Check out how some of the most talented and creative people in the wedding industry are crushing goals left and right.
Evolve your business. Change your life.
SUCCESS STORIES FROM TALENTED PEOPLE
You can grow your wedding business – without going crazy. You can get the financial security you need for the freedom to do as much (or as little) as you'd like. There is a path to flexibility, security, and freedom.
This “crazy idea” you had of starting and building a profitable business is still possible.
Here’s how others have found the way.
“Your process in The Wedding Business Collective works and I am so grateful for the help needed to start at square one and get expert advice without years of trial and error.
I am so grateful for your help!”
“What I like most about The Wedding Business Collective is it allows you to be as involved as you need. We're all super busy, especially wedding pros during busy season. The meeting times, the Slack channel, and the Facebook group are there if you need them. Heidi is there if you need her.
It's not a rigid 3-6 month intensive where you do this and then you're done. I've gone through Heidi's Overwhelm Squashing Marketing Plan & The 6 Figure Wedding Business Roadmap & I'm still here because I see the value in having Heidi on tap to ask questions & getting support from the community.”
“It's been nothing but change! So far this year (July), I've booked bigger and better events, rebranded the business, taken more time off, and developed a community with other creative people. (That's 4/6 of my goals for the year if anyone's counting!) With my rebrand, I got really clear on who my ideal client is. Then I engineered everything - my website, inquiry process, booking process, and marketing plans - around that person. Now I get consistent and much better quality leads (somehow only book truly wonderful clients!) I’m booking 100% of my inquiries and this is for a high-priced service that starts somewhere between $8,000-$12,000. I’m training an assistant this year and I will soon be expanding into a bigger space. I've also booked my biggest wedding to date, which is a huge win! I am also way less stressed and I feel so much more confident as a business owner! Having true clarity around the transformation we provide clients makes it SO much easier to sell, explain what I do, and market our services because it just feels like helping people, which is what I love best.”
Fast forward to today, how has your life/business changed?
“Since I started as a flower farmer, I was also struggling to market my business as a wedding business. Although I had done weddings, I knew almost nothing about marketing weddings and I wasn't sure how best to market to my ideal client. I also wasn't getting consistent or quality leads, and I was paying for advertising that was not worth the ROI when I was barely paying myself. I wasted a lot of energy beating myself up about it. I had built a pretty spectacular prison for myself of "hard work" - especially on the farm - that wasn't really getting me anywhere.”
What struggles were you facing before joining The Wedding Business Collective?
Now Booking 100% of Inquiries for a High-Priced Service
Floral & Event Designer
“I'm not overwhelmed by marketing anymore! Going into next year we are way ahead of where we were for this year at this time. We'll go over last year's income with fewer couples and only need to work 25-30 hours per week at most. I give having a solid marketing plan in place for the past 90 days credit for a lot of this. I've gotten my client work time down to 25 hours per week and I spent 5 hours working on the business each week. My systems do the heavy lifting!”
“I joined The Wedding Business Collective last year around this time and my business has improved immensely. I just wanted to let you know that I increased business by 115% with the help of your strategies!”
“Since working with Heidi in The Wedding Business Collective, I’ve launched my new line, taken on more clients with bigger budgets, and nearly *tripled* my revenue in one year! A lot of educators focus on only one aspect of business, but in The Wedding Business Collective, Heidi has put together courses that cover everything from online marketing to client relationships to hiring a team all in one place and in a consistent format. And there are guest educators who focus on their own niche, like copywriting or SEO.”
“I have never had my shit this together! I’ve been checking things off of my list quicker than I ever would have hoped.”
“The Plan Your Work system helped me get my priorities in order and have more days that are more productive, but also more enjoyable. This system is also very good at preventing me from going into burnout. I've been way busier than this time last year but I'm not at burnout risk because it helps with constructing boundaries as well!”
