NSBWEP stands for the National Society of Black Wedding and Event...
Media
366 TIM CHI – CEO, The Knot Worldwide and Reflections Post-Covid
Andy hopes that you will join him in this episode as he chats...
349 DANA BOWLING – Finding Your Voice on Clubhouse and Being a Great Moderator
I met Dana on Clubhouse and was really impressed by the ease and...
348 JEN VAZQUEZ AND MORGAN CHILDS – Getting Familiar with Clubhouse
What do you know about Clubhouse? Listen as Andy and his...
330 JOSH SPIEGEL/Birch Event Design – Using Social Media to Create Business During the Pandemic
On this episode of The Wedding Biz Andy is talking to Josh Spiegel, the Creative Director and President of Birch Event Design, a high-end decor, production, and floral company located out of the New York City area. Josh has had a lot of business during the pandemic and shares the story of how he is accomplishing that feat. Josh also talks sincerely about many issues, especially how he is dealing with things now and how he feels the event industry might be different once it fully comes back.
Josh also shares how he got into the event industry and the challenge of creating different designs for the same group of people, sometimes every day. Josh talks about how he failed and learned in the early years of his business and how his business has thrived over the years.
Listen as Josh discusses his process from the first contact with a client through the event and what he did during the pandemic that has kept him and his team busy. Josh is also very open about the deep depression he fell into in the early months of the pandemic and what brought him out and gave him focus as the crisis continued.
Josh speaks about social media and how he uses it to grow his business and what he believes will change in the event industry post-pandemic. He also shares what he has learned during COVID that he believes will carry over and what the hardest part of the past year has been. Andy wraps up the interview by asking Josh how he defines success.
285 A Conversation With: CARRIE GOLDBERG
Andy is happy to have Carrie Goldberg back on the show to discuss how COVID-19 has affected her personally and professionally, what she is hearing from both brides and planners, and the challenges planners have with managing their clients’ expectations, but also keeping them safe and socially distanced.
Carrie is the Digital Travel & Weddings Editor at Harper’s Bazaar, where she oversees all things weddings and travel for HarpersBazaar.com. She is in charge of content, strategy, and visuals for Bazaar’s digital travel and wedding verticals and editor of their membership subscription program called Bazaar Bride.
Listen, as Carrie discusses the different ways some brides are viewing their weddings and how planners are coping with wedding guests while trying to keep them safe. Carrie believes that this pandemic has made couples ask themselves what’s really important and whether now is the right time to take a chance on a large wedding or wait until it’s safe.
She also believes that some changes, she sees now, will continue in the future because people are realizing what is important and much of it is about getting back to basics. Carrie shares advice for planners and stylists around shopping and talks about where she will be for the next few months. Carrie has great insight into what is going on in the wedding and event business during this pandemic. You don’t want to miss what she has to say.
274 KUNBI ODUBOGUN – A Celebration of Life, The Perfete and Not So Perfete
“We share the Perfete and the not so Perfete things about life.” Listen, as Andy Kushner and his guest Kunbi Odubogun discuss her backstory and this wonderful site she created. We also talked about when she appeared on an Engage panel discussing her perspective on racial injustice and so much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz.
Kunbi is the founder of Perfete, a celebration centered digital publication, providing tips and tools for celebrating all of life’s joyous moments from stylish parties and weddings to decor, inspiration, and gift guides. Kunbi is also the host of the Perfete Podcast, a bi-weekly podcast featuring relatable stories from female thought leaders…Creatives and professionals who share their tangible takeaways for living one’s Perfete life.
Listen as Kunbi shares growing up in Nigeria and moving to Kansas at fifteen, why she got a business degree and then a law degree and how she got into the wedding industry by planning her two wedding celebrations. Kunbi blogged about her wedding as a way to stay in touch with her friends in Nigeria, and it turned into Perfete.
“Life isn’t perfect, but we can navigate the journey together.” Kunbi discusses what Perfete is all about and why she celebrates beautiful things but also talks about the hard things in life. Kunbi also speaks about how she is handling the pandemic with both Perfete and her legal blog as well.
“Do not be afraid to disrupt any place that you want to be.” Listen as Kunbi addresses racial discrimination, the inequality in the event industry, and what young people of color should do if they want to get into the industry. Kunbi says that now is the time to get your voice heard, so speak out.
We are all experiencing quite a bit of stress and other issues during this pandemic. Andy has put together a list of the top ten tips for dealing with stress, which he has compiled from interviews with icons of the wedding and event industry. If you would like a copy, go to www.theweddingbiz.com/toptips.
271 NATALIE DENYSE – Building A Strong Brand To Weather The Storm
“The best-laid PR & marketing strategies are rooted in intent and purpose.” Listen as Andy Kushner and his guest Natalie Denyse discuss essential building blocks of a strong PR and marketing strategy, how to create a culture for your brand, and rethinking your brand message plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz.
Natalie is the founder of In Good Company Public Relations, a boutique PR and marketing firm servicing distinguished brands in the wedding, events, and hospitality industry. She uses a forward-thinking approach, combining media relations, social content, and off-line marketing tactics into one holistic strategy. Natalie is also the creator of The Essential PR & Marketing Field Guide, a digital education resource for creative brands looking to propel their businesses to new heights.
“Reach your clients where they are.” Listen, as Natalie shares, the first thing you need to build a strong PR and marketing strategy is a powerful message or elevator pitch. She also discusses ways to keep your brand secure and build relationships even when things get a little unpredictable, like they are now with the pandemic, but also think about strategies that will pay off in the long term.
“A post should feel thought out.” Natalie shares examples of what she means by keeping up with your social media by curating photos on Instagram and telling stories by utilizing the full capabilities of a caption. Another way is to put out an email newsletter sharing something of value to let them know you are thinking of them. Don’t miss a word of what she has to say.
Also, Andy has launched a new podcast network called The Wedding Biz Network, in which he produces podcasts for other people in the event industry, with Sean Low being its first member. Sean’s show, The Business Of Being Creative, comes out every Tuesday and stay tuned for more new show announcements coming soon.
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.
258 MEGHAN ELY: PR, Getting Published And More!
“Advertising says hey I’m great, PR is when somebody else says you are great.” Listen as Andy and his guest Meghan Ely discuss what this means and how important it is to have the recognition if you are interested in being published. Meghan shares a simple formula that can help you get your name recognized with the media as an expert in your field.
Meghan is the owner of OFD Consulting, an award-winning publicity agency that focuses on the wedding industry and the B2B market. Their client portfolio ranges from top tier planners and venues to well regarded national brands, and industry thought leaders. Meghan is a long time industry speaker and writer, a wedding wire education expert, and is a regular contributor to Wedding Planner Magazine and others.
Listen as Meghan discusses the generational shift, a hot topic in the industry, what it looks like, and who is affected by it. She also talks about transparency with social media, letting potential clients get a sense of who you are, and how technology can free up your time and make life easier.
Andy and Meghan share their insights on setting boundaries around your time to let clients know when you are available but also when you are not. Meghan shares some final thoughts with the listeners and gives us an idea of what the OFD Collection is all about. This is a great conversation with many tidbits you won’t want to miss.