Gathered Here

Jonathan Aymin started with one San Diego wedding venue and grew CSE into a multi-state venue management company that's now been part of over 6,500 events. He's also the founder of WEVA, the first national wedding and event venue association, host of the VenueRx podcast, and — as of this year — a father of seven. In this episode, Dana and Jonathan get into the messy reality behind the growth: taki...

You're getting leads. But are you actually converting them — or are you leaving money on the table every single week? In this episode of the Venue Masterclass Series, Dana sits down with Daniela Justus and Whitney Hodges, co-founders of LeadLock, a lead management software built specifically for wedding venues and wedding professionals. Together, they pull back the curtain on what's actually happe...

A few weeks ago, Kelsey said something that made me slightly spiral.  When I asked her why she ignored her gut instinct in certain situations, her answer was simple: Empathy. That answer opened up a much bigger conversation about the moments in our lives when we know something doesn't feel right—but we explain it away, make excuses, or convince ourselves that someone else's needs matter more than...

Last week, Kelsey shared a simple thought that stopped me in my tracks: What if I fail? And then, just as quickly: Then I'll start something new. In this Quick Chat, I'm reflecting on why those words hit so close to home. From selling The Bradford and navigating one of the hardest seasons of my life to taking the leap into owning two new venues, I've spent a lot of time wrestling with fear, uncert...

In this Origins episode, Dana sits down with Kelsey Correia to share the story behind Floriana, a historic Massachusetts venue that was in need of a fresh start. Kelsey shares her journey from event planner to venue operator, how she convinced a hesitant ownership group to trust her vision, and the risks she took to help transform the property into a thriving wedding venue. From rebranding and reb...

Wedding insurance is one of those things nobody wants to think about… until they need it. In this episode of Gathered Here , Dana sits down with Mitchell Busse, the driving force behind Event Guard   - the first AI-powered event insurance platform in the United States -  to talk about the realities of risk, liability, cancellations, and the misconceptions that venue owners and couples still have a...

Wedding tipping culture has officially entered the chat… and people have thoughts. In this very first edition of AITVA (Am I The Vendor Asshole?) , Dana is joined by wedding planner and designer Irene of Irene & Co Events to unpack one very heated Reddit thread: a bride questioning whether she really needed to tip her wedding vendors 20%… including a $6,000 gratuity for catering staff. From ti...

This episode of Gathered Here: The Venue Masterclass Series challenges one of the biggest assumptions in the venue industry: that success only comes from weddings. Dana sits down with venue consultant and sales strategist Adrienne Gardner to talk about diversification, burnout, staffing realities, and the pressure venue owners feel to become the “top wedding venue” in their market. Together, they...

If You Look for the Good, You’ll Find It In this Quick Chat, I’m reflecting on one of the biggest leadership lessons that’s been sitting with me since my conversation with Anthony Lambatos—and honestly, it hit deeper than I expected. We talk a lot about team culture, hiring the right people, and building something meaningful. But what happens when someone who was the right person… isn’t anymore? I...

Where I Got Culture Wrong — And What I’m Doing Differently Now In this Quick Chat, I’m reflecting on my conversation with Anthony Lambatos—and more importantly, what it brought up for me as I step into building new teams and new venues. We talk a lot about company culture in this industry, but what happens when you realize… you didn’t get the core right? In this episode, I’m breaking down the thre...

What if culture isn’t something you add to your business… but the thing that drives it? In this episode, I sit down with Anthony Lambatos to talk about what it actually looks like to build a people-first business—and why so many leaders get it wrong. Anthony shares how he transformed his family’s catering company by focusing on one simple goal: create a great place to work. What followed? Increase...

In this Venue Masterclass segment, Dana sits down with Sara Kincaid from Aisle Planner to unpack one of the biggest mistakes business owners make: building a business around not failing instead of intentionally designing it for success. With over 17 years in the events industry, Sarah has seen it all—from catering and venue management to leading a global software platform. And her message is clear...

Origins: The Bradford — Building, Breaking & Letting Go For years, I told other people’s stories. This time, I’m telling my own. This is the story of The Bradford—the dream that started on a napkin, the risk that changed everything, and the journey that shaped who I am today. From building a venue with no money… to living on-site with our families… to navigating the pressure, the partnership,...

