This Week In Weddings

Think back to that client you absolutely LOVED working with. How would you like to have every client be that client? Sounds dreamy, right? Well, that perfect client doesn't have to be a fluke. It today's episode of the This Week In Weddings podcast, we're talking to consultant and author Heidi Thompson about how to clone your best clients.  About our guest:  Heidi Thompson is the best-selling author of Clone Your Best Clients and the founder of Evolve Your Wedding Business where she specializes in business and marketing strategy for wedding professionals. She helps wedding professionals grow their businesses and reach their goals without going crazy in the process. Her business & marketing expertise has been featured on several wedding and business outlets including The Huffington Post, Social Media Examiner, Wedding Business Magazine, Sprouting Photographer, Photo Biz Xposed, Honeybook, WeddingWire World & she’s an advisory board member for the UK Academy Of Wedding & Event Planning. You can als

Have you ever wished you had a degree in psychology to better understand your clients? Well if so, this episode of the This Week In Weddings podcast is for you! From "Daddy's Girl" brides to the quiet and shy "Mouse" we're digging into different personality types of brides and how to best deal with them. About our guest:  Kylie Carlson is the CEO of the International Academy of Wedding and Event Planning providing training and certification for wedding planners, stylists and designers since 2005. Having worked in the events industry for over 25 years running her own wedding planning and production company in London providing services to some of London’s premiere venues, she gained a decade of knowledge on how to run a successful wedding business. Kylie immigrated to Australia in 2003 where she worked as the Event Operations Director for Hayman Island, a five star resort in North Queensland. After a year on Hayman she then launched the first Academy campus in Australia. Since launching she now offers her trai

It's Thanksgiving week, and we're taking some time out to be thankful. In this mini-episode of the This Week In Weddings podcast, Kimberly and Annie share some of the things they are thankful for this holiday season.  

Have you ever considered opening a second location for your wedding business? If so, this week's episode of the This Week in Weddings podcast is for you. From determining when to travel to each of your locations and delegating to a team that can work independently, this week's episode dives into the hows of managing a business in two different markets.  About our guest:  As Partner and Creative Director of Jackson Durham, Heath Alan Ray is the award-winning creative force behind the company’s stunning Southern-inflected floral design. With over 20 years industry experience, clients from celebrities to athletes have turned to Heath for his bespoke design philosophy to create both breathtaking and unforgettable events. Before opening Jackson Durham in Atlanta in 2009, Heath worked as a floral designer for over nine years in Dallas, Memphis and New York City. While in New York, Heath worked as the in-house florist at Henri Bendel along with other upscale clients such as MoMA, the American Museum of Natural Hist

With the end of the year quickly approaching and the start of another year on the horizon, there's no better time to take a look at your business finances. In this episode of the This Week In Weddings podcast, we're chatting with financial guru Paco de Leon about the things we should be doing as the year wraps up from a financial and accounting perspective. About our guest:  Paco de Leon is a musician who happens to be killer at finance. She has spent most of her career working with creatives who also do business. Her experience ranges from business consulting, business management, financial planning, wealth management and she even spent some time at a big, evil bank. Her experiences have lead her to found The Hell Yeah Group, a financial firm focused on inspiring creatives to be engaged with their personal and business finances and more importantly, to give them the tools and support to stop freaking out about it.   She lives in the Echo Park neighborhood in sunny Los Angeles with her wife Jenn. She plays i

Independent contractors. Employees. Interns. Salary. Hourly. There is so much to consider when it comes to adding members to your team, and in this week's episode of the This Week in Weddings podcast, we're talking to employment attorney Caroline Harrison about the ins and outs about growing your team the legally correct way.   About our guest:  Caroline Harrison is a founding Partner of Dowell Pham Harrison LLP. As an attorney Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, she represents employers in disputes with former employees, and guides them through the sometimes confusing arena of employment law. Her practice focuses on employment litigation and counseling. Caroline assists employers in a variety of areas, including anti-discrimination and retaliation laws, drafting and enforcing covenants not to compete and non-solicitation agreements, and protection of trade secrets. She advises employers on the Family and Medical Leave Act, (FMLA), Unemployment Compensation

In a service-based business, there is always a limit of scalability. You can only work so many hours and so many weddings, and the most common way to scale your business is to bring on more team members.  In this week's episode of the This Week in Weddings podcast, we're talking to photographer Katie Doherty, who in addition to her photography business has created a successful online, product-based business, La Rousse Shoppe. With her online business, Katie literally makes money while she sleeps, and she's sharing her story of passive income with us this week's episode.   About our guest:  Katie Doherty is a whimsical redheaded photographer and entrepreneur, who has built a six figure e-commerce company from the ground up in just two years. La Rousse Shoppe sells boutique packaging products, such as glass photo boxes and USB drives, to professional photographers. It all started with Katie’s love of creating beautiful things, fueled by a desire for freedom and the ability to work from anywhere. Her favorite a

