This Week in Weddings

At some point in the cycle of your wedding industry business, you may start thinking about growing your team. But before you post that you're desperate for help on Facebook, there are some things to think through. In this week's episode of the This Week In Weddings podcast, we're chatting with a floral designer with nearly 20 years of business experience about hiring and things to keep in mind.

About our guest:

In 2002, Kelly Marie Thompson opened Fleur, a special event custom design floral studio paired with a brick and mortar lifestyle boutique. She and her work have been featured in many print magazines including Martha Stewart Weddings, Town and Country, Vogue, The Knot, Better Homes and Gardens, Midwest Living, as well as online blogs including Martha Stewart Weddings and Style Me Pretty.

Listed as a Top Martha Stewart Florist, Kelly has created beautiful floral designs for almost two full decades, and is the Operations Manager for the company as a whole. She is the founder of "The Art of Growing an Extraordinary Floral Business", a 6 six-module, online education course, and is a Be Sage Coach.

She currently lives in Chicago with her husband and their two cats. They spend their free time cooking, traveling, gardening and raising urban chickens.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• Kelly's background in the floral and wedding industry
• Kelly's experience with hiring employees and the things that she learned along the way
• The first steps businesses should take when they're thinking about bringing on an employee
• The importance of creating job descriptions for new positions

Want to connect with Kelly Marie?

• Online: http://www.fleurchicago.com/
• Instagram: @fleurinc

We made it to 200 episodes!! In this casual episode of the This Week in Weddings podcast, Kimberly, Annie and Lance, along with contributors from the This Week In Weddings community share their thoughts on the podcast after 200 episodes.

You'll hear from:

• Saundra Hadley from Planning Forever Events and A Great Wedding Interview Podcast
• Carmela Heintzelman from Fiore Press
• Kelly McWilliams from Kelly McWilliams Celebrations, Weddings & Parties and This vs. That, Wedding Decisions Podcast
• Meghan Ely from OFD Consulting
• Dan Quinn from DQB Entertainment
• Sara Bauleke from Bella Notte
• Amy Burke from Amy Burke Events
• Alicia Keats from Alicia Keats Weddings + Events
• Lin Pernille from Lin Pernille Photo + Video

Making money is certainly about dollars and cents, but how you think about money can have an impact on your financial success. Are long held beliefs about money, also known as money blocks, holding you back? In this week's episode of the This Week In Weddings podcast, we're chatting with author and money coach Denise Duffield-Thomas about money mindset and how thoughts about money an impact us, both negatively and positively. 

About our guest:

Denise Duffield-Thomas is the money mentor for the new wave of online entrepreneurs who want to make money and change the world.

She helps women charge premium prices, release the fear of money and create First Class lives.  

Her books Lucky Bitch, Get Rich, Lucky Bitch, and Chillpreneur give a fresh and funny roadmap to living a life of abudnance without burnout.

Her Money Bootcamp has helped over 6,000 students from all around the world.

She’s a lazy introvert, a Hay House author and an unbusy mother of 3. She owns a rose farm and lives by the beach in sunny Australia.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• Denise's background as a coach and how she became a money mentor
• The biggest blocks that entrepreneurs, especially female entrepreneurs have around money
• Some commonly held beliefs about money and how being aware of them can positively impact your feelings about money
• Denise's book - Lucky Bitch: A Guide for Exceptional Women to Create Outrageous Success
• Denise's book - Get Rich, Lucky Bitch!: Release Your Money Blocks and Live a First-Class Life
• Denise's book - Chillpreneur: The New Rules for Creating Success, Freedom, and Abundance on Your Terms
• Other books mentioned in the episode: The Luck Factor: The Scientific Study of the Lucky Mind

Want to connect with Denise?

• Online: www.denisedt.com
• Free Money Blocks Workshop: www.denisedt.com/blocks 
• Instagram: @denisedt

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THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY IDEACTION CONSULTING

They help wedding pros book more couples using science-backed sales methods and conversion copywriting. Ideation Consulting designs sales processes around how clients want to buy, and teach wedding pros how to confidently guide each couple along the way.

Ideaction Consulting is offering a FREE Workshop Series on pricing and building value in the sales process, February 22nd-25th. To sign up, visit www.thisweekinweddings.com/sam today!

