1The Next Level

205 THE NEXT LEVEL: JENNIFER STEIN Discusses JOE GOLDBLATT – Event Industry Pioneer and Founder, ILEA & CSEP Program

205 THE NEXT LEVEL: JENNIFER STEIN Discusses JOE GOLDBLATT – Event Industry Pioneer and Founder, ILEA & CSEP Program

by | Nov 20, 2019 | ,

Jennifer Stein, welcome back to The Next Level! Jennifer is the Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Destination I Do Magazine, which is found at newsstands in all fifty states and twelve counties. She also publishes a daily blog, consults, and custom publishes.

Joe Goldblatt is a true pioneer of the event industry; he owned The Wonder Company for over 20 years before selling it. He has written, edited, or co-authored 38 books, including the first textbook in the event industry. Joe has taught over 10,000 students in his teaching career and founded ISES, now known as ILEA. He also created the CSEP program and started event management studies at universities.

Have you examined your expenses lately? Listen in as Andy and Jennifer talk about Joe’s insight on staying lean, keeping costs down even when your business is flourishing. You don’t want to miss this strategy session, so schedule some alone time for you, relax and enjoy!

201 THE NEXT LEVEL: JULIE NOVACK Discusses LE REVE FILMS – Fine Art Wedding Films Plus Networking and Social Media Tips!

201 THE NEXT LEVEL: JULIE NOVACK Discusses LE REVE FILMS – Fine Art Wedding Films Plus Networking and Social Media Tips!

by | Nov 6, 2019 | , ,

Andy has Julie Novack as his guest co-host today on The Next Level. 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.

Le Reve Films is the brainchild of Lindsey and Cherish Conklin. This husband and wife team is known for their work on the Engage 19 Baha Mar Conference as well as their work with other discerning clients. To them, cinematography is building a relationship with clients and telling their stories in the most effective way possible.

Andy and Julie discuss Lindsey and Cherish’s unique way of following up with people they meet at networking events. Their ability to market themselves and their business with Instagram stories that are authentic and moving and the way they take these Instagram links and share them with creative partners. The trick to standing out with potential clients, when you know they have many options, is to send an introduction video with your proposal.

Do you follow up with everyone you meet when networking? Julie chats about her policy of following up with four or five people whom she meets and building meaningful and lasting relationships with them. She believes it is better to concentrate on a few than to spread yourself so thin that you don’t make truly meaningful connections.

Le Reve Films has a very different approach to and making wedding films. Listen in as Andy and Julie dive into some of their favorite parts of the interview and see if you can pick up a nugget or two that you can use in your business.

205 THE NEXT LEVEL: JENNIFER STEIN Discusses JOE GOLDBLATT – Event Industry Pioneer and Founder, ILEA & CSEP Program

199 THE NEXT LEVEL: JENNIFER STEIN Discusses AUDREY NERACOULIS – Emotional Photography And Authenticity In Business

by | Oct 30, 2019 | ,

In this episode of The Next Level, Andy is with Jennifer Stein. Jennifer is the Co-Founder and Editor in Chief of Destination I Do Magazine. She publishes a daily blog and also consults, and custom publishes.

Audrey is a film photographer based in Paris and is known for her unmistakable fashion house inspired aesthetic, and unique and sophisticated work. She also brilliantly utilizes social media, especially Instagram, in ways that will surprise you.

Andy and Jennifer discuss Audrey’s moxy in starting her business before learning the trade and how testing is a great way to make sure your business is viable. They also speak about Audrey’s authenticity and vulnerability and that she isn’t afraid to put it all out there because she wants potential clients to be able to connect with her in a real way.

Have you ever had a meet up with clients when you are traveling? Listen to Andy and Jennifer talk about Audrey doing just that. She posts where she is going to be, so if a potential client or vendor wants to meet up with her in their area, they can get together. 

Listen in to this deep dive into some key points of Audrey’s interview. Jennifer speaks about Audrey’s ability to market herself by listening to what people want, how she connects with people by taking photographs of her life and posting them on her Instagram page and how networking when traveling can boost your business.

If your business is struggling and you are having trouble getting new clients, you need to listen to this conversation. What these two discuss, you won’t learn in books, so plugin and enjoy.

