Podcasts about southern weddings

After founding Southern Weddings and Cultivate What Matters—and creating the beloved PowerSheets®—Lara Casey Isaacson found herself at two unexpected crossroads. In this episode, Lara opens up about what it looked like to walk away from the businesses she built, the restlessness that signaled it was time, and how faith, chronic illness, and family shaped her decision-making.We talk about what it means to steward a season well, the quiet bravery of closing a chapter before the next one is clear, and how redefining success starts with letting go. If you've ever felt pulled in a new direction—or wondered whether it's time to step away from something good—this conversation will feel like a gentle permission slip.WILDFLOWER SHOWNOTES : shannaskidmore.com/lara-casey-isaacson

We hear the word “intentional” a lot these days and we are encouraged to live with intentionality. But we live in a world full of distractions and responsibilities that seem to choke out the ability to really choose how we live versus letting our lives dictate for us. I know that is a constant struggle for me and I find myself longing for simplicity. If that is you as well, today's episode is one you don't want to miss!   Lara Casey Isaacson is a mom to three (one through the gift of adoption), a grateful wife, and a believer in the impossible. She created the PowerSheets grace-filled goal setting planner and the Write the Word journals, and she founded Southern Weddings magazine a decade ago. Lara is also the author of Make It Happen: Surrender Your Fear. Take the Leap. Live On Purpose.   Today, Lara shares her fascinating story of creating multiple businesses and how that practically looked in her life, while also touching on the difficult seasons she walked through in the midst of the successes she was finding in those businesses. It was during those harder seasons that the Lord gave her a desire to truly live intentionally or “cultivate what matters” which would become a thriving business that is still growing and helping countless people get “unstuck” in life and step fully into their purpose and Godly goals for living.   Currently, Lara has moved into a new season of life, stepping away from Cultivate and is living in NC, where she loves getting her hands dirty in the garden.   I know that no matter where you are in your life journey, you will find this episode to be both encouraging and helpful as Lara offers some very practical tips to beginning or even continuing the process of cultivating what matters in your world and living intentionally in the place the Lord has you today.   For more information on Lara, visit: https://laracasey.com/

Matthew Campbell of My Wedding Songs and Travis Bizzell of FMG Event Co chat about Southern Weddings.Travis Bizzell, owner of FMG Event Co specializes in transforming weddings into electrifying celebrations. Raised in NYC and now igniting wedding celebrations across the Carolinas, Travis brings a fusion of big-city energy and Southern charm to every event.Connect with TravisWebsite: https://www.fmgeventcompany.comIG/FB: @ fmgeventcoShow Notes:-Memorable Wedding Moments-Format of Southern Weddings-About Travis and FMG-Southern Music & Wedding Trends-Music Styles-Mixing Music-Wedding Traditions-Line Dances-Modern Hits-Regional Favorites-Incorporating Personality Into Music-Popular Music-Country Music-Emerging Trends-Connect with TravisA Word About My Wedding SongsMy Wedding Songs is a resource of wedding song suggestions. Shop our books and planning guides including Wedding Pros - "The Wedding Songs Planner" and for Engaged Couples - "The Wedding Music Toolkit". Join 8k+ engaged couples/DJs/wedding pros on the weekly Wedding MusicLetter.

Josiah is joined by Brian Alford (@SpocksBrian) from The Worst of All Possible Worlds to discuss HGTV's Home Town, the Napier family, and Laurel, Mississippi, alongside Showtime's new series, The Curse. Follow today's guest on Twitter.Check out The Worst of All Possible WorldsBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah's work hereFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonReferencesThe Curse, Showtime. Season 1, Episodes 1 - 5 are out at time of recording.Reddit thread about Home Town's race problem, https://www.reddit.com/r/HGTV/comments/il7bet/home_town_seems_like_white_town."Behind the Scenes on ‘Home Town': A Season 4 Participant Spills the Details," Claudine Zap in Realtor, https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/behind-the-scenes-home-town."The dark side of Home Town," Jim Cegielski in The Laurel Leader Call, https://www.leader-call.com/opinion/columnists/the-dark-side-of-home-town/article_48770330-a7c6-11e8-bbf4-333e68883245.html. In the episode, Josiah flounders a bit because he's dumb and didn't re-read the article before the episode, but the gist is that Greg Burroughs, a man with a repeated history of abuse, had allegedly murdered his girlfriend, Katherine Sinclair. He called the local judge (who he was friends with) before he called 911 and multiple other strings were pulled to get him out of trouble. The author of the opinion piece, Jim Cegielski, claims he had local advertisers pull out because he chose to cover the story. His point is that there is a very clear monied class in Laurel that everyone is pretending doesn't exist. After this article was published, Greg Burroughs was acquitted."Southern Newlywed: At Home with Erin and Ben Napier," Southern Weddings, https://southernweddings.com/2014/06/06/southern-newlywed-home-lucky-luxe. This is the interview that got the attention of an HGTV producer and led to the show."‘Home Town' Reflects an Incomplete Picture of Laurel's History of Disenfranchisement," Jonathan Odell in Mississippi Free Press, https://www.mississippifreepress.org/35581/home-town-reflects-an-incomplete-picture-of-laurels-history-of-disenfranchisement."Here's Why 'Home Town' Star Erin Napier Has Been Silent About Black Lives Matter on Social Media," Kelly Wynne in Newsweek, https://www.newsweek.com/heres-why-home-town-star-erin-napier-has-been-silent-about-black-lives-matter-social-media-1508776."'Home Town' Star Erin Napier Gets Flooded With Comments After Sharing Parenting Rule," Katie Bowlby in Country Living, https://www.countryliving.com/life/entertainment/a42321936/home-town-erin-napier-parenting-rule-fan-reactions.Napiers' nonprofit to get kids off social media, OSPREY, https://ospreykids.com/about."'Home Town' Star Erin Napier Shares "Terrifying" Instagram Post that Has Fans Flooding Her with Support," Katie Bowlby in Country Living, https://www.countryliving.com/life/entertainment/a39903660/erin-napier-terrifying-instagram-post-fan-reactions.Episodes of Home Town watchedS1E1 Big Renovations in a Small TownS2E1 Home Town Holiday SpecialS3E10 Small Budget, Big StyleS4E3 The Church HouseS5E10 Retreat YourselfS6E5 Grand Millennial S7E2 The Family Tree (only Brian got around to this one)Music & audio creditsYesterday – bloom.In My Dreams – bloom."Home Town" CBS Segment https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYscsBliWZ8

Finding the perfect wedding cake should be... well - a piece of cake. But there are so many option now available! Plus everyone seems to have an opinion that the truth can get messy. If you are newly engaged, then you know what I am talking about. We are going to get to the bottom of all of the myths and reveal the ingredients that go into finding the perfect cake.Earth and Sugar is a creative confectionery and dessert studio based in West Palm Beach, Florida. Founded in 2009 by self-taught baker and cake artist Janderyn Makris. Earth and Sugar specializes in designer confections including cakes, pastries, bars, cookie cakes, macarons, and beyond; with an emphasis on clean, natural ingredients and fine artistry. Following 11 years of success, Earth and Sugar added a tasting room in Miami in 2016.Earth and Sugar's design prestige has been recognized with numerous awards, including Wedding Wire's Couples Choice Award, The Knot's Best of Weddings and Wine Spectator's Best of the Best at SOBEWFF. A testament to the sterling reputation of Earth and Sugar, many of the industry's most prestigious awards are bestowed year after year.Earth and Sugar has also been featured in wedding and industry blogs and magazines on the market, from Vogue and Elle to Martha Stewart, Inside Weddings, Southern Weddings, InStyle, and beyond. After Brides featured Earth and Sugar's edible art on several occasions, Makris was personally invited to Condé Nast headquarters in New York to meet the editorial team and participate in an esteemed From the Pro interview.Earth and Sugar's work has garnered global attention and is entrusted by celebrities, politicians, and the discerning elite, servicing high-end hotels all over South Florida, the Bahamas and Eastern America. In 2015, Earth and Sugar was selected by Instagram as one of 30 “amazing artists to follow in the world.”Behind The Veil: Winner of 2021 Telly Award & Innovator of The Year ONE Award Host: Keith Willard Events - Keith Willard EventsCo-Host: Marci Guttenberg - An Affair To Remember by MarciBrooke Logan Stoner - Keith Willard EventsGuest: Janderyn Makris - Owner/CEO of Earth & SugarSupport the show

In 2009, Lara Casey—PowerSheets® creator, best-selling author, and mom to three—wrote a blog post ("How to Make Things Happen") in an attempt to answer the many emails she received asking, "how do you do it all?" The blog post received a flurry of responses, resonating with hundreds of people. It sparked a movement that turned into the Making Things Happen Conference a decade ago, where she continues to lead attendees through our proven process to uncover what truly matters to them and do something about it. Those same principles are in every page of the PowerSheets® Intentional Goal Planner, our cornerstone product that has sparked powerful and positive change in thousands of women's lives across the world. Recognize her from somewhere else? For 10 years we published the acclaimed print magazine Southern Weddings, encouraging brides to plan meaningful celebrations and even more beautiful marriages. We were honored to partner with the best vendors in the business, including Southern Living Magazine, and to publish a beloved wedding planner you can still buy today. Though SW retired in 2018 so our team could focus on helping women cultivate what matters in every season of life, SW's legacy lives on!

Do you struggle with a million ideas at once? Do you feel like everything is a priority, all the ideas and passions you have MUST be done immediately? And you're utterly lost as to how to find “balance” in your life? If so this episode is about to rock your freaking world. Today's conversation is with the powerful Lara Casey.   Lara is a mom to three (one through the gift of adoption), a wife, and a believer in the impossible. As CEO of Cultivate What Matters, Lara is the creator of the best-selling PowerSheets® Intentional Goal Planner, the Write the Word™ Bible journals, and she's authored two books: Make it Happen and Cultivate. Lara founded Southern Weddings magazine a decade ago and loves getting her hands dirty in the garden with her kiddos in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.   Lara is a multi-passionate powerhouse of a woman, and today's conversation is all about prioritizing the things that matter most in your life amid a world or even your mind screaming that everything is a top priority. This interview is a breath of fresh air as we cover things like how to “make it all happen,” avoiding hustle mentality while also avoiding doing nothing out of fear, and how goal setting can change your life when it comes to cultivating what matters. Lara walks through this episode handing out permission slip after permission slip of truth, grace, and clarity. You'll walk away inspired and clear on how to take your next steps to keep your focus clear and truly prioritize what's going to matter in 60 years.   Show notes: https://theheartuniversity.com/153-how-to-prioritize-what-really-matters-in-your-life-with-lara-casey   nuud: http://nuudcare.com/discount/HEART&HUSTLE20 Use  code “HEART&HUSTLE20” for 20% off at checkout!    The Caption Playbook: www.theheartuniversity.com/caption-playbook   Follow along with Lara:  www.cultivatewhatmatters.com   If you want to connect with us and other listeners in the Heart and Hustle community join our Facebook group here.   Follow along: www.instagram.com/mrslindseyroman www.instagram.com/evierupp www.instagram.com/theheartuniversity  

Jasmine Sweet is a Marketing Project Manager at iHeartRadio and a lifestyle blogger in Nashville who has been featured in the Huffington Post, Southern Weddings, Everything Girls Love, and Forbes. She started blogging 9 years ago and never looked back, making her blog her portfolio and her life. I promise this conversation does not disappoint! We talk about so much in this episode, including how we often find the strength to push through grief, the racial reckoning that we are still experiencing, and how Jasmine is breaking down barriers in many different areas of her life. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3bG9cVT Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jasmine Sweet is a Marketing Project Manager at iHeartRadio and a lifestyle blogger in Nashville who has been featured in the Huffington Post, Southern Weddings, Everything Girls Love, and Forbes. She started blogging 9 years ago and never looked back, making her blog her portfolio and her life. I promise this conversation does not disappoint! We talk about so much in this episode, including how we often find the strength to push through grief, the racial reckoning that we are still experiencing, and how Jasmine is breaking down barriers in many different areas of her life. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3bG9cVT

Today's guest co-host, for The Next Level, is Sean Low. Sean’s consulting firm, The Business of Being Creative is focused on providing practical advice to those in the business of being creative. Sean’s client list includes the who’s who of the wedding industry and design community. Check out Sean's podcast, on The Wedding Biz Network,  The Business Of Being Creative at https://theweddingbiznetwork.com/portfolio-posts/the-business-of-being-creative/. We are discussing Holly Chapple's interview, from last Monday. She is a popular event and floral designer who is the owner and President of Holly Chapple Flowers. She not only executes beautiful weddings and events but also operates Hope Flower Farm out of Loudoun County, Virginia, a flower farm and key floral source for her design work and the base camp for in-person education. Holly also leads a collective of designers from all over the world Via Chaple Designers. Her floral work has been published in numerous publications including Martha Stewart, Southern Living, Brides, Southern Weddings, Elegant Bride, and Weddings Unveiled.

