519 TWB – BROOKE KEEGAN: Building a Dream Wedding Business
The Wedding Biz
Andy is happy to be welcoming to the show! Brooke is the visionary owner and creative director of Brooke Keegan Special Events, a leading firm specializing in custom, multi-day destination weddings, and since founding her company in 2009, she has garnered recognition from Harper's Bazaar and Brides as one of the world's top event planners! She is here with Andy in this episode to share, amongst other things, her invaluable insights from her years in the industry! As Brooke and Andy catch up, Brooke reflects on challenges faced, particularly the significant downturn in wedding engagements...
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518 TWB – BRYAN RAFANELLI: The Art of Lasting Success & Self-Fulfillment
The Wedding Biz
Andy really hopes that you will join him for this episode of The Wedding Biz as he welcomes back to the show Bryan Rafanelli of ! Bryan is a renowned designer and planner and is the founder and chief creative officer of Rafanelli Events, and he has been behind some of the most high-profile events in recent history, including Chelsea Clinton’s wedding and several of President Obama’s White House state dinners. His team has also worked on key campaign events for Vice President Kamala Harris! Bryan opens up about the pressures of maintaining excellence in a saturated market, admitting...
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517 DAVID STARK: Self-Actualization in Event Design, the Importance of Scale and Simplicity, Balancing Art and Business, and More!
The Wedding Biz
guest of the show returns for this episode of The Wedding Biz! David is a renowned event designer and planner with over 25 years of experience in the industry, and as the founder and chief creative officer of David Stark Design and Production, his impressive client list includes celebrities such as Glenn Close and Brad Pitt, SNL’s 40th Anniversary, The Whitney Museum of American Art, and The Metropolitan Opera. Listen in as David shares insights into his creative process, discussing the balance between designing for clients and creating art purely for himself. He reflects on collaborations...
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516 MEGHAN ELY: Aligning Your Brand for Luxury Wedding Publicity
The Wedding Biz
Longtime listeners of the podcast will likely be familiar with today’s guest as she has been on the show several times already! Join Andy as he welcomes back Meghan Ely, the owner of ! Meghan is a longtime industry speaker and writer and is a wedding pro educator with regular contributions to Wedding Planner Magazine, The Knot, Wedding Business Magazine, Catersource, and SpecialEvents.com. Meghan joins Andy for this episode to discuss defining and achieving luxury in the wedding industry. With years of experience and numerous accolades, including but certainly not limited to being recognized...
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515 ROBERT SHERMAN: How to Build Loyalty and Retain Employees
The Wedding Biz
Andy is so thrilled to be welcoming his business partner, Robert Sherman, to the show! Robert is Andy’s business partner at and is also the owner of , a legendary entertainment company established over 55 years ago. Together, Andy and Robert tackle the topic of employee retention, discussing how to keep employees engaged, happy, and loyal over the long term. Robert shares some valuable insights from his decades of experience, explaining how hiring for company culture is just as crucial as hiring for skill sets and emphasizing the importance of communication, ensuring that employees not...
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514 TARA GUERARD: Global Tastemaker with Southern Hospitality
The Wedding Biz
If you have been a longtime listener of the podcast, then today’s voice may sound familiar to you as it is her ! Andy is so thrilled to welcome back , owner and creative director of headquartered out of Charleston, South Carolina (and with an additional office in New York City). Tara is recognized as one of the nation's leading tastemakers globally, and she is here to share some exciting updates since she was last on the show. Listen as she and Andy reflect on the profound changes brought about by the pandemic and how it has influenced their approach to client relationships. Tara shares her...
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513 ANDREA EPPOLITO: AI for Wedding Professionals
The Wedding Biz
Andy is thrilled to once again be sitting down with , a renowned luxury wedding planner and author of . Andrea shares her initial hesitation toward AI and recounts how she dedicated daily time to understand and leverage this technology, highlighting its comparison to the invention of the internet in terms of impact. Hear Andrea's take on how AI, particularly ChatGPT, can serve as a powerful creative assistant, sifting through data, spotting patterns, and offering insights that would take humans weeks to uncover. She stresses the importance of training AI to emulate one's personal style,...
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512 REVISIT COLIN COWIE: The Gold Standard: Giving Your Customers What They Didn’t Know They Wanted
The Wedding Biz
Join Andy as he revisits his with this week! Having had celebrity clients such as Oprah Winfrey, Jennifer Lopez, Ryan Seacrest, Kim Kardashian, Lil Wayne, Nicole Kidman, and Demi Moore, this episode’s returning guest has enjoyed quite the career so far. has also had many corporate clients such as Dom Pérignon, Warner Brothers, CBS, Whitney Museum of American Art, Architectural Digest, and so many more! Colin is also a published author, having written books such as , , and . Colin, as he discusses with Andy in this episode, is all about making sure that he delivers the ultimate experience...
