Grow My Wedding Business

Inside a Six-Figure Wedding Venue & How to Get Booked At Them | John Johnzak | The Barn at Heritage Farm

How do wedding vendors actually get booked at top venues? In this episode, a real venue owner breaks it down.If you’ve ever wondered how some wedding vendors seem to get recommended over and over again… while others struggle to get booked… this episode is going to open your eyes.Because today, you’re getting direct access to how a real wedding venue thinks.Not theory.Not guesswork.Not “what people say works.”But what actually happens behind the scenes.In this episode, we sit down with John Jonczak, owner of The Barn at Heritage Farm in North Carolina, to discuss the ins and outs of running an event venue business. John shares insights from his experience, offering valuable perspectives for anyone interested in the event business. We also touch on how to start a wedding venue business and tips for event planning. The Barn at Heritage Farm, is a beautiful rustic barn wedding venue that hosts large and small weddings and stays consistently booked throughout the year.And here’s why this matters:👉 Venues don’t just host weddings…👉 They influence who gets hired.👉 They shape vendor opportunities.👉 And they quietly control a huge percentage of bookings in this industry.🎯 In this episode, you’ll learn:What wedding venues actually look for in vendorsWhy some vendors get recommended constantly (and others don’t)The biggest mistakes wedding pros make when trying to get referralsHow to position yourself so venues WANT to work with youWhat it really takes to build and run a successful wedding venueAnd how relationships—not just marketing—drive long-term bookings💡 This is the truth most wedding pros never hear:You don’t just need more leads…You need to be in the right rooms... with the right people... who trust you enough to recommend you.If you’re a:Wedding officiantPhotographerDJPlannerFloristOr any wedding professional trying to grow…this episode will give you a completely different perspective on how bookings actually happen.-------------------------------------------------------------------🔥 Want to go deeper?📘 Get the Wedding Pro Playbook:https://www.growmyweddingbusiness.com/playbook👥 Join the Free GMWB Community:https://www.skool.com/gmwb🎯 Free Training (How Wedding Pros Are Increasing Bookings & Raising Prices):https://www.growmyweddingbusiness.com/trainingStop guessing how to grow your wedding business.Start understanding how the industry actually works.I’ll see you in the next episode. 🎙️🔥Support the show

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How To AVOID Wedding Industry Burnout. DO THIS BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE

Mar 1500:26:28Tap to summarize

Wedding Industry Burnout: The Real Reason You’re Overwhelmed (And How to Fix It)If you love weddings…why does running a wedding business sometimes feel exhausting, overwhelming, and unsustainable?In this episode of the Grow My Wedding Business Podcast, we break down a truth most people in the wedding industry never talk about:Wedding pros don’t burn out because of weddings.They burn out because of the way their business is structured.Too many talented vendors end up overwhelmed because of underpricing, constant customization, saying yes to everything, and running their business without systems.And when that happens, the passion that brought them into the industry slowly gets buried under chaos and stress.In this episode, Chad breaks down the real causes of burnout in the wedding industry and shows how successful wedding professionals build businesses that are profitable, structured, and sustainable.If you've ever thought:• “I love weddings but I'm exhausted.”• “My business feels overwhelming.”• “I’m constantly busy but not making enough.”• “I don’t know how long I can keep doing this.”This episode will hit home.In This Episode You'll Learn• Why wedding pros don’t actually burn out from weddings• The hidden business problems that cause exhaustion• How underpricing creates overwhelming workloads• Why over-customizing every wedding destroys your time• The real reason saying yes to everything leads to resentment• How lack of systems creates constant mental overload• Why the most successful wedding pros build structure, boundaries, and predictable systemsYou’ll also hear a powerful story about a wedding vendor who thought they had fallen out of love with weddings… until they realized the real problem was their business structure.The Key RealizationBurnout isn’t a sign you chose the wrong industry.It’s a sign your business needs to evolve.When you fix the structure of your business, everything changes:• Your schedule becomes sustainable• Your pricing supports your life• Your workload becomes manageable• Your passion for the industry returnsThe goal isn’t to work harder.The goal is to build a business that works for you.--------------------------------Free Training for Wedding ProsIf you want to learn how wedding professionals are:• Raising their prices• Increasing bookings• Creating structure and systems• Building predictable revenue• Growing without burnout, discounting, or chasing leadsI’m hosting a free training where I walk through the framework:👉 https://www.growmyweddingbusiness.com/training--------------------------------Resources📘 Wedding Pro Playbookhttps://www.growmyweddingbusiness.com/playbook👥 Free Grow My Wedding Business Communityhttps://www.skool.com/gmwbIf you're serious about building a wedding business that supports your life instead of draining it, subscribe to the podcast and join the community.Because growth doesn’t come from working harder.It comes from building smarter.Support the show