"Because the vision, ideas, and concepts that I come up with are new and leading in the industry I'm going places others haven't yet been, and that's been amazing." Listen as Andy and his guest, Holly Chapple, discuss how Holly is more of a big vision person and how she implements those visions. We talk about her virtual teachings, her latest favorite design aesthetic, her process with clients, how she handles her social media, and how she balances raising a large family with being an entrepreneur, plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz.   Holly is a popular event and floral designer who is the owner and President of Holly Chapple Flowers. She not only executes beautiful weddings and events but also operates Hope Flower Farm out of Loudoun County, Virginia, a flower farm and key floral source for her design work and the base camp for in-person education. Holly also leads a collective of designers from all over the world Via Chaple Designers. Her floral work has been published in numerous publications including Martha Stewart, Southern Living, Brides, Southern Weddings, Elegant Bride, and Weddings Unveiled.   Listen as Holly shares her journey from a floral designer to teacher and speaker and why she created Hope Flower Farm. Holly discusses how she handles the business side of her company and her focus on providing an environment for her team to become leaders in their own individual departments.   Holly talks about her own patented product line of vases and armatures that help people design flowers, how she grew other aspects of her business this past year, and the community her son created on Facebook called The Greenhouse. Holly also believes that there will be complications post-Covid and she wants people in the industry to have a lot of grace with themselves.   Holly speaks about her process, her very large social media following, how often they post content, and what she believes gives them the edge and keeps them coming. She knows one thing she does right is manage the Instagram page for Holly Chapple and personally answers every DM she gets.   Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network.   SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show: If you are so inspired: contribute.    Show Highlights: [02:19] Welcome to the show, Holly! [02:46] Holly believes she would not have been exposed to flowers if her parents hadn't owned a garden center. [04:07] She shares being exposed by her parents to her first floral design job at the Washington International Horse Show. [06:44] Holly speaks about her journey from a designer to a teacher and the purchase of Hope Floral Farm. [08:17] Holly discusses bringing in ringers and letting them stay at their bed-and-breakfast at the farm. [10:23] How do you look at the business side of your company with all that you've done? [12:51] Holly wants to provide an environment for her team to become leaders in their own individual departments. [15:26] "I've always been great at knowing what is wanted, needed, and will sell." [16:16] Holly talks about the knowledge and information that Sean Low gave her years ago that has made her company what it is. [18:16] Do you feel anxiety or fear with the pressure and responsibility you have with all the things you have going on? [20:29] Holly talks about growing other aspects of her company over the last year. [22:27] Holly speaks about the community her son Alex created called The Greenhouse. [23:50] Holly has her own patented product line of vases and armatures that help you design flowers. [27:19] What are some of your favorite design aesthetics, and what stands out to you? [29:23] Holly believes there will be lots of complications post-pandemic, so have a lot of grace with yourself. [30:57] Holly speaks about two weddings she has coming up in the next few weeks with total redesigns and venue changes. [32:22] What is your process to determine what the client wants, and how do you mix that with your design to embody who they are? [35:30] Holly shares she had the best clients on the books last year that rescheduled to this year. [36:55] Holly discusses what she believes has allowed her to get to the number of followers she has on Instagram. [38:27] Holly personally answers every DM that comes across on her Holly Chappel Design Instagram page. [40:32] Holly talks about how she has balanced having seven children while being an entrepreneur. [42:01] The biggest challenge Holly believes working parents have is knowing where their kids are, and since she is home-based, she is lucky to have the time with her kids. [43:42] Thank you so much for being on the show!   RESOURCES   Find Holly: Holly Chapple Flowers @hollychapple Instagram | Facebook Hope Flower Farm @hopeflowerfarm Instagram | Facebook Chapple Designers @chappledesigners Instagram | Facebook   On Clubhouse, follow Andy @andykushner and join his club, “The Wedding Biz” to get additional content and to get direct access to Andy.   Follow The Wedding Biz on Social:  The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz   The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers   Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here.    Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment  www.KushnerEntertainment.com   Mentioned:  Sean Low Episode 41 on The Wedding Biz Sean Low Episode 248 on The Wedding Biz  

"Our industry will come back in a really good way." Andy welcomes Tara Guerard back to the show. Listen as they discuss the events she's designed since the pandemic and how they kept everyone safe. Tara also speaks about what she had done to keep busy and how guests will have to show proof of vaccination before they are allowed at her 2021 events, plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz.   Tara is the owner of the event planning company called Tara Guerard Soiree, a full-service event planning and design company headquartered in Charleston, SC, with a second office in New York City. Tara has been in several prestigious wedding publications and published two best-selling books, Southern Weddings and Weddings. She has partnered with the luxury eco-friendly Letterpress Studio as well.   Listen as Tara speaks about how her business is structured for sustainability with very little overhead and property investing instead of leasing. Tara talks about how she has her pricing set up and says that she has raised her prices for 2021 because her time is still important and her designs are worth it.   Tara believes that the industry will come back in full force and stresses that it's important to stay creative and keep those creative juices flowing. She says that staying motivated and inspired is critical to creatives, and using those talents for good by helping others is a great place to start.   Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network.   SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show: If you are so inspired: contribute.    Show Highlights: [05:58] Welcome back to the show, Tara! [06:40] Tara discusses the last few events she had before and during the pandemic. [09:27] Tara speaks about what she has done personally and professionally during COVID. [10:53] Tara talks about the new bicycle baskets she has designed. [11:41] Tara says that the first event she has planned in 2021 is in May, and will have her doctor on site, and guests must show proof of vaccination. [13:42] Has anyone approached you to plan any micro weddings? [14:36] Tara shares she believes that parties and weddings will come back full force once everyone is vaccinated and the pandemic is under control. [16:55] Tara discusses how she has her business set up for sustainability. [19:31] Tara says that she has raised her prices in 2021 and doesn't think planners should lower their prices. [20:35] How do you structure your pricing? [22:09] Tara speaks about her exit strategy and when she plans on retiring. [23:37] Tara believes creatives should find a way to keep their creative juices flowing, stay motivated and inspired. [25:17] Thank you so much for being on the show!   RESOURCES   Find Tara: Tara Guerard Soiree Tara Guerard Episode 20 on The Wedding Biz Lettered Olive @taraguerard Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest @taraguerardsoiree Facebook     Follow The Wedding Biz on Social:  The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz   The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers   Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here.    Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment  www.KushnerEntertainment.com

In this episode of Career Thrivers, we speak with avid lifestyle blogger, influencer, and digital marketing consultant Jasmine Sweet. Aside from her own blog, she has written for features in Huffington Post, Southern Weddings, and Forbes. Jasmine is also the Marketing Project Manager at iHeartRadio.The common theme running through today’s conversation is the value Jasmine places on knowing your self-worth. She says that entrepreneurship is not the only pursuit towards freedom in one’s work. Even as an employee, “you are a personal brand. The company that you’re working for has to understand that you are an asset to them.” She encourages us all to own our strengths, and lead with purpose.No matter which phase you’re in as an entrepreneur or which rung you’re on as an employee, by taking ownership of your career, you will find your why and thrive even amid these unsteady, COVID-ridden times.Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Navigating today’s turbulent job marketHow to know whether your current job is worth keeping for the long-termWhy Jasmine decided on entrepreneurshipDefining today’s marketing industry and different types of marketingThe importance of leadership in marketingHow leaders can cultivate a more inclusive cultureHow Jasmine balances being an influencer and a marketer at iHeartRadioWhat being a thriver means for JasmineMemorable Quotes:“The more areas you can step your foot in, the more you’re going to be able to pivot and twist and turn throughout this crazy path that we’re all going through in today’s career landscape.”“Do it young, or do it never.”“You are a personal brand. The company that you’re working for has to understand that you are an asset to them.”“Along the way, it may not look how you want it to, but as long as you keep showing up, you’ll elevate.”“Marketing is 100% the most multifaceted industry I think anybody can go into, because nobody can go to school and get a degree in marketing and come out knowing everything about it.”“Leadership is not just seen. It is felt.”Connect with Jasmine at jasminesweet.blog and Instagram.

In 2009, Lara Casey—PowerSheets® creator, best-selling author, and mom to three—wrote a blog post ("How to Make Things Happen") in an attempt to answer the many emails she received asking, "how do you do it all?" The blog post received a flurry of responses, resonating with hundreds of people. It sparked a movement that turned into the Making Things Happen Conference a decade ago, where she continues to lead attendees through our proven process to uncover what truly matters to them and do something about it. Those same principles are in every page of the PowerSheets® Intentional Goal Planner, our cornerstone product that has sparked powerful and positive change in thousands of women's lives across the world. Recognize her from somewhere else? For 10 years we published the acclaimed print magazine Southern Weddings, encouraging brides to plan meaningful celebrations and even more beautiful marriages. We were honored to partner with the best vendors in the business, including Southern Living Magazine, and to publish a beloved wedding planner you can still buy today. Though SW retired in 2018 so our team could focus on helping women cultivate what matters in every season of life, SW's legacy lives on!

If you’ve ever tried gardening before, you know that it is some hard work. You’ve got to plant, water, prune, get rid of weeds, watch for varmints sneaking in, and a whole host of other problems. It really is no joke. And today’s guest knows a lot about gardening and the value of hard work. Her name is Lara Casey and she’s the author of multiple books, including Make it Happen: Surrender Your Fear. Take the Leap, Live on Purpose, and Cultivate: A Grace-Filled Guide to Growing an Intentional Life. Her story of building and then leaving Southern Weddings Magazine is a testament to what can happen when you take a leap toward God. Lara is full of wisdom, pep, and one heck of an entrepreneurial story. If you want to learn more about putting in the work and taking big risks, you’ll want to hear what Lara had to share…Useful Links:A New ChapterLara Casey WebsiteCultivate What MattersPruning to Grow

0128: Even when the world ISN'T in the midst of a global health crisis, there are still SO MANY things that can go wrong at a wedding! So how do you possibly plan for anything and everything that can go sideways? Well, your first step should be listening to our expert guest this week, wedding planner Emily Sullivan! Emily is the owner of Emily Sullivan Events, a boutique wedding and event-planning firm based in New Orleans, LA, that specializes in celebrations throughout the Southeast. With a passion for entertaining, she uses her intuition and attention to details to customize each and every wedding experience for her clients. When it comes to surviving and thriving through disasters, Emily has the market cornered. In the past 15 years in the wedding industry, she has survived 2 hurricanes directly hitting her community (during wedding season!), and most recently she was even hospitalized for COVID-19! But her smart and savvy planning skills have brought her through every challenge, and she keeps thriving! There is no-one more qualified to show you the ropes of planning your way out of a disaster scenario! In addition to her wedding and planning expertise, Emily is a regular on-air personality in the region, as well as a sought-after national speaker, with recent and upcoming engagements including The Special Event, NACE, WeddingWire World, and Wedding MBA. She is inaugural chapter president for WIPA New Orleans. Emily has been recognized by several industry publications for her achievements and insight, including Brides, Country Living, The Knot, Southern Weddings, Style Me Pretty and Catersource. https://www.emilysullivanevents.com/ https://www.facebook.com/EmilySullivanEvents/ https://www.instagram.com/emilysullivanevents/ https://www.intimateweddingsbyemily.com/ Vendor Webinar - adding microweddings to your offering (May 6): https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XipOKBERQASBr7dpf6Jhwg --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/your-i-do-crew/support

Amanda Watson is a well-known photographer in Oklahoma that specializes in fine art and film. Amanda's work has been featured in publications and blogs like Martha Stewart Weddings, Style Me Pretty, Southern Weddings, Wedding Sparrow, Belle Lumiere, Brides of Oklahoma, Ruffled, Green Wedding Shoes, Occasions Magazine, and so many more. She's also gone on to create Amanda Watson Designs, a truly unique experience, customizing styled shoots designed and dedicated to a single photographer. Amanda Watson Designs can also plan and coordinate your workshop or wedding work. In this episode, Lauren and Danielle get to talk through film and business with Amanda, and share an exciting announcement that Amanda will be one of the speakers at The Curated Exposure Workshop scheduled for August at Daffodil Hill!  Find out more about Amanda at: www.amandawatsonphoto.com and www.amandawatsondesigns.com Follow us on IG:  Danielle's IG & Lauren's IG

REVISIT: Jose Villa is a fine art wedding photographer known for crafting vibrant, fine art images that are as unique as the people in the photographs. Jose has been published in many magazines around the world, including Grace Ormonde Wedding Style, Elegant Bride, Instyle Weddings, Inside Weddings, Brides Magazine, Modern Bride, Weddings, Brides, Pacific Weddings, Southern Weddings and many more. Jose has been named a top wedding photographer in Martha Stewart Weddings, Harper’s Bazaar, Style Me Pretty, and Vogue, and was recently listed in the Top 10 Wedding Photographers in the World by American Photo Magazine. Jose was born in Mexico but grew up in Solvang, California. He attended Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California and is the author of Fine Art Wedding Photography. Show Highlights: Jose opens up about his parents’ initial reaction to him wanting to be a photographer. What motivated Jose initially to take photography classes in high school. The one person who helped boost Jose’s confidence as a young photographer. How did Jose get his first gig as a wedding photographer? Jose defines what fine art photography is when it comes to weddings. Why does Jose continue to shoot in film, even after the rise of digital photography? The things Jose worries about when waiting for developed film to come back. Jose shares the reason candid photos mean so much at a wedding, especially to friends and family. Jose believes that a photographer’s presence at a wedding impacts the event as a whole as well as the bride and groom’s wedding day experience. What do you do if guests pull out cameras or cell phones during the ceremony? Jose shares his to-to gear for shooting weddings in film.   LINKS & RESOURCES Follow The Wedding Biz on Social:  The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz   Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by PartySlate - the first website designed specifically for event professionals and venues!   Find Jose: Jose Villa  Jose’s Book: Fine Art Wedding Photography @jose-villa Facebook @josevillaphoto Pinterest @josevilla Instagram The Man Who Listens To Horses by Monty Roberts

Combining their love of the coast with their passion for photography and business, Todd and Angela Barnett are the owners behind Coastal Chic Studios. With almost a decade of wedding photography under his belt, Todd knows exactly what a bride expects on her wedding day. With her natural talent for communication, organization and 11 years experience in customer service, Angela is the the perfect business manager. Join Bobbi, Todd and Angela for a candid conversation about wedding photography, moving a wedding business and reinventing yourself, and a few laughs along the way as this husband and wife photography team talks about business and life.Coastal Chic StudiosIn This Episode:Savannah Wedding Vendors

An industry veteran, Amanda Crean has photographed some of the most beautiful weddings around the globe for the last 12 years. You can see her work in Martha Stewart Magazine, Brides, Southern Weddings, The Knot, Style Me Pretty, Once Wed, Confetti Magazine, Vogue and more. Whether an intimate celebrations or grand affair, Amanda documents in her signature effortlessly chic, relaxed, and sophisticated world view. (And always with a dose of humor.) Amanda is so much fun! I can't wait for you to hear about: Marketing to a specific audience Tips for photographing for publication Finding confidence as a photographer And as always, some mistakes Amanda has made during the last 12 years.

