For Real: Life, Leadership, & Unlearning

 Today, I'm sharing three of the biggest, toughest, most game changing lessons I've learned in my 15 years of business. These are the things I want to share with you to help you realize and recognize them sooner than I did. --- Today's episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault. The doors are currently closed for The Planner's Vault, but join the wait list now so you can be the first to know...

Emotional intelligence, also known as EQ, is so much more than just being good with people. It's about truly understanding yourself, reading the room, and fostering real, meaningful connections -  whether that's with your clients, vendor partners, or even at networking events. EQ is a topic that can completely transform the way you navigate relationships in business and in life. What You’ll Learn...

💡 If you haven’t listened to Part 1 yet, hit pause and go back to Episode 306 with Ian Ramirez first! Once a potential client fills out your inquiry form, the real work begins. Follow-up is where so many wedding pros lose leads—whether it's waiting too long to respond, overwhelming them with information, or blending into the sea of generic “Just checking in” emails. So how do you keep potential c...

How many inquiries are slipping through the cracks because your contact form is actually pushing potential clients away instead of drawing them in? 🤯  Today, we’re diving into one of the most overlooked yet wildly important parts of your sales process—your contact form! My guest, Ian Ramirez, is a total genius when it comes to helping wedding venues (and really, all wedding pros) optimize their b...

Alright, picture this—you’re newly engaged, stepping into a gorgeous venue, surrounded by wedding vendors, floral arrangements, cake samples, and a whole lot of decisions to make. Exciting? Absolutely. Overwhelming? Also yes. That was the scene at the Merrimon-Wynne House in downtown Raleigh, where we attended a wedding vendor showcase to talk to real couples about their planning experience. We as...

What does it truly mean to embrace your authentic self, even when it feels scary or uncertain? In this heartfelt episode, we welcome Don Mamone—photographer, speaker, author, and educator—to share their deeply personal journey of stepping away from societal expectations and living courageously outside the binary. Don’s story is one of vulnerability, courage, and redefining identity. From facing de...

Let’s talk contracts, wedding pros! Are you confident that the clauses in your contracts truly protect your small business? Maybe you’re working off a template you bought years ago or piecing together bits you’ve found online. Or perhaps the thought of reviewing your contract gives you a pit in your stomach, and you’re not quite sure what some of the legal jargon actually means. If that’s you, thi...

It's that time of year where marketing is top of mind for small business owners! Except maybe you're frustrated because the marketing efforts you've been putting in aren't quite working, or maybe you're posting on socials hoping to stand out, but it feels like you're blending into that sea of sameness with wedding pros doing the exact same thing.  Or, let's be real, maybe you're stuck in the analy...

How are you currently using AI to lighten your daily load and your to do list?  Have you felt overwhelmed by all the AI things and tech tools out there? Maybe you've bought in on a few, signed up for a few free trials here and there, but you don't have the time and capacity to dig in and explore what's really going to help you in your business.  It's a lot. Well, today's episode is for anyone who'...

For the past five years, I’ve closed out each year with a special episode where I invite my husband to join me. Together, we’ve reflected on the learning lessons, wins, and everything in between.  But this year, I’m doing things differently. I’m recording this solo, and with that comes a new perspective. This year has been transformational, and I feel called to reflect on it from a deeply personal...

Have you ever hit a wall? And I don't mean just a bad day, but a full on stop, like your body and your mind are just done if you've been there?  Well today's episode is all about how you can tap into your energy while avoiding a complete stop burnout. ----- Connect with Erin King: Take the Energy Exam: https://info.theenergyexam.com/a/2147929576/eLXvc2XL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrs.er...

As business owners, we’ve all been there—those million ideas a minute, right? Some of them make it through the "friends and family board of directors," and then we decide, let’s go for it! But here’s the thing: have you ever had an idea that felt amazing at first, only to later ask yourself, What the heck am I doing? Maybe you’ve poured time, energy, and resources into something you were sure woul...