When the going gets tough, you have to keep going. And for some, being resilient is easier said than done. In this week's episode of the This Week In Weddings podcast, we're chatting with a business coach about resiliency and some tips for keeping your eyes on the prize even in the face of diversity.

About our guest:

Anna Lundberg is the founder of One Step Outside, where she helps experienced professionals around the world design a career, a business and a lifestyle that brings them more freedom, flexibility and fulfillment - outside of the conventional 9 to 5. Ex-Oxford, ex-Procter & Gamble, today she combines her 10+ years of experience in global branding and digital marketing roles with her training in coaching and positive psychology techniques to help people reimagine the next phase of their career. 

Anna offers a blend of life coaching and business mentoring on a one-on-one basis and in a group setting. She is the host of the Reimagining Success podcast and author of Leaving the Corporate 9 to 5: Stories from people who’ve done it (and how you can too!).

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• Anna Lundberg's background and her transition into business coaching
• What resilient means based on it's Latin origin
• How having a sense of overall purpose and bigger picture goals can help with resiliency in the face of struggle
• Vision boards and how they can be helpful
• Defining success in all areas of your life, not just business
• Anna's book - Leaving the Corporate 9 to 5
• Anna's podcast Reimagining Success
• Other books mentioned in the podcast - Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck, Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo

Want to connect with Anna?

• Online: onestepoutside.com
• Instagram: @annaselundberg
• LinkedIn: Anna S. E. Lundberg
• YouTube: Anna S. E. Lundberg

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SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Have you gotten value from This Week In Weddings? If so, it's time to pay it forward! Your contribution of as little as 10-cents a day will help us offset our costs, like file storage, web hosting, and editing. Plus, a larger donation gets you perks, like access to a private Facebook group to discuss each week’s episode!

Check out the ways you can contribute to the show.

In a world that's full of uncertainty, it can be challenging to maintain your sense of inner peace. And for wedding pros who are used to the constant hustle, maintaining any sort of balance can be difficult as well. But there are steps you can take right now to get your zen on! In this week's episode of the This Week In Weddings podcast, we're chatting with a wedding industry veteran who shares some practical tips for finding time for yourself and getting more calm and centered.

About our guest:

We may recognize Gurminder for his versatility as a creative photographer with Banga Studios. But, what you may not know is in the last 3 years, Gurminder has developed a fond and growing interest in spirituality and mindfulness. A lover of several meditation practices, ranging from Breath-work, Mantra, Question, or Silent Meditation, Gurminder is on a journey to uncover more of the teachings of his inner world, so he can live by them in his outer world. His practice begins at 5am daily, and the results speak for themselves; more grounding, less anxiety, more love, less fear, more conscious choices, and less impulse decisions.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• Gurminder's background and how he got started in the wedding industry
• What initiated Gurminder's interest in better balance and zen
• Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTS) - what they are and how to switch them around
• The benefits of journaling
• The power of meditation
• Gurminder's morning routine, and the things he does every day to carve out time for self improvement
• Gurminder's first podcast episode with TWIW - Breaking Into South Asian Weddings

Want to connect with Gurminder?

• Online: https://www.bangastudios.ca/ 
• Instagram: @g.banga
• Guided Meditations: https://gbanga.podia.com/ 

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SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Have you gotten value from This Week In Weddings? If so, it's time to pay it forward! Your contribution of as little as 10-cents a day will help us offset our costs, like file storage, web hosting, and editing. Plus, a larger donation gets you perks, like access to a private Facebook group to discuss each week’s episode!

Check out the ways you can contribute to the show.

If the majority of your business is in your head, it's time to get a better system. Systems and software can help manage your tasks, streamline communication with clients, and even track your money, not to mention make it easier for your customers to do business with you. In this week's episode of the This Week In Weddings podcast, we're chatting all about systems in business, why you need them, the first steps in creating one, and when it's time to hire a professional to help you get started.

