Category: 1The Next Level

177 THE NEXT LEVEL: JENNIFER STEIN Discusses SEAN DE FREITAS, Founder of Designs by Sean: From King of Carnival to King of Design

In this episode of The Next Level, Andy Kushner and Jennifer Stein, Co-Founder and Editor in Chief of Destination I Do Magazine, discuss Sean De Freitas’s interview on the Wedding Biz. Jennifer was recognized as one of the top 35 entrepreneurs under 35 by the Arizona Republic and has over 19 years of experience in business and publishing. If you are planning a destination wedding and need ideas this magazine, and Jennifer’s blog, is where you should start.

Listen as they talk about Sean’s designs, events, and a wedding story you won’t want to miss. They chat about losing focus on your business, feeling burned out and what you can do to get the spark back, how you can make it new again. If you listen closely you might hear a tidbit you can use next time you are feeling overwhelmed and ready to quit.

175 THE NEXT LEVEL: TAIT LARSON Discusses TIM CHI – CEO, The Knot Worldwide: Combining Technology and Trends to Innovate the Wedding Industry

In this episode of The Next Level, Andy Kushner and Tait Larson, co-founder of Style Me Pretty, discuss Tim Chi’s interview on the Wedding Biz. Tait and his wife Abby founded Style Me Pretty, sold it to AOL, and then took it back after AOL announced they were shutting it down. Tait has some fantastic insights to share on Tim’s interview and the future of the industry.

Learn how Tait and Andy feel about Tim’s opinions on failure, courage, and entrepreneurship. They dig deep into their views on the role of failure, or obstacles, in building a business and a life. There were so many great tips and ideas shared on this episode. You won’t want to miss it!

173 THE NEXT LEVEL: VALERIE GERNHAUSER Discusses MERYL SNOW Part 2, Setting Yourself Apart in Life and Business

In this episode of The Next Level, Andy Kushner and Valerie Gernhauser, CEO of Sapphire Events, discuss Meryl Snow’s second interview on the Wedding Biz. Valerie is a self-proclaimed, recovering attorney who has built a business out of design practices and principles as well as teaching others how to build their own business. She loves sharing the knowledge she has gained through trial and error in her years in the business.

Listen to learn how Valerie and Andy feel about Meryl’s philosophies about training, pricing, and sales. They dive deep into how they train their teams, the importance of cold calling, and why Meryl’s thoughts on pricing had them re-evaluating their own pricing structures. There are so many great tidbits of thought and reflection in this episode. Don’t miss out on a word!

171 THE NEXT LEVEL: JULIE NOVACK Discusses CALDER CLARK, Planning and Design for Chic Classic Southern Events

In this episode of The Next Level, Andy Kushner and Julie Novack, founder of PartySlate, chat about Calder Clark’s interview on the Wedding Biz. Julie is a marketing expert who has been in the business for more than 20 years and is working to make PartySlate the best resource in the world for connecting wedding vendors and their clients.

Julie and Andy discuss everything from Clader’s initial market research through peer shopping to her beliefs on having multiple streams of revenue. Learn why processes are the foundation of growth and why they should never be static. Listen as Julie shares her insights on all of the wonderful things Calder has done to market and grow her business.

169 THE NEXT LEVEL: JES GORDON Discusses DARREN OLARSCH, Creating the Ultimate Music and Entertainment for Events!

In this episode of The Next Level, Andy and Jes Gordon, the rockstar event producer, chat about Darren Olarsch’s interview on The Wedding Biz. Jes has been involved in planning and visualizing top tier events for huge companies and has a lot to say about the space. Listen in to hear her input on the live music scene for occasions and how passion is the driver of business.

Andy and Jess dive deep into the need for, and the push towards, live music and how a hybrid model of a particular type of live music and DJ entertainment is a key to capturing our short attention spans. Many event planners and organizers enter the space as a way of life and that passion is what makes them great. Learn more on this episode!

So much valuable information!
by Santija L. from Denmark
Andy does an amazing job with hosting the podcast, every episode is well-thought-out and packed with tips and strategies. Highly recommend for any entrepreneur involved in the wedding industry.
The Next Level!!
by Suzanne Delawar from United States
Andy is an amazing interviewer. The variety of conversations keeps you engaged every week. Being able to hear from some of the top influencers in our industry, leaves you feeling inspired and motivated to take your business to the next level.
The industry’s finest!
by TheWedding_AC from United States
It’s amazing to have the opportunity to listen to some of the industry’s finest talk about their work, life and craft. I think in this industry, it’s easy to keep our heads down and just stay busy but it’s SO good to come up for air sometimes and hear from other people in the community and to “get to know them” a bit. In short, this podcast is an incredible resource and I’m so thankful for it!
An Industry Standard
by morganmoana from United States
This podcast is a must-listen for wedding professionals. It is engaging and informative, giving you insight into the behind the scenes of the wedding industry in real time. Andy has conversations that make you feel like you are in the same room with the pros he interviews and it is so incredibly valuable!
Encouraging
by SpacePirateTomatoBride from United States
I am sincerely thankful for this podcast. I stumbled upon it last winter and listening to the interviews gave me huge portion of courage to launch my own bridal design business this year. It was a beautiful resource and the show is nicely paced and enjoyable to listen to. I will continue to listen and recommend this show to anyone and everyone who’s interested in business.