Join The Wedding Biz host, Andy Kushner, and Marketing Director Melissa Fancy as they break down Lisa Gooder’s interview. Lisa Gooder is the Executive Director of Brides Magazine.
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Lisa Gooder was always passionate about telling stories. No matter the workplace– from artifact appraisals to digital media, to Lisa, the way a story could connect others and draw interest were obvious. Enter her break into the wedding industry, where the story has been culturally set for decades – that is, until Lisa began to see changes in the demographic and wanted to help tell their honest stories.
Get ready to dive deep with Lisa on how she’s seen the answer to the question, “why get married?” change drastically over the years, why that matters, and what it means for brands in the wedding industry.
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Kirsten Ott Palladino & Maria Palladino are co-founders of Equally Wed, an online wedding magazine celebrating love and weddings in the LGBTQ+ community. It also provides education and resources for same-sex couples and equality-minded wedding professionals. But this is far more than just a business venture.
In 2004, Kirsten and Maria fell in love, getting engaged just before Kirsten’s 30th birthday in Central Park. When Kirsten began searching online and in book stores for wedding planning resources as a same-sex couple, she didn’t see any content out there that reflected her relationship with Maria. Initially disappointed, Kirsten channeled her emotions into a project called Equally Wed — an online journal and national wedding magazine for LGBTQ+ couples. With Maria’s background in graphic design and web development and Kirsten’s experience in writing editorial content, the two created a national wedding magazine and resource guide for people in the LGBTQ+ community and their allies who want to learn, connect, and feel validation that love is love, no matter who you are.
At the time Equally Wed launched, only 6 US states had marriage equality, making Equally Wed not only an online resource for community and wedding resources for the LGBTQ+ community, but also a news and activism site during the movement toward national marriage equality. As the political and social conversation continues to evolve around same-sex marriage, so does the wedding market. Kirsten and Maria continue to push the envelope by developing relevant, thoughtful resources, including the publication of a wedding guide in 2017 specifically for LGBTQ+ couples planning their own weddings.
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These days, The Knot is largely synonymous with planning a modern wedding. It is often the first resource brides will use to feel empowered during an uncertain time. There’s a reason for that! Founder of The Knot, Carley Roney, and Brand Builder, Anja Winikka, are innovating the wedding business through authentic connection and female empowerment. The Knot is the #1 Mobile Wedding App, and most bride’s first destination after getting engaged. What started as a small company trying to simplify wedding planning has grown to become one of the most innovative and female-focused entrepreneurial endeavors. Innovation and inclusivity were at the heart of Carley Roney’s vision for The Knot when she and her husband started the company in the early 90’s. With the brand mastery of Anja Winnika, The Knot has solidified its identity as the authority on just about every facet of the wedding business, while also empowering brides to create a wedding that is personal and fun.
A lot has changed about the wedding industry since The Knot was founded, but their core community values of trust, style, and inclusivity haven’t. In today’s episode, you will learn all about Carley’s ahead-of-her-time vision for how the Internet could bring unparalleled innovation to the wedding business. You will also learn how The Knot has continued to evolve and grow by listening to users and cultivating resources with a personal touch. The Knot encourages brides, planners, and vendors to connect in the moment. With resources like The Ultimate Wedding Planner and their wealth of information online, brides can trust that The Knot is working to empower them through the wedding process.
Listen this week to learn how The Knot is empowering their employees, building innovation into their DNA, and paving the way for female entrepreneurs within the wedding business.
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Angela Desveaux is the founder, publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of WedLuxe Media, which includes her print and online magazines, a trendsetting blog, a wedding show, an online boutique, and many other facets. But the path to all this success wasn’t easy, as she shares in this week’s episode. Angela recalls her first few years of building the magazine with her husband Bruce and what it was like to bet it all on the business. It’s a story many entrepreneurs can relate to, and she gives sage advice to anyone looking to strike out on their own in the industry.
In today’s episode, Angela and Andy explore the ever-challenging path to success, and how with enough determination and often sheer willpower, you can achieve what you set out to. The pair also discuss how to find balance professionally and personally, the secret to running a business with a spouse, and what’s on the horizon for WedLuxe Media. It’s a tale of following your gut and setting out to do a difficult but immensely rewarding task. The full interview is available right here.
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