for NBC and CBS news; as well as The Miami Herald and Bloomberg Businessweek magazine. She's a Navy wife and mom of two bright and boisterous kids.

Today on She Creates Business a Podcast for Wedding Pros I'm chatting with Natalie Denyse from In Good Company PR. Natalie is passionate about wedding and hospitality brands creating a smart PR and Marketing Strategy that will serve their business and she's sharing her six top tips for how you can make that happen on the show today.  Here's a peek at what you'll hear in this episode: 1. What does modern marketing look like today?   2. Why is building a marketing plan so important?  3. How should creative brands build a marketing plan? What goes into it? 4. Using Social Media in Your Wedding Business 5. Creating a Content Strategy (hint: The She Creates Content Calendar can definitely help with that!) 6. Offline Networking Ideas from Natalie on Creative Ways to Network Offline: A no-brainer would be to host a celebration or overnight gathering for targeted planners and industry partners to highlight the most unique experiences available at your property Get charitable! Reach out to meaningful organizations who have regular meetings (at the board level) and offer to host Get outside the events industry; host a pop up art gallery night for local creatives, a high-end yoga retreat or musical performance that will draw in a diverse, yet qualified clientele who may otherwise be unfamiliar with your venue.   Natalie's Course: The Essential PR and Marketing Field Guide  Get $100 Off with Code: SHECREATES   Connect with Natalie: www.ingoodcompanypr.com @ingoodcompanypr About Natalie Denyse:  Natalie is the owner of In Good Company PR, a boutique PR and marketing firm specializing in the wedding, events and hospitality world. In Good Company PR has represented tastemakers around the world; from destination event planners and top photographers to unique catering companies, and more. With a holistic view of marketing, In Good Company PR is a committed partner to their clients - using media relations, social and content in tandem to generate strategic growth for creative brands. In Good Company PR's clients have appeared in The New York Times, Inc Magazine, Entrepreneur, Martha Stewart Weddings, Vogue and more.

Yesterday, Buzzfeed shared that Pinterest and The Knot Worldwide have both agreed and are taking action to "Stop Promoting Wedding Content That Romanticizes Former Slave Plantations." Click here to read the article in full As a wedding professional, venue owner and human being, this is an important conversation. It's also not an easy conversation to have, it's hard. Just read some of the comments on the Buzzfeed article - emotions are running high and rightfully so. Let me preface this by saying: My guest and I are both white women and fully acknowledge the level of privilege that comes with that. We're having this discussion as two humans who care deeply about these things and as two wedding professionals. I've brought Brittny Drye from @loveincmag onto the podcast today for a special episode to share her initial thoughts on the steps Pinterest and The Knot Worldwide have taken. Brittny works tirelessly in the LGBTQ+ space. Inclusivity for all is at the top of her list. We discuss: - What we've gathered about this topic (it just broke yesterday) - Why this is happening now - What plantation venue owners and employees can do to move forward - and More This is a place for open, respectful dialogue. Please share your thoughts in the comments of Instagram or you can DM me if you need to chat but need a one on one space.

My guest on the podcast today is Rachel Green from Intentionally Designed. She's digging into the REAL reason your wedding business isn't growing. Even better? She's giving us ways we can get out of our rut and start to GROW in the direction we want.  Have you grabbed your She Creates Content Calendar yet? Get it here! 365 Days of Content Ideas just for Wedding Pros.  Here's what we cover on the show today: 1. Why you need to cut out the noise and distractions  2. How to determine the best strategy for your business 3. Why streamlining and eliminating unnecessary tasks (or delegating) is essential to business growth Questions to Answer About Your Business: 1. WHO does your business serve? 2. WHAT results or transformation do you provide for your clients? 3. HOW do you provide those results or transformation? Connect with Rachel: www.intentionally-designed.com @intentionallydesigned Rachel's Brand Strategy Blueprint Course About Rachel Green: Rachel Green is a brand strategist, designer, educator, and glass half full kind of gal dedicated to helping creative business owners build their brand with confidence and clarity. Through brand strategy and design, she helps purpose-filled business owners ditch overwhelm through clear and simple strategies they can use to build a more successful and sustainable business. For the last 7 years, she has helped build over 100 businesses and generate 5+ million in sales for those businesses. As a farmer’s wife and mother to 2 little ones, she actively balances educating and empowering other women to grow their business by taking care of her home and family.

The She Creates Content is now available for $127 Create high-converting content in your wedding business to build relationships and drive more sales in your wedding business. When you purchase the Content Calendar you'll get: - 10-Page Welcome Guide - 365 Days of Content Ideas for Wedding Pros Only - 30-Day Prompt Strategy Sample The price goes up to $197 on December 10th, 2019 so don't wait friends! My guest today is the incomparable, Michelle Loretta from Sage Wedding Pros and the Be Sage Conference. She's digging into ways we can Take Business Risks with Intention and Purpose. Learn more about the Be Sage Conference here Accounting 101 for Wedding Professionals How to Create a Cash Flow Plan Here's more about Michelle: Michelle Loretta is a business consultant and financial strategist for wedding and event professionals. As the founder of Sage Wedding Pros, she blends her past as an accountant for Deloitte, a sales and marketing manager for DDLA, a merchandiser for Coach, and a stationery entrepreneur to strengthen wedding businesses worldwide. Sage Wedding Pros produces the next-level summit Be Sage Conference. Michelle has been asked to speak at a number of industry conferences, including NACE Experience, Biz Bash Live, and The Special Event.