An industry veteran, Amanda Crean has photographed some of the most beautiful weddings around the globe for the last 12 years. You can see her work in Martha Stewart Magazine, Brides, Southern Weddings, The Knot, Style Me Pretty, Once Wed, Confetti Magazine, Vogue and more. Whether an intimate celebrations or grand affair, Amanda documents in her signature effortlessly chic, relaxed, and sophisticated world view. (And always with a dose of humor.)    Amanda is so much fun! I can’t wait for you to hear about:  Marketing to a specific audience  Tips for photographing for publication Finding confidence as a photographer    And as always, some mistakes Amanda has made during the last 12 years. 

Today's episode with the amazing Kristin Winchester is full of everything from career advice, wedding planning encouragement, to deep inspiration from her own life experiences. Kristin is the former Editor-In-Chief of Southern Weddings and is now a joyful, content stay-at-home momma of two incredible twin toddlers. Our conversation is so life-giving. We hope you enjoy!

Have you ever met someone who instantly made you grin from ear to ear? That pretty much sums up our conversation with Maghon Taylor! Her infectious joy and genuine excitement over her work is absolutely infectious. Maghon is an author, calligrapher, teacher, mama, wife, and solo-preneur, meaning, she runs her business entirely on her own in the middle of motherhood and her right-now life.  We chatted with Maghon about juggling that work/life balance, embracing our amateurism, and not only learning from our mistakes, but actually celebrating them. If you've ever felt defeated in your mothering, your creative pursuits, your day job, or holding them all together, today's episode is for you! Maghon Taylor is on a mission to spread happiness through her handwriting. She is a joyful wife, fun mama, and owner of All She Wrote Notes. Since 2013, Maghon's cheerful collection of colorful gifts has spread smiles all across America with their encouraging words and uplifting messages. Maghon believes wholeheartedly that our talents are meant to be shared and she has taught nearly 7,000 students to reignite their creativity with her traveling hand-lettering workshops and her online classes. She is also the author of Happy Hand Lettering released August 2019 and has a second book in the works. An award winning artist and calligrapher, Maghon's work has been featured on many publications such as Southern Weddings, Inpired By This, The Wedding Chicks and Southern Bride and Groom.

As you check out to this episode, it's quite possible that you're in a busy wedding season. If not just a busy season of life! As passionate wedding venue owners, we always want to serve our clients well and exceed their expectations. But as you'll hear in my conversation today, your job is not your life. Even though it might feel that way sometimes! I'm sure we all know that boundaries are important and even necessary, but why is it so hard to put that into practice? Well today I'm talking with Emily Sullivan all about why and how we can start putting some structure and boundaries and sanity back into our lives. In this episode, you'll hear about: Meet Emily and hear her story Why boundaries are so hard for people to set and follow through with The first steps Emily took to start setting her professional boundaries How long it took for her to start seeing benefit Practical tips and steps we can take to set boundaries with clients Practical tips and steps we can take to set boundaries with other vendors How boundaries can help us attract better or more ideal couples Emily's best piece of advice for those who are struggling with doing too much too often RESOURCES WE MENTION:  Kristin Binford Venue Consultant – new venue owners' Facebook group and Masterclass EventStable – save $100 on your order The Venue Owner Shop – use code FIRSTORDER to save 15% on your first order The Contract Law Shop – use code KELLYEWELL10 to save 10% ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Emily Sullivan is the owner of Emily Sullivan Events, a boutique wedding and event-planning firm based in New Orleans, LA, that specializes in celebrations throughout the Southeast. With a passion for entertaining, she uses her intuition and attention to details to customize each and every wedding experience for her clients. Emily is a regular on-air personality in the region, as well as a sought-after national speaker, with recent and upcoming engagements including The Special Event, NACE, WeddingWire World, and Wedding MBA. She has also been recognized by several industry publications for her achievements and insights, including Country Living, The Knot, Southern Weddings, Style Me Pretty, and Catersource. BE A FRIEND:  Leave an iTunes review here. BE A GUEST:  Are you passionate about sharing your knowledge about running a wedding venue? Know someone who is? Email us at kelly@aislefilespodcast.com to let us know why you'd be a great person interview! Find full show notes from this episode here. — Connect with Aisle Files Podcast Online Website: www.aislefilespodcast.com  Email: kelly@aislefilespodcast.com Instagram: @aislefilespodcast Facebook: @aislefilespodcast The Aisle Files Podcast is created and produced by Kelly Ewell, owner of 48 Fields Farm.

Meg Sutton is the boss lady and doodler behind Belle & Union, a company that sells letterpress printed cards, art prints, southern-inspired wrappings and hand-crafted artisan goods brimming with vintage wit and wisdom that tote a bit of a foodie twist – all 100% made in the USA. Meg started the business in 2012 after falling in love with letterpress while working in a boutique shop. Surprisingly she went from concept to wholesale in just a single year. Belle & Union launched their first brick and mortar store in San Antonio, Texas, in July 2018. The shop houses the working studio as well as offers creative workshops across a variety of subject matters. Meg values encouraging people to slow down and enjoy the sweet moments in life, gathered ’round a table filled with smiles and laughter. When she’s not doodling or coming up with Belle & Union’s next great product, you can find her sipping chai tea, chasing her pup with her husband and curling up with a good book. Belle & Union’s products have been featured in Garden & Gun, Country Living, Rachael Ray, Southern Weddings, Southern Living, Southern Lady, and Oh So Beautiful Paper. Meg has been interviewed on KENS 5 in San Antonio, SA Live, Texas Lifestyle Magazine, Proof to Product podcast, and more. Business Building InsightsContinually taking the next step will get you where you want to go. If you’re struggling, take some time to stop and look around and see what you’ve already built. Sometimes we forget how far we’ve already come. Create a cohesive brand identity and vision. By doing this you present a line to retailers that they can merchandise. Running a business is a marathon not a sprint. Look beyond that one show. For wholesale, make sure you offer your re-sellers a variety of product options to make it easier for them to reach your minimums. Shows are not just about orders. They’re also about networking and planting seeds for the future. Follow up is key to building relationships with clients. Take time to remember them after your order has been received for feedback and additional opportunity. Invest in avenues that bring new people through the door. For Meg it is in-store workshops. Treat your small business like a big business right from the start. Resources Mentioned Verb House Creative (https://www.verbhousecreative.com/) Katie Hunt and Tradeshow Bootcamp – GBU Podcast #199 (http://giftbizunwrapped.com/katiehunt/) Contact Links Website (http://belleandunion.com) Facebook (http://facebook.com/belleandunionco) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/belleandunionco) Twitter (http://twitter.com/belleandunionco) Gift Biz ResourcesJoin our (https://www facebook.com/groups/GiftBizBreeze) If you found value in this podcast, make sure to subscribe and leave a review in Google Podcasts (http://www.giftbizunwrapped.com/GooglePodcasts) . That helps us spread the word to more makers just like you. Thanks! Sue

This week we were joined by Meredith Ryncarz of Meredith Ryncarz Photography and the Restart Specialist! Those are both websites and YouTube channels full of educational content for photographers. If you’re not familiar with either of those, then you may have seen her work in Forbes, Southern Living, Tidewater and Tulle, Southern Weddings, Bokeh and Aisle Planner. We talk with Meredith about relocating your business in a new city, finding second shooters in a new city, how you can find and exploit weaknesses in a new market, and about some great tips for getting your name out there and networking when you move. This episode is jam packed with great information. Beer Talk: Meredith - Johnnie Walker Blue Label Dustin - Pool Time Ale from Bell's Brewery Steve - The CPA (creamy peach ale) from Taxman Brewing Company Q&A: Is there a good way to let another photographer know they're overexposing their photos? How do you let a bride know you're not her planner/coordinator? If you accidentally edit a baby photo to look like a Twilight vampire, do you stick with it or change things up? If you loved hearing from Meredith and want to get more educational tips from her or just check out her work then hit up these links: Meredith Ryncarz Photography, The Restart Specialist, Meredith Ryncarz YouTube, The Restart Specialist YouTube, Meredith Ryncarz Instagram, and The Restart Specialist Instagram. Want more? Get bonus content like outtakes from this episode where Meredith talks about her camera gear and flashes at steveanddustinsavetheworld.com Join the hungover community: Wedding Hangover Facebook Group Connect with us: Facebook Page, Instagram, Twitter This podcast is edited by Bespoke Tone. Go to Bespoke Tone for all your photo, video, and audio editing needs. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/weddingphotohangover/message

Tara Sanders came to her yoga mat to explore and heal. Having a strong commitment to serving the community and advocating for underserved populations, she has taught students at a mental health advocacy agency, homeless youth, and developed a therapeutic yoga & mindfulness program for a domestic violence shelter in Upstate NY. She is currently working with the Ulster County Crime Victims Assistance Program in developing trauma informed yoga programming that is available for free to sexual assault survivors, anyone supporting survivors, and professionals working to support survivors with their healing. Tara also sits on the advisory board of Exhale to Inhale, a non-profit organization that brings yoga to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in New York and Los Angeles through free weekly classes at shelters and community-based organizations. Today, Tara shares the differences between a trauma informed yoga class and a "regular" class, the benefits of somatic practices like yoga to help heal trauma, the film Resilience about adverse childhood experiences, and surviving and THRIVING after her own personal trauma of childhood sexual assault and her father's passing from an opioid overdose.  Jenny Lee Fowler is a freelance artist specializing in private commissions, illustration, exhibition, event entertainment, and workshops. She snips traditional silhouette portraits and original paper cuttings. Her work has been spotted in Taproot Magazine, Design Sponge, Martha Stewart Living, House Beautiful, Better Homes and Gardens, Garden Design, Southern Weddings, NY Times and other print and online venues. Jenny is a principal artist for the Catskill Waters project. She designed five Hudson Valley Seed Company Art Packs, was the recipient of a Spring Creek Project Collaborative Retreat and a residency at Drop Forge + Tool, and was an artist-in-residence for the grand opening of the Walkway Over the Hudson. She teaches workshops in the adult education program at New York Botanical Garden. Jenny "homeschools" Theresa on the history of the art of paper cutting, how she does it, the intricacies of it, and how she teaches others to do it. Jenny was recently re-diagnosed with breast cancer and shares how she and her family are taking care of one another and staying optimistic, living outside of the statistics of what stage 4 breast cancer brings.   Today's show was engineered by Ben Benton of Radio Kingston, www.radiokingston.org. We heard music from our fave, Shana Falana, http://www.shanafalana.com/ Feel free to email us, say hello: she@iwantwhatshehas.org Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts or a few words about who has what you want and why! (845)481-3429 ** Please: SUBSCRIBE to our pod and leave a REVIEW wherever you are listening, it helps other users FIND US :) http://iwantwhatshehas.org/podcast ITUNES | SPOTIFY | STITCHER ITUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/i-want-what-she-has/id1451648361?mt=2 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/77pmJwS2q9vTywz7Uhiyff?si=G2eYCjLjT3KltgdfA6XXCA STITCHER: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/she-wants/i-want-what-she-has?refid=stpr' Follow Us: INSTAGRAM * https://www.instagram.com/iwantwhatshehaspodcast/ FACEBOOK * https://www.facebook.com/iwantwhatshehaspodcast TWITTER * https://twitter.com/wantwhatshehas

Today’s guest is wedding photographer Abby Jiu. Abby has been named one of Martha Stewart Weddings’ top wedding photographers, and has been published in places like Martha Stewart Weddings, Southern Weddings, and the Knot. Today Abby is sharing how she was able to jump from shooting $500 weddings to six figure weddings. And she also shares a few tips for getting published. For show notes and additional resources, check out https://daveyandkrista.com/btb-abby-jiu-episode-44/.