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The LIE (That's Keeping You Broke)

Mar 300:22:45Tap to summarize

The Wedding Industry Lie: THAT'S KEEPING YOU BROKE“If "just be yourself" was enough to grow a wedding business… half of you wouldn’t still be struggling.”The wedding industry loves this advice.“Just be yourself.”“You’re so talented.”“Your work will speak for itself.”And yes — authenticity matters.But here’s the uncomfortable truth:Authenticity does NOT equal bookings.Being yourself does not position you.It does not elevate your perceived value.It does not create demand.And it does not build predictable revenue.In this episode, we break down one of the most repeated — and most incomplete — pieces of advice in the wedding industry.Because too many wedding professionals are hiding behind “just be yourself” while wondering why growth feels random, inconsistent, or stuck.---# Inside This Episode:• Why “just be yourself” is incomplete advice• The difference between authenticity and positioning• Why talent alone does not create demand• The real reason “saturated market” isn’t the actual problem• The 3 secrets that actually drive bookings• Why clarity converts and confusion kills momentum• How to shift immediately---# 🔐 Secret #1 — Authenticity Is Not a StrategyAuthenticity is a trait.Positioning is a strategy.You can be:• Funny• Laid back• Creative• Emotional• RelationalBut if someone lands on your website and doesn’t immediately know:• Who you’re for• Why you’re different• Why your price makes senseThen personality won’t save you.Clarity creates confidence.Confidence creates bookings.---# 🔐 Secret #2 — Personality Doesn’t Replace Value PerceptionCouples don’t compare personalities first.They compare positioning.If you look like everyone else online…You get treated like everyone else.And that’s where discounting begins.---# 🔐 Secret #3 — Being Yourself Without Structure Is Just ExpressionYou can show personality all day.But if your revenue model isn’t intentionally designed…You’re entertaining, not engineering.Serious wedding pros design:• Their offers• Their pricing tiers• Their upsells• Their partnerships• Their referral systemsAuthenticity works best inside structure.---# The Real TruthYes — be yourself.But be yourself inside:• Clear positioning• Defined offers• Engineered revenue• Strategic partnerships• Designed growthOtherwise, you’re hoping people “vibe” with you…Instead of building something that converts consistently.---## Practical Question to Ask Yourself Today:If someone landed on your website for 10 seconds…Would they know exactly who you serve?Do you sound different from 10 competitors?Have you engineered your income — or are you hoping bookings happen?If those answers feel unclear… that’s your opportunity.---The wedding industry doesn’t need more personalities.It needs more owners.The wedding pros who grow long-term aren’t louder.They’re clearer.They’re structured.They’re intentional.When you combine:Authenticity + Positioning + Revenue DesignThat’s when everything changes.---## 📘 Resources Mentioned:Wedding Pro Playbook: #1 Marketing Book for Wedding Businesseshttps://www.growmyweddingbusiness.com/playbookFree Grow My Wedding Business Community:https://www.skool.com/gmwbFree Training – How Wedding Pros Are Raising Prices, Increasing Bookings & Creating PrSupport the show

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Why Referrals ALONE Will Never Scale Your Business PART 2

Feb 2500:22:18Tap to summarize

This is part 2 of a 2 part episode series.Referrals are powerful.They convert well. They feel earned. They build trust instantly.And for many wedding professionals, they are the backbone of the business.But here’s the uncomfortable truth:Referrals are a result — not a strategy.And if they are your only growth plan… you don’t control your growth.In this episode of Grow My Wedding Business, we break down one of the most common myths in the wedding industry:“If I just do great work, word of mouth will take care of it.”For a while, it might.Until it doesn’t.Inside This Episode:• Why referrals feel stable — but create hidden risk • What happens when a venue coordinator leaves or a preferred list changes • The danger of being dependent on other people’s memory • Why referrals are downstream of positioning • The difference between accidental referrals and engineered partnerships • How to build referral stability instead of referral hope • Why scalable businesses diversify their lead controlWe also introduce an idea that changes everything:There’s a difference between having referrals……and building Strategic Growth Partnerships.The Core Value Bomb:Referrals should be a pillar — not the foundation.When your business depends entirely on vendors, venues, or past clients sending you work…You are building on borrowed stability.And borrowed stability always has limits.Scalable wedding businesses are built on:• Clear positioning • Intentional partnerships • Multiple lead channels • Structured relationship cadence • Designed growth — not accidental growthThis episode is especially important if:• 60–80% of your bookings come from referrals • You’ve never systemized vendor relationships • You panic when one venue slows down • You rely on preferred lists • You’ve never diversified your lead flow • You feel stable… but not in controlReferrals are not the enemy.Dependence is.If you want to go deeper:📘 Grab the Wedding Pro Playbook — where we break down positioning, systems, pricing, and sustainable growth:👉 https://www.growmyweddingbusiness.com/playbook👥 Join the free Grow My Wedding Business community — where we unpack Strategic Growth Partnerships and structured growth:👉 https://www.skool.com/gmwbThis episode is about ownership.Because when you control your lead flow — you control your future.Next episode, we’re talking about something even sneakier: why being “busy” might be the very thing capping your income.If you’re serious about building a wedding business that grows intentionally — not accidentally — this series is for you.Let’s build something scalable.Support the show

