The Wedding Biz - Behind the Scenes of the Wedding Business

Latest Episodes:

149 THE NEXT LEVEL: Liese Gardner: Brand Therapy & Marketing With Heart May 08, 2019

Show notes

On today's episode of The Next Level, Guest Co-Host Shannon Leahy, of Shannon Leahy Events, joins Andy Kushner in reflecting on last week's interview with Liese Gardner. Liese is a blogger, branding and marketing strategist, and influential event industry leader. This episode is full of key tips you can apply to growing your own business. To hear more from this week's episode translated into tangible tactics join Andy and Shannon on this episode of The Next Level.

Show Highlights:

Using marketing to make a human connection
Becoming our own publishers and media outlets
Applying your creativity to media
Creating a content calendar
Using your voice authentically
Marketing to your target audience
Getting specific in identifying your market

LIESE GARDNER'S LINKS

Website

Instagram @liesegardner

Facebook

Twitter

GUEST CO-HOST, SHANNON LEAHY'S LINKS

Website

Instagram @shannonleahyevents

Facebook @Shannon-Leahy-Events

THE WEDDING BIZ LINKS

The Wedding Biz Website

The Wedding Biz Instagram

The Wedding Biz Facebook

SPONSOR LINKS

OFD Consulting www.ofdconsulting.com

Kushner Entertainment www.kushnerentertainment.com

148 LIESE GARDNER: Brand Therapy & Marketing With Heart May 06, 2019

Show notes

One of the most fundamental components of any business is marketing and communication. The art of learning how to create an effective marketing strategy is crucial. In this episode of The Wedding Biz, Andy Kushner interviews communications specialist, Liese Gardner, and unravels some of the industry secrets to mastering your marketing and expressing your brand. To hear more about creating a sustainable and well-curated business, join Andy and Liese in this episode of The Wedding Biz.

Show Highlights:

The fundamentals of marketing
What makes PR relative to marketing today
What drew Liese to the event industry
The foundation of starting a business
Using Instagram effectively
Figuring out categories to focus on for your business
How to use Facebook for business
Creating a group and targeting your tribe
The process of brand therapy
Being intentional about how you use your voice
Using email as a marketing strategy
Re-engineering what you want the future to look like and setting goals
The negative impacts of brands overcompensating for loyalty
What people should look for to find the right marketing strategist for them

Resources:

The Wedding Biz Website

The Wedding Biz Instagram

The Wedding Biz Facebook

LIESE GARDNER LINKS

Website

Instagram @liesegardner

Facebook

Twitter

SPONSOR LINKS

OFD Consulting www.ofdconsulting.com

Kushner Entertainment www.kushnerentertainment.com

146 THE NEXT LEVEL: Jennifer Stein: Editor In Chief Destination I Do Magazine Apr 24, 2019

Show notes

Today Andy Kushner and guest co-host, Harmony Walton, host of The Bridal Bar, discuss Andy's interview with Jennifer Stein. Jennifer is the founder of Destination I Do Magazine and an experienced consultant with knowledgeable insight on business and the wedding industry.

Andy and Harmony further discuss taking a leap of faith, keeping up with change, and how to determine a worthwhile business investment. If you're interested in tangible advice and tips to apply to your business, tune into this episode of The Next Level.

Show Highlights:

Taking a leap and transitioning into having your own business
Being resilient and providing excellent service by adding value
Looking past fear and rejection
Keeping up with change to stay relevant
Going through seasons of preventative maintenance and trying to keep up
Finding passionate people to hold the positions you're not passionate about
Hiring freelancers for collaboration
Determining if placing an ad is worth the investment
Asking to see the stats and demographics of the advertising outlet.
Understanding what's right for you and your target audience
Not putting all your eggs in one basket and experimenting with different advertising outlets

JENNIFER STEIN, DESTINATION I DO MAGAZINE LINKS

Website

Facebook: DestinationIdomag

IG, Twitter, Pinterest: @DestinationIDo

GUEST CO-HOST, HARMONY WALTON, LINKS

Bridal Bar Website

Harmony Walton Website

Jet Fete Blog

Harmony's Interview on The Wedding Biz

THE WEDDING BIZ LINKS

The Wedding Biz Website

The Wedding Biz Instagram

The Wedding Biz Facebook

SPONSOR LINKS

OFD Consulting www.ofdconsulting.com

Kushner Entertainment www.kushnerentertainment.com

145 JENNIFER STEIN: Editor-In-Chief, Destination I Do Magazine Apr 22, 2019

Show notes

The only thing more magical than a destination wedding is putting it in print to share with the world. Today Jennifer Stein, Editor-In-Chief, Co-Founder, and publisher of Destination I Do Magazine, shares where she got her inspiration to begin her journey as a destination wedding specialist.

Jennifer has insightful tips for anyone wanting to plan their own destination wedding or get involved in the industry. To hear more about Jennifer's exciting travels, advice for starting up a business, and broadening horizons in all aspects of life, join Andy Kushner in this episode of The Wedding Biz.