There's something in your life you're considering let go of. But something is holding you back from making a decision. You want the perfect plan, outcome, or path before taking that leap. You want assurance that you're making the right decision—and that everything will work out well when you do. In this special episode of the Cultivate Your Life podcast, I pull back the curtain on the story of letting go of Southern Weddings magazine. I'll guide you through 6 steps to let go of a dream to make room for a new one!   Get the show notes and the full transcription at CultivateYourLife.com and find more tips and encouragement from Lara at LaraCasey.com.    

Meghan Ely, Wedding PR and Marketing Expert at OFD Consulting comes on to share the best ways to promote your business. Most of us creatives have very little time, so we need to figure out the most efficient strategies for maximizing exposure. And with the craziness of the past year or so – with WeddingWire and The Knot merging, with Southern Weddings shutting down, with Style Me Pretty shutting down and opening back up – it’s hard to know if we should be focusing on the bigger publications. So I asked Meghan what we should all be doing, and she shares some great tips! Meghan also talks about her two other websites, WeddingIndustrySpeakers.com and OFDCollective.com (see promo code below). We mentioned 3 promos on this show! 1) My friends at LVL Academy are bringing their wedding planner workshop here to North Carolina in June and Weddings for Real Host Megan Gillikin is a speaker! Join us June 7-8th at Muse at the Mill in Winston-Salem for 2 full days of learning best practices, ways to refine your planning process, resources and tools to grow your business, and more! Use the code WEDDINGSFORREAL by May 10th for $200 of your registration at lvlacademy.com. See you there! 2) For a really cool Mother's Day (or any time) gift, visit StoryWorth.com/WeddingsForReal for $20 off your subscription! With Storyworth, you or a loved one answers questions about your life weekly, and at the end of the year, those stories are bound into a keepsake book! 3) The OFD Collective. Go to OFDCollective.com, and at checkout, enter the promo code "weddingsforreal" for $20 per month off!   Listeners, we are nominated (!!!) in the IndyWeek's Best of the Triangle Awards!  You can go to IndyWeek and vote for us in the "Out and About" Section!   Meghan Ely, OFD Consulting    OFD Consulting on Social Media: Facebook: @ofdconsulting Instagram: @ofdconsulting   Weddings for Real on Social Media: Instagram: @weddingsforreal Facebook: @weddingsforreal twitter: @weddingsforreal Music for this episode by https://www.bensound.com. The host of the show is Megan Gillikin, owner and lead consultant at A Southern Soiree Wedding and Event Planning.  She's also available for wedding and hospitality business consulting and can be reached at megan@weddingsforreal.com. Weddings for Real is edited and produced by Jason Gillikin for Earfluence.

Oh Instagram! It's the social media channel of choice for so many in the wedding industry, but are you using Instagram Stories as effectively as you could be? In this week's episode of the This Week In Weddings podcast, we're chatting with photographer Abby Jiu about leveraging Instagram Stories to show your personality and behind the scenes of your business in order to boost your sales. If you've just dipped your toe in the IG stories waters, this episode is for you! About our guest: Abby Jiu has had a passion for gorgeous imagery and creating art since before she can remember. Her style is the best of both worlds, using film cameras and digital cameras to catch the stolen glances, fits of laughter, and heartfelt emotions sprinkled among the ever-important beautiful details that make each couple’s wedding day unique. She loves having the opportunity to get to know her couples, watching the personalized touches come together and using the relationship she’s built to preserve precious memories on film. When she’s not behind the camera, Abby fills her time with her husband Jamey, a bossy bulldog named Lola, and traveling abroad. She’s received numerous accolades for her work, including being named one of Martha Stewart Weddings’ Top Photographers and Washingtonian Editor’s Pick. You can see her work on the pages of Brides, Martha Stewart Weddings, The Knot, Southern Weddings, Washingtonian Bride & Groom, and Southern Living Weddings and many more. In this episode, listeners will hear about: Abby's background and how she booked her first weddings Using Instagram stories to better connect with couples The difference in the Instagram feed and Instagram stories and how to use each one for different purposes Infusing your personality in Instagram stories Ideas for behind-the-scenes stories that work well on Instagram Getting over your hesitation and showing your face on your IG stories Want to connect with Abby? Online: www.abbyjiu.com  Instagram: @abbyjiu

With the holiday's this week we're replaying Episode 20 with Christy Hulsey, of Colonial House of Flowers. Besides running a successful flower shop, Christy has been in many publications like Style Me Pretty, Martha Stewart Weddings, Southern Weddings, and so much more. She was the 2017 Mayesh Design Star, conducted workshops all over the country, and recently traveled to China and Ecuador visiting farms. Christy shares her stories and challenges. Check out more of Christy's links at www.theflowerpodcast.com under Season 1. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast!!

The most radical thing is walking on your own unique path - “Choose purpose over perfect” In this episode, Lara shares that her personal faith in God grew while starting a garden and building her business, “Southern Weddings.” Her personal passion for growing things – both plants and a business – taught her to exchange her fears for faith.  She founded ‘Cultivate What Matters’ that helps women set cultivated goals, cultivate faith and grow their marriages. Lara and I talk about the trappings of chasing success and about saying ‘no’ to some areas of life so that we can go ‘all in’ to other areas of your life that God has called you to.  Lara coaches her fellow businesswomen to “choose purpose over perfect.” She wants women to build faith-filled and purpose-driven businesses, all while walking the unique path that God has created for you.  As Lara says, “Our purpose is not tied to our title.  Our worth is really about WHOSE we are.”   Episode Quotes "My faith allowed me to have this insatiable desire for growing and tending things." "Passion is sacrifice... it is the thing that you're so fired up about that you are willing to sacrifice for it." "There is a FEAR that is about respecting something that tends to take control over us." "It is a neat thing to take a risk and do a leap of faith." "Sometimes success is actually the thing that distracts us most from making us successful." "When we focus too much on the success and not on the efforts and the WHY then we lose sight of success." "If you are not refueling yourself at the well then you can't fill anybody else." "The most radical thing we can do is to walk our own unique path." "I started to grow an authentic relationship with the Lord and gave up the identity that I'm stuck in." "Your work is something that you do, not your purpose. Your purpose doesn't go to work; it goes to love." "Our purpose is not tied to our title. Our worth is really about Whose we are." "Doing business as ministry is not about sharing Bible verses all the time." "Helping people is worth far more than your doubts."   Listen to Learn 00:01   Episode Intro 04:30   Getting to know Lara Casey - faith, works and business 11:32   Exchanging FEAR for FAITH, Lara's pumpkin story 19:10   The trappings of chasing success 24:17   Avoiding burn out - importance of creating boundaries 28:05   What does "choose purpose over perfect" mean? 34:07   Lara's success story - relationship and business 36:05   Your work is not your purpose 48:16   Lara's Cultivate What Matters - goals and core values 47:13   "Helping people is worth far more than your doubts"          50:00   Lara's books and website links 50:30   End notes

My guest for The Happy Hour # 237 is Lara Casey. Lara is a mom to 3, a grateful wife, and an unlikely gardener. She's the creator of PowerSheets goal planner, founder of Southern Weddings magazine, and author of Make It Happen and Cultivate. If you are part of our Happy Hour Party on Patreon, you heard Lara's amazing episode in our mini-series about dreams and goals. Today, I am so thankful to have Lara on the show as she shares her journey of faith and how God has changed her life in so many ways. Lara and I start off talking about taking the time to really slow down. She tells us about a recent neck injury that has brought about suffering, but God has shown her how it is an opportunity to live each moment well. Lara then shares the story of how she and her husband struggled and fought for their marriage through deployment, infidelity, differing faiths, and more. You will absolutely see God's hand all over her story, and how He made what seemed impossible, possible. Lara also talks about people who bore witness to what God could do when she couldn't believe it, and it renewed in me the commitment to seek out others and ask about their heart.  Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube Sponsors Panama City Beach LOLA  - use code HAPPYHOUR40 get 40% off all subscriptions Thomas' English Muffins - Check out the Tex-Mex English Muffin Recipe GET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

The Deep South brings out the best for weddings. We can prove it!

I have worked with this special guest and friend for a few years now as her marketing director and it was a pleasure to speak with her in this Special Edition Episode. Lara Casey is the CEO of Cultivate What Matters (maker of one of my favorite tools, the PowerSheets goal planner). During our interview, Lara discusses her brands greatests strength, a few marketing wins, and what she plans to work on in the year to come. As a mompreneur, she shares some of her best advice to those starting out on their journey, including the realization that you are not going to be able to do it all and do it well, but you can choose to cultivate what matters and choose to use your unique gifts to affect people every day! This special edition episode offers a sneak peek at the content available in my signature Flourish 5-Day Marketing Plan Workshop. These short & sweet guest interviews feature industry friends and I wanted to pull them out of the vault for you. They reference 2018, but are filled with so many nuggets of wisdom and marketing inspiration, I knew you needed to hear them. Join us live in January for the 2019 Flourish 5-Day Marketing Workshop designed to help your business grow and thrive. Short on time, but big on action, this one hour a day workshop focuses on marketing strategy & action plans and will help propel your business forward. Sign up for the Wait List today! Highlights: Why you need to emphasize unity and excitement amongst your team members Hear Lara discuss her most recent marketing win, which involved a few men alone in a room, unboxing a PowerSheets goal planner (that genuine and delightful video that is a must watch) Why including your actual customers in marketing campaigns can lead to better results and change your life too How to cut down on all the noise around you and embrace the beat of your own drum What is one of Lara's core values and how that influences her definition of success People, Links, and Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Lara Casey is the founder of Southern Weddings magazine, CEO of Cultivate What Matters (maker of the PowerSheets goal planner), and mastermind behind the Making Things Happen movement. She's also a wife and mom to three children, Grace, Joshua, and Sarah who she homeschools in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She's the author of two books, Make It Happen: Surrender Your Fear, Take the Leap, Live on Purpose and Cultivate: A Grace-Filled Guide to Growing an Intentional Life. Website: www.laracasey.com Facebook: @LaraCasey Instagram:@LaraCasey Flourish 5-Day Marketing Plan Workshop Like the show? Subscribe on iTunes and leave a 5-star, positive review RIGHT HERE. We'll choose one lucky reviewer each month to win a FREE GIFT! Amber Housley is a creative business and sweet life cultivator who founded her first business in 2007. Today, she's a Marketing Strategist for top creatives and influencers, producing hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue with her sales and launch strategies. Passionate about raising women to new heights, Amber shares her smart strategies with other women business owners through live and virtual trainings like the Flourish 5-day Marketing Plan Workshop and Inspired Retreat— an annual business gathering of women entrepreneurs. Her private Inspired Coterie Mastermind program is made for women want to run creative businesses efficiently, with joy, and without the expense of sacrificing family time.

Christy Hulsey, with Colonial House of Flowers, chats with Scott Shepherd this week. Besides running a successful flower shop, Christy has been in many publications like Style Me Pretty, Martha Stewart Weddings, Southern Weddings, and so much more. She was the 2017 Mayesh Design Star, conducted workshops all over the country, and recently traveled to China and Ecuador visiting farms. Christy shares her stories and challenges. Be sure to subscribe!! Check out more of Christy's links at www.theflowerpodcast.com.

Meg Sutton of Belle & Union is chatting with us today about how she started her business and created her own supply chains to have her products made in the USA. We also chat about how Meg started in wholesale and what made her decide to open a Brick and Mortar shop. This episode is full of wisdom about knowing your products value, knowing your numbers and staying true to your brand.   About Meg: Meg Sutton is the boss lady and doodler behind Belle & Union, a company that sells letterpress printed cards, art prints, southern-inspired wrappings, and hand-crafted artisan goods brimming with vintage wit and wisdom that tote a bit of a foodie twist - all 100% made in the USA. Meg started the business in 2012 after falling in love with letterpress while working in a boutique shop.   Belle & Union launched their first brick and mortar store in San Antonio, Texas, in July 2018. The shop houses the working studio as well as offers creative workshops across a variety of subject matters. Meg values encouraging people to slow down and enjoy the sweet moments in life, gathered ’round a table filled with smiles and laughter.   When she's not doodling or coming up with Belle & Union's next great product, you can find her sipping chai tea, chasing her pup with her husband, and curling up with a good book.   Belle & Union’s products have been featured in Country Living, Rachael Ray, Southern Weddings, Southern Living, Southern Lady, and Oh So Beautiful Paper. Meg has been interviewed on KENS 5 in San Antonio, Texas Lifestyle Magazine, Proof to Product podcast, and more.   Connect with Meg: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest   Have you joined our Facebook group yet? We've worked hard to create an awesome space for Product Based Biz Owners who are ready to rock! We don't bite so come join us! Want to dive deeper? Head to creativerebelbase.com for workshops and much more! If you have a second please jump over to iTunes and leave us a review! Click on the link and then click on “view in iTunes” to leave us a review. We give you all the virtual fist bumps. Thank you! YOU CAN FIND KELLY ONLINE AT: www.helloworldpaperco.com www.kellyparkersmith.com www.helloworldstamps.etsy.com YOU CAN FIND CAROLINE ONLINE AT: www.carolinecreates.com www.carolinecreates.etsy.com

I'm so thrilled for today's episode because I am talking with graphic designer Nicole Yang all about how and why design can be a powerful tool for your business.  You may recognize Nicole as the former art director at Southern Weddings and Cultivate What Matters, where she developed two product lines from the ground up, and worked with brands like American Crafts, Target, and Thomas Nelson.  Today Nicole is shedding light on how you can use design as a tool in your business to provide heightened value and an elevated customer experience in your business.  For all the details on how to ask Nicole a design question for free, visit today's shownotes at shuntagrant.com/74. Today's episode is brought to you by the Spring Forward online workshop, the online workshop that teaches you how to take control of your time today and increase your productivity in your business and life.  If you want to get more out of your most limited resource (your time) sign up at springforwardworkshop.com.

