Podcast Transcripts & Articles

Buy It, Rent It, Learn It or Hire for It

Like many of my topics, this came from a conversation I was having with one of my clients, a wedding/event pro, about how he should go about doing Facebook advertising. One option was to hire someone, but the price tag was scaring him. Another was to take courses and learn to do it himself. Yet another was to look for every free or cheap way to figure it out. In this episode I’ll take you through the thought process that I shared with him, so you too can see that it’s not just the cost that matters, it’s also the time it will take you to get the results you want. Just looking at the price can cloud your decision and delay you reaching the ROI you desire.

Listen to this new 9-minute episode and hear how you can make better decisions that lead to clearer decisions and more profits. Read More

How to get the most out of wedding shows

Like many of my topics, this came from a conversation I was having with one of my clients, a wedding/event pro, about what he should do for an upcoming Wedding Expo. He wanted to stand out, in a good way, and get the most ROI from the show. So, on this new episode, I’ll share with you some of the things I told him, on how you can stand out, catch the attention of an audience that’s literally moving as they are near you, and how you can profit more from Wedding Shows. Whether you’ve done Wedding Expos (formerly called Bridal Shows) before, or not, and whether you’ve gotten a good ROI or not, this episode will give you some food for thought!

Listen to this new 16-minute episode and hear ways you can get the most out of wedding and other tradeshows. Read More

Kathryn Hamm – So Many Pivots

When I first thought about bringing my friend Kathryn Hamm onto the podcast, it was because of her pivot from LGBTQ issues to DEI – Diversity, Equality and Inclusion topics. Well, before we could get to that, she pivoted again! Listen to this episode and hear how she pivoted into the wedding industry from education, to pivoting to DEI and now to being Co-owner of The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter (Kathyrn’s wife). Is your head spinning from the pivots yet? Kathryn is always a pleasure to talk with, and you’re going to pick up some ideas for your business on this episode. Read More

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