Tag: Eddie Babbage

Wedding Industry Insider Podcast

WII 126: A Marketing Strategy in Minutes with Tayler Cusick Hollman

By Emily Tuipulotu on

Tayler Cusick Hollman, founder of Enji

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You know marketing is essential to your wedding planning business. But hiring a pro may be out of reach, and figuring it out on your own can be overwhelming.

That’s where Tayler Cusick Hollman comes in. Her program Enji helps small business owners develop a customized marketing strategy in minutes. It takes out the guesswork, fatigue, and expense of this daunting (yet critical) task.

In Tayler’s words, Enji makes it “stupid easy and fast” to make a custom marketing strategy that you can implement right away.

The best part? Tayler’s background working as a marketing strategist for wedding planners means Enji is ideal for pros just like you.

On today’s episode of Wedding Industry Insider, Tayler shares her wisdom about mindset for small business owners and then offers a step-by-step crash course on marketing. You’re going to love her insight.

Read More “WII 126: A Marketing Strategy in Minutes with Tayler Cusick Hollman” →

Wedding Industry Insider Podcast

WII 125: James x Schulze Tell Us How to Book Luxury Weddings

By Emily Tuipulotu on

James x Schulze

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“Who are you?” “What do you need?” “How can I help you reach your goals?”

These are the kinds of questions that can elevate your business and bring you closer to your dream clients. 

In today’s episode of Wedding Industry Insider, we’re learning how building authentic relationships can help you book more creative and high-paying weddings. 

James Christianson and Otto Schulze are the founders and co-owners of James x Schulze, a luxury wedding photography brand that was named one of the Top Wedding Photographers in the World by Harpers Bazaar.

They also help others break into the luxury market through Sage Journey, their training program that’s tailored for wedding photographers. 

In this week’s episode, we get great advice from James and Otto that will help all wedding vendors –  especially planners – elevate their work and appeal to high-end clients.  

Best of all, you can put their advice to work today. After listening to this episode, you’ll have a list of tasks that will help you move into the luxury market. 

Read More “WII 125: James x Schulze Tell Us How to Book Luxury Weddings” →

Wedding Industry Insider Podcast

WII 124 – Branding (in 4 Simple Steps!) with Kaleigh Wiese

By Emily Tuipulotu on

Kaleigh Wiese - Wedding Industry Insider Podcast

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“Your brand is your reputation.” 

For some wedding planners, branding is one of the most fun parts of being a creative entrepreneur. But for others, it seems like a daunting, out-of-reach process.

No matter where you are with your branding, today’s episode is for you!

Kaleigh Wiese is a brand strategist who has worked with creative small businesses for 20 years. She aims to help entrepreneurs (especially those in the wedding industry) find and embrace their “innate uniqueness.” Her work has been featured in Huffington Post, New York Times, Fortune, and Martha Stewart Weddings; and she has been a featured guest at events and workshops across the country. 

Eddie and Kaleigh discuss the start-to-finish process for branding, including a four-step guide for establishing or fine-tuning your company image.

We’re really excited about this conversation, because while branding always comes up in our podcast, this is our first episode focusing entirely on this vital aspect of entrepreneurship. 

Read More “WII 124 – Branding (in 4 Simple Steps!) with Kaleigh Wiese” →

Wedding Industry Insider Podcast

WII 123: Crafting Enchanting Wedding Experiences With Ashley Smith

By Erin Giberson on

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Think of the moment that you knew you wanted to do weddings. Do you still plan from that place of inspiration? Because this planner taps into that feeling to create enchanting experiences and challenges you to do the same.

Ashley Smith is the Principal of Ashley Smith Events, a team of experience-based designers specializing in destinations globally. With almost two decades of experience and a background in International Business and Hospitality, she brings out-of-the-box thinking to event planning and production. Known for creating magical dreamscapes, her work is featured in Carats & Cake, The Knot, Junebug Weddings, Ruffled, 100 Layer Cake, Green Wedding Shoes, Refinery 29, California Style & Culture, Bizbash, and other leading industry publications. Additionally, she has made the Best Planner list by BRIDES for the last five years (2017-2022).

In this episode, she recalls helping at a summer wedding in Spain and witnessing the father of the bride become overcome with emotion. Moved by the moment, she gained a new outlook on weddings and became passionate about cultivating unique and personalized events. In particular, she encourages you to embrace adventurous ideas and take risks in order to create authentic and memorable celebrations.

Read More “WII 123: Crafting Enchanting Wedding Experiences With Ashley Smith” →

Wedding Industry Insider Podcast

WII 122: Diana Ganz on Her Approach to Growing a Successful Business

By Erin Giberson on

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If you think your business isn’t big enough to create change, then catch the lessons from today’s guest. With her business partner, she disrupted an industry and brought in over 20  million dollars in revenue last year.