About our guest:

Nikisha Hidalgo is the founder and creative director of two thriving companies: Inviting Treasures, a custom illustration design agency specializing in wedding stationery; and ANH Design House, an online stationery store that brings joy to family and friends through paper goods.     In addition to being a successful Black female entrepreneur and business owner, Nikisha is deeply committed to her family. The daughter of Elmore and Agnes, wife to John, mother of two beautiful and strong girls, Haley and Eryn, and a dog mom to her Labradoodle, Cocoa, Nikisha balances work and family life with love and intention.

As a lifelong learner who earned both her Master's in Public Health and a Master's in Business Administration, Nikisha is passionate about developing and implementing systems to assist women-owned businesses in creating an organized and easy workflow so they can scale their businesses and level up their earnings.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• Nikisha's background and how she got started in the wedding industry
• Why systems are important in business, particularly as your company scales
• The different types of systems in business - from accounting and bookkeeping to customer relationship management (CRM)
• The first step in creating a system with a brain dump of the steps you take in your business
• How to create a system without making automation feel impersonal
• When to look for help from a professional for creating a system
• The next book for the TWIW Book Club!

Want to connect with Nikisha?

• Online: Invitingtreasures.com and ANH Design House
• Instagram: @nikisha.king

• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/invitingtreasuresllc 

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SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Have you gotten value from This Week In Weddings? If so, it's time to pay it forward! Your contribution of as little as 10-cents a day will help us offset our costs, like file storage, web hosting, and editing. Plus, a larger donation gets you perks, like access to a private Facebook group to discuss each week’s episode!

Check out the ways you can contribute to the show.

If you have an established, respected business in the wedding industry, chances are high that you've had people reach out to "pick your brain" for advice and guidance. But at what point do you go from being an open book about your process to actually monetizing it? In this week's episode of the This Week In Weddings podcast, we're chatting about making the transition into coaching and consulting, including running memberships. With a completely different target audience and structure, there are certainly things to know before jumping in head first.

About our guest:

After a decade in weddings and events, Amber Anderson, founder of Heavenly Day Events, pivoted her career into coaching others while maintaining a role in her planning company in Austin, Texas.

As the host of Refine for Wedding Planners, Amber desires to coach and mentor planners via the largest Facebook group exclusively for wedding planners by offering a course, retreat, membership and templates. Amber is known for having radical honesty, often saying what most people are thinking but won’t say, striving to elevate the industry one conversation at a time.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• Amber's background in the wedding industry
• How Amber became a business coach by purchasing an established community and brand
• The costs associated with running a coaching business or membership, and how it's not exactly passive income
• Determining your ideal client for your coaching business or membership offering
• How running a membership or coaching program requires an entire new skillset, including sales funnels and email marketing

Want to connect with Amber?

• Online: https://refineforweddingplanners.com/ 
• Instagram: @refineforweddingplanners

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/REFINEforWeddingPlanners/ 

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SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Have you gotten value from This Week In Weddings? If so, it's time to pay it forward! Your contribution of as little as 10-cents a day will help us offset our costs, like file storage, web hosting, and editing. Plus, a larger donation gets you perks, like access to a private Facebook group to discuss each week’s episode!

Check out the ways you can contribute to the show.

It's a fresh year and for our first episode of 2021, we're talking about intuition and how you can tap into this additional sense. Do you "trust your gut" when you make a decision in life and business? Or are you ignoring your own intuition? In this week's episode of the This Week In Weddings podcast, we're chatting with a life coach all about intuition, what it is, and how we can be more aware of the intuitive hits that are coming at us.

About our guest:

Danielle Vaughn is a Life Coach, writer, workshop facilitator, meditation guide, and speaker. Danielle works with clients one-on-one and in group settings guiding them to connect with their innate wisdom through their intuition.

Teaching various modalities that open and expand on limiting beliefs, insecurities, and self-doubt, Danielle leads her clients to breakthroughs and alignment with the truth of their hearts' desires.

Through transformations, transitions, or turmoil, Danielle offers her clients an open space to be seen and heard without judgement, allowing for true change to occur.

Danielle has created guided meditations, an Activate Your Intuition Guide, an Inner-Visioning Template to connect you with your soul blueprint, and many other helpful tools to help clients live a life of authenticity, joy, and fulfillment.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• Danielle's background and how she became a life coach
• What intuition is and how we all have this sense
• How intuition can feel in your body
• How clearing your mind can help you better get in touch with your intuition
• Previous episode Meditation and Mindset Work for the Wedding Industry
• Some fun games you can play to tap into your intuition
• Using intuition to make decisions in business

Want to connect with Danielle?

