Lauren Smith-Carpenter

9 tips for being a better wedding pro during busy season (Megan Gillikin solo)

Let’s face it, this is one of the busiest seasons of your career.  It feels like you don’t have time for anything other than your clients, but in this solo episode, I’m giving 9 tips for you to become a better wedding pro. Pick a couple to focus on now, then come back once it…

Read More

Does your brand need a redesign or refresh? Branding expert Lisa Aihara explains

Let’s talk about your brand. Does it reflect who you are as a person and as a company – and does it attract your ideal clients?  Is it something you’re proud of and passionate about, and you truly understand what your colors mean?  Is it consistent throughout your website, your socials, your newsletters, and all…

Read More

10 AHA! Moments from 4 Years of Podcasting

It’s been 4 years since Weddings for Real came to be. Over the last 4 years we’ve evolved and grown in a lot of ways and today, we’ll share some of our all-time favorite AHA-moment episodes, and we invite you to join in on the fun! Episodes mentioned include: 71: Toxic Stress and How It’s…

Read More

Beyond the LinkedIn Profile: Abha Bowers, Senior Vice President at Walk West

Abha Bowers is the Senior Vice President at Walk West. Today she talks about being on stage, how she got into marketing, what’s going on at Walk West, and her side hustle that has led her to increased focus and wellness in the workplace. Hosted by Derek Ross and Mike Manganillo, Talk West delivers real…

Read More

3 Myths of Building a Team, with Ashley Ebert

When you think about building a team around you, what comes to mind? Is it that your company will be able to work more weddings and you’ll be able to make more money because of it?  Or is it that more team members means more headaches and loss of control? Growth in numbers can be…

Read More

Beyond the LinkedIn Profile: Karen Albritton, Walk West CEO

Karen Albritton is the CEO at Walk West. Today she talks about how her experience has provided her with the tools needed to become the CEO of a INC 5000 fastest growing private companies. Hosted by Derek Ross and Mike Manganillo, Talk West delivers real conversations with business professionals, as they share their journey and…

Read More

Building a podcast community, with Buddy Ruski’s Justin Laidlaw

Justin Laidlaw‘s podcast journey started in 2014, with a podcast that discussed the Durham community. In this episode, Jason and Justin talk about how those 15 episodes led him to create the Buddy Ruski Show, where he talks with interesting people in the Bull City. Check out the Buddy Ruski website!     The Earfluence…

Read More

Energy management 101: Serve couples better by taking care of yourself, with Kara Ghassabeh

As a wedding planner, I’ve found that our jobs are 30% logistics, 30% vision and decor, and about 40% therapy.  If you’re a planner – or wedding vendor who works with couples – you know that there’s stress, disagreements with family members, and quite a few (not happy) tears. I always tell the planners I…

Read More

The Beyond the Obituary Podcast: What Goes on in a Crematory?

This is a different kind of podcast. It’s called Beyond the Obituary, and it’s from Renaissance Funeral Home in Raleigh North Carolina.  In season 1, we interviewed family members of loved ones who had passed on, because a life is so much more than a one page obituary, and it was so heart warming to…

Read More