197 THE NEXT LEVEL: SEAN LOW Discusses VANESSA KRECKEL – Brand Development to Set you Apart.

197 THE NEXT LEVEL: SEAN LOW Discusses VANESSA KRECKEL – Brand Development to Set you Apart.

by | Oct 23, 2019 | ,

Andy welcomes Sean Low to this episode of The Next Level! Sean is the Founder and President of The Business of Being Creative LLC, which focuses on providing practical advice to those in the business of being creative. His client list includes the elite of the wedding industry and the design community.

Vanessa is the Owner and Creative Director of Two Paper Dolls, a pioneering custom design house that feeds the desire for customization across all aspects of the wedding industry. TPD Design House services clients in the art of branding, website and logo development, and invitation design around the world.

Andy and Sean discuss Vanessa’s conviction to her start her own company, about being a risk-taker and her need to succeed even though there were bumps along the way. Sean talks about her being a culture specialist, and she understands that it’s not about telling the story to everyone. It’s about telling the story to those who care, knowing that the culture drives the story, not the other way around.

Listen in as they share their outlooks on the way Vanessa runs her company, how she includes everyone in the decision making and the meetings to bring new ideas to the team. She believes that if you let your employees feel invested, they work that much harder because they feel as if it is their company.

If you are looking to discover the secrets to Vanessa’s success, look no further. Andy and Sean suss out the real reasons behind her success and lay it out for all to see. This is the episode you will kick yourself for missing, so don’t.

195 THE NEXT LEVEL: LAURIE ARONS Discusses GREG FINCK – The Leap to Professional Fulfillment

195 THE NEXT LEVEL: LAURIE ARONS Discusses GREG FINCK – The Leap to Professional Fulfillment

by | Oct 16, 2019 |

The Next Level welcomes Laurie Arons to the show! Laurie has been mentioned in numerous magazine publications and was listed in Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, and Martha Stewart Weddings as one of the top planners worldwide. Her clients include trendsetters like Sofia Coppola, Vanessa Getty, and Christy Turlington, to name a few. Laurie has also created and runs a very successful Wedding Planner Masterclass in March of each year and just announced that for March 2020, it will be at the stunning Brush Creek Ranch in Wyoming.

Greg Finck is a brilliant photographer based in Paris. Greg was an executive for ten years with Proctor and Gamble and, at first, was doing wedding photography on the side as a hobby. Five years ago, he started shooting weddings full-time and is already handling major destination weddings and working in the fashion industry. He learned early on how to utilize social media as a marketing tool effectively and has over 70 thousand Instagram followers. Greg also gives a workshop in the spring and is speaking on Authentic Branding at Engage in London in a couple of weeks.

Andy and Laurie bring into focus how seriously Greg takes his career, how hard he works, and how easy he is to work with. They talk about his use of social media to market his brand, why being authentic is so important, and how it can make or break your business. They both agree that Greg’s humility is one of his greatest assets; it is something that clients and vendors alike can feel, and it can only enhance what you do.

Listen in as Andy and Laurie take a deep dive into some of the best parts of Greg’s interview. Laurie and Greg run their businesses in very similar manners, and they are both at the top of their careers. If your company has stopped its upward climb and you are looking for some tips to restart the momentum, this episode drills down into some points that might make your struggle a little easier.

197 THE NEXT LEVEL: SEAN LOW Discusses VANESSA KRECKEL – Brand Development to Set you Apart.

193 THE NEXT LEVEL: SEAN LOW Discusses DAVID MONN – Acumen in the Business of Events.

by | Oct 9, 2019 | ,

Andy is speaking with Sean Low on this episode of The Next Level. Sean is the Founder and of The Business of Being Creative LLC, which focuses on providing practical advice to those in the business of being creative. His client list includes the elite of the wedding industry and the design community.

David Monn is known for producing events like The Met’s Costume Institute Gala, and the iconic 100th Anniversary of the Park Plaza Hotel in NYC, to name just a couple. His clients include many social leaders from around the world. David is also a contributing editor to Departures Magazine and has been featured in numerous luxury and lifestyle publications. 

