Alan Shukovsky is located in NYC and is the Executive Director of Event Sales & Marketing for Glasshouses, which has new venues in NYC, including The Glasshouse, the highly anticipated new venue with a capacity of 1,850 located on the west side of the city. He is a member of a Manhattan-based task force for events and catering in NYC. The task force is made up of 30 plus of some of the most prominent properties and local event professionals in the City. Their purpose was essentially to collaborate and create a system of protocols, checks and balances, for running events during and after the Covid-19 pandemic and for both event professionals and their clients to feel safe. At a minimum, listening to this conversation will give you a host of important issues and ideas to think about. Below are the documents that resulted.
Consultants
267 A Conversation With: Colin Cowie
I recently started a series, coming out from time to time called “A Conversation With,” which will feature general conversations with a variety of previous and new guests. Today’s conversation is with Colin Cowie, who has been on the show two previous times: Part 1 was episode #128 and Part 2 was #135. I urge you to check them out as they were both absolutely engaging interviews.
Colin was my first entre into the luxe wedding market, with Kushner Entertainment when he hired myself and one of my bands, SoundConnection, to perform for two of his major wedding clients. Those two experiences, with Colin, taught me the true meaning of luxury and I will forever be grateful to him for such invaluable lessons.
In today’s release, Colin talks about what a typical day is like now, during the Covid-19 pandemic, and what he has learned about himself. He also talks about how his brand is diversified, working in hospitality outside of the event business, having launched a new division of his event planning and design business.
Colin is currently working on his 11th book, which he tells us all about, as well as a television program of which he will give details another time. Colin also talks about how he is staying connected with future clients and how he’s dealing with his team during this difficult time. We also discuss what the event industry will look like, in the future, and his suggestion for couples whose weddings have had to be postponed. Colin addresses how he’ll run his event business, moving forward, and defines what true luxury is all about.
This is not a conversation to be missed!
266 KATHI SHARPE-ROSS: Author of Re:Invent Your Life! What Are You Waiting For?
“Reinvention is a personal intervention with yourself.” Listen as Andy, and his guest Kathi Sharpe-Ross discuss her book Re:Invent Your Life! What Are You Waiting For? Kathi gives specific ideas for moving forward and reimagining our lives and careers on this episode of The Wedding Biz.
Kathi shares that this book was something she decided to write ten years ago and how she had to reinvent her entire book launch plan since the pandemic. She speaks about how important it is to listen to yourself and acknowledge when we could use a little tweak. Kathi says that sometimes you need to reframe the brain and reframe your point of view.
Are you so caught up in your life that you forget how important self-care is? Kathi shares that you need to permit yourself to take a breath or a moment to clear your head. Self-care and occasionally being selfish is good for you and can be good for everyone around you. Take time and listen, so you will know when ah-ha moments happen.
Listen as Kathi shares how to change up the routines in your life, one of the 26 power tools from her book, and how important it is to schedule a time for yourself, even if you have to put it on your calendar. Kathi also discusses how to reinvent our lives while being cautious and mindful as we reopen after the pandemic.
“Failure can be your biggest success.” Kathi talks about what she means by this statement, and why sometimes we have to reframe our notion of failure. Andy’s conversation with Kathi is uplifting and inspiring. Read her book if you need a helping hand, getting your life back on track.
Also, Andy has launched a new podcast network called The Wedding Biz Network, in which he will produce podcasts for other people in the event industry, with Sean Low being its first member. Sean’s show now comes out every Tuesday and stay tuned for more new show announcements coming soon.
257 THE NEXT LEVEL: SEAN LOW discusses BILL BAKER, Storytelling to Persuade, Influence, and Inspire
Could you be more productive with honing your storytelling techniques? Listen as Andy and Sean Low discuss Bill’s insights into storytelling and how doing it more effectively can help you with prospective clients. Sean’s consulting firm, The Business of Being Creative, focuses on providing practical advice to those in the business of being creative. His client list includes the who’s who of the wedding industry and design community.
Andy is announcing the official launch of his new podcast network called The Wedding Biz Network, in which Andy will produce podcasts for other people in the event industry, with Sean being its first member. Sean’s show will come out within a week or two, so be on the lookout for it because it is fantastic!