Show Highlights:

The importance of being raised without boundaries as a female entrepreneur
The transformative moment when Jennifer realized what she wanted to do
Taking a leap and going full force
Financial misconceptions of running a print business
Learning from our mistakes and embracing obstacles
Having faith in yourself and your product
Tips for couples paying for a destination wedding
Tips for someone who wants to get involved in the destination wedding industry
Becoming educated on destinations and documenting your trips
Venturing out and expanding to other countries with resources
Determining if an advertising opportunity is worth the investment
Why print isn't dead

VIDEOS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9aDGvmcayg, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va2nFHxubDY&t=2s, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0GyQ5XWJVE

The Wedding Biz Links

The Wedding Biz Website

The Wedding Biz Instagram

The Wedding Biz Facebook

JENNIFER STEIN, DESTINATION I DO MAGAZINE LINKS

https://destinationido.com/

https://destinationido.com/blog

IG, Twitter, Pinterest: @DestinationIDo

Facebook: DestinationIdomag

SPONSOR LINKS

OFD Consulting www.ofdconsulting.com

Kushner Entertainment www.kushnerentertainment.com

144 THE NEXT LEVEL: Rishi Patel: CEO of HMR Designs Apr 17, 2019

Show notes

Join Andy Kushner and guest co-host, Jennifer Stein, Editor-In-Chief of Destination I Do Magazine, in today's episode of The Next Level! Today Andy and Jennifer discuss key topics from last week's interview of event planner and designer, Rishi Patel, CEO of HMR Designs.

Jennifer Stein is also the Co-Founder of Destination I Do Magazine, the premier magazine for Destination Weddings. It was Jennifer's own desire to have a destination wedding that led her to the destination wedding industry!

From the luxury of service, establishing client relationships, and focusing on the present, this episode provides tangible advice to reflect on and implement in your own business. To hear more about Rishi's interview tune into this episode of The Next Level.

Show Highlights:

Getting out of your own space and traveling
Soul searching and finding inspiration
The luxury of service
Establishing a relationship and making clients feel heard
Making the process enjoyable and personalizing the experience
Finding clients who are the right fit
Focusing on the moment and creating a connection

RISHI'S LINKS

HMR DESIGN LINKS

Website: hmrdesigns.com

Instagram: @hmrdesigns

Rishi's Instagram: @rishithedesigner

Facebook: @hmrdesignschicago

Twitter: @HMR_Designs

JENNIFER'S LINKS

https://destinationido.com/

https://destinationido.com/blog

IG, Twitter, Pinterest: @DestinationIDo

Facebook: DestinationIdomag

THE WEDDING BIZ LINKS

The Wedding Biz Website

The Wedding Biz Instagram

The Wedding Biz Facebook

SPONSOR LINKS

OFD Consulting www.ofdconsulting.com

Kushner Entertainment www.kushnerentertainment.com

143 RISHI PATEL: CEO of HMR Designs Apr 15, 2019

Show notes

"Luxury does not come without service. Service is luxury." Today, CEO of HMR Designs, Rishi Patel, talks about how service and luxury work cohesively to create astonishing events and a mutually fulfilling experience for the client and their designers.

In this episode, Andy and Rishi focus on establishing connections, finding your position in life and in your career, and how to showcase your work. Join this week's lighthearted and educational conversation on The Wedding Biz for tips on how you can catapult your career.

Show Highlights:

What makes service a luxury
Making the process a fulfilling and luxurious experience
What manifested and directed Rishi to find his passion
Finding yourself and being revitalized by traveling
The eye-opening experiences and inspiration that accompanies traveling
How networking can direct and impact the course of your career
Using social media to grow and benefit your business
Showcasing and marketing your work with social media
Creating an environment that evokes gratification
The art and benefit of using unconventional material
What the general process of creating an event looks like
The challenges of narrowing down taste
Manifesting clients' specific ideas to fulfill their vision
Telling a story with every event
How Rishi fast-tracked his position in the company
The importance of having clear responsibilities in a company
Understanding the components and logistics that go behind managing a business
The importance of only committing to work that brings you fulfillment
Setting boundaries between work and personal life
Biggest changes within the event industry over recent years
How social media has brought more transparency and exposure to the event industry
Staying fresh and interesting
Experiences that keep Rishi grounded in his work
Following your heart and finding a way to make a living doing what you love

HMR DESIGN LINKS

Website: hmrdesigns.com

Instagram: @hmrdesigns

Rishi's Instagram: @rishithedesigner

Facebook: @hmrdesignschicago

Twitter: @HMR_Designs

THE WEDDING BIZ LINKS

The Wedding Biz Website

The Wedding Biz Instagram

The Wedding Biz Facebook

SPONSOR LINKS

OFD Consulting www.ofdconsulting.com

Kushner Entertainment www.kushnerentertainment.com

142 THE NEXT LEVEL: Andre Wells: Fashion-Forward Event Design & Planning Apr 10, 2019

Show notes

Welcome to another episode of The Next Level! This week Andy Kushner brings on another industry icon, Sean Low of The Business Of Being Creative, to discuss highlights from last week's interview with Andre Wells. Andre is a high-end event planner and designer who incorporates his elegance and love for fashion into every event. Andy and Sean tackle topics such as how to break into the industry, how to project professionalism and individualism, and carrying the confidence that attracts clients. To hear more about how you can apply these simple but impactful strategies to your own business tune into this episode of The Next Level!