• Online: www.daniellevaughn.com
• Instagram: @danielle.vaughn

• Facebook: DanielleVaughnLifeCoach

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SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Have you gotten value from This Week In Weddings? If so, it's time to pay it forward! Your contribution of as little as 10-cents a day will help us offset our costs, like file storage, web hosting, and editing. Plus, a larger donation gets you perks, like access to a private Facebook group to discuss each week’s episode!

Check out the ways you can contribute to the show.

Just when you've figured out Instagram Reels, the social media platform changes it up with a whole new feature to figure out. Enter Instagram Guides. In this week's episode of the This Week In Weddings podcast, we're chatting with a social media educator about the newest Instagram feature and how it can be used by wedding pros to curate their content. Grab your phone and follow along as we take it step-by-step!

About our guest:

K.M. Robinson is a social media educator and speaker who helps entrepreneurs build profitable businesses through smart social media marketing. She’s been spotlighted by Facebook for her innovative work in the field, and has been appeared on CBS News nationally, NBC news nationally, Business News Daily, Writer’s Weekly, New York Comic Con, Penned Con Charleston, Penned Con St Louis, MerMagic Con, Live Con, and more. She specializes in livestreaming, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok growth. She’s also a best-selling fiction author.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• K.M.'s background and how she became an educator in the social media space
• The basics of Instagram Guides and how it differs from Instagram Stories, IGTV, and Reels
• The three different types of Instagram Guides content - places, products, and posts
• A step-by-step walk-through for creating a Guide in Instagram
• A TWIW Instagram Guides challenge by January 1st

Want to connect with K.M.?

• Online: http://livestreamactionplan.com/ 
• YouTube: youtube.com/kmrobinson 

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SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Have you gotten value from This Week In Weddings? If so, it's time to pay it forward! Your contribution of as little as 10-cents a day will help us offset our costs, like file storage, web hosting, and editing. Plus, a larger donation gets you perks, like access to a private Facebook group to discuss each week’s episode!

Check out the ways you can contribute to the show.

We've all heard at some point that it's important to get 8 hours of sleep each night. But for busy entrepreneurs, it's certainly not uncommon to trim back on sleep when things get busy and you need more hours in your day. In this week's episode of the This Week In Weddings podcast, we're talking to a a neurologist and sleep expert about the importance of sleep for our bodies and minds and some tips for getting more quality sleep over time.

About our guest:

Dubbed “The Sleep Whisperer” by Arianna Huffington, Dr. Winter has been involved in the field of sleep medicine for twenty five years. A fully board certified neurologist and double board certified sleep specialist, Dr. Winter has been helping individuals sleep better through his private clinic, group consultations, work with professional athletes, and dynamic media presence. His first book, The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep Is Broken and How to Fix It has received high praise both in the United States and internationally as a fresh and effective approach to a growing problem.

Dr. Winter is board-certified by both the American Board of Sleep Medicine and the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He is separately board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (under the American Board of Medical Specialties) as a sleep medicine subspecialist. He is a member in good standing of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine the Sleep Research Society, and the Virginia Academy of Sleep Medicine.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• Dr. Winter's background in neurology and how he became interested in the study of sleep
• How sleep affects every aspect of our lives – from creativity and problem solving to even appearance
• The characteristics that one typically associates with being a "good" sleeper
• Best practices for those in the wedding industry who often work late into the evening for weddings and have a forced delay of sleep
• The effects of alcohol and sleep
• Physiological differences between those that are considered a morning person vs. a night owl
• Tips for getting a better night sleep, including a discussion on weighted blankets, white noise machines, and ideal room temperatures
• Electronics and sleep
• Dr. Winter's book The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep Is Broken and How to Fix it

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SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Have you gotten value from This Week In Weddings? If so, it's time to pay it forward! Your contribution of as little as 10-cents a day will help us offset our costs, like file storage, web hosting, and editing. Plus, a larger donation gets you perks, like access to a private Facebook group to discuss each week’s episode!

Check out the ways you can contribute to the show.