Alan

Say Goodbye to your weakest link

There was a TV show in the 2000’s called “The Weakest Link” where contestants tried to not get tossed off by the stern British host. When she told a contestant that they had to go, she said “You are the weakest link… Goodbye!” I was thinking about this the other day and how each of our businesses, or personal endeavors, is only as successful as the weakest link. What are the weak links that are preventing you from achieving more? To which ones should you be saying “Goodbye!”?

Listen to this new 12-minute episode and find out. Read More

Are you investing in your business, or day-trading?

Financial services apps make it very easy to buy and sell stocks, bonds, ETFs and more. That’s great as it levels the playing field for small investors. Some people do what’s called “buy and hold,” intending to keep the investments they buy for a long time. Warren Buffet, the famous “Oracle of Omaha”, and one of the richest people in the world, is known for doing that. Other people buy and sell quickly, looking to turn a fast profit (hopefully). They’re not interested in the fundamentals of the company, its management or long-term strategy. Those are called “day-traders” because they often buy and sell the stocks in the same day. How are you treating your business, as a long-term investment, or are you day-trading?

Listen to this 8-minute episode and find out. Read More

You Get What You Measure!

A client called one day and asked me how many calls I used to require my sales reps to make, when I was VP of Sales at The Knot. I told him that I didn’t give them a target of phone calls to make, because I didn’t want phone calls, I wanted sales. I told him that you get what you measure. What are you measuring? Are you paying attention to the right metrics, or getting distracted by things that don’t align with what you’re trying to achieve?

Listen to this new 11-minute episode and get a clearer picture of things you might want to be paying attention to. Read More

Are you doing transactions or building a business?

Every wedding or event sale involves a transaction, but doing transactions is not the same as building a business. What’s the difference? A lot depends upon whether you’re just focusing on today, or if you also have your eye on the future, and what you want that future to look like. Listen to this 9-minute episode and get a clearer view of your business’ future. Read More

Bill Zaruka – Scaling Wedgewood Weddings from 1 venue to over 40 venues

When I first met and started consulting and doing training for Wedgewood Weddings in 2012, they had about a dozen venues in Northern and Southern California. Nine years later they have over 40 venues in 6 states, and counting (I just saw a notification that they’ve picked up two more after our recording). They’ve carved out a great niche with their all-inclusive model for their venues. When they open or acquire new venues, they use the same, proven packages. Some businesses have different models in different areas. Bill Zaruka and his team have proven that their strategy works all over the country. Yes, each venue is unique, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use the same package strategy.

Listen to this new episode and learn some ways you can scale your business. Read More

How Do You Reply to Negative Reviews?

If there’s one thing that gets wedding and event pros riled up it’s getting a less-than-positive review, especially your first one. I get frantic phone calls, emails and messages looking for help and guidance when that happens. Besides slowing down and taking a deep breath, there really is a better way to handle these situations. Take a deep breath and listen to this 19-minute episode and find out. Read More

What is luck?

Are some people really luckier than others, or is there something you can do to improve your luck? Much of what you see that looks like luck from afar really isn’t. As the Roman philosopher Seneca said: “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” So, what can you do to be luckier? Listen to this new 8-minute episode and find out. Read More

Ron Ruth – Customer Service or Customer Experience? Part II – New Bonus Dialogue Episode

We had such a spirited discussion that I invited my good friend Ron Ruth to join me again, to continue our talk about the customer experience. Through Ron’s speaking and training, and his lifelong addiction to all things Disney, Ron has some great perspective on how you can create a better experience for your couples and customers, right from the start. If you didn’t hear Part I, you can find it here. Enjoy! Read More