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A Wedding Business Podcast - Tips and tricks to, grow and sustain a amazingly successful wedding business in a way that's is fun and gives you tons of freedom.
Welcome everyone to the Wedding Pro Academy Podcast. I'm Nicole, your host. I'm an expert in the wedding industry and I've personally built two 6 figure businesses from the ground up. I am obsessed with building businesses that make lots of money but do so in a way that also create luxurious amounts of freedom. So if you're looking to build, grow, or scale a wedding business in a way that doesn't burn you out, and you'd love some guidance from someone who has done just that, this podcast is for you.
Nicole:Each week I'll cover strategies, tips, tricks that will give you your dream wedding business too! Thanks so much for tuning in today! Let's dive in! Hello everyone and welcome to episode 52! Today I am going to do something a little different and instead of just talking about strategy, which is something I do a lot, I'm going to talk about what it feels like when nothing's working.
Nicole:And I just kind of wanted to give some insight into what it's been like for me and just what to expect if you are going all in on this entrepreneurial journey and it feels hard because that is super common and something that all of us experience but not a lot of people talk about it to the depth that I think it needs to be talked about because if you're gonna go all in on this, it is going to be a struggle and it's gonna be difficult and you're gonna have to really like make a decision that you're all in on this in order to make it. It takes a lot. It's not an easy path. It's something that isn't for the faint of heart and it's something that you got to be really committed to. So today we'll go a little bit into what that journey is like and let's talk a little bit about the part of building a business that nobody sees, The part that feels really slow and messy and confusing and like honestly nothing's working.
Nicole:So this episode is for the people who are showing up doing the work and still wondering if they're ever going to get there. We're diving into why people give up, what it feels like to really grow a business from scratch, and the single decision that changes everything which is the moment that you decide to go all in. I'm also going to talk about the truth behind the hard seasons the self trust that you're going to need to build even if you don't realize it yet and why the path that you're on right now is perfect even if you haven't seen the results yet. Before I get going with that, you may notice that there is some really annoying background noise and I'm not even sure if the mic's gonna pick it up but it's right next door to me there are roofers that are repairing my neighbor's roof and it's really annoying. But, I am the kind of person that is going to show up no matter what and I'm going to put this podcast out no matter what and hopefully that doesn't bother you too much.
Nicole:I also have my little son downstairs who is home from school sick watching Home Alone. So, if we hear Christmas music in the background, that is also what's going on. But, it's fine because I think this podcast is important and I think it's going to help a lot of people. So, I'm going to do it anyway even with all this noise and hopefully you guys will stick it out with me and not get too distracted by it. So let's talk about WHY PEOPLE GIVE UP.
Nicole:Well, the main reason is because they didn't stick it out long enough. Scared. It's taking too long. They feel like it's taking too long because they aren't seeing results quick enough because it feels like nothing's working because it's hard because this is a big thing. It's because they can't deal with the feelings, the uncomfortable shitty feelings that are gonna come up when you're building a business.
Nicole:Feelings like fear, embarrassment, uncertainty, pressure, confusion, shame, even. All of these really crappy feelings are going to come up and you're going need to learn how to feel them because it's very very like normal in building a business. They bring up all these uncomfortable feelings and you learn how to deal with them, how to feel them, how to take care of them. So, what does it actually feel like to build a business? Well, like I was saying earlier, it's hard.
Nicole:It's not an easy path. It's all consuming. It's going to feel pretty lonely. There is a lot of self pressure. It's because you are constantly growing shifting and changing expanding into this next bigger version of yourself.
Nicole:So even if you can't see physical results, the growth is immense during this process, and it's not for everyone. But if you have the gut feeling in your bones that you are meant to do this, and when I say that, you're gonna know who you are. Like, you just have this feeling. You just know you were meant to do this, and this is your journey. And it's not gonna be an easy path, but is it worth it?
Nicole:1,000 yes! So, what do people who make it, who make the business work, who quit their second job, who get enough money so that they can do this full time, what do they have in common? Well, it's really simple. They keep going. They put their head down and they do the work, and they show up.
Nicole:Even when there is a roofer next door, you know, reroofing the roof and tearing it off right now. I am still showing up, right? There you know, my kid is home from school sick, and I'm still showing up. That's the kind of person that I am. I show up no matter what because it's in the schedule because I said I was gonna do it.
