On last week’s episode, Ashley Ebert gave us the inside scoop on WHY we need to build a team, even though it can be pretty scary. But what happens when you actually DO start building a team? How can you create a culture that you can truly be proud of, something that represents both you and your brand, and something that your team, your partners, and your clients can feel? As we graduate from solopreneurs to leaders, it is our responsibility to create this elusive culture, but most of us aren’t really sure where to start.

When you think about building a team around you, what comes to mind? Is it that your company will be able to work more weddings and you’ll be able to make more money because of it? Or is it that more team members means more headaches and loss of control?

As a wedding planner, I’ve found that our jobs are 30% logistics, 30% vision and decor, and about 40% therapy. If you’re a planner - or wedding vendor who works with couples - you know that there’s stress, disagreements with family members, and quite a few (not happy) tears. I always tell the planners I coach that you can expect some sort of full meltdown one to two weeks before the wedding. For me 12 years ago, it was about gift bags. So wouldn’t it be great if we could get some help from someone who’s a certified life coach - someone who specializes in helping couples navigate some of these hard and meltdown-inspiring moments?

One of the most frequent questions we get in The Planners Vault is, How can I get on the preferred vendor list at the best wedding venue in my market? Or even before getting on the preferred vendor list, how do I even get the venue coordinators to know who I am?

It’s not as simple as sending an email to introduce yourself. So what do you do? Shannon Tarrant has some actionable tips - and mistakes to avoid.

"Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, 'Make me feel important.' Not only will you succeed in sales, you will succeed in life." - Mary Kay Ash

Keep that quote in mind for this solo episode, as Megan Gillikin is giving her 5 tips for getting more referrals from your fellow wedding pros.

Lisa Lyons has been in the wedding industry for 19 years, but she has been drawn to etiquette her entire life. And in 2020 she got the certification to help wedding pros take their etiquette to the next level. But in this modern era of traditions changing, what does wedding etiquette even mean?

It's time to get serious about your business goals for this year and how you plan to achieve them. I'm going to keep this one short, sweet and packed with goodness as I share my top five hacks for maximizing efficiency in your wedding business.

Back in 2019, photographer Jillian Knight asked me to coffee to talk about an idea she had for her business - requiring a planner at ALL of her events. What this meant was that if couples didn’t have a planner or want to hire a planner, she simply wouldn’t work with them. As a planner, I absolutely loved it of course. And for the photographer, I thought it had a chance to be amazing for her and a way to stand out in our market…but there was also the reality that she’d literally be turning down business. So what’s happened since that meeting two and a half years ago?