Persephone Says

Shannon Leahy of Shannon Leahy Events built a bi-coastal empire on one belief: service is luxury. In this episode, we cover SO much ground on what it actually takes to build a team, a brand, and a business that doesn't crack under pressure. We cover:

- How Shannon and team SLE sees their clients as muses

- How she handles hard conversations

- Why clarity beats comfort every time

- Budget clarity and transparency

- How she handles vendor credits

And so much more.

This is a Media Socialites Production.

I just got back from two weeks in Mexico City with my family, and it was not the highlight reel you saw online. Here's what really happened:

- Three moves in 24 hours

- A Michelin dinner that turned into a stomach bug for the whole family

- A 3am spiral that cracked something open.

This episode is about what happens when things fall apart on vacation and how fast my mommy issues showed up in how I was parenting my own kids. We talk about control, presence, guilt, and a dinner table conversation with my husband Eddie and twins that hit harder than I expected. Deeply personal, a little messy, very honest.

This is a Media Socialites Production.

He's back! After a year and a half, my dear friend, most in-demand guest, and podcast partner-in-crime Julian Leaver returns to the mic — and this time, we're going deeper than ever. We cover:

- How we became friends

- How he launched LOO

- The JLE Parisian Expansion

- Sobriety + Friendship

And so much more. I know you will love this one and if you aren't already subscribed to his podcast Mind Over Matrimony go ahead and do that now.

This is a Media Socialites Production

Hiring out of desperation nearly burned me, so I rebuilt our entire process from the ground up. In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on exactly how we hire at the agency now: the non-negotiables I screen for, why wedding industry experience can matter more than marketing chops (and when it's the reverse), and the strategy prompt that instantly separates thoughtful applicants from the ChatGPT copy-pasters. I'm also sharing the personality test that's saved us from near-miss hires, why I finally started calling references (four years late), our 60-day onboarding process, and the new step I'm adding: getting my veteran team members' blessing before anyone gets an offer. Whether you're building a remote team or just tired of babysitting employees, this one's for you.

This is a Media Socialites Production.

When do you know you are really ready?

The day after my twins turned nine, I was woken at 4:30 AM by my son crying from a nightmare about growing up, having no idea how to run a business or do his taxes [so cute right?]

What followed was the most honest conversation about readiness and an admission of when are we ever ready to do the hard thing, right? This episode is about the truth every adult knows and no kid believes: nobody feels ready. Courage just accumulates — and then you jump.

This is a Media Socialites Production.

Pricing drama, shady contracts, AI-jacked photos — the wedding industry has gone wild and we have to turn it around. This episode is a brick-to-the-forehead breakdown of what clarity actually looks like in your business and how to combat the ghosting and issues in our industry.

This is a Media Socialites Production.

A Rebrand. A six-day shoot. A national conference I somehow agreed to run. A move I forgot happened. This week on Persephone Says, we do a little catch up on what it actually looks like to run on overdrive — the good, the unsustainable, and the "ask me again in a week" honesty in between.

Do you like these types of episodes? Let me know below in the comments.

This is a Media Socialites Production.

She fled cartel violence at 18 with nothing but a suitcase, taught herself a craft nobody was talking about, and built a luxury business that changed an entire industry. But the real story? What happened after the explosive growth.

My beautiful friend, Andrea Cole of DB Andrea sits down with me for the most unfiltered conversation yet — and we hold nothing back. From running a 15-person operation out of her living room to buying a whole-ass building, Andrea rode the wave hard. She shares her brilliance in building a very successful floral preservation business and what she's learned the hard way.

This is part of 2 - make sure you listen to part 1 on Andrea's podcast - The Bridal Club.

This is a Media Socialites Production.

A wedding industry emergency episode. Today I break down my thoughts on Vogue's viral "real budgets" article, why it missed the mark. Most importantly, we discuss why vendors need to stop airing industry grievances publicly and start owning the narrative themselves.

This is a Media Socialites Production.

One of the most vulnerable episodes - we are back with my husband, partner in all the ways - Eddie Maglaya. This week we celebrated 18 years together and 14 years married and we get really vulnerable. We cover off on:

- One recurring fight for the past 18 years

- The intrusive thoughts we have

- Zero plans to quit

- How we return to our true north

- What we really fight on

Happy anniversary to my favorite person — let's get into it.

This is a Media Socialites Production.