Nicole:And so I show up for you guys, for myself. I show up for myself. So you need to become the type of person who does that. So what is the one thing, the one simple thing that is gonna change everything for you, that changed everything for me, that's going to shift from you feeling like you possibly might not make this work to a 100% this is happening. You know?
Nicole:And it's it's not what you think, but it's it's really just an all in decision that you make in yourself, in your heart, in your soul that you are gonna make this work no matter what. And there's usually a moment where something happens and you just feel like, fuck it. I'm all in. This is it. I'm making this work.
Nicole:This is it! I'm making this happen! Maybe you had a simple moment or maybe you just know. You just feel it. But it's that one decision that you're going to make it work no matter what.
Nicole:If you make that decision and you're all in on that you can't can't not have success. You can't not build a successful wedding business. It's impossible. I also wanted to share that wherever you are right now in this process even if it feels like you're behind even if it feels like nothing's working it's perfect! And it's perfect because you are learning, you're growing, and you're stacking!
Nicole:So even if you aren't seeing results yet, are stacking and compiling knowledge, growth, experience, and building this capacity that is necessary to hold this dream wedding business that's coming. The capacity to hold the new couples that are coming. The new clients or couples, they're never going to come until you can handle it. They're never going to come until you're ready and the universe won't even let them in because there's still more for you to learn. So if you're not there yet, you just aren't at that part of the path.
Nicole:So you're on the path and you're moving forward, you know, a little bit at a time, but you just have to walk a little bit more till you get to the part where all the weddings come, where all the bookings come, where things get easy. It's guaranteed going to come because you're moving forward on this path, but everybody's path is different. Like you can't compare yourself to anyone else and the trick really is to keep walking to keep moving forward. You can't not get there if you keep moving forward. And it really isn't helpful ever to compare your journey or your path to anyone else's because everyone else's journey is different.
Nicole:My journey is different from your journey, from that other wedding planner's journey, from that other photographer's journey. You don't know the experience they've had. They might say that they've got five weddings and they've only been in business for two months, but like how long have they been doing photography in college? How many how much like you don't know their whole background. So, don't compare yourself to anybody else.
Nicole:Like, I can say I I, you know, I've made over $100,000 in two separate businesses, but it took me decades to get to where I am. This type of success didn't come overnight. Like, it took years and years and years. And where I am in my journey is very different from where you might be or someone else. And comparing isn't ever helpful because your journey is meant specifically for you and wherever you are right now is perfect.
Nicole:So building a business is really about building self trust. You need to learn how to trust in all of your abilities. You need to learn your capacity. What how to grow your capacity to hold large amounts of money to hold a large amount of couples or weddings or clients, to hold all the connections that you're going to have, to handle the issues that are going to come up and solve them, to handle the tax bills that are going to come up, to the months of no weddings, the empty spaces, in between the big months. If you can't hold all of that and feel safe in those months of scarcity, of emptiness, of not knowing, then the big months can't come.
Nicole:So it's like the universe wants to make sure that you're really ready for all of this before it's gonna give you any of it because it doesn't want you to, like, fail. So you're gonna have the really, really hard, uncomfortable failure in the beginning a lot. You're going to live in that failure for a long time before you experience any of the big growth moments. It's worth it, trust me, but you've got to stick it out. You gotta keep moving forward, right?
Nicole:You gotta keep walking. So what do you do when it's not working? Like, here are some things you can work on during those quieter months when you don't have couples, when you don't have weddings, when you kind of feel like nothing's working, there are actually thousands of things you can work on. And now that I understand this, those are actually the months I really look forward to because then I can work on all of these things I didn't have time for before. So here are some things you can work on in those quieter months when you don't have tons of weddings like December.
Nicole:Like right now most of us don't have weddings in December, not a lot anyway. But this is when you work on back end systems. This is when you really dial down and spend some time thinking about who your ideal bride is. You figure out how you can talk to her, what she wants, what she needs, what she's missing, how she needs to feel. Then you can spend some time journaling about all of this and then add all of this into your marketing copy into your website.
Nicole:You can work on cleaning up your email draft system. You can work on setting up processes for offboarding, cleaning up the processes that you have for brides once they book with you. You could create PDFs for common frequently asked questions so that you can make the months leading up to her wedding easier, simpler, better because of some very special specific guidance that you can give her. How can you do this in a way that is automatic? Can you have email systems that go out that you send every time?