How do you work on your goals? What motivates you to keep going? How about helping others set a goal and become motivated to reach them? Today's guest, Lara Casey, just did that. Lara is the creator of the PowerSheets grace-filled goal planner, founder of Southern Weddings magazine, and author of Make It Happen and Cultivate. She helps women uncover their goals, make an action plan, and live it out. In this episode, you will... Discover Lara's background and how she started entrepreneurship Find out how PowerSheets grace-filled goal planner started Hear how traditional business helped Lara in her business Learn about the importance of being focused Get to know Lara's mental process to trust her faith INSIGHTS: "The most important thing is just surrounded yourself with people who are wise and doing good business that you can learn from them and also give back to." "It's okay to grow slow." RESOURCES: Lara Casey Cultivate What Matters

You may be one type of person. You may be the type of person who, you are currently working in a job and you have that side hustle that you really enjoy, but it just kind of supplements whatever you do for a living right now, and you’re happy where you are. Or, you might be the person who is currently working a job and you have that side hustle, but you have a bigger dream, and you are pushing towards that bigger dream, and you just want that bigger dream to come true, and you are just paralyze. Maybe it’s by fear, or by second guessing your talents or yourself, and you’re just not quite there yet. You’re not quite at the point where you feel like you can take that leap, to pursue that dream full time. At what point do you think you’ll be ready? At what point do you feel like, ‘yes, this is the time, this is the day that I’m going to take my dream full-time, I’m going to turn my side hustle, into my main hustle,’? My guest this week is Kelly Parker Smith. She is the Founder of Hello World Paper Company. She is a rubber stamp designer, and manufacturer, who lives just outside of St. Louis in Belleville, Illinois with her husband, three boys, and rescue kitten Katniss. She has grown her shop, Hello World Paper Company, with the idea that great products become even better when paired with top notch customer service, a little surprise and delight, and of course the perfect packaging. But here’s why I loved Kelly’s story so much: she had a dream, and she set out with a goal to build a school with Pencils of Promise, a school through her business. Today we’re going to dive into her business, and her purpose behind her business, which is building this school and providing education for other kids. ON GIVING BACK FROM THE BEGINNING From Kelly’s own wedding gifts, to her very first client’s charity of choice, giving back has been a foundation of Kelly’s business from the very beginning. However, it was her career as a teacher that truly sparked her love for providing education to all children. Hello Paper Company has pledged to build a school with Pencils of Promise, donating a percentage of profits every month. ON BECOMING AN ENTREPRENEUR FULL TIME Kelly talks the difficulties of balancing a full time career, while having such a passion for her side hustle. Taking a leap of faith in making her business full-time allowed her to make more time for her family, while also making an impact. However, becoming an entrepreneur did not come without sacrifice, hard work, and a lot of faith in the vision for her company. ON CREATING QUALITY OF LIFE Sometimes it’s worth sacrificing a higher paying salary to have better quality of life. Kelly talks the importance of examining your happiness and well-being to decide if your career path is truly benefitting you. Investing in others to bring onto your team, others who may do certain tasks better than yourself, not only frees up space in your day, but also in your mind. ON BUILDING A SCHOOL WITH PENCILS OF PROMISE Pencils of Promise is an organization that builds, and staffs schools, in third world countries. Hello World Paper Company has pledged to raise $35,000 to build and staff a full school. Kelly talks about her passion for Pencils of Promise and how children in these countries are craving the education that we often take for granted. About Kelly Smith, Founder of Purpose Generation: Kelly Parker Smith is a rubber stamp designer and manufacturer living just outside St. Louis in Belleville, IL with her husband, her three boys and their rescue kitten Katniss. You can also find Kelly co-hosting the Creative Biz Rebellion podcast where she and Caroline Hull show other product based business owners how to build, maintain, and grow a profitable product based business through their podcast and online courses.   Kelly has been interviewed on The Strategy Hour, All Up In Your Lady Business, Positively Creative and more. Hello World Paper Co products have been featured in Town & Country, Southern Weddings, and Saint Louis Magazine. CONNECT WITH KELLY   Website:  https://www.helloworldpaperco.com Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/helloworldpaperco Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helloworldpaperco/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/helloworldpaper/ Podcast:  https://www.creativebizrebellion.com Courses:  http://www.creativerebelbase.com     Special thanks to CAUSEBOX for sponsoring this week’s Business with Purpose podcast. Use coupon code MOLLY for $15 off! Join my Purchase with Purpose Facebook group and let’s continue the conversation! https://www.facebook.com/groups/purchasewithpurpose/ Subscribe to the Business with Purpose podcast (and I’d love it if you left a review** on iTunes!) Subscribe on iTunes** Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on Radio Public Subscribe via Podcast RSS Feed **Want to know how to leave a review of the Business with Purpose Podcast on iTunes from your iPhone or iPad? Launch Apple’s Podcast app. Tap the Search tab. Enter “Business with Purpose“ Tap the blue Search key at the bottom right. Tap the Blue album art for the podcast. Tap the Reviews tab. Tap Write a Review at the bottom. Enter your iTunes password to login. Tap the Stars to leave a rating. Enter title text and content to leave a review. Tap Send.  

Today’s guest—who for many needs no introduction—is photographer Katelyn James. Katelyn started her photography business during her junior year of college and since then has shot hundreds of weddings alongside her husband Michael, and been featured in national publications such as The Knot, Southern Weddings, BRIDES and others. Beyond that, Katelyn has influenced the wedding photography industry in so many different ways—especially when it comes to marketing one’s business. So it makes sense that thousands of photographers have enrolled in her online courses and her newest membership program: KJ All-Access, where one gets behind-the-scenes access to real weddings, engagements, and portrait shoots. During this interview, I wanted to discuss how Katelyn would market a business if she was starting one today. We reflect on how she built her business, why she started blogging both her professional work and stuff from her personal life, the importance of networking, mistakes she sees business make today, and her approach to marketing. The highlights: 03:30 The first time I met Katelyn 09:01 How Katelyn started her business 13:56 What drove inquiries early in her business. 19:53 How Katelyn decides what to share of her personal life. 24:19 Where she would start if she was building a business today. 30:55 The value of blogging today. 32:10 The most effective way to approach networking. 33:52 The power of building relationships within your industry. 38:56 Where Katelyn focuses her social media efforts. 40:34 Are email lists worth it? 43:15 The benefits of building a community around your business. 50:58 Choosing to focus on your own business and not what everyone else is doing. 55:54 What marketing mistakes Katelyn sees people making. 1:02:21 What you need to do if you want to raise your prices and have longevity in your business. Katelyn started her professional photography journey as a Junior in college and was shooting 25+ weddings annually within her second year. After growing her business and gaining recognition in national publications such as Professional Photographers Magazine, The Knot, Southern Living Weddings, Southern Weddings and multiple other online publications such a Style Me Pretty, BRIDES, Inspired by This, Real Simple, etc. She then began teaching and coaching photographers from all over the country and internationally. In 2015 she was named “Top Ten Educators to Watch” by Rangefinder Magazine and has had the honor of speaking at conferences such as WPPI, United, Creative at Heart, Local PPA meetings, The Rising Tide Summit, The Reset Conference, The Pursuit Conference, Making Things Happen, The Connect Retreat, Blink and more! Katelyn hosts 2-day workshops throughout the year at her home in Richmond, VA. In 2012 Katelyn was joined by her husband Michael and they are officially a husband/wife team. Since joining forces, Katelyn and Michael average 12-15 weddings annually while teaching thousands of photographers through their online courses and KJ All Access monthly membership program! They are parents to their daughter Everly, their son James in heaven and are puppy parents to Bokeh, the Bichpoo! They are passionate about traveling, home design, & spending time dreaming and brainstorming with their closest friends!! See the episode notes at https://daveyandkrista.com/btb-katelyn-james-episode-18 for links to resources.

The crew sits down with social media phenomenon, Communications Director, and Digital Marketer Jasmine Sweet, a freelance blogger for various outlets from Forbes, Huffington Post, Southern Weddings and Everything Girls Love to name a few. Kickback and relax as she drops gems on entreprunership and what it truly takes, mindset, social media philosophies, and purpose. Take notes from one of the best on this episode!!!   5:15 What does it look like to be an Entreprenuer 30:00 Thresholds to Fear 45:35 Social Media and Business 55:35  Time Management Skills 59:00   Where do you go if you want to start a business 1:07:25   Thoughts on Working for Free 1:14:07  Advice for Women / Recognizing Your Superpower as a Woman ————————- Follow Jasmine Sweet @ http://jasminesweet.blog ————————- Follow Us On Social Media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/SpeakBetweenTheLines Instagram: www.instagram.com/SpeakBetweenTheLines Twitter: www.twitter.com/SpeakBetween Youtube: https://goo.gl/HcS3LH ------- Instrumental | Bye Felicia by Skip Jackson Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/KumLaudeMusic/ ------- #speakbetweenthelines #sbtl

In this week's episode we're chatting with calligrapher & copywriter Ashlyn Carter. Ashlyn has taken the creative industry by storm and has written copy for some of the biggest names in the industry, this conversation is about a different project all together. Ashlyn has recently started a YouTube channel featuring tips on writing effective copy, how to use certain programs to maximize efficiency and some fun glimpses into her life & business! We sit down to hear all about her YouTube journey, how she got started with zero video background and why she dedicates so much time to video! This is a great conversation for anyone interested in producing video for their own business or getting started in YouTube! About Ashlyn: Ashlyn writes well-appointed words for creative women as a copywriter & calligrapher. She left her job as a publicist to go full-time with her calligraphy biz for brides--and realized there were lots of creatives fumbling with their message and sales copy (you can take the girl out of the PR agency ... ). Trading clients like Delta Air Lines and Chick-fil-A to write conversion website copy and launch copy for creative industry dreamies like Jenna Kutcher, Desiree Hartsock Bridal, Katelyn James, Heather Crabtree, Hilary Rushford, Shay Cochrane, and Mary Marantz is just the bee's knees. Her calligraphy has been featured in Style Me Pretty, Southern Weddings, and The Knot. When not writing about herself in third person, she’s usually trying to scratch the ink off her fingernails or grabbing margs and tacos with her husband. Follow Ashlyn: Website (http://www.ashlynwrites.com) Instagram (http://www.instagram.com/ashlynscarter) Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/ashlynwrites) YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmkvu3wX14OnCxecaDdjcXA) Follow Tyler: Website (http://www.theherrintons.com) Instagram (http://www.instagram.com/tylerherrinton) Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/herrintonweddings) YouTube Channel (http://www.youtube.com/the-herrintons)

Maghon Taylor is the she behind All She Wrote Notes, a calligraphy and hand lettering studio based in Elon, North Carolina. Her work has been featured on many blogs and publications and she was recently named Best Calligrapher in the South by Southern Weddings.  Maghon has partnered to letter items and host events with national retailers such as West Elm, Neiman Marcus, Kendra Scott, Anthropologie, and Swoozies, as well as dozens of local businesses across North Carolina.  Maghon’s favorite part of her business is teaching and she has taught nearly 4,000 students how to spread happiness through their handwriting with her traveling lettering workshops. She is also the author of Happy Hand Lettering, and has a second book in the works.   She is crazy about her business, but she most enjoys doodling around her home that she shares with her husband and middle school sweetheart Chris, and their one year old son, Vance.  We LOVED chatting with Maghon about her home! We discussed: Her analogy for life's mess ups, which is coincidentally the most Enneagram Type 7 thing we have ever heard Tips to have a successful day while working from home What life changing habit Maghon has begun this year to deal with her phone usage Her love for bright color How she and her mother approach hospitality using their different skills with the same heart April and Bayleigh also give you their tips for preparing your home for Summer! Links mentioned: Bayleigh's Planner April's Planner  Colorful Pens for Planners Emily Ley's Book: Simplified Life Maghon's Book: Happy Hand Lettering Where to find Maghon online: instagram l website l facebook Where to find April and Bayleigh online: instagram l website l facebook

