This Week in Weddings

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, California and online at danesanders.com.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• Dane's progression from being a teacher, to a photographer, to a business coach
• The limiting language entrepreneurs use without even realizing it
• A quick trick to change your approach to situations and put a different spin on negative thoughts
• The GO Summit
• GO Summit discount for This Week In Weddings listeners

Want to connect with Dane?

• Web: www.danesanders.com and www.fastermind.co 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danesanders and https://www.facebook.com/followdane
• Twitter: @danesanders
• Instagram: @danesanders
• LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/danesanders

 

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 New Orleans WIPA Chapter and has been featured in publications such as BRIDES, Grey Likes Weddings, The Knot and more! She is a sought-after national speaker, with recent and upcoming engagements including The Special Event, NACE, WeddingWire World, and Wedding MBA. 

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• How Emily involves her kids in her work
• How Emily balances her work and homeschooling
• How having a tribe around her has helped her balance work and personal life
• How Emily manages the dreaded "mom guilt"

Want to connect with Emily?

www.emilysullivanevents.com

Facebook: Emily Sullivan Events

Instagram: @emilysullivanevents

 

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 insights and anecdotes sure to engage any audience.

Tara’s been on the boards of the National Association of Women’s Business Owners and the Association of Image Consultants International (Atlanta Chapter). She’s a volunteer consultant for Look Good Feel Better, a program partnered with the American Cancer Society to help patients with self-esteem and appearance during treatment and post-operative recovery. She is still active in the beauty pageant realm where she’s been crowned Mrs. Texas Woman of Achievement  (2017), Mrs. Alabama (2013) and Mrs. USA Petite (2012), to name a few. Tara currently resides in the North Dallas area with her husband, two children and dogs.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• What an image consultant does
• The one person everyone should have in their corner for getting the best clothing fit
• The biggest mistakes people make when it comes to their personal appearance
• Steps to take before walking into a networking event

Want to connect with Tara?

www.thestylesignature.com

Email: [email protected]

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 been featured in publications such as Town & Country and Traditional Home, as well as magazine covers photographed around the world.

That team usually starts and ends with John’s wife Brittany. Together they make their clients’ experience and satisfaction their highest priority.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• John's journey from graduate school to professional wedding photographer
• How John began his career by bringing value to those he was networking with
• The industry conference that allowed John to grow his network outside his market
• The educational program John is currently enrolled in which has helped him think about his business in a different way

Want to connect with John?

www.johncainphotography.com

Instagram: @johncainsargent

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 obsession!

In 2014, Jennifer acquired the stationery selections of Dallas’ beloved Paper & Chocolate and transitioned the business into Invited Paperie, which offers semi-custom wedding invitations and personal stationery to help brides and hostesses create lasting impressions with their events.

Jennifer is involved with a variety of cancer-related charitable organizations, both locally and nationally.   She is a proud St. Mark’s School of Texas parent volunteer and a sustainer in the Junior League of Dallas.  

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• Jennifer Applbaum's journey from corporate event planner to stationer
• Why Jennifer purchased a business (or more specifically business assets) instead of starting a business from scratch
• Why purchasing parts of a business might make more sense than purchasing an entire business
• What Jennifer wishes she had asked more about prior to purchasing business assets

Want to connect with Jennifer?

http://invitedevents.com/

Instagram: @invitedpaperie

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 day issues: wealth management, asset protection, passing of assets, business succession planning, estate administration, corporate formation and corporate transactions. The McMillan Firm, P.C. has given Ashley the opportunity to pursue her passion in these areas.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• What a will is and why you need one
• The ins and outs of trusts
• Why sole proprietorships are not a good idea
• How "Pay on Death" or "Transfer of Death" policies can help your family or business partners
• Ways to transfer your business to someone upon your death or incapacitation, including buy-sell agreements
• How to go about finding an attorney to help with estate planning or business succession planning

Want to connect with Ashley?

http://www.mcmillanpc.com

Phone: (214) 217-4472

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 passionate as herself, Emily enthusiastically leads her team to pull off stunning and successful events very time. Emily exudes a love for individuality, a talent for big-picture planning with detail-driven execution, and an undying optimism that a fanciful concept can be created.

  On any given day she could be found drawing inspiration for her designs from a vast array of sources: the pink of flamingos or the intricacies of palm fronds, classical paintings or modern-day garden sculptures, ornamented ceiling tiles, or delicate pieces of jewelry. When she's not on the job, you'll find her at home or on-the-go with her husband, Walter, and two daughters, Lincoln and Mae Margaret.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• Emily's background and her mentor prior to opening her business
• Emily's thoughts about being a "lone wolf" prior to finding a mentor
• How having a mentor has helped her personally and professionally
• What to think about if you are looking for a mentor

Want to connect with Emily?

http://emilyclarkeevents.com/

Instagram: @emilyclarkeevents

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 dances with bad DJs and decided to start his own DJ company that focused on quality gear, a library of radio edited versions of the hottest songs and stellar service. After graduating from Baylor, Glenn moved to Dallas to take a job in banking but when more and more of his friends started getting engaged and asking him to DJ their weddings he realized this could be much more than just a side gig. In 2010, Glenn quit his full-time job as an accountant and started LeForce Entertainment. 

The goal of LeForce was to expand beyond a one man shop and have a team of DJs who could help meet the shortage of quality DJs in the DFW market.  LeForce quickly grew to a team of 10 DJs in the first 2 years and now has over 20 DJs on the team and does hundreds of events each year. Not only does LeForce provide quality DJs, the company has evolved over the years to provide lighting, photobooth and AV services. In 2016 LeForce Entertainment became LeForce Event Group with the acquisition of Lynn Films and then a merger with Simply Music Events in January 2017.

Glenn currently resides in Dallas with his wife Jennifer, sons Deason and Truett and French bulldogs Bruiser and Ginger.  Glenn enjoys traveling, college football and quality time with his family and friends. 

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• How Glenn got his start DJ'ing
• Why Glenn thought a multi-ops business could work, even when other DJs told him it couldn't
• Tips for hiring and training your team
• Why Glenn's team is made up of employees instead of contractors (we're even diving into non-compete and non-solicitation agreements!)
• Things to consider as your business grows with more employees (the fun stuff, like insurance and worker's comp!)

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 for kids (Parties on the Porch)…She also was co-owner of Sage Wedding Pros for 7 years along with Michelle Loretta, and consulted wedding professionals on all things business – specifically, creating business plans and consulting with entrepreneurs on the HR side of their small business. She loves to share her expertise, not only the event industry, but also from the business world as prior to her event life she was a Director of Human Resources for Starbucks Coffee Company.

In 2016, she passed the Dallas office of Sweet Pea Events on to Meaghan Cody as she returned to the Human Resources field and is now the Vice President of Human Resources for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Outside of dreaming up new businesses and non-profit work, Kelly loves to spend time with her family – husband Chris, two boys Carson (8 years old) and Cole (3 years old).

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• Kelly's two-year journey with her husband's health issues
• How Kelly managed her businesses during this personal struggle
• The best thing Kelly did in building her businesses that helped make stepping away from her businesses easier
• What Kelly wishes she would have done differently to prepare for the unexpected
• Insurance every type of entrepreneur should have