Nicole:You have PDFs that get her the information she wants? Or like if you have questions that you ask can you make a questionnaire form that you can just send out simply and easily? This is the time when things are slow for you to focus on the back end of your business. You can work on bookkeeping really get your numbers dialed in get a bookkeeping system down. You can work on marketing a social media system for posting for creating with more consistency.
Nicole:You can work on blogging, can get a podcast up, you can set up a newsletter, you can attend social events with other wedding pros to build connections. So there's so many things that you can be doing, can be working on. It should never feel like you're not growing. You're always going to be working on something and these are the things that are moving you forward a little bit at a time. So when I say walking on that path and you know you're these are the things that are like pushing you forward on that path that are growing your capacity that are making you grow as an entrepreneur, as a business owner, and all the knowledge, the experience that you need to have in order for your business to take off.
Nicole:Another really important thing that I want you to think about is reframing. So what are the thoughts around your business right now that you have? How do you feel about your business? Because it's like an entity. It's a real life living thing.
Nicole:And how you feel about it, what you think about it matters because that is what is going to bring weddings to you or push them away. So, are you thinking that it's not working? Or can you reframe that to I'm figuring this out? Are you thinking that I don't know if I should keep doing this? Or can you reframe that to There's no way I am giving up.
Nicole:Are you thinking Nobody's booking me? Can you reframe that to my people are coming? So really start noticing your thoughts around your business. Just start paying attention to them and notice if they're keeping you stuck Or are they holding space for this fear and worry and encouraging you believing in you trusting in you? Because if they're not doing that, then you need to change that right now because that's what you deserve.
Nicole:You need to have someone who has your back. Do you have your own back in this? Because nobody else is going to have your back in this. Like I said earlier, building a business is lonely. You don't have a parent or a friend or a mentor usually that is holding your hand, encouraging you, telling you that you're gonna figure this out.
Nicole:There's no way you're giving up. You have to give that to yourself and you better get really good at that because if you don't have that encouragement, if you don't have that love, that all encompassing love for yourself in this process, why would you keep going? You have to really build that really strong. You need to have your own back. Because the truth about building a business is it's hard, it's exhausting, it takes a long long long time, it's a lot of work, it's lonely, you're going to have to deal with feelings of doubt, shame, embarrassment, confusion, feeling weak, uncertain, financial stress, pressure, anxiety about failing, vulnerability, feeling not ready, feeling overwhelmed, and second guessing yourself constantly.
Nicole:That's just part building a business. I still have these things now and I've been at it for decades. Those things are normal if you're building a business. You're going feel all those shitty feelings It's going to bring up all these beliefs that you have about yourself deep down that you're holding in. Beliefs like I'm not good enough.
Nicole:I should be further ahead. I'm not special. Those are the things that need to be addressed, and it's good. Because in order for you to actually make this business work and experience the level of success that you wanna experience, you need to shift these beliefs and believe that you are good enough, believe that you are special, believe that you got this. And once you do that, that's when you'll get over that hump when things will start to shift for you.
Nicole:But having all of these negative feelings are going to bring up those beliefs, which is a good thing. That is part of the path too that you need to be aware of. And once you shift over that hump and you get to the other side and things start working out, let me tell you like why it's worth it. Because it IS worth it and it's not just all hard, all exhausting, all work, all lonely. There is a bunch of amazingness that you get from a business.
Nicole:There's time. You can create your own schedule, own calendar, your own time. Like, right now, I last week went to Maui and the Big Island for a week with my family, came back for like four days, and today, I'm going to New York to see my sister. And I can do that because I have the time and freedom to do that because I can create my own schedule, right? And that is what a business can do for you.
Nicole:It creates freedom. Freedom. That was big for me. I wanted freedom because I have three kids and I need to be able to pick up my little eight year old from school because he's sick and now he's home with me. If I was at a regular nine to five job, what would I do?
Nicole:I would have to call out and skip work. But instead, I'm working. I'm recording this podcast while my kid's home. And I can do that because I have the freedom to with this business, which is awesome. I can be more committed to my family, which is really important to me.
Nicole:I get to be at all their baseball games and soccer games and pick them up from school when they're sick and take off on birthdays so I can do fun stuff with them and do amazing vacations and it gives you money! The capacity the amount of money that you can make with your own business is insane and so much better than a nine to five because whatever amount of effort you put in is what you get out. I fucking love that. It used to drive me insane when I would work, you know, when I was working as a creative director at a marketing firm. I would put in all this effort and time and energy and then it didn't matter how much time and energy I put in.
