All tagged inspiration
Stuck in a Rut? Try These Wedding Industry Best Practices for Finding Inspiration
(Editor's Note: The talented Fabrice Orlando of Cocoon Events Group is back on our blog today, offering his advice on how to get un-stuck and find inspiration again in your wedding business. Read more about Fabrice at the end of the post!)
Even the most creative wedding professionals find themselves uninspired at times, so don’t be ashamed or discouraged if you find yourself staring blankly at your computer.
While we’ve all been there, there are plenty of ways to get your creativity going and pull yourself out of a funk. Although it may seem logical to scroll through some top wedding blogs or flip through magazines for ideas, that process can actually add to the frustration, as you’ll end up seeing all of the gorgeous details that have already been done.
How Being Less Educated, Less Informed and Less Inspired May Save Your Wedding Business
Last year, I wrote a post on whether inspiration would ultimately be the wedding industry's downfall. I remember feeling nervous when I posted it, because let's face it, certain "movements" and hashtags have become wildly trendy among wedding pros and other creatives. I worried that, by questioning the motives of the people behind it, I'd be seen as some kind of wedding industry mean girl. as negative, as judgmental. (It wouldn't be the first time. Some people really don't like being called out.)
Still, as with most of my quasi-controversial posts on WeddingIQ, I felt the topic needed to be discussed. And I stand by what I wrote, as well as my follow-up piece on how sugarcoating the reality of business hurts wedding pros and aspiring entrepreneurs.
This post is similar, but a little more personal to me. And it's not an easy one to write, that's for sure.
WeddingIQ Retrospective: Why Competition Isn't a Bad Thing, Revisited
(Editor's Note: In Kyle's and Jennifer's May 2015 post, "Why Competition Isn't a Bad Thing," we explained how the new hot focus in the wedding industry and other creative fields, that of #communityovercompetition, was both compelling and confusing. Today, Kyle looks back at our original article and shares her current thoughts.)
I don’t know when competition became a dirty word in our industry, but it has done nothing but help me define my business, strive to create better products and services, and serve as inspiration to constantly improve my technique. When I began my business, I spent hours poring over competitors' websites and blogs to research the local market, gain an understanding of pricing structures, then work to set myself apart and create a viable (and competitive) offering to potential clients.
WeddingIQ: How Everything Has Changed, and What's Next
I remember when I first had the idea for what would become WeddingIQ. It was very early in 2012. I'd been running my DJ company for about 10 years, mainly overseeing the customer service and administrative side of things. My then-husband and business partner had stepped back from the day-to-day operations of the company to pursue other things, leaving me at the helm. Even with the added responsibility, I just felt like something was missing. Part of it was that I wasn't feeling particularly challenged anymore - I'm definitely someone who likes to take on new things - and part of it was that I knew I wasn't doing everything I was capable of doing in this industry, one that I'd been part of since I was 21 years old.
Plus, because I'd largely systematized the DJ business so that, with the help of a great assistant, it functioned pretty smoothly without my constant supervision, I had time on my hands and my wheels always seemed to be turning. (Basically, every rant you've ever read on WeddingIQ began as a monologue inside my very chaotic brain.) And, increasingly, I wanted to give my thoughts a voice, a platform. I found myself feeling called to do two things: to help other business owners to become more effective and successful, and also to dissect some of the bullshit I observed in the wedding industry on a regular basis. If I'm being completely honest, I think I probably also believed I had it all figured out. At least most things. (Oh, if only I knew the humble pie I'd be eating later.)