“The business becoming we and not just me. For the past few decades, this business has been just me, but I realized that I didn’t want to have to work every weekend until 3 am. I’ve been able to bring on associate DJs and train them in my unique way of doing things so the clients get the same great experience no matter who works their wedding day. Now I have the freedom to focus on other aspects of the company, as well as let them do multiple events in a day (more revenue). I’m able to function more as the CEO of the business and not the sole person wearing all of the hats.”
Fast forward to today, how has your life/business changed?
“There were a few struggles that I originally had including the lack of structure for the business, knowing who our ideal client really is, and how to reach and attract our ideal clients so we could book more of them. We also were not pricing ourselves to align with our ideal clients and what we need to make so we weren’t bringing in enough revenue.”
What struggles were you facing before joining The Wedding Business Collective?
Learned to Become a True CEO with Freedom (Versus the Sole Person Wearing All the Hats)
DJ & ENTERTAINMENT DIRECTOR
“As soon as I started implementing the strategies that I learned through The Wedding Business Collective, I booked my entire season two years in advance with my ideal clients that I'm excited to work with!
I wasn't trying to use someone else's template or fit the mold. I think that's the cool thing about what Heidi teaches you is it's not a one size fits all template that she gives. She teaches you how to find what your special sauce is and how to actually apply that to get the clients that you want.”
“The best thing I could do for my business was joining The Wedding Business Collective!”
“I've never sat down to analyze what I've done. It's always been flying by the seat of my pants. The questions Heidi asked in the planning sessions really made me acknowledge how much I've done, and given me clarity on what needs to be prioritized, what can wait, and what I can let go of entirely.”
“I honestly feel like I’m on this incredible path where I can make a HUGE impact for couples, and I feel like I couldn’t have gotten here this quickly without you. Thank you thank you thank you!”
“Definitely join The Wedding Business Collective if you want to get serious about taking your business to where you want it to go. No one is going to magically scoop up your biz and transform it for you - so you have to put in the work - but it is so much easier when you have a community and experts who can help answer all your questions as you go.”
Fully Retired - Thanks To The Wedding Business Collective!
Officiant
“Today, we are fully retired from the wedding industry. We are traveling in our RV around the country, doing volunteer work with the National Fish and Wildlife Service at various wildlife refuges in the county. Using what I learned from Heidi and the Wedding Business Collective, we were able to wind down our business and retire. As I put Heidi’s processes in place, I wasn’t overwhelmed by marketing anymore! We were able to make more than the previous year’s income with fewer couples - while still being able to attract and book our ideal clients. The various workflows and automation I learned to create allowed me to serve the clients we had under contract without adding a lot of work to my week. We only needed to work 25-30 hours per week at most. I give having a solid marketing plan in place credit for a lot of this and it took less than 90 days to see absolutely massive results.”
Fast forward to today, how has your life/business changed?
“As wedding officiants, we wanted to serve a very specific market. However, we were also afraid to turn down any business - you know how it is when money is tight and we needed every client we could get, even if we don’t really enjoy them!”
What struggles were you facing before joining The Wedding Business Collective?
“Heidi took my problem and gave me action plans that applied to my situation and I was able to go full time in my business in a year and a half!
I’ve always been a great wedding planner,
coordinator, and designer but working with Heidi is making me into a great businesswoman.”
“When I checked my metrics during my semiannual planning in July, I had a 100% booking rate - wild! I'm so excited to be aligning everything with the type of work I want to be doing.”
“Heidi is the Marie Forleo of the wedding world. She’s real. She’s smart. And she wants to make this industry a better and stronger place to do business.”
“I was struggling with getting my name out there and finding clients when I met Heidi. I was having problems pushing myself a bit more in certain directions, like trying new things with my photography and to step back and look at my business and see how I can improve that.
Thanks to Heidi’s advice, I have been able to find new ways of engaging with potential clients, which I have been able to implement whilst answering inquiries or speaking with potential clients at fairs/shows. I have also been able to look at my goals and where I want to be in the future, both short term and long term, and see ways of being able to reach those objectives in a more proactive way rather than wishful thinking.