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Why Referrals ALONE Will Never Scale Your Business PART 1

Feb 2400:21:22Tap to summarize

This is part 1 of a 2 part episode series.Referrals are powerful.They convert well. They feel earned. They build trust instantly.And for many wedding professionals, they are the backbone of the business.But here’s the uncomfortable truth:Referrals are a result — not a strategy.And if they are your only growth plan… you don’t control your growth.In this episode of Grow My Wedding Business, we break down one of the most common myths in the wedding industry:“If I just do great work, word of mouth will take care of it.”For a while, it might.Until it doesn’t.Inside This Episode:• Why referrals feel stable — but create hidden risk • What happens when a venue coordinator leaves or a preferred list changes • The danger of being dependent on other people’s memory • Why referrals are downstream of positioning • The difference between accidental referrals and engineered partnerships • How to build referral stability instead of referral hope • Why scalable businesses diversify their lead controlWe also introduce an idea that changes everything:There’s a difference between having referrals……and building Strategic Growth Partnerships.The Core Value Bomb:Referrals should be a pillar — not the foundation.When your business depends entirely on vendors, venues, or past clients sending you work…You are building on borrowed stability.And borrowed stability always has limits.Scalable wedding businesses are built on:• Clear positioning • Intentional partnerships • Multiple lead channels • Structured relationship cadence • Designed growth — not accidental growthThis episode is especially important if:• 60–80% of your bookings come from referrals • You’ve never systemized vendor relationships • You panic when one venue slows down • You rely on preferred lists • You’ve never diversified your lead flow • You feel stable… but not in controlReferrals are not the enemy.Dependence is.If you want to go deeper:📘 Grab the Wedding Pro Playbook — where we break down positioning, systems, pricing, and sustainable growth: 👉 https://www.growmyweddingbusiness.com/playbook👥 Join the free Grow My Wedding Business community — where we unpack Strategic Growth Partnerships and structured growth: 👉 https://www.skool.com/gmwbThis episode is about ownership.Because when you control your lead flow — you control your future.Next episode, we’re talking about something even sneakier: why being “busy” might be the very thing capping your income.If you’re serious about building a wedding business that grows intentionally — not accidentally — this series is for you.Let’s build something scalable.Support the show

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Wedding Business Mistake that Feels Responsible (but is killing your business)

Feb 1800:35:30Tap to summarize

There’s a mistake almost every wedding professional makes at some point.It doesn’t look reckless. It doesn’t look dramatic. It actually looks… responsible.You lower your prices “just for now.” You customize everything so no client feels uncomfortable. You say yes to requests that stretch you thin. You avoid boundaries because you don’t want to seem difficult.And you tell yourself:“I’m just being smart.” “I’m just being accommodating.” “I’m just building my reputation.”But what if that version of “responsible” is actually fear?In this episode of Grow My Wedding Business, we unpack one of the most dangerous growth traps in the wedding industry:👉 Playing it safe.Because playing it safe in business often feels wise… but it’s usually the riskiest long-term decision you can make.Inside This Episode:• Why underpricing is often disguised insecurity • The emotional reason you hesitate to raise your rates • How over-customizing every client experience destroys scalability • Why saying yes to everything quietly creates burnout • The psychological cost of people-pleasing in business • Why boundaries are not harsh — they’re strategic • How playing small eventually becomes playing tiredWe also talk about something that hits hard:Underpricing feels safe… until you realize you built a business you can’t sustain.Customization feels generous… until you’re rebuilding your process 30 times a year.Saying yes feels like opportunity… until your schedule, margins, and energy are depleted.Growth doesn’t require recklessness.But it does require definition.The Core Value Bomb:Playing it safe is often playing small. And playing small eventually becomes playing exhausted.The wedding pros who grow long-term don’t grow because they hustle harder.They grow because they: • Define their value • Protect their time • Create repeatable systems • Make ownership decisions instead of reactive onesBoundaries don’t limit growth. They create it.If you’ve been feeling: • Overextended • Underpaid • Quietly resentful • Busy but not progressing • Afraid to raise prices • Afraid to say noThis episode will likely feel uncomfortably accurate.And freeing.This conversation connects directly to the larger growth philosophy behind Grow My Wedding Business — moving from:Hustle → Structure Operator → Owner Fear → DefinitionIf you want to go deeper into positioning, pricing, systems, and building a sustainable wedding business:📘 Grab the Wedding Pro Playbook 👉 https://www.growmyweddingbusiness.com/playbook👥 Join the free Grow My Wedding Business community 👉 https://www.skool.com/gmwbThis episode isn’t about doing more.It’s about doing less — intentionally.Next episode, we’re talking about why relying only on referrals might feel stable… but quietly limits your scalability.If you’re serious about growing smarter — not just busier — this series is for you.Let’s build something intentional.Support the show