What does it really cost to say yes to your dreams? In this heartfelt quick chat, Dana dives into the quiet sacrifices that come with ambition — the missed moments, the guilt that lingers, and the constant tug between what we want to build and who we want to be there for. Drawing inspiration from Brittany’s story of saying yes to her calling and no to everything that didn’t align, Dana shares her...

There comes a moment when you realize the seat you’ve been holding onto no longer serves you. For Brittany, it was leaving spaces where respect was missing — even when walking away meant heartbreak, loss, or uncertainty about what came next. In this episode of Gathered Here , Dana shares her own experiences of staying too long at the wrong tables, the fear of leaving, and the freedom that comes wh...

Sometimes the dream won’t let go of you — no matter how many times the world tells you “no.” In this episode, Dana sits down with Brittany Schrader, owner of The Colonial at Sunset , to hear how she turned years of setbacks, heartbreaks, and hard lessons into the foundation for her ultimate “yes.” From her start in sports management to nearly giving up on the industry altogether, Brittany’s story...

We often feel the pressure to be perfect in business — to never miss a detail, never drop the ball, never let our humanness show. But the truth is, mistakes happen, emotions spill over, and life rarely fits into neat boxes. In this episode, Dana shares reflections inspired by her conversation with Leah from The Historic Ashland . From the weight of making an impact, to reframing the “value” of our...

In this episode of Quick Chat with Dana , I dive into a deeply personal topic: asking for help. We often pride ourselves on independence, on being the ones who can handle it all—but what happens when life gets overwhelming, and we realize we can’t do it alone? I reflect on lessons from my past, the struggles of balancing care for others while neglecting our own needs, and how asking for help isn’t...

In this episode, Dana sits down with Leah Nadu, co-owner of Historic Ashland, to talk about the reality of running a family-built venue — the grief and grit it takes, the lessons her late father passed down, and why she believes hospitality isn’t the wedding business at all, but the people business. From learning to ask for help, to finding refuge in her work, to building a team that carries her f...

Life can be messy, painful, and overwhelming—but sometimes the very act of caring for someone else can help us find our way. In this episode of Gathered Here , Dana Kadwell explores the power of empathy, sharing stories from her own journey and a conversation with Kate, a hospitality professional who learned that serving others can be deeply healing. These experiences reveal a profound truth: show...

Complacency isn’t just a business risk — it can quietly erode the relationships that help us thrive. In this episode, Dana reflects on the lesson sparked by last week’s conversation with Kate. Dana shares honest stories from her own experience, from the times she neglected networking and personal connections, to the moments she realized that surface-level interactions weren’t enough. She talks abo...

When Hospitality Heals: Resilience, Adaptability, and the Heart That Keeps Us Here Sometimes hospitality is more than just events — it’s survival, it’s healing, and it’s the heart that keeps us moving forward. Kate Foster’s story is proof of that. From her early career in politics to planning over 500 weddings, opening multimillion-dollar venues, and now training hospitality sales teams across Nor...

You don’t become a boss without paying a price. But what if the cost keeps climbing — and it’s you on the line? In this deeply honest solo episode, Dana Kadwell reflects on a powerful moment from her interview with Dixie Bagley: the idea that every entrepreneur pays a price to lead. From burnout and resentment to health scares and missed time with family, Dana shares how even when you love your wo...

Sink or swim — it’s a phrase we all know. But what happens when you realize… you don’t want to swim anymore? In this solo quick chat, Dana Kadwell unpacks a vulnerable truth sparked by last week’s conversation with Dixie Bagley: not every goal deserves to be chased to the end. Dana shares her personal struggle with goal-setting, the fear of failure that’s shaped her choices, and the surprising rea...

Dixie Bagley didn’t go looking for a wedding venue — it found her. In this episode, she shares the wild story of how an impulsive property visit, a personal tragedy, and a last-minute wedding turned into a life she never expected. From double-booked disasters and boundary-setting breakdowns to the high cost of keeping 36 toilets clean, Dixie gets real about what it actually takes to run a venue. T...