My bookings for this year have doubled compared to last year which has been amazing considering that I wasn’t even able to market as much as I would have liked because I was on maternity leave. I also have more focus and aim for my business with the ideas of rebranding at the end of this year.
I would recommend Heidi to anyone that feels a little bit stuck or unsure as to what to do to get to the next level in their business. This has been such a great way for me to be able to focus and give my business the kick start it needed once I came off maternity leave.
Heidi listens to what people need and want and she helps them in a variety of ways, even through her free posts and webinars. She is able to offer advice and information that can make such a difference in your business. You’re just fab Heidi! Thank you for your help.”
“Before I joined The Wedding Business Collective, I was having such a hard time booking clients. I just could not understand why I was not getting the clients that I wanted/needed. I took all the proper steps to create the business, and now I was failing without even starting. I felt aggravated, mad, sad, and most of all depressed.
When Heidi reviewed my website, it took her all of 5 minutes to pinpoint the problem. I sounded too stuffy and corporate on my website, and I wasn’t connecting with my ideal client.
Heidi gave me plenty of pointers and suggestions that I implemented by December 27th (that date was a personal business goal). On January 1st, I got my first inquiry, but I was too excited and also nervous, so I totally blew it. However, I was not discouraged because now I knew that my client was out there and soon they would be looking for me. And I was absolutely right!
Today makes exactly two months since I made the changes that Heidi suggested and I have booked four clients that have paid their retainer. I am waiting on another two tentative clients to pay their retainer and I have a proposal to send off!
If you are thinking of joining The Wedding Business Collective, I strongly urge you to do so. I actually came across The Wedding Business Collective in May or June 2016. I thought about it, but I did not join until December.
Imagine where I could have been more than six months ago if I had joined when I originally saw The Wedding Business Collective! It’s a good thing I eventually joined; it has been a tremendous blessing to my business! THANK YOU, HEIDI!!”
“Since implementing Heidi’s advice, views of my online shop have improved dramatically since this time last year, and I’ve been able to get a guest blog post published on Under the Vintage Veil.
Heidi doesn’t do miracle cure-all solutions, but instead gives sensible advice for both short-term practical improvements and long-term business strategies.”
“I’m less overwhelmed now! I’m still a sucker for FOMO and shiny things but I now have my "Pile up Zone" where if it's absolutely something I want to try or don't want to miss out on, I'll add it to this area. Instead of forgetting about things in this area, I’ve added half an hour to my week to review my pile-up zone and identify ONE to add for next week to look into or eliminate.
I feel like I have more direction since joining The Wedding Business Collective, and I know that I have an amazing support system. I can reach out and Heidi and the other members have got my back. The last Quarterly Planning Session made me realize that I can't do it all and I need to break everything down into baby steps and determine how much time I can actually allocate to each task. It’s such a relief seeing that my next quarter looks a lot more realistic instead of overwhelming!”
Fast forward to today, how has your life/business changed?
“I was in total overwhelm. I am a total sucker for FOMO and shiny things!”
What struggles were you facing before joining The Wedding Business Collective?
Now Planning The Next Quarter So That It Looks More Realistic - And Less Overwhelming
CELEBRANT
“Before I joined The Wedding Business Collective, I wasn’t getting bookings because I wasn’t confident in my workflow, my prices, or myself as an artist. I had problems knowing how to sell myself, justify my prices, and how to actually make money. I was overworked, underpaid, and slowly burning out on my passion.
The Wedding Business Collective has helped me to have a better grasp on my prices and to feel more confident in them. It has also helped me to know what to do at a bridal fair to get leads.
I wasn’t sure I would be able to give it the time it needed to see results in my business and not have it be a waste of money. I haven’t had a lot of time to learn but the learning I have been able to do has paid off for me and my business and that’s why I stay.