This is a conversation that imparts much wisdom including his perspective on legacy, teaching your team to carry on without you, but maintaining the quality that your name invokes. Sean agrees with David’s concept of having a business structure in place that will withstand his absence and hopefully be there for many years after he is gone. Know that your business is bigger than you are and have your exit strategy in place long before you need it.

Listen and take heed to what they have to say.  You can’t get this knowledge just from books but rather from people who are living it.

197 THE NEXT LEVEL: SEAN LOW Discusses VANESSA KRECKEL – Brand Development to Set you Apart.

191 THE NEXT LEVEL: SEAN LOW Discusses MICHAEL CERBELLI – The Hot List and the Ultimate in Event Creation

by | Oct 2, 2019 | ,

The Next Level welcomes Sean Low, Founder, and President of The Business of Being Creative LLC, which focuses on providing practical advice to those in the business of being creative. He has worked with many prestigious clients in both the design community and the wedding and event industry.

Michael is the founder of Cerbelli Creative, an event design and production company, and the creator of The Hot List, a list of the best ideas in the industry, and was inducted into the Event Industry Hall of Fame in 2019 by Bizbash. 

Andy and Sean discuss Michael’s passion for the industry and his belief that the size of the event doesn’t matter as long as it creates long-lasting memories for the clients. They deliberate on Michael’s knack for challenging everyone around him to be an artist, and his need to inspire people to take risks.

Sean examines Michael’s philosophy of paying his people well, letting them grow, and the importance of recognizing them for a job well done. This is taking Andy’s interview with Michael to the next level, diving in, and discussing some of the juiciest parts of the conversation…you will be glad you listened in!

189 THE NEXT LEVEL: AUGUSTA COLE Discusses CHRISTINA MATTEUCCI – The Executive Director at David Beahm Experiences

189 THE NEXT LEVEL: AUGUSTA COLE Discusses CHRISTINA MATTEUCCI – The Executive Director at David Beahm Experiences

by | Sep 25, 2019 | ,

Today on The Next Level, Andy Kushner is speaking with Augusta Cole, Executive Director to Lynn Easton, of Easton Events, a world-renowned planner and designer.

Augusta and Christina are lucky enough to work for individuals who allow them to truly have a voice and to feel a sense of ownership in their companies. Christina has worked with David Beahm Experiences for many years and they maintain their relationship by having respect and trust. David shows confidence in her abilities and Christina knows that he appreciates what she is doing and trusts that she will always do what is best for the company.

They speak about the similarities between the way David Beahm and Lynn Easton lead their teams, the ritual of debriefing after events and how they allow everyone to give ideas on how to make the next one better. 

Augusta is in agreement with Christina on many things and needing a forward thinker leading the company is one of them. They feel that if you have someone who cares about what you think, where you want to be, and will help you get there, then you are in the best place you can be. 

This is a great and elucidating conversation so listen in and see if you can see yourself in this discussion.

187 THE NEXT LEVEL: VALERIE GERNHAUSER Discusses CARRIE GOLDBERG – Travel & Weddings Director, Harpers Bazaar

187 THE NEXT LEVEL: VALERIE GERNHAUSER Discusses CARRIE GOLDBERG – Travel & Weddings Director, Harpers Bazaar

by | Sep 18, 2019 | ,

Today on The Next Level, Andy Kushner is speaking with Valerie Gernhouser, Owner of Sapphire Events. She also created Sapphire Sessions Speaking Tour, a specialized program for wedding planners and event designers.

They speak this week about Carrie Goldberg, the Travel and Wedding Director at Harpers Bazaar. She oversees all things bridal, weddings, and travel for Bazaar.com. She is also responsible for content strategy and visuals for Bazaar’s digital travel and wedding verticals, and editor of Bazaar’s new subscription program called Bazaar Brides.

Valerie chats with us about her views, in addition to Carrie’s, on redefining luxury, how it is a feeling, not about how much money you spend. She also agrees with Carrie that brides and grooms are more focused on the emotions, what makes it unique, and that it’s all about the guests enjoying themselves.

This is also a conversation about millennials, the digital natives. Anything they want is at their fingertips, and they are very adept at finding it. You won’t want to miss it, so tune in and enjoy the discussion.

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