Running a wedding business is very often more than a full-time job and when you add a child to the mix, it's no joke! In this week's episode of the This Week In Weddings podcast, we're chatting with a wedding industry entrepreneur who is also a new mom to hear how she's balancing both roles. Whether you have a young child or are just thinking about how you can make parenthood work when you own your own wedding business, this episode is for you. About our guest:  After graduating from The University of Texas graduate with a degree in botany and 5+ years in the hospitality industry R. Love Floral was born and the business began to take off. Raquel Lovern Harris and her team have been creating beautiful weddings in the DFW + Austin/Hill country areas since 2010. Raquel has since traveled the country to study under the top designers in the world to hone her design eye, experiment with texture and explore the world of flowers.  Balancing family, business and life, Raquel loves spending time with her husband and toddler son – who can be seen around the studio and making trips with her to pick up flowers and such around town. When not designing beautiful weddings and events, she loves teaching floral classes for birthday parties, bachelorette parties and girls night outs. A lover of plants, she is always looking for the best local foliage and blooms to give her designs an earthy garden flair.   Her weddings and photo shoots have been published in over fifty magazines and wedding blogs such as Martha Stewart, BRIDES, Style Me Pretty, Southern Weddings, Ruffled Blog, Magnolia Rouge, Brides of North Texas, D Weddings, Modern Luxury, and My Weddings (sister company to Martha Stewart) named R. Love Floral top ten favorite florists of Texas for 2017.   In this episode, listeners will hear about: How Raquel got started in the wedding industry When Raquel started thinking about motherhood and being both business owner and parent How much Raquel did (or didn't) plan ahead when it came to trying to time the start of her family with the wedding season Taking a maternity leave when you're a wedding business entrepreneur Bedrest, early pregnancies, and taking a baby to work with you Balancing being a business owner with motherhood Raquel's best tips for new mothers running a business Want to connect with Raquel? Website: http://www.rlovefloral.com/  Instagram: @rlovefloral Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rlovefloral/