Bill Baker is a wonderful consultant who says that behind every leader, brand, strategy, idea, or initiative is a story. Bill teaches us how to make those stories strategic and have ideas come to life. Bringing people together with a story is an art, and Bill is the artist.
Listen as Andy and Sean speak about Bill’s definition of storytelling, how to define the pillars of your brand through storytelling, and the importance of emotion to bring humanity to the story. They discuss how to bring stories to presentations to set the stage and get the audience more involved in what you are sharing with them.
If you didn’t realize how vital storytelling could be, you need to listen to Bill’s interview on The Wedding Biz then listen to Andy and Sean break down some nuggets of greatness that Bill shared.
256 BILL BAKER: Storytelling to Persuade, Influence and Inspire
When you hear a story, does it engage your brain? Listen as Andy and his guest Bill Baker discuss how to use storytelling in your communication to persuade, influence, and inspire people and the importance of making sure that your team, creative partners, and clients are clear on the story of your brand and mission.
Behind every leader, brand, strategy, or idea, there’s a story, and Bill makes these stories real. Listen, as Bill shares his definition of storytelling, how to use it to bring your company’s ideas to life, and how to use storytelling to bring in prospective clients effectively.
What do you need a story to do? Listen as Bill shares why knowing this is important, and some tools that you can use to become a better storyteller. Bill also shares the building blocks of how to put a story together; he relates this to the event industry and talks about how effective this can be with potential clients.
Bill speaks about the difference between reporting information and telling a story, and how pulling a story from your own experience is an effective way to bring an idea to life for a client. He also shares some ways you can use storytelling when giving presentations and suggests some questions a planner can ask a client to get a better feel for what the client wants their guests to feel and say about the event.
Telling a story is what planners do when they produce events, and even though it is part of our everyday lives, Bill sheds fresh light on ways to use it more effectively. You will walk away from this conversation with a new purpose for showing your clients what you envision instead of telling them.
255 THE NEXT LEVEL: JULIE NOVACK discusses STEVE KEMBLE, America’s Sassiest Lifestyle Guru
Andy has Julie Novack as his guest co-host today on The Next Level. Listen as they speak about Steve Kemble, who is known as “America’s Sassiest Lifestyle Guru,” and how he brings his unique perspective to the events he plans. Julie is the CEO and Co-Founder of PartySlate. PartySlate is a photo-rich website where leading event professionals share their work, build their brand, and drive leads.
Steve has been the magic behind countless corporate events, weddings, and other ventures for over two decades. He is also one of the industry’s most visible, vocal, and unique personalities. Steve has appeared on numerous TV and Radio programs, and has received over 25 industry accolades.
Andy and Julie discuss how having a PR and Advertising degree helped Steve grow his business and why now is the time to reinvent yourself and your company. They also speak about the importance of getting your creative partners and team members on the same page, when planning an event, and how critical communication is with everyone.
Is your company diversified? Listen as they share Steve’s insight into having diversification and how important it is to expand into different areas of your industry so that if one area is slow, you can use the others to keep the company running.
Steve is one of those brilliant planners that you can discuss for hours and never get enough of, but Andy and Julie dive in and pull out the golden nuggets from his interview. Get on Julie’s mailing list to receive PartySlates’ regular weekly newsletter.
254 STEVE KEMBLE: America’s Sassiest Lifestyle Guru
How about a jungle-themed corporate event with elephant rides? Listen to Andy and his guest Steve Kemble, who is known as “America’s Sassiest Lifestyle Guru,” as they discuss how he takes a client’s idea and creates a fabulous event. Steve shares one of his favorite corporate events and how he made the jungle theme come to life plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz.
Steve has been the magic behind countless corporate events, weddings, and other ventures, including events for Oprah, Presidents’ Obama, Bush, and more for over two decades. Steve has been dishing out fashion disses at celebrities for over three years as a top cop for the U.S. Weekly Magazines Fashion Police. He has also appeared on ABC’s Extreme Makeover Wedding Edition, Style Network’s Whose Wedding Is It Anyway, and Married Away.
Listen as Steve shares about working with Lee Iacocca, on the Statue of Liberty project, and how he was able to launch his own company in his mid-twenties. He speaks about his process when vetting a client and the research he does to make sure he is getting the right creative partners for every event.