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You Don't Have a Marketing Problem, You Have a Clarity Problem

Feb 1400:36:52Tap to summarize

If your marketing feels exhausting… inconsistent… or ineffective — this episode might change how you see your business.Most wedding professionals assume their struggle is a marketing problem.They blame: • The algorithm • Social media reach • Website traffic • Ads that didn’t convert • Referral sources drying upBut what if marketing isn’t the real issue?In this episode of Grow My Wedding Business, we break down one of the most overlooked truths in the wedding industry:Marketing doesn’t create clarity. It exposes the lack of it.If your message is fuzzy, marketing amplifies confusion. If your value is unclear, marketing amplifies indifference. If your positioning isn’t defined, marketing amplifies noise.And that’s why so many talented wedding pros stay stuck.Inside This Episode, We Cover:• Why copying other wedding pros backfires • The hidden danger of “I’ll work with anyone” branding • Why using words like “luxury,” “custom,” and “stress-free” often mean nothing • How under-defined positioning leads to price objections • Why you keep attracting the wrong clients • How clarity simplifies pricing, content, and referrals • The difference between operating and building • Why marketing magnifies — it doesn’t fixWe also talk about something most people won’t admit:You might not need better marketing. You might need better decisions.The Core Value Bomb:When you are clear about: • Who you serve • What problem you solve • Why you’re different • How you want to be rememberedEverything becomes easier.Pricing becomes confident. Content becomes obvious. Referrals become natural. Sales conversations become lighter.Clear businesses grow faster — not because they shout louder — but because they communicate better.This episode is especially important if you’ve been:• Posting consistently with little traction • Constantly explaining what you do • Getting inquiries that don’t fit • Feeling price-shopped • Exhausted trying to “figure out marketing”You’re not bad at marketing.You just haven’t built clarity yet.If this resonates, there are two next steps:📘 Grab the Wedding Pro Playbook — a deep dive into positioning, pricing, marketing strategy, and sustainable growth:👉 https://www.growmyweddingbusiness.com/playbook👥 Join the free Grow My Wedding Business community on Skool where we unpack these concepts step-by-step:👉 https://www.skool.com/gmwbSupport the show

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Why Most Wedding Pros Are Stuck at the Same Income Every Year (And Don’t Know Why)

Feb 1100:37:04Tap to summarize

If you’re a wedding professional who stays fully booked every season…But your income looks almost exactly the same year after year…This episode is for you.Welcome to Grow My Wedding Business — the podcast for officiants, planners, photographers, DJs, venue owners, and creative wedding pros who want real growth.This is NOT a show about get-rich-quick tactics, viral marketing gimmicks, or internet guru nonsense.This is about building a business that actually scales.In this episode, we break down:• Why staying busy is not the same as growing• The hidden pattern that keeps wedding pros income-capped• Why talent and hard work don’t automatically lead to higher revenue• The 5 real reasons most wedding businesses plateau• How systems, clarity, positioning, and relationships change everythingMost wedding pros don’t have a marketing problem.They don’t have a talent problem.They have a structural problem.And the truth?You don’t rise to your potential.You rise to the level of your systems.If your business feels like it has more potential than your bank account reflects, you’re not alone — and you’re not stuck because you’re incapable. You’re stuck because no one taught you this part.-----Episode #2 drops soon:“You Don’t Have a Marketing Problem — You Have a Clarity Problem.”--------Subscribe if you’re ready to move from survival to intentional growth.Check out the book at: https://www.growmyweddingbusiness.com...Check out our free Skool at: https://www.skool.com/gmwbSupport the show

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All episodes

Inside a Six-Figure Wedding Venue & How to Get Booked At Them | John Johnzak | The Barn at Heritage Farm

How To AVOID Wedding Industry Burnout. DO THIS BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE

The LIE (That's Keeping You Broke)

Why Referrals ALONE Will Never Scale Your Business PART 2

Why Referrals ALONE Will Never Scale Your Business PART 1

Wedding Business Mistake that Feels Responsible (but is killing your business)

You Don't Have a Marketing Problem, You Have a Clarity Problem

Why Most Wedding Pros Are Stuck at the Same Income Every Year (And Don’t Know Why)