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511 LIENE STEVENS: Current State of the Wedding Industry and Investing in Yourself
The Wedding Biz
In this truly enriching episode, join Andy as he connects with Liene Stevens, the acclaimed author, behavioral psychologist, and CEO of Think Splendid! Liene brings a wealth of knowledge from her extensive experience in the global wedding market, having collaborated with clients across 97 countries and revolutionized operations for numerous luxury brands and resorts! Tune in as Liene shares her unique journey from an unexpected promotion at a nonprofit right out of high school to becoming a key player in negotiating the release of hostages with the U.S. State Department! Her unorthodox path...
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510 REVISIT JOSE VILLA & LAURIE ARONS – Discuss Working Together As Photographer & Planner/Designer and More!
The Wedding Biz
Listen in to this revisit as Andy chats with two guests, both of whom have been featured on the podcast multiple times in the past. Laurie Arons is a planner and designer of and has been featured in numerous magazine publications and has been listed in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Martha Stewart Weddings as one of the top worldwide planners. Her clientele is made up of trendsetters such as Sophia Coppola, Vanessa Getty, and Christy Turlington as well as prominent business moguls like Gary Friedman, Frank Caufield, and Eddie DeBartolo. Laurie has also created and runs a very successful...
info_outlineAndy is so happy to welcome Akeshi Akinseye to The Wedding Biz this week! Akeshi is a luxury wedding planner and designer based in Chicago. Running Kesh Events, Akeshi specializes in creating extraordinary celebrations all around the world. She is not only a luxury wedding planner and event designer but also an international speaker, author, and business coach, and she joins Andy for this episode to discuss how she came into the business, from where she finds inspiration, and how to open oneself up creatively.
Listen in to hear Akeshi also discuss current trends in the industry, how she goes about building an event team, how she has managed to garner such a big social media following, how she draws inspiration from her upbringing in the hospitality industry and her transition into event planning.
Discover how Akeshi found her calling in event planning, shifting from a career path in psychology to creating unforgettable experiences for her clients. She delves into her creative process, highlighting the importance of nature and open-mindedness in sparking fresh ideas. while also discussing the significance of culturally immersive entertainment.
Akeshi also shares her passion for celebrating life's moments beyond weddings through The Art of Celebrating, a platform that inspires people to host stylish and elegant gatherings, from intimate dinners to lavish picnics. Join Andy as he and Akeshi explore the world of event planning and uncover the beauty of celebration in all its forms!
If you enjoy the episode, please don’t keep it to yourself! Andy would really appreciate it if you were to share it with a few good friends and industry colleagues who might also enjoy it! He would also appreciate it if you were to leave a top review wherever you listen to the show because that really helps the show out! Lastly, don’t forget to follow The Wedding Biz on Instagram and subscribe to the podcast so that you never miss a new episode when it drops!
Have you heard about Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey on The Wedding Biz Network? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network.
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Time Stamps
[0:24] - Today’s guest is Akeshi Akinseye of Kesh Events!
[1:37] - Akeshi shares how her upbringing in hospitality led me from psychology to event planning and design.
[4:08] - Andy reflects on having mediated a tense conversation between a bride and her mother, offering insightful advice.
[5:30] - Akeshi emphasizes the importance of balancing support for clients without taking sides in conflicts.
[7:21] - Akeshi stresses the importance of timing when delivering feedback, especially during sensitive moments like dress fittings.
[8:21] - From where does Akeshi find inspiration?
[10:10] - Akeshi further elaborates, revealing that she finds inspiration in everyday walks, turning photos into collages and drawing from unexpected sources.
[13:31] - Slowing down and allowing oneself to reset is crucial for creativity and avoiding forced designs.
[15:03] - Akeshi argues that honoring event locations through local culture, music, and personalized elements makes them meaningful and memorable.
[18:00] - Creating seamless transitions and immersive experiences in events ensures a memorable journey for guests.
[20:13] - Andy highlights his experience in the wedding and event industry, focusing on creating world-class entertainment.
[21:31] - Akeshi argues for the importance of forming the right team.
[23:16] - Akeshi prioritizes authenticity over aesthetics on social media, focusing on storytelling and brand representation.
[24:35] - Akeshi emphasizes the importance of storytelling on social media and discusses the perpetual uncertainty of securing future clients.
[26:41] - Andy reflects on business ups and downs, emphasizing faith in oneself to navigate challenges.
[29:36] - Appreciating work most during pauses, Akeshi emphasizes gratitude and trust in outcomes.
[31:32] - Akeshi discusses The Art of Celebrating, promoting celebration beyond weddings.
[33:00] - Learn where to find Akeshi online.
LINKS AND RESOURCES
Find Akeshi:
Kesh Events - Website
Kesh Events - Instagram Page
Follow The Wedding Biz on Social:
The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz
The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz
Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here.
Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment.