All Podcast Episodes

268 Alan Shukovsky: Protocols for Running Events During the Covid-19 Pandemic

by Andy Kushner | Jun 19, 2020 | Consultants, Event Planners and Designers

Alan Shukovsky is located in NYC and is the Executive Director of Event Sales & Marketing for Glasshouses, which has new venues in NYC, including The Glasshouse, the highly anticipated new venue with a capacity of 1,850 located on the west side of the city. He is a member of a Manhattan-based task force for events and catering in NYC. The task force is made up of 30 plus of some of the most prominent properties and local event professionals in the City. Their purpose was essentially to collaborate and create a system of protocols, checks and balances, for running events during and after the Covid-19 pandemic and for both event professionals and their clients to feel safe. At a minimum, listening to this conversation will give you a host of important issues and ideas to think about. Below are the documents that resulted.

267 A Conversation With: Colin Cowie

by Andy Kushner | Jun 17, 2020 | Consultants

I recently started a series, coming out from time to time called “A Conversation With,” which will feature general conversations with a variety of previous and new guests. Today’s conversation is with Colin Cowie, who has been on the show two previous times: Part 1 was episode #128 and Part 2 was #135. I urge you to check them out as they were both absolutely engaging interviews.

Colin was my first entre into the luxe wedding market, with Kushner Entertainment when he hired myself and one of my bands, SoundConnection, to perform for two of his major wedding clients. Those two experiences, with Colin, taught me the true meaning of luxury and I will forever be grateful to him for such invaluable lessons.

In today’s release, Colin talks about what a typical day is like now, during the Covid-19 pandemic, and what he has learned about himself. He also talks about how his brand is diversified, working in hospitality outside of the event business, having launched a new division of his event planning and design business.

Colin is currently working on his 11th book, which he tells us all about, as well as a television program of which he will give details another time. Colin also talks about how he is staying connected with future clients and how he’s dealing with his team during this difficult time. We also discuss what the event industry will look like, in the future, and his suggestion for couples whose weddings have had to be postponed. Colin addresses how he’ll run his event business, moving forward, and defines what true luxury is all about.

This is not a conversation to be missed!

266 KATHI SHARPE-ROSS: Author of Re:Invent Your Life! What Are You Waiting For?

by Andy Kushner | Jun 15, 2020 | Consultants, Media

“Reinvention is a personal intervention with yourself.” Listen as Andy, and his guest Kathi Sharpe-Ross discuss her book Re:Invent Your Life! What Are You Waiting For? Kathi gives specific ideas for moving forward and reimagining our lives and careers on this episode of The Wedding Biz.

Kathi shares that this book was something she decided to write ten years ago and how she had to reinvent her entire book launch plan since the pandemic. She speaks about how important it is to listen to yourself and acknowledge when we could use a little tweak. Kathi says that sometimes you need to reframe the brain and reframe your point of view.

Are you so caught up in your life that you forget how important self-care is? Kathi shares that you need to permit yourself to take a breath or a moment to clear your head. Self-care and occasionally being selfish is good for you and can be good for everyone around you. Take time and listen, so you will know when ah-ha moments happen.

Listen as Kathi shares how to change up the routines in your life, one of the 26 power tools from her book, and how important it is to schedule a time for yourself, even if you have to put it on your calendar. Kathi also discusses how to reinvent our lives while being cautious and mindful as we reopen after the pandemic.

“Failure can be your biggest success.” Kathi talks about what she means by this statement, and why sometimes we have to reframe our notion of failure. Andy’s conversation with Kathi is uplifting and inspiring. Read her book if you need a helping hand, getting your life back on track.

Also, Andy has launched a new podcast network called The Wedding Biz Network, in which he will produce podcasts for other people in the event industry, with Sean Low being its first member. Sean’s show now comes out every Tuesday and stay tuned for more new show announcements coming soon.

265 PRESTON BAILEY: Racial Injustice, A Conversation

by Andy Kushner | Jun 12, 2020 | Floral Designers

I wanted to give floral designer Preston Bailey a platform to share his thoughts, given what is currently going on with the protests and increased public consciousness about race relations. As usual, Preston allows himself to be vulnerable and refreshingly direct. We touch on his personal experience, experiencing racism for the first time, when he moved to New York City from Panama at the age of 19. Preston also talks about his early and continued experiences, as a black man, working in the event industry. And he gives wonderful advice, to people of color, both in and out of events. Please enjoy this very special episode of A Conversation With: Preston Bailey.