Save the Date: The She Creates Content Calendar arrives on November 10th, 2019!  Head to www.shecreatesbusinesspodcast.com on that date to grab your 365-day marketing calendar for wedding pros! Today on the podcast I'm welcoming my friend and industry colleague Ashley Stork. Ashley is the owner + principal planner at Magnolia Vine Events and the owner of Wedding Business Bosses. In today's episode, Ashley walks us through 5 Areas of Your Wedding Business Where That Need Systems & Processes. Ready for an in-person experience in 2020? Wedding Business Bosses is a 4-day conference in Alabama January 19th-22nd!  Get 10% Off Your Ticket with Code: Shecreatesbusiness Learn more here! About Ashley and Wedding Business Bosses: Wedding Business Bosses is content + support + community for wedding professionals looking to streamline & systemize their business so they can grow, as well as take control of their time & schedule. WBB is hosted by Ashley Stork, a wedding planner & business owner based in Birmingham, Alabama. Ashley has had 8+ years in the wedding industry as well as 10 years in entrepreneurship. Systems & processes were the things that radically changed her business and she is thrilled to use the WBB platform to share with others. Wedding Business Bosses has a free facebook community, as well as a membership community, online summits & live in-person events. Connect with Ashley: www.weddingbusinessbosses.com @weddingbusinessbosses

Save the Date: The new She Creates Content Calendar launches November, 10th, 2020.  It's 365 Days of Marketing Content made for wedding professionals ONLY. Grab it for just $127 on launch day! Can't wait? Get a two-week free sample of the calendar here.   If you've been thinking about how to expand your wedding business to a new market, today's episode is for you! Lindsey Nickel from Lovely Day Events is on the show sharing how she expanded her wedding planning business from Jackson Hole, Wyoming to the Bay Area in California. About Lindsey: Lindsey is the go-to marketing and business strategist for wedding planners who want to be fully booked with wonderful clients. She provides doable, focused action steps based on her many years as a wedding planner. Based in Napa, Calif. she is a Bay Area native with a passion for outdoor adventures and travel. Lindsey’s work is featured on CNN.com, Style Me Pretty, Brides, The Knot Yours Truly book and more. Connect with Lindsey: www.lovelydaystrategy.com @lovelydaystrategy

Save the Date The 2020 She Creates Content Calendar will be here on November 10th, 2019. - What is it: 365 days of Marketing Content Ideas for Wedding Pros - How much does it cost: $127   How to take a break from your wedding business? Have you thought about doing this? Are you worried about re-entering the industry after a prolonged break? How will that impact your business and your revenue? My guest today has done exactly this, and she's sharing her experience with us along with her best tips for successfully taking a break from your wedding business! Joelle Charming has been planning events and weddings in the Santa Barbara, California area since 2011. Specializing in romantic and intimate events in one of the most beautiful parts of the country, Joelle is excited to be back to planning after taking time off to start her family. Connect with Joelle: www.joellecharming.com @joellecharming

SAVE THE DATE! The 2020 She Creates Content Calendar drops on November 10th, 2019 - get a full year of content creation ideas for Wedding Pros (Whoop! Whoop!). How to get more sales in your wedding business? Have you ever Googled that question? (spoiler alert: we all have). Step away from the keyboard my friend....I've got your back! Today on the podcast we're joined by your one and only Sales Maven, Nikki Rausch. Nikki is walking us step by step through her Selling Staircase which is a 5 Step Staircase to more sales in your wedding business. (We all want that!) Episode Freebie from Nikki: Closing The Sale: Three Secrets of Master Sellers Connect with Nikki: www.yoursalesmaven.com @your_sales_maven Nikki's Bio: CEO of Sales Maven, Nikki Rausch has the unique ability to transform the misunderstood process of “selling”. With 25+ years of experience selling to prestigious organizations like The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and NASA, Nikki shattered sales records and received “top producer” awards along the way. Today, entrepreneurs and small business owners hire Nikki to show them how to sell successfully and authentically. An engaging speaker, she shares the secrets of her sales success through keynote speeches and business-changing workshops. Her robust Sales Maven Society ignites game-changing outcomes for clients. Nikki has written 3 books, all available Amazon.

