Design Your Business | Empowering Creative Women Business Owners

What really goes into business operations? 

In this episode, we’re tackling the final CEO of your business: operations. Most of us have heard of business operations, but do we really know what it means?

We’ve talked about all the other CEOs in previous episodes, but operations hold it all together. I’m covering everything you need to know to get started as the Chief Operations Officer (COO) of your business. I’m sharing things like the difference between a CEO and a COO, the role and responsibilities of a COO, and why your business needs a COO.

Topics covered in this episode include:

• Why your business needs a COO
• The difference between a CEO and a COO
• How to be the COO of your business

Get ready to talk all things operations. 

I would love to connect on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DesignYourWeddingBusiness & Instagram: www.instagram.com/design_your_wedding_business!

Resources Mentioned:

Free Small Business Task List: https://jentaylorconsulting.com/worksheets/small-business-task/ 

Show notes available at jentaylorconsulting.com/design-your-wedding-business-podcast

Are your employees your company’s biggest fans?

In this episode, we’re talking about how to create a brand ambassador for your wedding business. We’re covering what their role is in your company, what you need to do to create one, and how they will make your business more successful. 

There are four main things for you to consider when you’re creating a brand ambassador: key values, hiring the right people, onboarding, and empowering your employees. Your wedding industry mentor (hi, that’s me) is here to break down each topic in this episode.

Topics covered in this episode include:

• What a brand ambassador is 
• How to hire the right person to be your brand ambassador 
• The importance of empowering your employees

If you want a team of people who are rooting for and promoting your business, this is for you. 

I would love to connect on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DesignYourWeddingBusiness & Instagram: www.instagram.com/design_your_wedding_business!

Resources Mentioned:

Schedule a Call: https://jentaylorconsulting.com/services/ 

Episode 54: A Comprehensive Guide to Onboarding New Employees: https://jentaylorconsulting.com/a-comprehensive-guide-to-onboarding-new-employees/ 

Show notes available at jentaylorconsulting.com/design-your-wedding-business-podcast

We’re celebrating one year of the Design Your Wedding Business podcast!

Can you believe it’s been a year already? Maybe you’ve been here since the beginning or maybe you’re tuning in for the first time. Either way, thanks for joining me on this journey. I’ve had a great time over the last year making new connections, learning new skills, and connecting with you. 

I know that alongside the wedding professionals, we have realtors, interior designers, and other small business owners joining us as we all work together to figure out how to do business. Whatever corner of the internet you’re coming from, you’re welcome here! 

Over the last year, I’ve talked about things like the eight CEOs in your business, finances, systems, products, and so much more, but one thing I haven’t talked about is how I can help you with your business. In this episode, I’m sharing exactly what I do and how I help my clients succeed. 

Topics covered in this episode include:

• What the Design Your Wedding Business podcast is about
• How I can help you with your business
• Ways to work with me 
• How to get a fresh start in your business

If you’ve ever wondered how you could work with me, this episode is the one you’ve been waiting for. Tune in!

I would love to connect on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DesignYourWeddingBusiness & Instagram: www.instagram.com/design_your_wedding_business/!

Resources Mentioned:

Schedule a Call: https://jentaylorconsulting.com/services/ 

Show notes available at jentaylorconsulting.com/episode56

What’s the difference between an employee and an independent contractor?

You might think you know the answer, but the line between the two can get a little blurry, especially in the wedding industry.

On this podcast, I help you create your wedding industry business plan, and in this episode, we’re tackling employees vs. independent contractors. We’re talking about how to know which you should hire, what you need to know about both, and how each can benefit your business. There’s a simple question you can ask yourself to determine which type of hire you need to make, and I’m sharing it in this episode. 

Topics covered in this episode include:

• How to know if someone is an employee or an independent contractor
• Regulations you need to know if you’re hiring an employee
• How to avoid legal trouble if you’re working with an independent contractor
• Things that wedding professionals need to look out for when hiring

If you’ve been asking yourself whether you need to bring on an employee or an independent contractor, this episode has the answers for you. Start listening now!

I would love to connect on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DesignYourWeddingBusiness & Instagram: www.instagram.com/design_your_wedding_business/!

Show notes available at jentaylorconsulting.com/episode55

How do you feel about onboarding new employees?

