For Real: Life, Leadership, & Unlearning

You asked the questions, and here are the answers! It's time for another AMA -  a candid, no holds barred, ask me anything episode where I'm going to be tackling your burning questions that were submitted inside our free Facebook group or through the call for questions over on our Instagram page.  Whether you're managing challenging vendor relationships or trying to avoid the burnout hamster wheel...

Let's face it, this is one of the busiest seasons of your career.  It feels like you don't have time for anything other than your clients, but in this solo episode, I'm giving 9 tips for you to become a better wedding pro. Pick a couple to focus on now, then come back once it slows down to implement the rest! Here’s the link to our 25+ Helpful Email Template Bundle I mentioned in the episode from...

As the CEO of Walk West, a Triangle Business Journal 40 Under 40 award winner, wife, and mom of 2, Abha Bowers was seemingly on top of the world.   Until she discovered a new passion that would completely transform her career and way of life. --- (00:03:21) Abha fell in love (00:04:30) "If I wanted to make moves, I had to learn." (00:13:18) "What are you afraid of? Failing." (00:15:44) The power o...

Grieving is unfortunately a universal part of the human experience. Whether it's hit us yet or not, grief will bring us to our knees. So while we can't avoid it, how can we honor our grief without letting it define us? Today, ESPN sideline reporter Lauren Sisler shares her story of losing her parents at 18.  Initially, she ran as fast as she could from the pain and shame associated with her parent...

How can we navigate burnout by recognizing survival brain, dismantling decades-old beliefs, and prioritizing self-awareness? It's not easy, but today we continue last week's conversation about burnout, and what it truly means to press the pause button. Recent burnout episodes: 272. Burnout: My Old Habits Die Screaming Story 274. Burnout Red Flags: How to Spot Them and What to Do Next 275. How to A...

Recently, I’ve been sharing my personal journey with burnout in episodes 272 , 274 , and 275 , and I've heard from so many of you who resonated with these stories. We don't talk enough about the hardships of trying to do it all and be it all as entrepreneurs.  There's a lot to navigate, and there's a lack of conversations around what to do about it and what you can learn from seasons of overwhelm,...

Back when I was starting my planning business in 2010, things were a lot different than today.   Community over competition wasn’t a thing. Instagram wasn’t a thing yet. TikTok obviously wasn’t around. Podcasts weren’t around. And you know what else hadn’t taken off yet? The coaching boom. Back then, we didn’t have wedding pros telling us what they had done to grow their businesses, which was a ch...

Today we're sharing some easy financial wins for you to be able to save more money, unlock some amazing perks, and gain greater control over your finances and your time. AMEX My Favorite Things Honeybook Weddings For Real Episode 259 - 5 Tips So Taxes Don't Keep You Up at Night, with CPA Tatiana Podel Weddings For Real Episode 241 - Double Your Revenue, Not Your Work: A Guide to Affiliate Income,...

As entrepreneurs, we carry a heavy load. We're leading our teams, we're planning for more growth, we're handling setbacks, trying to build profitability, we're making sure we're serving our clients, we want to market to reach a wider audience.  It's exhausting. And then, as women, I feel like the load is even greater. We strive to create opportunities that might not come as easily to us as our mal...

On last week's episode , Megan took you on a behind the scenes journey to the beginning of this year when she was on a two day workation retreat with her friend and business coach, Rachel Sheerin .  She brought a whirlwind of ideas, enough for a 30-day retreat, but along with the excitement and the ideas, she also brought lots of overwhelm, exhaustion, and panic to get it all done.    She was in d...

If you listened to episode 272 , you heard about Megan's burnout and why she took a pause from recording new episodes of the podcast.  But that's not quite the whole story. Back in January, Megan went on a weekend retreat with her coach, friend, and business partner Rachel Sheerin .  It was there that Rachel realized this wouldn't be a normal workcation. Today, Rachel and Megan share what happened...

One of the quickest routes to burnout ( see episode 272 ) is doing the same thing over and over, staying on that hamster wheel until you're running so fast, you’re exhausted, and realize you’re not even sure you like this hamster wheel anymore. Sometimes, we get so caught up in the routine that we forget to pause and reassess if it’s still working for us. So, let’s talk about making those intentio...