When I first joined The Wedding Business Collective I had booked 2 or 3 weddings, and since then, I’ve booked 12!”
“Heidi is always looking for ways to address big and real struggles that wedding professionals have as business owners and entrepreneurs. I’ve already recommended Heidi to my peers who need to revamp their website, start blogging, and acquire more marketing skills to take their business to a new level.
Thanks to Heidi’s advice, I have been able to find new ways of engaging with potential clients, which I have been able to implement whilst answering inquiries or speaking with potential clients at fairs/shows. I have also been able to look at my goals and where I want to be in the future, both short term and long term, and see ways of being able to reach those objectives in a more proactive way rather than wishful thinking.
Heidi breaks down things very easily with examples that are simple to follow. I am personally grateful for everything I have learned and implemented. My website looks much better and I am reaching my ideal clients. They are also willing to pay what I am worth!”
“Being in the wedding industry I get so tired of companies contacting me asking me to go on this database that database, claiming that they can do this and that for you and help your business will grow, HOWEVER, the first thing that struck me was that Heidi is actually a REAL person, no fancy gimmicks, NO false promises of a huge database of clients. I first found Heidi through one of my acquaintances I met at a recent wedding fair and she has been SO helpful!
When I found I had hit a few stumbling blocks, Heidi was there every time. When I emailed her she would email straight back. Her advice was absolutely brilliant – and she made me look at my client base in a different manner. I did what she said and presto I had 5 inquiries within a week!!!!
I had to email and Heidi to tell her and she emailed me back with EVEN MORE advice. As a result, I’ve even changed my way I write emails to clients! I would DEFINITELY recommend her services to my suppliers, my friends in the wedding industry and any future acquaintances who are struggling in the wedding industry.
What you have to know about Heidi is like I said she is a REAL person, is very approachable and has some terrific ideas about business. It is so comforting knowing someone like Heidi is just an email away if you hit a stumbling block.”
“Heidi has created a wonderful community of serious business owners in the wedding industry. Her knowledge and experience in the wedding industry allow you to easily identify the weaknesses and challenges of her clients and she can get them on the right track.
Work with Heidi if you need to boost your wedding business, she will provide a solution to your problems.”
“Let me introduce you to Heidi, she’s really annoying to people that are comfortable with the status quo and don’t want to change the world.
Heidi is authentically speaking into a space that no one else is. The conversations she’s having are important and are shaping not just the weddings of today, but the marriages of tomorrow. By encouraging the wedding industry of today to provide services and products that matter, weddings today are celebrating marriage, not just wedding tradition, and as a result, Heidi is affecting change worldwide by leading the industry to a better place where wedding business owners are running profitable and sustainable businesses, and those business’ clients are having better weddings.
Heidi talks a lot. Seriously though, Heidi asks a lot of questions, so if you don’t like critical thinkers or conversations in general, you should probably steer well clear of Heidi. However, if you like people, you’ll like Heidi :)”
“As a self-proclaimed marketing geek, Heidi’s knowledge goes far beyond the wedding and events industry. Equipped with an understanding of the various moving parts related to running a business, Heidi brings to the table an intelligent and comprehensive approach to addressing business challenges. And she does it all with great wit and a sense of humor.”
Hired a Virtual Assistant and Created a Better Work/Life Balance
Wedding & Event Planner
“I take more time for myself and have a more balanced life, so I do not have that feeling of dread. I’m still adjusting my prices and I have found better clients. My ideal client is definitely evolving, but in the last two years (2020 doesn’t count) my business has really been much better. I also hired a virtual assistant and that was one of the best things I could do!”
Fast forward to today, how has your life/business changed?
“I was insecure about my messaging, my clients, and my pricing (which was way too low!) I didn’t know how to tell a good marketing opportunity from one that just cost me time and money. I was losing money, my communication wasn’t very effective, and my work-personal life balance was horrible.”
What struggles were you facing before joining The Wedding Business Collective?
