As we get further in our careers and lives, we all encounter a space where transformation is necessary to find success and personal fulfillment — however we define that. Sometimes we even find what brought us success previously is now holding us back. In this episode Alysia and Liz talk to Megan Gillikin — successful entrepreneur, mothers, and host of the popular podcast Weddings for Real — on the hustle of entrepreneurship and unraveling yourself to find your purpose and passion in life.

I've heard you loud and clear - you're overwhelmed by all the wedding pro educators out there, and you're not sure who to listen to and what to do. What could be valuable learnings wind up leaving you frustrated and paralyzed. So what can you do about it? Join me today for five tips on how to identify who to listen to and what content you should be consuming to help you take your business to the next level.

Let me ask you a couple tough questions - What is your innate brand advantage over your competition? Are you unique, or are you swimming in a sea of sameness? If you’re just starting your business, you might not really know what your brand is or where to even begin. If you’ve been at it for a while, you might be so head down in the day-to-day that you don’t pause often enough to reevaluate what your brand actually is, and how that brand is being used to attract (or potentially even repel) your ideal clients.

Last week, we were at Wedding MBA in Las Vegas, and it was memorable to say the least - and at some points it felt like an out-of-body experience. I had two presentations this time, with one of them on the main stage which was juuuusstt a bit intimidating.

Starting a small business is not for the faint of heart. There’s fear that you’re not the right person to lead a company. There’s uncertainty that you’ll ever be able to make as much money as you did in your corporate job. There’s doubt that anyone will book you or that you can sustain the mental health hurdles running a small business requires. If you’re with me as a small business owner, congratulations on getting this far, and we see what you’re going through! Today, we hear from Merri CEO Randi Bushell - who went through all of these challenges - plus fundraising - plus scaling a tech company in the pandemic - and has figured out how to grow her business in the process.

We all have some opinions about the wedding industry that might be considered unpopular. But as I say in the intro, this podcast is a safe space to dish about the reality of our industry.

The Unraveling series, where amazing and inspiring entrepreneurs share the unraveling of old habits and mindset that holds us back, and the rebirth of new. Today we feature Sandra Cassios, owner and lead planner at Sandra Bettina Weddings and Events, and owner of XO and Mane Gift Shop.

Ever since I got into podcasts (and believe it or not, it actually took me a while), I’ve been focused on growth: getting to the life that I want and not settling for less. If you’re listening to this podcast, I’m thinking that’s your mindset too. And that could mean so many things. A bigger house. Freedom from the 9 to 5. Working more. Working less. Spending more time with your family. Taking more vacations. Raising your rates. You know you and what you want. And if you don’t know, it's time to figure it out.