“We need to tell their story,” is what Steve believes when he is planning weddings. He talks to the couple together before he starts the planning process so he can get a real feel for who they are. Steve also speaks about wanting his events to be perfect and the most significant challenge he ever faced, just days before an enormous event.
Steve has received over 25 industry accolades, including being inducted into the Event Industry Hall of Fame, so when he talks about his processes for events, you need to listen. Being known as one of the most visible, vocal, and unique personalities in the industry shows that he knows how to stay relevant and successful. This very successful man will leave you with a smile.
253 THE NEXT LEVEL: JOHN EMMANUEL discusses WENDY EL-KHOURY – Wedded Wonderland & Growing an Extensive Business in 7 years
Do you have a strong brand identity? Listen, as Andy and John discuss Wendy El-Khoury, her insights into a brand identity, and how she believes it starts before the ring ever hits the hand. John is Australia’s premier floral designer, and John was on The Wedding Biz on January 13th, 2020, so check out his episode if you haven’t already.
Wendy lives in Sydney, Australia, and is the owner of Wedded Wonderland, which gives its followers exclusive on-trend and immediate access to the latest celebrity news, wedding advice, beauty tips, and lifestyle inspiration. Wedded Wonderland allows the audience to engage with creative suppliers, knowledgeable experts, and influential bloggers who set trends and create the benchmark for the bride and wedding community.
Listen as Andy and John speak about Wendy’s belief in brand identity and how she believes it starts before a couple even gets engaged. John shares how the pandemic has affected him and his business and how he now has people booking two years out for events because they do not know how long this pandemic will last.
They discuss Wendy’s idea of staying busy during this time, such as writing tasks down to keep yourself involved. John agrees with Wendy that a trend will be designing destination weddings at home venues and that celebrity weddings affect how brides look at their weddings. John is entertaining and insightful; don’t miss this episode of TNL.
252 WENDY EL-KHOURY: Wedded Wonderland & Growing an Extensive Business In 7 Years.
Wouldn’t it be great to be able to go to a website you already follow for celebrity news and beauty tips to plan your dream wedding? Listen to Andy and his guest, Wendy El-Khoury, as they discuss how you can do all of this on the Wedded Wonderland website. They also chat about the challenges she faces with the pandemic and much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz.
Wendy lives in Sydney, Australia, and is the owner of Wedded Wonderland, which gives its followers exclusive on-trend and immediate access to the latest celebrity news, wedding advice, beauty tips, and lifestyle inspiration. Under Wendy’s direction, Wedded Wonderland is the brides, socialites, and women’s inside guide to the transformative periods of one’s life. She is often credited with the elevation and reinvigoration of the wedding industry in Australia.
Listen, as Wendy shares how she went from managing a wedding venue to creating a substantial online business in just seven years. She tells us how she got interested in the wedding industry and why she added beauty tips and lifestyle inspiration to the website. Wendy believes that when a woman is planning her wedding, it is a transformative time in her life.
Wendy discusses how she is handling the pandemic, and what she recommends that people consider. She believes, during this downtime, set yourself a series of tasks to do each day so you are feeling productive and don’t get bored. Wendy also speaks about how she is bringing in entertainers to showcase talent to keep everyone engaged.
Wendy speaks about the online course she is launching in May and how they will run the annual conferences they have scheduled. Wendy is a very upbeat person with a lot of splendid ideas for dealing with the situation we find ourselves in right now.
248 SEAN LOW – Your Voice Matters
In this stand-alone episode of TNL, Andy and his guest, Sean Low, discuss how the pandemic is affecting the event industry and much more. Sean is the owner of The Business of Being Creative, which focuses on providing practical advice to those in the business of being creative. His client list includes the who’s who of the wedding industry and design community. Sean was on The Wedding Biz in February of 2018, so check out that episode if you haven’t already.
Listen as Sean speaks about the constraints the pandemic is putting on everyone, the issues people in the event industry are struggling with, and how to do a hard reset during this time of forced separation. Sean also shares about a business exercise he does that allows people to redefine their businesses.
Sean believes that at the end of the day, your voice matters. No one needs what you offer; they want it. Your job is to make them need it. It’s not a question of if you are going to use your voice, the question is when are you going to use it. Sean shares a lot of tips and ideas to help you take advantage of this pause in time to do a re-evaluation of your business so that when this is over, you will come out stronger than you were before.