Save the Date: The 2020 She Creates Content Calendar is arriving to The Pro Shop on November 10th, 2019!   I’m honored to welcome Adrienna McDermott, owner of Ava & the Bee, to the podcast today!   Adrienna is walking us step-by-step through the 4 Ways We Can Prepare our Wedding Business to Outsource to a Virtual Assistant.   Adrienna covers the step-by-step prep work for these four business areas:   General Business Tasks Social Media Blogging (creating content) General Admin   She’s also generously created a free downloadable PDF to walk you through this whole episode! Get it here: https://avaandthebee.com/prepare-to-outsource/   Connect with Adrienna:   www.avaandthebee.com @avaandthebee   Adrienna’s Bio:   Adrienna McDermott is a former bridal boutique owner, wedding planner and florist turned digital marketing expert. She is the owner of Ava And The Bee, a virtual assistant and marketing company for wedding professionals.   Adrienna has been in the wedding industry for 10 years, including 4 years as the co-owner of Ivory & Beau, a wedding planning, bridal boutique and florist in Savannah, Georgia.   With her fine arts degree from Savannah College of Art and Design and the experience of opening 3 businesses before the age of 28, she has acquired unique knowledge on how to start a business, flourish, and scale. Her work has been seen in print and online publications, including Savannah Weddings Magazine, Green Wedding Shoes, 100 Layer Cake and Ruffled. She has been a speaker at Tuesdays Together throughout Georgia and loves to teach everything wedding vendors need to know about marketing and strategy.   Adrienna is also passionate about educating others to become freelance virtual assistants. Through her mentorships and course, The Creative VA Academy, she helps women create businesses of their dreams.   When she's not working in her pajamas and top-knot, you can find her with a cup of iced coffee, living in central New York with her tripawd black lab Cooper, slightly overweight cat Brutus, and Army Veteran boyfriend, Frank.

SAVE THE DATE: On November, 10th, 2019 the 2020 She Creates Content Calendar will be released!  In today's episode of She Creates Business we're sharing 5 Ways Wedding Pros Can Elevate Their Business. Krisy Thomas and Laurie Hartwell of The Bridal Society are on hand to dig deep into these 5 Tips! 1. Get Certified, Get in a Community 2. Get Accredited 3. Work only with professional vendors 4. Superior Communication 5. Integrity   Click here to get accredited through The Wedding Pro Society   Click here to learn more about becoming a Certified Wedding Planner through The Bridal Society.  USE CODE: SHECREATES for $100 Off Your Certification

Click here to learn more about the 2019 LVL Academy in California. LVL Academy Digital Shop Today, I'm honored to welcome Heather and Lindsay from LVL Academy to the show. We're digging deep into three topics: 1. Pricing 2. Sustainability 3. Personal Development Three topics that are imperative to longevity in our industry. About Lindsay and Heather: LINDSAY LONGACRE As a business owner, I dream to cultivate change. My mom started her own business when I was a kid so that she could be there for me and my brother. I didn't realize back then, but since she has passed, I know that I have the same driving force as she had. I am a country music fan. I love to swear. I am on a mission to find a natural deodorant that actually works. I am a gypsy at heart and believe in the power of sage and palo santo. I love to sing out loud but only do it when I am in the car alone because I am too scared. I would make a terrible employee. I eloped. HEATHER HOESCH Being a wedding planner is not just my job, it is who I am. I remember that after the first wedding I did, I knew this is what I wanted to do because it was the first time in my life I felt my work could have a purpose. I am obsessed with baby animals. I have over 30 cousins - they are the best. Lists and whiteboards make me super happy. Dancing to EDM in my apartment puts me in a great mood. I would never say no to a spicy margarita. I have the worst poker face. I para-glided off the top of Aspen Mountain with Lindsay.   This episode was originally broadcast on September, 19th, 2018.

Check out Wedding CEO School. Enrollment opens today! My guest today is Kylie Carlson, CEO of The Wedding Academy. She's a successful wedding-industry veteran and has been using Video Marketing for years in her own wedding business. Today, she's sharing her best tips for using video to impact clients, growth, and revenue in your wedding business. Action Item from Today's Episode: Write down 10 topics you can talk on video about with your ideal client. (Be specific!) Connect with Kylie: @weddingacademylive The Wedding Academy The Wedding Academy Facebook Group

On today's podcast episode I'm honored to welcome back my friend, Annie McCarty. Annie first appeared on She Creates Business back on Episode 93 where she walked us step-by-step through Automating the Four Stages of Business. Now, we're diving in and evaluating those four processes and automation to see if they're REALLY serving our clients. If your processes could use a tune-up before engagement season, hit play now and join the conversation! Connect with Annie: https://www.anniemccarty.com/ @efficientyannie Resources Mentioned in this Episode: The Process Mapping Workbook Business Systems Quiz Annie's Shop - Save 20% with code: SHECREATES  

  Today's episode is a treasure trove of information! I'm with Lane' Richards, founder of the award-winning rental company, Something Borrowed, discussing her journey from starting the business to just 6 years later selling it for a healthy profit! This discussion is so powerful and it won't take you long to hear how thoughtful and brilliant Lane' is - I can't think of anyone better to walk us through this process!  Here's a bit more about Lane': Lane' Richards is the multidisciplinary entrepreneur and creative genius behind the award-winning specialty rental company, Something Borrowed Portland. Sold in 2018, Lane' now offers mentoring and strategic business planning to specialty rental companies looking to build and scale their business.  To get the goodies mentioned in today's episode click here to visit the episode show notes.