264 THE NEXT LEVEL: JOHN EMMANUEL discusses DIANE KHOURY, Australia’s Premier Event Planner & Designer

by Andy Kushner | Jun 10, 2020 | 1The Next Level, Event Planners and Designers

“Diane has impeccable taste and style, she is a style queen” Andy and John Emmanuel discuss Diane’s social media following, and why she believes the more genuine you are on your feed, the more prospective clients will understand your style and who you are as a designer. John is Australia’s premier floral designer who appeared on The Wedding Biz in January, find the link to his episode here.

Diane Khoury is a Sydney-based event planner, with over 360,000 Instagram followers. Diane Khoury Weddings and Events has been credited for revolutionizing the planning, styling, and concept design of luxury weddings and events in and out of Australia. With her financial background, she can meld the creative and business sides of her company to create a uniquely successful business.

John handles the floral design for most of Diane’s events, and really has to understand what she wants so he can make it happen. Listen as they speak about the imagery she described from a christening she did in Lebanon, and how special she made her son’s virtual birthday party by sending all the kids gift bags with props for the party to their houses.

Diane has been in the industry for a relatively brief time to have achieved all that she has accomplished. She is an example of what you can do with hard work, determination, and the guts to take a chance.

Also, Andy is announcing the official launch of his new podcast network called The Wedding Biz Network, in which he will produce podcasts for other people in the event industry, with Sean Low being its first member. Sean’s show now comes out every Tuesday and stay tuned for more new show announcements coming soon.

263 DIANE KHOURY: Australia’s Premier Event Planner & Designer

by Andy Kushner | Jun 8, 2020 | Event Planners and Designers

Have you ever heard of a bride planning her own wedding with 500 guests and with no experience in planning an event of any size? Listen as Andy and his guest Diane Khoury discuss how she was able to pull it off and why it was the reason she started her own wedding and event business plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz.

Diane is a Sydney-based event planner, with over 360,000 Instagram followers. Diane Khoury Weddings and Events has been credited for revolutionizing the planning, styling, and concept design of luxury weddings and events both in and out of Australia. Diane’s weddings stand out as stunning works of art with a passion for glamorous detail and an appreciation for unique displays. After being sought after by celebrities and socialites, Diane continues to catapult the definition of celebrating love and luxury in Australia.

Listen as Diane speaks about how COVID-19 is affecting her business, planning her son’s virtual birthday party so he could have a celebration and her first retail job at age 13. She also speaks about guests at her wedding wanting her help to plan theirs, which gave her the idea that this might be what she should be doing.

Diane describes a magical christening she did for a client in Lebanon and a time when she almost had to cancel a wedding because of technical difficulties. Diane says that balancing her personal life with her professional life is difficult, but she makes it work with the support of her husband.

In six years, Diane has taken her business from nothing to amazing. Listen as she shares how she used social media to share her personality and cultivate clients. Showing her children that working hard and following your dreams can lead to success is something that Diane is passionate about.

262 THE NEXT LEVEL: HEATH ALAN RAY discusses NEILLIE BUTLER, Delivering a Bride’s Vision & More

by Andy Kushner | Jun 3, 2020 | 1The Next Level, Event Planners and Designers

Listen, as Andy and Heath Alan Ray discuss Neillie’s insights into having different streams of income under one umbrella, how using this pause for the pandemic to reassess your company can be beneficial and much more. Heath is the owner and Creative Director of Jackson Durham, a full-scale event design house.

Neillie Butler is the Founder of Mariee Ami, a multimillion-dollar wedding and event planning firm in the Southeast. Ami a Vie, their new lifestyle brand, extends their community beyond their clients by engaging blog content, social media, and an online shop of entertaining artisanal essentials.

Listen, as Heath shares how his company is using the downtime to reorganize and downsize inventory. They discuss Neillie’s pricing model and how using a percentage-based model instead of a flat rate model allows for better cash flow and budget distribution.

Do you ever caption your pictures on Instagram? Andy and Heath talk about how this is an enormous part of what Neillie does on social media. Instead of just posting a picture, she adds a caption to enhance the emotional impact so you can feel the meaning behind the image. Heath and Andy have a great conversation about Neillie that you won’t want to miss.