Have you ever thought about creating a physical product to sell online, maybe even adding one to your digital line up? And if you have, have you found yourself overwhelmed with not really knowing where to start in order to bring that product from merely an idea to something your customers can physically hold in your hands? As most of you know, my business consists of all digital products and I would say 90% of my audience is the same, but I still get questions, pretty frequently, asking me about creating physical products to include in their existing online business. Maybe you’re at a point where you’d like to add a physical product. Questions like: How do I know if I’m ready to add a physical product to my digital mix? Where would I even go to get started? What kind of physical product could I add to the mix? Since I get a lot of questions around this topic, but I’m not the expert, I thought, “Let’s bring on someone who is.” My guest today, Lara Casey - founder of CultivateWhatMatters.com, has authored two books, Cultivate, and Make it Happen, and has had huge success in launching and selling physical products online. If you’ve ever heard of the famous PowerSheets, she’s the creator! Lara is going to talk to us about how she knew it was time to launch a physical product; how she figured out and managed all the details around designing, producing, and fulfilling a physical product. And to keep it real, she shares the ups and downs as she created her product along the way. When I asked Lara to tell my podcast listeners a little bit about herself, this is what she said: “We’re all about planting seeds and helping women to Cultivate What Matters and giving them the tools they need to plant seeds of growing intentional relationships or cultivating their faith...whatever it may be, specific to them.” Planting seeds...cultivating...intentional… I love this! Lara continued, “I’m a mom to three, a grateful wife, and I’m really passionate about helping an instant-results culture embrace the power of little by little progress, instead of perfection.” Now, let’s dig into the interview! QUICK SIDE NOTE to those who are coming here from my podcast for the show notes, I'd love to know if you like this longer, more detailed version of show notes? While not everything from the podcast is included here, it's a pretty thorough representation. Please let me know yay or nay and why in the comments below.  Amy: What are PowerSheets? Lara: The PowerSheets are our goal planner, and they help you to uncover what matters the most to you, make an action plan and then TEND to that, little by little and take action. Amy: It’s beautiful! It looks like a planner. Would you call it a planner? Lara: We get asked that all the time and this is really your day planner’s best friend. We call it a planner because it fits into the marketing realm of being that same type of vein, but it’s more of an action book. We want people to not just plan but start planting things in their lives and to make a mess in this (the PowerSheets). Amy: What your very first product and why did you decide to create it? IN THE BEGINNING Lara: About 12 years ago, my husband Ari was deployed to Iraq, with the Marines. And as you can imagine, at the height of any time of war or turmoil, it can leave you feeling very anxious. And so, this first product, which was Southern Weddings magazine came out of that pain that I was experiencing at the time. As my husband was deployed to Iraq, I sat on my laptop computer alone one night and just thought, "I just really have a deep desire to create beauty in this world that feels so broken," and that sounded like a really grand thing at the time, but it was my real desire. And so, I got on my computer, and I started mocking up a wedding magazine cover, and I didn't have any formal training or background in this. I had an interest in weddings and started to get my feet wet into wedding planning at the time. I think I bought an ebook that was something like Wedding Planning 101. It was $0.99 at the time. What it was really about was that I was fascinated with stories of transformation and how even in the gift of a wedding celebration, you could transport people from feeling despair and hopelessness to a place of hope, to a place of thinking about the future. So, I mocked up this little wedding magazine cover, and I had no idea where it would go from there... I just knew I had to create it. I had this restlessness that I'm sure a lot of your listeners may feel at times. I put it out there to the world, and I thought, "You know what? This is something new and different." I started a blog at the time. If you would have said the word blog to someone, they probably would have thought about the movie The Blob and had no idea what you were talking about. Amy: Like the wild, wild West online, when blogs weren't even popular! Lara: I started a blog to talk about creating meaningful beginnings to married life and started sharing the idea about this wedding magazine. Long story short, it really took off. People were excited about something new and different in the South, not just talking about roasted chicken and tulle at a wedding, but a story and how that story could transform guests' lives. This is how the first physical product came to be. I used my whole life savings and created a physical print version of Southern Weddings magazine. I, again, had no experience in this. I have a degree in music theater, no background in journalism. I just had this desire to do it, and I figured I'm just going to figure it out. I created the first edition on Microsoft Publisher. WHY A PHYSICAL PRODUCT? Lara: There is something to the tangible. I still feel the exact same way today, that I felt 12 years ago -- there's something to holding a product in your hand that has the ability to change someone's life, potentially more than a digital product that maybe they see once and forget about. This physical product is something people could pass on. They could pass it to their sisters, their moms, their best friends...it really started a revolution in the wedding industry. This is back when the only publications that were out there were really big corporate publishing houses. And then, there was me and my cat in the apartment. : ) Amy: What year was this? Lara: This was 2008. If you fast-forward five years from then, I had a major life change happen. Our marriage was really rocky within that time period, five years later, our marriage started to come back together, and that led to our fifth-anniversary issue of Southern Weddings, being about love never fails. And so, the first shop product that we sold in more of an e-commerce platform ... it was Big Cartel at the time ... was a print that said, "Love never fails." In each of these things we've created have really been born out of a pain point, out of some challenge that I experienced in my life. But the print was more about how could we get meaningful messaging into people's hands. It was more about the profit of people, not about dollar signs. It eventually became dollar signs, but it started with the heart of, "If we could just get this messaging literally into people's fingertips, we believe that it would have a domino effect and a ripple effect." CREATING A SOLUTION TO A PAIN POINT Lara: It was right around that time that our business started to boom. as the heartbeat of Southern Weddings started to really beat with the message of, "Love never fails," people really started to grasp onto it, and I became really overwhelmed with so much work, and I just had my first baby. Our marriage was coming back together, so I was trying to balance and prioritize that. I know you've had so much of that in your story too, Amy. It was like, "How do you do it all?" And what I realized, the obvious is I can't do it all and do it well, but I can choose to cultivate what matters. And so, right around that time, I sat down at my desk one day, and I thought, "Man, I have all these things," like my facebook page, my Twitter account at the time (I don't even think that Instagram was a thing), "How am I going to tend to all these things and make them grow?" I would come to the end of a year and just get so frustrated looking back and thinking, "I could have made progress on these things if I would have tended to them little by little." So I got really frustrated, and said, "I need to fix this," and I made myself what I called a tending list. It was just a list of all the priorities, these seeds that I wanted to grow in my life and in my business. Things that I just knew, if I just touched on them a little bit at a time, it would add up. So I created a set of worksheets to help me make progress on the things that mattered, tending to them little by little. It's just like you teach, Amy, about it being focused on action by action. MAKING PROGRESS Lara: And that's when my life started to change. I started to make progress on the things that mattered. People started to see me making progress, amidst a lot of mistakes, and I got an email from a publisher who had read a series that I posted on my blog at the time about goal setting and about how I was doing this differently. The publisher emailed me, and that's how I got my first book contract for Make It Happen, and then my most recent one is Cultivate. At the same time, others began to ask me to create this set of worksheets for them too, and it really took off. Amy: I love these stories, where you create something for yourself and then others want it, and it grows into a business. I mean, how organic can you get, right? Lara: Yes! We have an unofficial, yet, official office motto that is: If you're not excited about it, nobody's going to be excited about it. So, for us, we have to create the things that we use in our everyday lives, the things that we need, and we just have to trust if we've done our research, and  looked at what the market needs, and listened enough, then other people are probably going to be affected by it too, if we are. Amy: If you created these worksheets for yourself, did you just put them out there and that's how you knew others wanted them? Did you sell them and then hope that others wanted them? How did that happen? Lara: It was a lot of both. It was a lot like throwing things to the wind. There weren't any shops around at the time, my friend Lindsay Letters had a shop with a couple prints in it, but there was no one that was really modeling this at the time. So, we were just testing the waters. At the time, I was doing coaching for branding clients, and I tested the PowerSheets out with them in little spurts. We would test it. The content, I tested with the Making Things Happen Conference, which we were doing twice a year (and still do twice a year now). It was being tested, but it wasn't like a full-fledged test in an e-commerce platform. We just really at the time had to take the risk and put it out there. Amy: You were creating a solution to your pain point, to begin with, and then your first customers were people in your local community and people who knew you through Southern Weddings and the Make Things Happen Conference who had that same need, and your product was their answer. Perfect! Tell us what happened from there, as far as you knowing that this was actually going to be a business and not just a one-off order for some friends. For example, did you have a certain amount of workbooks? These worksheets really became a workbook, right? Lara: Yes, you got it. Amy: So did you have a certain amount of workbooks that you wanted to pre-sell before you'd produce the product? Or did you place an order that you could afford at the time and then sold online at stores or events? Give us all the details. MAKING THINGS HAPPEN! Lara: I designed the first round, which was a loose-leaf set of worksheets. We printed them at a local printer, which is something that I think is very important for anybody that's starting out because you get the joy and the asset of having a relationship with someone who's going to hopefully walk you through that process. We did not speak the printer paper product language at first, and I still feel like we're learning that. We didn't know anything about paperweights or bleed on paper or even what was possible. I think it's really important to try a local printer first, even if you think you're going to get a better cost somewhere else, just so you can get that education. We did a very small batch at first, and I think it was like 500 sets of PowerSheets, and that felt like a huge amount for us, at first. I feel very strongly about the power of one, so I thought, "If we could get even these 500 sets of PowerSheets into people's hands,” -- I started to imagine the ripple effect. I hope that's encouragement for anybody that's starting out. Don't compare your numbers to somebody else. Do what you think is best for you right now and just think about the ripple effect. Amy: What were some of your biggest fears at this point, when you started to put it out there? Lara: So many things. The thought of just somebody buying something from us was scary. The thought of, do we know even how to do transactions, or what if someone is unhappy with the product? What if this product doesn't create results for other people like it has for us and the people we've tested it with? What do you do about customer service? How do you print labels? I think the biggest thing is that there was so much unknown. The only way that we were going to figure out how to do it well was to do it and to get as much good advice as we could. But at the time, there weren't any resources for shop owners like there are now. Amy: I love that you put this out there because a lot of my students want the whole roadmap in front of them, and they know I'm a step-by-step girl. So they'll say, "Amy, just give us exactly what we need to do." But if you look back at people that have had major success, they just put it out there, and when an issue comes up, they figure it out, and then there's their process moving forward. Lara: I think you're right. I think that if I would have had a "plan" to start out with, we would have changed so much about it. Especially with e-commerce or selling a physical product in a retail shop, whatever it is, there's so much testing that happens, and asking yourself, "Is this right for us? Can we make this better? How can we put our unique stamp on this?" So I feel like it's actually an advantage to not know the entire roadmap ahead because you get the freedom to change for the better. Amy: That's so powerful. Now, in these early days, when you did your first print run, and you've got your loose-leaf pages out there, you didn't do a pre-order, you actually put the money down, and you ordered 500. Did you sell those online or in person or both? Lara: We sold them online, for the mere fact that we work out of my house. It's a small operation, and that also brought a lot of challenges with it, too. One of the biggest bumps in the road that we've had with production was having a lot of manual labor to do ourselves to package the products. This is not something that our printer at the time could do. We were collating the products by hand, packaging them by hand, stickering them, figuring out how to use the label printer, which we actually did at first. We are grassroots. I remember going to the post office with hundreds of boxes and the post people looking at us like, "Are you kidding me?" Amy: This is how it's done! I love how you built this, because it is completely grassroots, just starting from something really small and doing all the labor yourself. You really had to just get in there and figure stuff out. Thank goodness the product you created was one to help you keep organized because it sounds like there were a lot of moving pieces! So many people get to a place of overwhelm in the process of creating their product, whether it be physical or digital, and they just get stuck and make zero progress. It sounds like this wasn't the case for you. You just kept moving step by step even when you didn't have all the answers. Such a big learning moment. So, you've got your first product out there and it was validated through continued customer demand and sales. How long did you stick with that business model? And when was the next major turning point in your business? TAKING RISKS AND MAKING PIVOTS Lara: I love this question because it takes me right back to the point of taking big risks. One was, at first, our shop was called the Lara Casey shop, and that was just because it was my name at the time that was the heart of the teaching. I was the one creating all the content and all the messaging. But, over the course of several years, we realized that we/I did not want to just tell my story. It was not about me. This product was about other people's stories, and those stories had so much power to them. So one of the biggest pivotal moments for us was stepping back and making the scary decision to completely change the name of our shop. The crazy part was that things were going really well. Sales were good. Things kept trucking along. We'd had a growth rate of almost 150% every year. At the same time, this is where you really start to get to, and I don't want to call it magic, but like, the real heartbeat of where I think success comes from is doing things from your core, from your why, and always being willing to take risks for that. So for us, we had this conversation I'll never forget it. We stopped one day, and we said, "You know what? This name is not working. This is not about me anymore. How can we have a name that allows us to give other people the reins and to make it about them?" And so, we went around and around with a lot of different ideas and just kept coming back to why we do what we do, which is to help women cultivate what matters. We changed the name of our shop from the Lara Casey shop to Cultivate What Matters, and that turning point was like a huge flood for us, because it wasn't about selling a product; it was about teaching people a different way of living and about changing the way that they think, and that's when things started to really click. It's easy to be complacent. It's easy just to look at numbers. But again, when you're looking at the profit of people, -- like how can we actually affect people's lives in a more profound way -- you're working with a whole different set of rules, and it makes the risks worth it. Amy: At this point, demand increased even more, right? Lara: Yes. Amy: What did that look like? Did you add more products? Did you move from local? Give us all the details. Lara: One Thanksgiving I was sitting with my family on shipping boxes for Thanksgiving dinner, because my living room was full of boxes, and that was the breaking point. That's when I said, "You know what? I think we have grown to the point where something needs to change." One change we made was taking the fulfillment away from our hands and putting it into a local warehouse, and that was a scary move because, through Southern Weddings, we have always held to the fact that there's magic in a handwritten note. I would write handwritten notes with all of the first PowerSheets orders. I mean, it would take me days, writing hundreds of notes because of that "power of one". But, in order to grow with your business, to affect more people's lives, sometimes, you have to let go of some things and choose more meaningful things that you can do on a larger scale. One thing that was really important to us was to have a local warehouse, where we could still have a touchpoint. We could still deliver handwritten notes and I could get my dining room back! : ) As far as production goes, we outgrew our local printer, and the strain of the manual labor really became unsustainable for us. And having so many amazing, sweet friends come to my house to collate PowerSheets on my back porch all the time, it just started to NOT add up. So, we started to look at different options. To give you a little bit of background, we are a debt-free company, which I’m very grateful for and it's something we worked very hard for. So we didn’t take out any loans for this growth. We have embraced this principle not just in our business, but in our lives and what we teach, that it's okay to grow slow. We have many times had to deal with sellouts, which sounds like a wonderful problem to have -- it's a blessing for sure when a product sells out, but for us, it was by necessity. We only ordered as much as we could. And in being a debt-free company, and in believing that growing slow was really important to us, it took a long time to figure out a better option for production. We wanted to be really intentional about that. So, fast-forward, during that bump, we started working with a company called Codra. Codra is essentially like a middleman between us — the designer and the shop — and international and US production. We found them through my book publisher, Thomas Nelson, who produce a lot of Bibles and book content like that. I'm telling you this because more than looking for the right price point, and more than looking for the best deal, it's about looking for the right relationship. Because if you're really in this for the long haul, and if you really want it to be a product that is sustainable for the long term, then that relationship behind it has to be, too. All that to say that the team at Codra are our best advocates, and they have found us international partners and even domestic partners - production manufacturers - that have really strong integrity. This was so, so important to us that the integrity of our product started even at production and went all the way through our customer delight, all the way down to the way we package things, that there was no stone left unturned. So, that was the biggest bump for us, was making that leap of faith to go with an outside production house. Amy: So now they're being printed in China, but you have a middleman, so you don't have to go over to China and watch them and make sure everything's working properly and all that stuff? Lara: That's correct. We love them so much because they take such care to make sure that our manufacturing partners are also really taken care of. They are the ones that travel there all the time, and they are there working with multiple clients at a time. It's neat to know that they have such integrity with those relationships, and they're passing that onto us. Amy: Did you have to get a business loan to move on to this next big step in terms of moving from local to international printing? MARKETING MATTERS Lara: No, and I'm really grateful for that. We just grew at the pace that we knew we could sustain, but this is where we had to get really smart. When you reach a certain point, I mean, really at any point in your marketing, as you know more than anybody else, Amy, you've got to get smart about your marketing. You have to have the right data, and that's when it was about four years into our process (we've had PowerSheets for almost seven years now) when we started to really look at the data, and we started to look at our analytics and started to grow our email list and work on these things that we felt like were great benchmarks to knowing. If we could get to those key performance indicators, like having a certain number of newsletter subscribers or whatever those metrics are, that we would feel more confident in making a larger purchase for more inventory for the next one. We couldn't take risks with that anymore or just shoot the wind with a number that sounded good. We had to start looking at the data and making great strides towards that. Amy: And it can be scary to look at the data. Some of my students say they don't want to look, because they're not really sure what they're looking for, and they might not even want to know the truth if they're being really honest with themselves. So this was something that you did that most people don't do -- you got really knowledgeable about what the numbers told you. Lara: Yes, and we started with no email list. I remember when our former marketing director came to us, and she's like, "So tell me about your email list." It was like I felt list shame. I was like,, "What kind of list are you talking about here?" Amy: It happens to us all. Lara: It does, but I think more so than any numbers, it was about providing helpful content for people...we're not product producers. Like I said earlier, we're seed planters. First and foremost, we're about helping women change their lives and giving them the tools to do that. If we weren't doing that in our day-to-day content, there's no way that product is going to be a long-term thing in their lives anyway. Amy: To give us a little perspective here, can you share a quick timeline from the printing of your first workbook to where you are at this point in our chat now, producing your product in China? Lara:  We first started in 2011 - I printed that workbook for myself to use at first. In 2013, we produced the first small batch of 500 workbooks at the local printer for our first customers. In 2014, we bumped up production to about 3,000 (switched from selling them on Big Cartel to Shopify, where we still are today). Printed at the same printing house in the US. In 2015, we sought out a really great international partner through Codra. We do most of our printing here in the US for our accessory products. We use a couple printers: We love Curry Printing, in Dallas, Texas, and then Smart Press is another partner that we use here stateside. But in 2016, that's when things started to change big time. That's the year that we changed the name of our company. And, up until this point, this was a mostly black and white product. And if anybody knows me, I have a very colorful product. This is really one of the hallmarks of our company, is about living your life in full color. And so, we took a really big risk. I remember being so scared to put color in our product thinking nobody's going to like this. It's not neutral enough. We're not going to reach everyone. But when we try to be everyone or everything for everybody, that's when you really miss the magic. Then we put stickers in there, and we started to make goal setting fun, and that became our hallmark. And that's also when we embraced that mantra of, "If you're not excited about it, nobody's going to be excited about it." We changed it from being loose-leaf worksheets to a bound workbook. One of the other big things we did is we started to cut products from our shop. We had grown our shop under the impression that more is better. FINDING YOUR CENTRAL FOCUS TO PROPEL YOU FORWARD Lara: Once you really find your niche, and you find what matters, having one central focus is really what propelled us forward. So we decided to make the PowerSheets the main product, with everything else as a support to that main focus and system. Amy: I can't get over how many great lessons you are sharing! It’s all the stuff that I teach, but you're saying it differently and putting it into a different light, and I'm loving it! So, you shaved down some of your products to get really focused on the one that was really doing well for you, and you knew it was the right fit for your audience. Lara: Yes, but it was scary because cutting things out makes you feel like you're not going to please everybody. But it had to become more about the impact and realizing that we could make a bigger impact if we could help people make a better buying decision by giving them less to choose from. Amy: So, now we know the product, but you said accessories -- I'm very curious about what that means. I'd also love to know about your team size, your production site, your warehouse, all that good stuff. Lara: I love that you encouraged our listeners, too, that this doesn't happen overnight. It's a joy and an honor to be able to share the start of the story instead of just where we are now, because I would feel so intimidated if I just heard the end instead of knowing that it took hard work, and most of these things that were successes were because I made a lot of mistakes on the way. But, out of all of those mistakes and trial and error, we have come up with a product lineup that, like I said, centralizes on or focuses on the PowerSheets and uncovering what matters to you, making an action plan and then doing something about it. We know there's not a one-size-fits-all program for everybody's life, so we have to be able to customize that for different people. We haven't shared any of this yet, but I'm excited to share here that for the release of our 2019 PowerSheets, we’re going to have four covers for the one-year sets. This is exciting for us because people have always wanted to choose the color that matches their life. And there's a lot of intentionalities that went behind those covers, too. So, we’ll have four one-year sets of PowerSheets, with one six-month undated set. The six-month undated set was a very intentional decision too. People sometimes find out about us in the middle of the year, and we believe there's nothing magical about January 1st. You should be able to set goals at any time you want. We also have another cornerstone product, which is our Write The Word Journal, and it's a Bible journal that allows you to just literally write Bible verses, and those have been super popular for people that want to cultivate their faith. So we have seven Write The Word Journals. We also have a new product we just released, which is Write the Word for Kids. And this is where it gets fun as far as dreaming about if you have a core product, how could an accessory fuel that product? We came up with five different goal guides: a goal guide for parents; a goal guide for friendship and relationships; one for wellness; and one for finances. So if those things are important to you, that's where that supports the main product. Amy: I like how these extras all support the main product. Lara: Yes, because if they detract or, here's where it gets technical, if we have a product that felt like it merited its own separate launch and didn't support the other products, we would have a hard time getting people to purchase the main system that we're teaching about in our day-to-day content. It can actually be a distraction in a way. We also have our Goal Setting Sticker Book, because goal setting should be fun! : ) Amy: Months ago, I wanted to buy the PowerSheets when all my friends were all about them and they were sold out and I was bummed out. Well, the other day, I was lucky to get this nice beautiful box in the mail from you - I was so excited! Thank you for that! I'm embarrassed to say how excited I was about the stickers, but I was. So that was extra fun! Lara: We often talk about how the stickers are fun, but this is where a researched-backed, data-oriented mindset can help you create a product that's really fun. For us, knowing that there is power in the handwritten word, as opposed to typing something digitally, there's power in marking something that's meaningful for you. And with the stickers, for instance, stickers that say things like “top priority” and “this matters”, there's actually something that happens in your brain when you're putting a sticker on a goal that really matters to you. Your mind starts to make decisions and you start to go through a series of trying to figure out how you're going to do that. THERE’S NO “I’ IN TEAM! Amy: Tell me about your team size and the positions you have on your team. Lara: We have a team of nine women who I'm very grateful to work alongside. Half of them work here in my home office in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and the other half work remotely. CEO and Visionary: That’s me (Lara Casey). We use our PowerSheets for business, but we also use the Traction model, and that has been really helpful for us, for anybody that is starting to grow a team, Traction and the EOS principles have been awesome to get us organized as far as our team structure, who reports to who, and how all that works really well. Creative Director: This is where we show our small business card. The Creative Director is also our Chief of Staff, so we like to do that when we're small. Director of Operations: Mostly handles the production side of working with our production partners on the products and making sure our fulfillment team is helping our customers to be delighted. Graphic Designer: Helps with both product design and marketing design. Customer Delight Manager: This is a huge position for us. One of the central focuses for us is making sure our customers feel delighted, which is why we don't call it customer service. Content Marketing Manager PR manager Conference Director for the Making Things Happen Conference And we're hunting for a Marketing Director right now. So, if anybody out there is interested, click here. Amy: I hope that someone reading this is the perfect fit or knows someone who is. Lara: We want to stay a small team, and even in our 10-year vision, we have plans to hopefully just remain like 12 to 13 people, because we have that agility, the ability to be nimble, the ability to make quick decisions and act on them. The Traction Model was really helpful for us to be able to do that. Amy: Tell us about your current production method and your new warehouse. Lara: We just switched to a new warehouse, in Kentucky, through a company called EasyPost. EasyPost is a tech company, so they're very much focused on advancements in technology. They created a software that is also labeled the same thing, EasyPost, but they also do fulfillment now. Fulfillment means that we get our product to their warehouse, and they take care of everything on the shipping side. Our system links in with them through Shopify, and they take care of sending all the orders out. For production, we still use the same people that we've been using for the last three years, which is Codra, Curry Printing and Smart Press. The reason we chose the new warehouse in Kentucky is there, through the advancement in technology, is a decrease in human error. We have a lot of influxes of launch dates, where we sold far more than we expected to. We had these big bumps, and our current warehouse just wasn't able to handle that without a lot of errors. It has been really helpful to work with the team that does Kickstarter. They do high production for lots of different shops that might have 25,000 products go out on the day, but they can also do our normal day-to-day quantities, too. Amy: Fantastic! Things happen...you made choices to change things up to make it better, and that’s how your business has grown over the years. So many different changes, but based on needs, wants, mistakes and everything in between. Looking back. If you knew back then what you know now, what would you have done differently? IF ONLY I HAD KNOWN THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW Lara: I would have owned our mantra earlier of, "If you're excited about it, chances are other people will be too." That really is the best form of marketing that we've experienced: If it’s a product or a piece of content that we need and will change our everyday lives, it's worth taking a risk to put out there in hopes that other people will too. That's where we really get to the power of one. So, I would say, "Take risks for what matters." And then I would also say, "Keep making it better." I am amazed that every year when we start talking about the next year's version of the PowerSheets, or really any of our products, that there are hundreds of changes that get made. We don't just rest on our laurels. We are making it better through listening to our customer, asking them questions like, "Is this working for you?" Hearing their stories and giving them lots of opportunities to give us feedback. Keep making it better. Never stop growing. Amy: If you could give my listeners and readers one or two pieces of advice if they're thinking about launching a physical product, what would that be? Lara: I would say make something that you need. Make something that you know that you will authentically be able to tell people, "This filled a need for me," or, "This filled a need for my mom," or someone that's close to you. It has to have a personal story behind it. People grasp on to the power of story, and they will listen to you if you’re being authentic with them and telling them about your product. The other thing I would say is, just what we have experienced throughout this whole six-year period of having PowerSheets and 12 years of Southern Weddings, that it's okay to grow slow. You don't have to have the whole plan to get started. Good things take root over time, and little by little, good things grow and they bloom. Amy: There are so many great little nuggets you’ve shared with us! This has been a real eye-opener for me as well because I've never done a physical product, would not even know where to start, but these lessons you learned along the way are just priceless for anybody thinking of doing a physical product or even just adding a physical product to their online business. I think your story shows us that there are no shortcuts, but it can really pay off when you come from a place like you did of wanting to serve your customer well and providing them with products that can bring about change. _______ Ok, my reader, was this interview not just packed with great insight and inspiration?! Head over to www.CultivateWhatMatters.com/Amy to see Lara’s amazing products (and check out that job listing, if they haven’t filled it by the time you’re reading this). When you use that special link, Lara is giving you a special discount because you’re part of my awesome community. Yay for us! And, thank you, Lara! Also, don't forget to let me know, in the comments below, if you like this longer, more detailed version of show notes. I appreciate your input! This episode is sponsored by my free masterclass, How to Create Your Ultimate List-Building Catch-Up Plan. You can get it at http://www.amyporterfield.com/listbuilding. If you are not building your email list every single day there is no better time than right now!