Nicole:I was still getting paid the same. So, whatever growth the company was having, it wasn't at all coming back to me personally. But, with my own business, whatever I put in, I get out. If I put more effort in, if I put more time in, if I spend the energy trying to figure out how to grow this business and it grows, I get to reap the rewards. I get more money, which is awesome.
Nicole:That part alone is just insanely amazing. It also gives you an incredible amount of self confidence, self trust, self belief, and a deep inner knowing that you can do anything. I love that. For me, for you, for everyone. Having those feelings of self confidence, self trust, self belief is so rewarding and it will help you in so many areas of your life because once you gain these skills, you can access them and use them in so many different places.
Nicole:Plus, you have, you know, we went over the feelings of feeling, you know, overwhelmed and not good enough and all that, but when you actually start making money and getting weddings booked under your belt and kind of cross over that hump, you also get the feelings of the opposite. You get to feel proud, successful, you know, strong. I get to feel skilled, capable, grounded, optimistic about the future. Empowered! I get financial security, resilience this is a huge one!
Nicole:Feeling, the knowing, the deep inner knowing of feeling resilient, like you can handle anything, any fucking thing that comes my way, I can handle it. Like, take away my business. I'll build another one. You know, that feeling is like so incredible. And that's something that I want all for all of you.
Nicole:Everyone deserves to have that feeling, that deep knowing. You get to feel supported and certain. So these are all things that you gain if you stick it out. It's worth it. And so if you're in a season where it feels like nothing's working, let this be a reminder.
Nicole:Where you are right now is perfect. You are not off track. You're becoming the person who can hold the success that deep down you know that you deserve and that you are in the process of getting. Every step, every mistake, every week or month or months of no bookings These are the moments that are important and they're not for nothing. They're there for you to grow, to learn, to be ready, to build the capacity for what's coming.
Nicole:Because you aren't going small. You're not building the capacity, like, for a little itty bitty thing. You are building the capacity for a badass dream wedding business. One that is so big, so amazing, so perfect for you that it supports you financially, gives you freedom, time, nourishment, enjoyment, fun, all the things. That is gonna take time.
Nicole:It's gonna take effort. It's not be easy because if it was, everyone would have it. And this type of business is meant for those who are willing to go all in to be 100% on their business. That's the only way you're gonna get it. You gotta keep going.
Nicole:You gotta keep walking. You gotta keep moving forward. Not compare yourself to anyone else's journey because this is your journey. You gotta trust in your ability to learn, to adapt, to refine systems, to strengthen your mindset, and to grow into this badass business owner that you are meant to be. Because the second half of this journey the confidence, the freedom, the money, the fulfillment, the groundedness it only arrives for those of you who stick it out and who stay, who fully commit and keep going.
Nicole:If you do that, there is no way you won't get there. That's what I got for you guys today. I hope you found it helpful. I know it's a little bit different from what I usually talk about which is strategy but I felt like some of us needed to hear this today and know that wherever you are right now it's perfect. You will get there as long as you're committed you can't not.
Nicole:So, two things you can do right now: one. Make the decision to commit to go all in and make that like 1000%. I'm in, I'm making this happen, like there's no questions if answered, but this is what I'm doing. I am committed. I'm making this happen.
Nicole:Make that decision, go all in. Number two, if you're a wedding planner, photographer, videographer, and you have not yet connected with a local established wedding planner who could help connect you with potential weddings, you need to get my freebie. And you can grab that at weddingproacademy.com/thisisgold. So it's a step by step guide with copy and paste email that you can send to established planners who, you know, because they're established, they've been around for a while. They have hundreds of brides reaching out to them.
Nicole:So they have lots of connections, and it shows you how to get on their radar to build a genuine connection with her in a way that isn't weird or creepy or crazy or pushy so that you have an in with this planner who is getting consistent inquiries from new brides and, you know, can't take all of them. So it literally gives you a way to connect with someone who's getting the couples that you need to connect with. If you're not getting couples on your own. And it's it's just like so good. So if you need an idea on how to get some new weddings under your belt and you've just been in this, like, dry season for a while and you haven't booked any weddings, this would be really helpful to you.
Nicole:You can grab it at weddingproacademy.com slash this is gold. That's all I've got for you guys right now. I am headed to New York this afternoon. I hope that all the background noise wasn't too irritating because I don't have time to rerecord this, but, yeah. Have a great week everyone, and I will see you again next week.
Nicole:Bye for now.