Look for Andy’s new podcast network called The Wedding Biz Network, where he produces podcasts from creatives in the industry.

261 NEILLIE BUTLER: Delivering A Bride’s Vision & More!

by Andy Kushner | Jun 1, 2020 | Event Planners and Designers

“As planners, we need our clients to trust us.” Listen as Andy and his guest Nellie Butler discuss why she says becoming a bride’s friend is the only way she can do an event justice, and getting a bride to trust her makes her job easier. Neillie is the Founder of Mariee Ami, which means ‘a bride’s friend.’

Mariee Ami is a multimillion-dollar wedding and event planning firm in the Southeast, recognized for producing celebrations that reflect a genuine sense of hospitality. Their new lifestyle brand Ami a Vie naturally translates to “a friend for life,” and it’s meant to extend their community beyond their clients by engaging blog content, social media, and a shop of entertaining artisanal essentials.

Listen as Neillie shares when she launched her business, how she used blogs about creative content to get her name recognized, and when she started hiring employees. Neillie speaks about her process from start to finish, with a client, and that her personal signature is doing what her clients want no matter what.

Neillie discusses why she brought graphic design, lighting, and drapery all under the Mariee Ami umbrella and the benefits she sees from having different revenue streams. She also speaks about social media and why she has an intentional marketing strategy on Instagram.

Neillie started with nothing and has built a multimillion-dollar company, but she still has the same mission; be a friend to the bride, give them what they want, and tell their story in the best way possible. This is a delightful conversation with many tips that can be used in any industry.

260 A Conversation with: Phil Van Nostrand

by Andy Kushner | May 29, 2020 | Photographers

This is the first of a series of conversations, called “A Conversation with,” beginning with photographer Phil Van Nostrand. Phil was first interviewed by Andy on 12/3/18 (see link below).

Taking good care of ourselves, during this pandemic, is critical to our mental and physical health. Although Phil had been traveling 100-200 days per year, he has adapted fairly well to living as we now know it. Andy and Phil discuss whether or not they feel fear about their finances and what their perspectives are on the topic. Phil brings up a discussion on mini-matrimonies for clients and the mini-wedding society for the B2B market.

They also discuss the need for pivoting and reinventing themselves doing what they love and feel passionate about. Andy takes this opportunity to announce the launch of The Wedding Biz Network, featuring leading voices across the wedding and events industries exploring topics with and gaining inspiration from other industry leaders and upcoming notables. The first Network member, who launched his show on the 26th, is Sean Low of The Business Of Being Creative.
And Phil mentions the mastermind group he’s started as well as discovering old passions.

Listen in to gain inspiration from these two industry experts as they examine how to best get through the current pandemic.

259 MICAELA ERLANGER/Celebrity Stylist: Wedding Gowns And Fashion Design During The Pandemic

by Andy Kushner | May 27, 2020 | Gown Designers

“Bridal is inherently timeless.” Listen as Andy and his guest Micaela Erlanger discuss what she means by this and how the pandemic has affected timelines for the production of bridal gowns. Micaela also shares why she believes that designers will see a rise in demand for wedding dresses for the fall and much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz.

Micaela is a celebrity stylist based out of New York City and Los Angeles. She was named one of the most powerful stylists by the Hollywood Reporter and has sustained the title for five years. Honored with the Style Influencer Award by the Council, Micaela is also a Marie Claire Image Maker Award winner. She has styled Constance Wu, Lupita Nyong’o, Common, Jennifer Hudson, and Hilary Swank, to name a few.

Listen as Micaela shares the disappointment she felt when she had to postpone her own wedding and how she is supporting the brides she styles with her unique insight. Micaela also discusses the trends she sees emerging during the pandemic and how ready-to-wear collections are getting more popular.

Micaela gives some advice for planners around preparing their brides for delays in wedding gowns and to not be afraid of Zoom fittings because, as a stylist to the stars, she was doing them before the pandemic. Micaela also speaks about her Live Instagram series.

Listen to Micaela’s insights into this whole situation that has affected so many brides. She shares the bright side of postponing her wedding. She knows it will happen and it will be just as beautiful as she originally planned, if not better.

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