My goal with this episode of Design Your Wedding Business is to create some ease around the onboarding process because it tends to cause a lot of anxiety. 

We’re going through everything you need to cover in your onboarding process start to finish, item by item. By the end of this episode, you’ll have a complete plan to create your onboarding process from the interview and offer letter all the way through to the end of training. 

Topics covered in this episode include:

• Templates that will help you with the onboarding process 
• What to put in your offer letter 
• How to prepare for an interview 
• How to help your new employee feel comfortable and supported 

If onboarding is intimidating to you and maybe even holding you back from growing your team, all you need is 12 minutes to listen to this episode and you’ll be fully equipped with everything you need to know to set up your onboarding process. Tune in to get started now!

I would love to connect on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DesignYourWeddingBusiness & Instagram: www.instagram.com/design_your_wedding_business/!

Resources Mentioned:

Join the Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/designyourbusinessjentaylor 

Show notes available at jentaylorconsulting.com/episode54

Let’s talk about teams.

When should you add to your team? How many employees should you bring on? What happens when you have a slow season?

Dana and Courtney from Hustle + Gather are here to answer your questions. They are total pros when it comes to building a dream team in the wedding industry and they’re here to share their insider knowledge with you. 

Hustle + Gather is a training and consulting firm that is on a mission to inspire others to take big leaps, dream big dreams, and create amazing teams that grow profits and enjoyable (but productive) culture within business.

Topics covered in this episode include:

• How to know when it’s time to grow your team
• Creating a team that is the right size for your business model 
• Finding people who are invested in your vision
• How to hire the right person

If managing a team is a little outside your comfort zone, fear no more. This episode has got you covered. Tune in!

I would love to connect on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DesignYourWeddingBusiness & Instagram: www.instagram.com/designyourweddingbusiness/!

Resources Mentioned:

Use code PODCAST for $20 off the Finding Your Ride or Die Team e-course: www.hustleandgather.com/store 

Follow @hustleandgather on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hustleandgather/

Follow @thebradfordnc on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebradfordnc/ 

Follow @canddevents on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/canddevents

Follow @anthem.house on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anthem.house 

Show notes available at jentaylorconsulting.com/episode53

Do you have an HR management plan in place?

In this episode of Design Your Wedding Business, we are talking about another one of the 8 CEOs: teams!  

Yep, you are your own Chief of Staff/HR Department! If you have a team already, this means you serve as a leader to all of your employees whether they are on payroll or contractors. You are responsible for ensuring they have everything they need to perform their job and meet expectations, as well as providing feedback to help them improve in their role.

If you’re on your own, you might not worry about wearing this hat right now, but when you reach a point where you need help, and you will, you will be responsible for navigating every step of the hiring process, from writing the job description and conducting interviews to selecting the right candidate and onboarding them. 

If you haven’t prepared for that, now’s the time to get started!

Topics covered in this episode include:

• What your strategic HR management plan is
• Everything you need to consider when you’re bringing on employees
• The importance of knowing the federal and state laws

Tune in to get started on your strategic HR management plan!

I would love to connect on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DesignYourWeddingBusiness & Instagram: www.instagram.com/designyourweddingbusiness/!

Resources Mentioned:

U.S. Department of Labor General Resources: https://www.dol.gov/general/topics

Hours Worked Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Fact Sheet: https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs22.htm

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/workhours/fmla

The Americans with Disabilities Act: https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/disability/ada

Strategic Human Resource Management Plan PDF: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RvKHK4gjZ9HLnkveESAibAa7ipbHeYvy/view?usp=share_link 

Show notes available at jentaylorconsulting.com/episode52

Why is it so important to develop a brand strategy?

A strong brand is critical for building connections with your customers. A successful brand strategy can help improve loyalty, drive brand awareness, create repeat customers, and inspire word-of-mouth marketing and referrals.

Jordan Kentris is joining me in this episode to teach you how to create a brand strategy for the wedding business you want. If you’re having a hard time nailing down your brand, or you feel like you’ve outgrown your brand but you’re not sure how to update it, this episode is packed with the information you need. 