Last week, we gathered with 14 incredible members of The Planner’s Vault at our latest Workation retreat, held in a stunning lakeside home near Charlotte, North Carolina. As always, I was joined by my COO, confidante, and “work wife,” Gina, to lead our community through three transformative days of business-building, personal growth, and focus. In this special live-recorded episode, you’ll get a b...

Clients don't just want great service. They value and prioritize experiences that stand out, that feel personalized, and that make them superfans of a brand or business.  So how can you create unforgettable experiences that your clients will rave about to their friends? Today, Megan and Gina share some memorable experiences from the consumer side, and they share their tips on how it all relates to...

Should you expand your business to service new locations? It makes sense, right? If you have a business that's thriving in one area and you've already got an established brand, website and systems in place, it could probably work in another market, too, and everyone involved can make some more money. Yet it's not quite that simple. You personally can't be in more than one location at once. More ma...

In part one of our conversation, Hannah Abad talked through the signs of burnout and how our nervous system reacts to stress. Today is a special mini-episode where she's giving you some actionable tips on what you can do when you're overwhelmed and sliding into panic mode. And I can tell you from experience that these strategies work. So let's take a moment to pause the chaos. ----- Hannah Abad Co...

Today we’re diving into a topic that affects so many of us in the wedding industry: resilience and burnout. This summer, we shared several episodes on burnout, where I openly discussed my own experience from last year and hitting a wall at the beginning of 2024.  My train was moving 200 miles per hour, and I just couldn’t see a path to slowing down.  Fortunately, the person who helped me find the...

Last week, Gina and Megan gave their insider tips on how to plan a workcation .  With the planning done, they went to the beach with a lot on their plates.  And today - recorded on the last night of their workcation - they share their reflections. What did they accomplish? Was it worth it? And was it amazing to wake up with much fewer responsibilities? ---- Links Mentioned: 291. How to Plan a Work...

How do you plan an effective workcation for your team? Today, Megan and Gina give us the inside scoop on orchestrating the perfect balance of productivity and relaxation! They discuss the importance of curating workations that blend revenue-generating ideas with essential updates to team processes, plus goal setting and productivity tips. And of course, they answer the question of how you find the...

If you're anything like me, you've got all the ideas - to grow your business, to generate a viral social media post, or to wow your clients.  The problem is, we don't have time to stop whatever it is that we're doing and focus on the new shiny object every time.  We've got tasks and payroll and the next appointment and a to-do list that keeps piling up! So how can we get to the execution of the bi...

Colleen Carswell is ridiculously busy, but she has all the amazing tips on time management, which she actually calls energetic alignment.  On part 1, she gave us an introduction to the four pillars of alignment - physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental. And she talked about the importance of focusing on small changes to build momentum and avoid burnout.  Today, we're digging into Colleen's phil...

As busy professionals, it can be a never ending journey to try to figure out how to structure your day, tackle your never ending to-do list, and shake that constant feeling that everything is piling up. Oh, and let's not forget about wanting to actually have a life outside of work.  So if you can relate, you're in the right place, because on today's episode, we're diving into some productivity, en...

Back in 2019, photographer Jillian Knight asked me to coffee to talk about an idea she had for her business - requiring a planner at ALL of her events. What this meant was that if couples didn’t have a planner or want to hire a planner, she simply wouldn’t work with them. As a planner, I absolutely loved it of course. And for the photographer, I thought it had a chance to be amazing for her and a...

Actually, Ask US Anything, as Gina Johnston from The Planner's Vault joins the podcast today to tackle some big topics, like navigating a cash flow crisis, planning your exit strategy, making smart investments in your business, and reflecting on what we might have done differently at each stage of the journey. And of course, how in the world do we balance (LOL) the demands of motherhood and workin...

Let me take a peek into your small business owner brain.  You feel the pressure to be active and showing up regularly on several (all?) of the social media platforms. And you know there's a need to consistently put content out there in the form of blog post or on Instagram or maybe a newsletter. And then you need to think about word-of-mouth marketing and your brand identity. And then what about r...