Show Highlights:

Breaking into the industry, for education and networking opportunity, by volunteering for what can later become creative partners
Finding ways to educate yourself further
Having a hunger to learn and improve
Being fashion forward and having a signature style
Carrying confidence that projects your brand
Using fashion to project an image
The implications of being a minority in the industry
Having a level of professionalism despite combating biases
Letting who you are speak for itself

The Wedding Biz Links

The Wedding Biz Website

The Wedding Biz Instagram

The Wedding Biz Facebook

Andre Wells Links

Events By Andre Wells Website

Instagram: @eventsandrewells

Facebook: @eventsbyandrewells

Guest Co-Host, Sean Low, Links

Website www.thebusinessofbeingcreative.com and www.thebbccollective.com.

Instagram @SeanLow1

Sean's Facebook

Twitter @seanlow

The BBC Collective on Facebook

SPONSOR LINKS

OFD Consulting www.ofdconsulting.com

Kushner Entertainment www.kushnerentertainment.com

141 ANDRE WELLS: Fashion-Forward Event Design & Planning Apr 08, 2019

Show notes

Sometimes we have to go through a preparation period before we're able to tackle our dreams head on. Today Andre Wells, event planner, designer, and fashion enthusiast, shares his own personal growth process and how it led him to create his own flourishing business.

Andre also talks about the positive impact he's seen in his career through pursuing a clear vision and putting forth the hard work necessary to propel you into the right place at the right time. Tune into this episode of The Wedding Biz with your host, Andy Kushner to hear more about manifesting your dreams and building a reputable brand, in a seemingly limited industry.

Show Highlights:

What sparked Andre's passion for his current career
Building your brand to manifest your dreams
The power of having a clear vision
The importance of having freedom of creativity
Getting the experience necessary to prepare you to reach your goals
Having a signature aesthetic to translate your image
Making a thoughtful experience feel subtle and not overdone
Finding a team that you can trust to execute your vision
How to find the right creative partners
Making creativity and business coincide
The added value of intangible elements
Feeling confident in what you bring to the table
Being able to say no when people aren't a right fit for you
Being a minority in the event industry
Letting your work speak for itself
Adapting to changes as time progresses
Expanding into different markets
Targeting your direct market
Stepping outside of the market and working geographically
Growing organically into different markets

The Wedding Biz Links

The Wedding Biz Website

The Wedding Biz Instagram

The Wedding Biz Facebook

Andre Wells Links

Events By Andre Wells Website

Instagram: @eventsandrewells

Facebook: @eventsbyandrewells

SPONSOR LINKS

OFD Consulting www.ofdconsulting.com

Kushner Entertainment www.kushnerentertainment.com

140 THE NEXT LEVEL: Laurie Arons: Fast-Tracking to the Luxe Level Apr 03, 2019

Show notes

Today, Andy and guest host, Julie Sabatino of The Stylish Bride, discuss highlights from this week's interview with Laurie Arons. Laurie is a talented, luxury event and wedding planner who previously shared many generous and thoughtful tips on how to build relationships, a social media platform, and your business. This episode breaks down and evaluates those tactics in a way that will help you implement them into your own business. Join Andy Kushner and Julie Sabatino on this episode of The Next Level.

Show Highlights:

Creating a brand image that reflects who you are
The impact of having a memorable follow-up
Being thoughtful about how you execute persistence
Responding to people with a sense of urgency
Paying it forward and building good relationships
Building a loyal following with curated images
How to present the real and polished elements of your business
Being generous with giving credit to others
Bringing authenticity to your work
The importance of time management

The Wedding Biz Links

The Wedding Biz Website

The Wedding Biz Instagram

The Wedding Biz Facebook

Laurie Arons Links

Website

Instagram: @lauriearons

Facebook: @lauriearonsspecialevents

Masterclass

Julie Sabatino's Links:

Website

Instagram @thestylishbride

Facebook @thestylishbride

Julie's interview on The Wedding Biz

SPONSOR LINKS:

OFD Consulting www.ofdconsulting.com

Kushner Entertainment www.kushnerentertainment.com

139 LAURIE ARONS: Fast-Tracking To The Lux Level Apr 01, 2019

Show notes

We've all been told to "fake it till we make it," but sometimes honesty and tenacity are all it really takes to succeed. Today's guest, Laurie Arons, is a luxury event planner who has been named one of the top planners in the industry by esteemed magazines such as Vogue, Harper Bazaar and Martha Stewart Weddings.

Based in San Francisco, Laurie's business caters to high-end and extravagant occasions all around the world. Not only does Laurie offer her impeccable taste and eye for style, but she doesn't hesitate to lend her expertise, her kindness, and her time to others. To hear more about Laurie's story, technique, and passion for the event industry, tune into this episode of The Wedding Biz with your host, Andy Kushner.

Show Highlights: