For Real: Life, Leadership, & Unlearning

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 ha...

What makes an amazing wedding experience for our clients and their guests?  Is it the design elements that make them stop in their tracks when they first see the ballroom or the tent, plus the small little details that start multiple conversations throughout the evening?  Is it the logistics of making sure that every vendor is on the same page and the wedding runs smoothly without any confusion or...

Hi (First Name), Welcome to the (insert podcast here) Podcast! Are you wondering how to personalize some of your automated touch points with your (insert industry here) clients to make them feel more natural so you can connect with your clients more authentically? Business Operations Consultant and lifelong ease-seeker Charlotte Isaac tells us how. This episode is brought to you by The Planner's V...

In some exciting news, after 12 years of running A Southern Soiree Wedding and Event Planning, Megan has passed the torch to the next owner. There have been tears of joy, tears of overwhelm, tears of sadness, and tears of laughter. There have been many WTFs, crazy stories, bad decisions, and life-changing moments.  Today, Megan and Jason reflect on the journey and talk about the next chapter. This...

Let’s think about the couples who fill out an inquiry form. They’re interested in the specifics of your services and your price point of course, but what they're truly hoping for is a real, meaningful connection.  It’s the longest they’ll work with someone and it’s the most money they’ll spend on one day, so a wedding pro who makes them feel understood, happy, and excited - that’s who they’re goin...

What are some ways to effectively work with an intern (and not just give them busy work)?  Megan and Gina Annab Johnston offer 6 projects you can give your intern right away! This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault , my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest exper...

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 talk to Sara Margulis, who seemingly had it all - a successful business with her husband, TV appearances all over, an investment from Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary, and partnerships with Target and Hilton - but she was deeply in need of...

Emma and Molly Gillikin have taken over the podcast to wish all the moms (especially Megan) Happy Mother's Day!

When you’re running a business, it can feel pretty overwhelming -  like you need to do all the things and do them all really well. And even if you’re at the point in your business where you can outsource some, being aware of everything to make the critical decisions can seem exhausting. But the good news is your business can be broken down into just 6 core competencies - and you don't have to be a...

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...

Let’s talk about your brand. Does it reflect who you are as a person and as a company - and does it attract your ideal clients?  Is it something you’re proud of and passionate about, and you truly understand what your colors mean?  Is it consistent throughout your website, your socials, your newsletters, and all the things?  Branding can be super confusing, so that’s why I brought on branding expe...

It’s been 4 years since Weddings for Real came to be. Over the last 4 years we’ve evolved and grown in a lot of ways and today, we’ll share some of our all time favorite AHA-moment episodes, and we invite you to join in on the fun! Episodes mentioned include: 71: Toxic Stress and How It's Killing Your Business, with Therapist and Executive Coach Andy Maurer 73: Relator, Analyzer, Boss, and Dreamer...

In this solo episode, Megan Gillikin answers 5 questions from the Weddings for Real Facebook Group , including how to hire your #2, how to raise your prices, and how to take steps to make your business full time. References:  Episode 151: Creating a digital welcome guide  Episode 145: Margeaux Fraise on leveraging Facebook Groups For more client experience tips, visit ThePlannersVault.com/clientex...

On last week’s episode , Ashley Ebert gave us the inside scoop on WHY we need to build a team, even though it can be pretty scary.  But what happens when you actually DO start building a team?  How can you create a culture that you can truly be proud of, something that represents both you and your brand, and something that your team, your partners, and your clients can feel?  As we graduate from s...

When you think about building a team around you, what comes to mind? Is it that your company will be able to work more weddings and you’ll be able to make more money because of it?  Or is it that more team members means more headaches and loss of control? Growth in numbers can be scary, but it doesn't have to be. Today, Ashley Ebert gives us the 3 myths of building a team. Ashley Ebert is the owne...

As a wedding planner, I’ve found that our jobs are 30% logistics, 30% vision and decor, and about 40% therapy.  If you’re a planner - or wedding vendor who works with couples - you know that there’s stress, disagreements with family members, and quite a few (not happy) tears. I always tell the planners I coach that you can expect some sort of full meltdown one to two weeks before the wedding.  For...

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 list, how do I even get the venue coordinators to know who I am?   It’s not as simple as sending an email to introduce yourself. So what do you do?  Shannon Tarrant has some actionable tips - and mista...

"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. This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault , my onlin...

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 member...

"You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems." - James Clear, Atomic Habits It's time to get serious about your business goals for this year and how you plan to achieve them. I'm going to keep this one short, sweet and packed with goodness as I share my top five hacks for maximizing efficiency in your wedding business. This episode is brought to you by The Pla...

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...

Megan is joined by her husband Jason Gillikin to discuss their word of the 2021, successes and failures (both personal and professional), and goals for 2022. This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault , my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest experts on many topics...

I'm not good enough. Everything I have is from luck, and when people find out, they'll know I'm a fraud.  Sound familiar?   Today we're talking all about imposter syndrome, and 3 tips to quiet your inner critic. This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault , my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education...

Welcome to The Unraveling, where we share the unraveling of old habits and mindset that holds you back, and the rebirth of new. Today's guest is Aleya Harris, empire builder at Flourish Marketing . Download Aleya's Recalibration Guide to Reclaim Your Glow & Cash Flow This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault , my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, r...

Do you ever find yourself working your butt off, just go go go, working weddings, fixing problems, moving the business forward...and then you never stop to think why you’re doing all these things?  Is it because you want to be the best vendor in your category? Is it because you like working with your clients? Is it because you like building teams?  Or have you just been doing it without really kno...