Megan here. I'm back, and I'm inviting you into a personal reflection and behind-the-scenes look at what burnout can look like—not just as a business owner, but as a human - a human who needs to stop fighting and pushing through burnout but instead heal the root cause. I’ve talked about burnout before on the podcast: 194: Ask Me Anything (About Burnout, Selling My Business, New Market, and More) 5...

Lisa Lyons has been in the wedding industry for 19 years, but she has been drawn to etiquette her entire life. And in 2020 she got the certification to help wedding pros take their etiquette to the next level. But in this modern era of traditions changing, what does wedding etiquette even mean? Lisa Lyons Events and Etiquette --- This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault , my online me...

Motivational speaker and award-winning storyteller Kelly Swanson advises wedding professionals (and all business owners who want more sales), "Don't sell the service. Sell the story."   But how do we do that when we're not sure what story to tell. Is it the story of me? Is it the brand story? Is it the couple's story? The thing is, if we can merge those 3 stories together, we're creating a powerfu...

Lindsay Lucas is THE wedding venue consultant .  She's a former wedding planner who now helps venue owners (and those aspiring to be) to create profitable and sustainable wedding venue businesses.  Lindsay had the idea for a complete shift in her business, but it wasn’t easy convincing herself that this was the best way to go. Today, we talk about if YOUR idea is really something to go after, that...

When you hear the word "belonging", what do you think of?  Maybe you think of wedding pros, because we're welcoming, ambitious, kind-hearted, and badass business owners.  Maybe it's finding your people to share your goals and dreams with - it's that positive feeling we get when we feel respected. As a business owner, I want my team, my clients, my vendor partners, and you listening to this to have...

Fill out this survey and give us your feedback for a chance to win a $50 Amazon.com gift card and be part of shaping the future of Weddings For Real! https://www.megangillikin.com/podcast-survey -- One of the most frequent questions we get in The Planners Vault is, How can I get on the preferred vendor list at the best wedding venue in my market?  Or even before getting on the preferred vendor lis...

When you're pitching your services to potential clients, are you using Luxury Language? Or are you using Discount Dialect? Today, Quinn Conyers tells us the difference, and how strategic word choice can make pitches irresistible.  She also introduces the concept of a "verbal business card" that captivates potential clients - as long as you can articulate your value clearly. Tune in to learn about...

Do you have money mindset blocks that are preventing your business from growing and preventing you from leading your best life?  Maybe you believe that you don't deserve to charge more yet. Or maybe you believe you shouldn't charge more because you love what you do. Or maybe you think there's a new competitor popping up every day who charges so little, it's not worth it to raise your prices. I had...

Rachel Sheerin , keynote speaker and Megan's first business coach, is guest-hosting this episode. She comes from a wedding background before shifting into corporate events and eventually speaking on the biggest stages. Today, Rachel brings on Carrie Davenport to discuss how wedding vendors can start adding corporate events to their portfolios and revenue streams. Carrie Davenport is an accomplishe...

"Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, 'Make me feel important.' Not only will you succeed in sales, you will succeed in life." - Mary Kay Ash Keep that quote in mind for this solo episode, as Megan Gillikin is giving her 5 tips for getting more referrals from your fellow wedding pros. --- Today's episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault . T...

On this episode ( listen to part 1 here ), we ask engaged couples the questions you can’t really ask when they reach out to you. But we can!  Questions like: How are you finding your wedding vendors? Instagram? Website? TikTok? Do you need to see pricing on the website? Do you want a consultation call, or do you just want info sent by email? How do you determine budget? And how has it evolved? Wha...

On this episode, we ask engaged couples the questions you can’t really ask when they reach out to you. But we can!  Questions like: How are you finding your wedding vendors? Instagram? Website? TikTok? Do you need to see pricing on the website? Do you want a consultation call, or do you just want info sent by email? How do you determine budget? And how has it evolved? What's something you wish wed...

The Unraveling series, where amazing and inspiring entrepreneurs share the unraveling of old habits and mindset that holds us back, and the rebirth of new.   Today we feature Inez Ribustello, whose unraveling started back on September 11, 2001, when she lost nearly all of her colleagues in the terrorist attacks. At 25 years old, Inez had hustled her way up the ranks to be the beverage director at...