Jordan Kentris is the founder and owner of the boutique design firm A Good Day, which was created to serve planners and their eclectic couples with one-of-a-kind stationery that establishes a unique brand for each event. An innovator in the industry, he was recognized by BizBash as one of the Most Innovative People in 2020 and was a finalist for the NACE One Awards Innovator of the Year.

Topics covered in this episode include:

• What a brand strategy is 
• The pieces that go into building a brand 
• How to assess what is and isn’t working in your branding 

Updating your brand doesn’t have to be a huge, week-long project. Tune in to learn some of the small things you can do right now to start getting your brand more in line with your vision and attracting the clients you’re looking for. 

I would love to connect on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DesignYourWeddingBusiness & Instagram: www.instagram.com/designyourweddingbusiness/!

Resources Mentioned:

Visit Jordan’s Website: https://www.agooddayinc.com

Follow @agooddayinc on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agooddayinc 

Show notes available at jentaylorconsulting.com/episode51

Are you using short-form video to grow your business?

This episode of Design Your Wedding Business is all about why you should be using TikTok and Reels for your business content and how to get started. I’m joined by Meagan Culkin who is the queen of short-form video strategy and the perfect person to teach us all about it. 

If you’ve been avoiding creating your own TikToks and Reels because it seems like a lot to learn, you’ve come to the right place. Meagan is breaking it all down to make video creation simple, easy, and fun for you to do! 

Meagan Culkin is the owner of Magnolia Collective, a planning and design company that serves both the NC and VA markets. When not designing event spaces, Meagan spends her time consulting for wedding businesses, discovering foodie haunts in her new hometown of Richmond, VA, and trying to get her dogs to cooperate for Tiktok videos.

Topics covered in this episode include:

• Why you should use TikTok and Reels to publish content
• How to be relevant to today’s couples
• What types of videos perform best 

What’s stopping you from creating your first video? Tune in to this episode to start connecting with your audience in a whole new way. 

I would love to connect on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DesignYourWeddingBusiness & Instagram: www.instagram.com/designyourweddingbusiness/!

Resources Mentioned:

Use Code 20PODCAST at Checkout for $20 Off Your Initial Coaching Call: https://www.idomagnolia.com/shop

Cheatsheet Download for Optimizing your Tiktok Content 

Visit Meagan’s Website: www.idomagnolia.com 

Follow @magnoliacollective.co on Instagram: www.instagram.com/magnoliacollective.co

Follow @magnolia.collective on TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@magnolia.collective

Follow @magnoliacollectiveco on Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/magnoliacollectiveco 

Show notes available at jentaylorconsulting.com/episode50

Are you ready to be the wedding professional that everyone is talking about?

In this episode, I’m joined by wedding-professional mentor Carin Hunt to talk about how to become the wedding pro on everyone's lips. 

Getting the word out about your business goes beyond pretty logos and websites. There’s only so much you can do before you actually have to start putting yourself in front of people, but that can be scary, right? Let’s make it less scary together. 

Find out how to get the word out about your business, make genuine connections with ideal clients, and get more referrals so that you can establish yourself as the go-to wedding expert in your field. 

Carin Hunt is a seasoned mentor for wedding professionals with over 14 years of experience in the industry. Her time conducting creative events in the corporate setting inspired her entrepreneurial spirit, so she built a 6-figure destination wedding business that still stands today. Although Carin has retired from planning, she now empowers wedding professionals to find confidence in their business through proven strategies and powerful connections. Her mission is to expand community and collaboration in order to level up the industry as a whole.

Topics covered in this episode include:

• How to let people know what you do
• Getting the word out about your business to the right people
• Effective ways to make connections with ideal clients

If you’re not sure how to start putting yourself out there, start here. 

I would love to connect on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DesignYourWeddingBusiness & Instagram: www.instagram.com/designyourweddingbusiness!

Resources Mentioned:

Visit Carin’s Website: www.carinhunt.com

Get the Be the Gossip Workbook: https://creative-speaker-4528.ck.page/be-the-gossip 

Listen to Carin’s Podcast: https://www.carinhunt.com/blog.html

Join the Celebration Pros Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/502691684914836

Follow @celebrationpros on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celebrationpros/ 

How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships by Leil Lowndes: https://a.co/d/2xr1JFH

Show notes available at jentaylorconsulting.com/episode49