Initially, Jose’s parents were nervous about him becoming a photographer. As recent US immigrants, they didn’t think his dreams of making money in portrait photography would come to fruition and wanted to see him take on a more traditional career path.  But Jose knew he was onto something when he started taking photos in high school, and his friends started paying him for senior portrait sessions. He loved portraits, he loved film, and he never looked back. Since then, Jose has been shooting film professionally for all of his clients. He’s been photographing weddings for about 16 years and finds them to be completely immersive, personal, and life-changing for everyone involved.  In this episode, Jose sits down to share his perspective and tips on what it’s like to be a professional wedding photographer who has an eye for fine art, and how his niche in film photography plays out in the digital age. About Jose Jose Villa is a fine art wedding photographer known for crafting vibrant, energetic, fine art images that are as unique as the people in the photographs. Jose has been published in many magazines around the world, including Grace Ormonde Wedding Style, Elegant Bride, Instyle Weddings, Inside Weddings, Brides Magazine, Modern Bride, Martha Stewart Weddings, Brides, Pacific Weddings, Southern Weddings, and many more.  He has been named a top wedding photographer in Martha Stewart Weddings, Harper’s Bazaar, Style Me Pretty, and Vogue, and was recently listed in the Top 10 Wedding Photographers in the World by American Photo Magazine. Jose is the author of Fine Art Wedding Photography. Jose was born in Mexico and grew up in Solvang, California.  He attended Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA.   Show Highlights: Jose open up about his parents’ initial reaction to him wanting to be a photographer What motivated Jose originally to take photography classes in high school The one person who helped boost Jose’s confidence as a young photographer How Jose got his first gig as a wedding photographer Jose defines what fine art photography is when it comes to weddings Why Jose continues to shoot in film even after the rise of digital photography The things Jose worries about when waiting for developed film to come back Why candid photos mean so much especially to friends and family The way a photographer’s presence at a wedding impacts the event as a whole as well as the bride and groom’s wedding day experience. What to do if guests pull out cameras or cell phones during the ceremony Jose shares his go-to gear for shooting weddings in film   Links Mentioned in the Show: Jose Villa - Fine Art Wedding Photography Jose Villa on Instagram - @josevilla Jose’s book - Fine Art Wedding Photography The Man Who Listens To Horses by Monty Roberts

Ashlyn writes well-appointed words for creative women as a copywriter & calligrapher. She left her job as a publicist to go full-time with her calligraphy biz for brides--and realized there were lots of creatives fumbling with their message and sales copy (you can take the girl out of the PR agency ... ). Trading clients like Delta Air Lines and Chick-fil-A to write website copy and launch copy for creative industry dreamies like Jenna Kutcher, Katelyn James, Heather Crabtree, Hilary Rushford and Justin & Mary Marantz is just the bee's knees. Her calligraphy has been featured in Southern Weddings and The Knot. When not writing about herself in third person, she’s usually trying to scratch the ink off her fingernails or grabbing margs and tacos with her husband.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO GOAL PLAN WHEN GROWING A BUSINESS? This week I sat down with author, publisher and speaker, Lara Casey. Lara Casey is a mom to three (one through the gift of adoption), a grateful wife, and a believer in the impossible (she and her husband have quite the story!). She is passionate about helping people get unstuck, unrushed, and living on purpose instead of by accident. To help with those things, she created the PowerSheets™, a grace-filled goal setting planner, the Write the Word™ journals, and founded Southern Weddings a decade ago. You can read her whole story in her first book, Make It Happen: Surrender Your Fear, Take the Leap, Live On Purpose. You can meet Lara on her weekly Facebook Live, on her blog, or at the Making Things Happen conference. Lara loves the women she works alongside each day, the smell of white lilies, getting her hands dirty in the garden, exploring local farms, and living in Chapel Hill, NC! HERE'S WHAT YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: Lara’s story and how she got to where she is todays (and some of the issues and experiences she encountered along the way) The importance of sketching out your goals in all areas of life; not just in business Why it’s okay to GROW SLOW and what that can look like in your life How to become comfortable and okay in growing slow The importance of not just looking at the big picture, but also looking at the REALLY BIG picture Considerations for running your business out of your home The importance of intentionality in your business and your life Why it’s a good idea to visualize where you want to be when you’re 80 years old The difference between living by accident vs. living on purpose How (and where) to begin with Living on Purpose How to get on track with pursuing what’s meaningful to you Why progress is more important that perfection and tips to help you stay focused on progress LINKS WE MENTIONED ON THE SHOW: Lara Casey Power Sheets Make it Happen Southern Weddings Cultivate

Today on the podcast, we are chatting with Maghon Taylor all about having a business, having a baby and making them work together. Maghon was such a joy to have on the show and we know you will enjoy this funny, confetti filled, real talk episode.   About Maghon Maghon Taylor is the she behind All She Wrote Notes, a calligraphy and hand lettering studio based in Elon, North Carolina. Her work has been featured on many blogs and publications and she was recently named Best Calligrapher in the South by Southern Weddings. Maghon has partnered to letter items and host events with national retailers such as West Elm, Neiman Marcus, Anthropologie, and Swoozies, as well as dozens of local businesses across North Carolina. She has taught nearly 4,000 students how to spread happiness through their handwriting with her traveling lettering workshops across the South, but she most enjoys doodling around her home that she shares with her husband and middle school sweetheart Chris, and their one year old baby Vance.   Connect with MaghonWebsite | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Shop   Are you wanting to join a community of product biz owners? We’d love to have you join us in the Facebook group! We can't wait to meet you!Interested? Click here for more info!   Follow us on instagram (@creativebizrebellion) and use hashtag #creativebizrebellion for a shop shout out!!! If you have a second please jump over to iTunes and leave us a review! Click on the link and then click on “view in iTunes” to leave us a review. We give you all the virtual fist bumps. Thank you! JOIN THE REBELLION! Sign up for our newsletter and get our fave list of Instagram hashtags FREE! YOU CAN FIND KELLY ONLINE AT: www.helloworldpaperco.com www.kellyparkersmith.com www.helloworldstamps.etsy.com YOU CAN FIND CAROLINE ONLINE AT: www.carolinecreates.com www.carolinecreates.etsy.com SHOW YOUR REBEL SPIRIT WITH SOME AWESOME GEAR FROM THE CREATIVE BIZ REBELLION SHOP: www.creativebizrebellion.com/shop

We are an award winning wedding planning agency specializing in destination weddings in Coastal Georgia and Mexico. We wrote the book on weddings in the Saint Simons Island and Jekyll Island area (No, seriously. We did. Check out the Little Blue Wedding Book). Our advice and work has been featured in many print and online publications such as The Knot, Real Simple, Southern Weddings, BRIDES Atlanta and HLN TV. We love a good party– no matter how large or intimate, and it is our pleasure to assist with your wedding day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Featuring Morgan Montgomery, co-owner of specialty rental company Paisley & Jade, this episode of the This Week in Weddings podcast discusses getting into public speaking as a business owner. About our guest:   A New England native, Virginia resident, and lover of all things modern, clean-lined and loud, Morgan discovered her passion for unique and vintage finds as she designed and propped shows while working towards her B.A. in Theatre from The College of the Holy Cross. With years of sales and customer service experience behind her, she spent three years in the trenches of the off-premise catering world before co-launching Paisley & Jade, a specialty rental company serving the Mid-Atlantic, in 2012. Morgan’s passion for business and events extends beyond the walls of P&J, and she loves to share her knowledge through the Paisley & Jade specialty rental coaching program and by speaking at national conferences such as NACE Experience, The Special Event, and The School of Styling.Morgan’s personal and professional work has been featured extensively in national and regional publications, including Southern Weddings, Richmond Magazine, Sage Wedding Pros and The Huffington Post. In this episode, listeners will hear about: Morgan's reason for wanting to get into public speaking The process of applying for public speaking gigs and conferences Preparing for public speaking presentations What to expect for payment for speaking at conferences Tips for combating nerves when speaking for the first time Want to connect with Morgan?   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaisleyAndJade/  Instagram: @paisleyandjade / @mrgnmntgmry twitter: @paisleyandjade Pinterest: pinterest.com/paisleyandjade

On this week’s episode of the Business with Purpose podcast, my guest is Lara Casey Isaacson. Lara is the author of Make it Happen and Cultivate (releasing in June 2017!), she is a speaker, the founder of the Cultivate What Matters shop (and the creator of the PowerSheets goal setting planner), and she is also the publisher of ... Read More about EP 37: Lara Casey Isaacson, Author, Founder of Cultivate What Matters, and Publisher of Southern Weddings Magazine

Katie is a hybrid film wedding photographer traveling the world capturing the most precious memories for others and chasing her dreams in the process. Her desire is to capture tangible love and share it with a world that's in desperate need of it's reminder. She's been blessed to be a professional photographer for the past 10 years, 6 of which have been full time. She loves sharing her client's creativity with others and has been published on Style Me Pretty, Southern Weddings, 100 Layer Cake, Wedding Sparrow and many other inspirational wedding blogs.

Hey you guys you are in for a treat this week on Mom Inspired Show! We have Amber Housley who is the marketing director of Southern Weddings magazine and Cultivate What Matters as well as having her own brand Amber Housley and Inspired Retreat. If you guys have a business this is an episode to listen to if it's an MLM business if you have a store on Etsy or even if you're just getting started Amber share some great tips just for our Mom Inspired Show and she also talks about what it's like working full-time and running her own brand while having two young kids.  I hope you walk away feeling inspired and if you have friends that are starting businesses or just feel kind of stuck make sure you share this episode with them. Guest Contact Info: amberhousley.com Instagram: @AmberHousely

We are super excited to bring on our friend Amber Housley to the podcast today. We had the opportunity to meet Amber last year at the Savvy Experience and it was so wonderful getting to know her, getting to hang out with her, and learning more about what she does. Because if you all didn’t know, she does a lot! Amber has her hands in a lot of creative businesses. She is rocking it at her own brand and along with that, she also has the Inspired Retreat, the Joyful Garden Planner, and her brand new course, Blooming Business Kits. In addition, she’s also the marketing director for Lara Casey Media, which means she has her hands in Southern Weddings, PowerSheets, everything Lara Casey. She’s a busy mama. Together we dive into talking about that support role and what it’s like to not always play boss. We discuss the benefits, the challenges, what she’d love to change, and what it is truly like when you are resisting taking on that support role or embracing it completely. We also talk a little bit about balance and what it means to run a lot of creative businesses and have your hands in a lot of different pots. Amber is an amazing example, role model, and a very humble human being, so you definitely have to listen in! Thank you for listening! Please subscribe, rate and review The Strategy Hour Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. For show notes go to thestrategyhour.com.

Aside from being my wedding photographer(!), Katie is a wedding photographer in Charleston South Carolina specializing in outdoor weddings at historic & unique venues. her work has been published on some of the top wedding blogs - Martha Stewart Weddings, Junebug Weddings and Southern Weddings.

Tara Guerard is the Southeast's premier wedding planner & event designer.  She is the founder of Soiree by Tara Guerard based in Charleston SC.  Her sister company The Lettered Olive specializes in ...

Tara Guerard is the Southeast's premier wedding planner & event designer.  She is the founder of Soiree by Tara Guerard based in Charleston SC.  Her sister company The Lettered Olive specializes in ...