Last week, we gathered with 14 incredible members of The Planner’s Vault at our latest Workation retreat, held in a stunning lakeside home near Charlotte, North Carolina. As always, I was joined by my COO, confidante, and “work wife,” Gina, to lead our community through three transformative days of business-building, personal growth, and focus.

In this special live-recorded episode, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look (and listen!) into the retreat as we answer questions straight from our members on everything from growing a team to tackling current challenges in the wedding industry, and even knowing when it might be time for a big pivot in your business.

So, grab a glass and listen along as we dive into an AMA that’s full of practical insights, candid conversations, and a few background wine clinks.

Clients don't just want great service. They value and prioritize experiences that stand out, that feel personalized, and that make them superfans of a brand or business. 

So how can you create unforgettable experiences that your clients will rave about to their friends?

Today, Megan and Gina share some memorable experiences from the consumer side, and they share their tips on how it all relates to wedding pros.

Should you expand your business to service new locations?

It makes sense, right? If you have a business that's thriving in one area and you've already got an established brand, website and systems in place, it could probably work in another market, too, and everyone involved can make some more money.

Yet it's not quite that simple. You personally can't be in more than one location at once. More markets also mean more team members, which means more logistical issues to navigate.

So...should you do it anyway?

Let's find out from someone who plans weddings throughout the world and has locations in San Francisco, Charleston, Los Angeles, and Miami - Shannon Leahy.

In part one of our conversation, Hannah Abad talked through the signs of burnout and how our nervous system reacts to stress. Today is a special mini-episode where she's giving you some actionable tips on what you can do when you're overwhelmed and sliding into panic mode.

And I can tell you from experience that these strategies work. So let's take a moment to pause the chaos.

Today we’re diving into a topic that affects so many of us in the wedding industry: resilience and burnout.

This summer, we shared several episodes on burnout, where I openly discussed my own experience from last year and hitting a wall at the beginning of 2024.  My train was moving 200 miles per hour, and I just couldn’t see a path to slowing down. 

Fortunately, the person who helped me find the brakes joins us today, and she’s sharing her advice to help you restore balance in your life.

Last week, Gina and Megan gave their insider tips on how to plan a workcation.  With the planning done, they went to the beach with a lot on their plates.  And today - recorded on the last night of their workcation - they share their reflections.

What did they accomplish?
Was it worth it?
And was it amazing to wake up with much fewer responsibilities?

How do you plan an effective workcation for your team? Today, Megan and Gina give us the inside scoop on orchestrating the perfect balance of productivity and relaxation!

They discuss the importance of curating workations that blend revenue-generating ideas with essential updates to team processes, plus goal setting and productivity tips.

If you're anything like me, you've got all the ideas - to grow your business, to generate a viral social media post, or to wow your clients. The problem is, we don't have time to stop whatever it is that we're doing and focus on the new shiny object every time. We've got tasks and payroll and the next appointment and a to-do list that keeps piling up!

So how can we get to the execution of the big ideas, while taking care of the things that need to be done?

Let's find out as we chat with The Planner's Vault COO Gina Johnston!