When you're a high achiever with high standards and a strong work ethic, it's easy to take it to the extreme. Working crazy hours dealing with difficult clients and being in an industry that is focused around servicing others, it's no wonder that many wedding industry professionals have suffered through bouts of burnout. In this week's episode of the This Week in Weddings podcast, we're talking to sales consultant and coach Rachel Sheerin, who dealt with a major case of burnout in the hospitality industry. After a bit of a break from the event industry and some personal reflection, Rachel has now created a life she loves. Check out this episode to hear about the symptoms of burnout and tips from Rachel for getting through it. About our guest:  Rachel Sheerin is a national public speaker and the owner of She Sells, a sales strategy firm that focuses on helping creative entrepreneurs grow sales and enjoy their success. Some of her clients include wedding & event professionals, Etsy sellers, independent rec

In today's world of social media, good publicity and bad publicity can spread like wildfire. For a small business owner, that can be scary! Could one negative review or one disgruntled client completely destroy your business and the reputation you've worked so hard to build and maintain? In this week's episode of the This Week in Weddings podcast, we're talking to photographer, author and coach Andrea Polito, who was thrown into the spotlight when one of her wedding couples went on the local news to talk negatively about her business. A two year legal battle resulted in her winning a defamation lawsuit, and Andrea's on the podcast to share her story.   About our guest:  Author, Coach, Speaker and Internationally acclaimed photographer Andrea Polito is a master-lifestyle and wedding photographer sought after by celebrities and professional athletes. Her work has been featured in over 150 publications including Town and Country, Architectural Digest, Martha Stewart, Time, Huffington Post and New York Times.  S

As a creative entrepreneur, it can often be a challenge to consistently be creating new and innovative work. With the pressures of social media and the pressures of running a business, it's no wonder that creative entrepreneurs can easily fall into a creative rut.  In this week's episode of the This Week in Weddings podcast, we're chatting with custom invitation designer and calligrapher Lauren Essl about her struggle with being in a creative rut. We're getting real in this week's episode, and we're certain that creative entrepreneurs will be able to relate. About our guest:  Blue Eye Brown Eye is a calligraphy and design studio specializing in custom wedding and event invitations, calligraphy services, and calligraphy classes. Founder Lauren Essl began Blue Eye Brown Eye (named after her rescue pup, Olive, with a blue and brown eye) in 2010, and has worked with countless clients and taught thousands (really!) of people the art of pointed pen calligraphy. You can also find online calligraphy classes by Laure

In this week's episode of the This Week in Weddings podcast, we're chatting with business coach Dane Sanders about entrepreneurs holding themselves back. While it's easy to use limiting language (and most don't even realize they are doing it!), Dane shares his perspectives on changing one's mindset in order to transform their businesses. About our guest:  With earned degrees in business and philosophy, 12+ years as a professional photographer, over a decade of speaking, consulting and coaching and 2 best-selling business books for creatives, Dane Sanders helps owners move the needle of their business. Seth Godin describes Dane’s Fast Track Photographer book as “a priceless gift… offering advice on how to make a living in world where everyone has a camera.” Dane is also founder at Fastermind.co - a community of creative entrepreneurs committed to transforming their businesses through solid education, fierce conversations and no-messing-around accountability. Dane lives with his family in Newport Beach, Califo

Managing a wedding business is hard. Add kids into the mix and it's even harder. For all those single parents out there doing it, we are in awe! In this week's episode of the This Week in Weddings podcast, we're talking with a New Orleans based wedding planner who is doing just that – managing a business as a single parent. And you guys... she home schools one of her kids too! Hear how she does it all and keeps her head above water in this week's episode of This Week In Weddings! About our guest:  Emily Sullivan is the owner and visionary behind Emily Sullivan Events. She believes that the wedding planning process should be both fun and stress-free! A southern girl at heart, she loves the hospitality aspect of wedding planning and aims to make her clients feel both comfortable and welcome in the city of New Orleans. With over 11 years in the industry and 500+ weddings under her belt, she has the experience and relationships needed to make every wedding day the best! Emily is the inaugural president of the Ne

Depending on where in the country you live, you might have just finished your busy wedding season or you might just be starting it. Regardless, getting through the peak season in your wedding business is no joke! In this mini-episode of This Week In Weddings, Kimberly and Annie share some of their top tips for surviving the busy wedding season. From meal planning to couriers, you're sure to get a few take-away tips in this week's podcast to help you survive your busiest time of year!  