Diana Ganz is the Co-founder of SuitShop, the premiere destination for affordable, size-and gender-inclusive, and yours-to-keep suiting. A graduate of MIT’s Sloan School of Management, Diana teamed up with her childhood friend and fashion design guru Jeanne Foley to give couples a better option for their wedding attire. Launched as The Groomsman Suit in 2016, they rebranded as SuitShop to also include non-binary and women’s suits. Ultimately, SuitShop lets consumers purchase a quality, well-fitting suit for a price that’s less, or at least comparable, to the costs of traditional tux rentals. With virtual appointments as well as five showrooms, SuitShop is revolutionizing the purchase of suits and tuxedos for everyone. 

In this episode, Diana shares how SuitShop grew from an apartment launch to a multi-million dollar business. Specifically, she breaks down the business approach that has fueled SuitShop’s success.

Read More “WII 122: Diana Ganz on Her Approach to Growing a Successful Business” →

Wedding Industry Insider Podcast

WII 121: Master Your Budget with Cash Flow Management Tips from Danielle Hendon

By Erin Giberson on

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According to this guest, if you’re a business owner who’s stressed about your budget or cash flow, then you’re not alone.  In fact, she’s sharing her expert tips about what you should do now in order to budget effectively.

Danielle Hendon is the founder and owner of 4 Corners CFO, LLC. Using her 10+ years in corporate finance/accounting, Danielle helps bring the benefit of “big business” financial analysis to entrepreneurs on a scale that fits their company and budget. Additionally, she has experience helping clients in the wedding industry improve their financial management.  

In this episode, Danielle talks about understanding and cushioning your cash flow so that you can effectively manage your budget throughout the entire year.

Read More “WII 121: Master Your Budget with Cash Flow Management Tips from Danielle Hendon” →

Wedding Industry Insider Podcast

WII 120: Brigid Horne-Nestor on Strategically Targeting Your Ideal Clients

By Erin Giberson on

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Ready to propel your business forward? Then don’t miss today’s episode with an industry leader who was also instrumental in the founding of Timeline Genius!

Brigid Horne-Nestor is the owner of i-do Weddings & Events. Brigid has over 25 years of industry experience and is a Master Wedding Planner—one of only 69 in the world. Based in Cincinnati, i-do Weddings & Events is a Couples Choice Award Winner and is recognized in The Knot’s Best of Weddings Hall of Fame.

In this episode, Brigid emphasizes the importance of targeting a specific client base and being willing to say no to clients who are not the right fit. Further, she shares how this lesson can help you adjust your price and marketing strategies accordingly. 
Read More “WII 120: Brigid Horne-Nestor on Strategically Targeting Your Ideal Clients” →

Wedding Industry Insider Podcast

WII 119: Insights from Rob Farrow for Wedding Industry Professionals

By Erin Giberson on

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Ready to embrace the spirit of collaboration and tech in the wed-space? Then tune in for success tips from this well-known wed-tech entrepreneur and industry expert!

Rob Farrow is the CEO of Aisle Planner, which he founded with his wife, Christina. For the past decade, they have grown Aisle Planner into an established industry leader. As an all-in-one platform, it is the software solution offering marketing, client, and planning + project management for event professionals. 

Rob himself was the former Global VP of Marketing for SurfTech, and he has over 20 years of experience in product development, marketing, communications, and all aspects of events management. 

In this episode, Rob talks about building a service-based company as well as how you can leverage the principles that guided Aisle Planner’s success.

Read More “WII 119: Insights from Rob Farrow for Wedding Industry Professionals” →

Wedding Industry Insider Podcast

WII 118: Elisabeth Kramer on Making the Industry Better for Everyone

By Erin Giberson on

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If you’re in the wedding industry, and you’ve ever felt isolated or overwhelmed, then this episode’s for you. Because today’s guest understands, and she’s working to change it for the better.

Elisabeth “Beth” Kramer is a wedding coordinator in Portland, Oregon, who works to make weddings more inclusive, diverse, equitable, accessible, and sustainable. She is also the co-founder of Altared, a space for wedding vendors who want to change the wedding industry. With a mission to value and respect the lived experience of each person, Beth writes about what she sees in the industry and provides free resources to support anyone who is planning or working a wedding. Her work is published in BRIDES, Vanity Fair, and People, among countless other news syndicates.

In this episode, Beth calls out the problems of the wedding industry complex and gets transparent about what she’s done to grow her business in a spirit of inclusivity, equitability, and collaboration for not only clients but also other vendors. Read More “WII 118: Elisabeth Kramer on Making the Industry Better for Everyone” →