“Just like every bride needs her Maid of Honor to lean on as she plans her wedding and every wedding professional needs Heidi to lean on as they build their business!
Heidi’s keen connection between the ups and downs of being a wedding industry pro and the training and tools you truly need to grow your business makes for a winning combination. If you’re headed into another wedding season feeling like you’re drowning, I highly suggest you work with Heidi to keep your head above water, stat!”
“I have gotten a LOT of useful information, that fits so well with the challenges of a solopreneur in a creative business! Everything I have watched and read in The Wedding Business Collective has been very useful and given me SO many practical steps to take that I did not even know about!”
“I am so happy I found Heidi and The Wedding Business Collective. All of the courses are very step-by-step so it's easy to follow along and take action on what I've learned. It definitely helps prevent overwhelm!”
“I love the practicality of the material inside The Wedding Business Collective. Heidi is able to identify exactly what people need to do to sort out their business. She is very sharp and intuitive, besides being soooo organized! I would highly recommend the WBC to any wedding business looking to organize and optimize their business and marketing.”
“Since I have been in your summits, I have changed my business model and after this last summit, I am about to add a new revenue! Your speakers have taught me so much about how to run a profitable wedding business, even though I have been a planner for over 15 years. To begin with, I did everything from booking to planning to day of. Now, I don't go to all my weddings anymore (they pay a premium if they want me personally). I sell, plan and turn over to a coordinator 3 months prior to the wedding. My next goal is to teach my coordinators how to do the planning session too. That will leave time for my new revenue stream. So, I feel I have turned my hobby into a real business and my income has grown exponentially! Thanks Heidi and CEO Summit.”
“oh my dear Heidi... Oh how I love the Wedding Business Collective!!!!
I am currently at my cabin in the woods 7 hours away from home and I have been using this time away to catch up on rest half the time and working to set up my business for 2022 the rest of the time.
I have am happy to report that since I've been here, I have:
1. Created my Overwhelm Squashing Marketing Plan
2. Watched the course lessons and set up a client/vendor system in ClickUp like the one you have set up in the Trello training
3. Written out all of my tasks and to-do's that I need to implement from Steps 1 & 2 from the business roadmap and created batches for them so I can work on like tasks at one time
4. Decided to downsize and concentrate my marketing on platforms I really enjoy for the next 90 days: my website blog, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and my email list.
5. Mapped out my content creation weeks for each month in 2022
6. Set up my publishing calendar when each piece of content is scheduled to post
7. Set my Weekly and Monthly CEO Days to track my progress.
I feel like the fog around my business has been lifted and I now have a clear, drawn-out path of what I need to do for my business over the next 90 days. I realize that I was trying to do so much and be on 9 online platforms at one time and what I have found is that I hate being so scattered and it left me drained.
There's so much more I could share with you but it would take me forever to write it all out. One thing I know for sure is that I could not have done any of this without your help and the wedding business collective. It truly has given me clarity and a newfound excitement for my business. Needless to say, I was doing everything I could to avoid work because I felt so lost and like I was a failure. But now, I feel purposed, empowered, and motivated to move into 2022 strong and confident!
Thanks so much for all you do and share with all of us in the collective!”
“I joined The Wedding Business Collective for the Q&A sessions with Heidi and the Member Makeover sessions but what I found in addition to that was that being part of it has given me additional ideas and clarity on my target market. The Q&A sessions really get my creative juices flowing and I’m inspired to take action afterwards. I’ve really loved the support and candid feedback on my innovative or off-the-wall ideas for my business and having the ability to ask a question and get feedback from Heidi and fellow colleagues. I am not by myself and that is incredibly helpful.
Heidi explains things in a way anyone can easily understand so I’m never left wondering what she meant after a training session. Her ego is checked at the door and she is one of the most humble individuals I have had the pleasure to meet. I would recommend The Wedding Business Collective to any wedding professional looking for help on the specific issues you are having because Heidi keeps things laser targeted to what members want and need.”