How your present yourself can affect how you're perceived by your clients, potential clients, and wedding industry peers. Are you putting your best foot forward, not only with your appearance but also your body language and communication style? In this week's episode of This Week In Weddings, we're talking to image consultant Tara Hooper, owner of The Style Signature about how to "show up" in order to have the most positive impact. About our guest:  Tara Hooper is a certified image consultant and personal brand specialist who has helped people present their best selves for over 20 years. Founder of The Style Signature and Signature Consulting, she believes that image perception directly impacts profitability and productivity and is passionate about providing effective tools and strategies to help clients showcase their most confident, authentic selves. Her own evolution from teen beauty queen to professional hair stylist & makeup artist to successful image consultant and confidence coach gives her unique

Networking in the wedding industry doesn't just have to mean belonging to a dedicated, weekly networking group or joining an event or wedding association. There are other ways to build and grow your network of wedding industry peers, colleagues and friends. In this episode of This Week In Weddings, we're talking to John Cain Sargent, owner of John Cain Photography about his experience with networking and how he has grown his business by networking with an open hand. About our guest:  For the past seven years, John Cain Sargent has been using photography as a medium for building new relationships.  A firm believer that a rising tide raises all ships, an approach of shared success has made all the difference in his career thus far. If some view a stunning photographic portfolio as a monument to their brand, John sees his portfolio as a foundation to build upon and the results of collaborative talent as the real trophy. New friends and connections have led to national and international projects. John’s work has

Being in the wedding industry doesn't necessarily mean you have to start a business from scratch. Purchasing an existing business or purchasing portions of another existing business might be for you. In this episode of This Week In Weddings, we're talking all about purchasing a business or business assets as a means to begin your wedding business. In this episode, we're talking to Jennifer Applbaum, owner of Invited Paperie about her experience purchasing business assets to start her business. About our guest:  With over 15 years of corporate event planning and non-profit fundraising experience, including tenure at The Coca-Cola Company, Jennifer has built a career around the details of bringing people together. When producing large corporate meetings, destination incentive trips, and fundraising events, Jennifer managed logistics, oversaw budgets, and helped to create flawless memories.   But through all of that, her love of weddings continued to grow and her passion for fine stationery became a serious obs

No one wants to think about what dying. But this episode of This Week In Weddings is all about planning ahead for what would happen to your finances (both personal and business) and assets if you were to die or become incapacitated while running your wedding business. We're talking to attorney Ashley McMillan of The McMillan Firm about business succession planning and estate planning, including topics such as wills, trusts, buy-sell agreements, power of attorneys, and more. About our guest:  Ashley McMillan graduated from Wake Forest University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She earned her J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law in 2008.  After working at a firm for three years, Ashley decided that by starting her own practice, she could have a greater and more positive impact on her clients in her legal career. In 2011, Ashley founded The McMillan Firm, P.C. Since then, the firm has focused its efforts on helping people with practical, every

This week's episode of the This Week in Weddings podcast is focused on mentorship. As your business grows, having a mentor to bounce ideas off of, guide you as your business needs change, and even to help you avoid mistakes is incredibly helpful.    In this episode of the podcast, we're talking with event planner and designer Emily Clarke, owner and creative director of Emily Clarke Events, who opens up about her experiences with mentors. In fact, her current mentor in the wedding industry she credits with changing her business for the better. This episode is perfect for anyone in the wedding industry that is stuck in their business and no longer wanting to go it alone. About our guest:  By combining her 10 years of experience in the events industry with a lifetime of loving celebrations of all kinds, Emily Clarke has made a name for herself as a premier planner and designer. The result: exquisite soirees brought to life by Emily's energetic dedication to each event idea. By gathering a team around her as pa

In this week's episode of the This Week in Weddings podcast, we're chatting all about growing your business through staff who operate under your business name. With so many entrepreneurs in the wedding industry looking to grow their businesses and have others take on clients under their business name -- for example, photography companies who book associate photographers, or wedding planning companies that have planners on their team who take on their own clients -- we thought it would be great to hear how someone has done this successfully.  In this episode of the podcast, we're diving into the "multi-ops" business model with a wedding entrepreneur who has done this successfully. This week's This Week In Weddings podcast guest, Glenn Roush, shares his story of how he grew his company from being a solopreneur to having a team of 20 DJs.  About our guest:  Glenn Roush was a junior in high school the first time he took on the role of a DJ at a church event. While at Baylor, he quickly grew tired of going to dan

This week's episode of the This Week in Weddings podcast is all about expecting the unexpected. When it comes to running a small business in the wedding industry, we rarely think about the "what if" -- what happens if we get sick, if there's a death in the family, if our spouse is ill and we become caretakers? While these are all things we never think will happen to us, it never hurts to be prepared. In this episode of the podcast, we're diving into one wedding entrepreneur's journey when her husband experienced a health crisis resulting in multiple brain surgeries. Our guest, Kelly Simants, not only shares her story with This Week In Weddings listeners, but gives advice on how to be prepared for when the unexpected arises.  About our guest:  Kelly Simants, serial Entrepreneur, has been in the wedding industry since 2001. She has created a full life-cycle of brands – from proposal planning for guys (Planning for Dudes), to wedding planning (Sweet Pea Events in Dallas, Seattle and NYC), to birthday parties fo