The Aisle Files Podcast
Business & Economics Podcasts
The Aisle Files Podcast is for wedding venue owners who want to listen in to business discussions between like-minded industry peers. Hosted by Kelly Ewell, the show features owner interviews, best practices, lessons learned, and business strategies. With a combination of practical ready-to-use advice and inspirational stories, each episode provides a discussion on the business of running a profitable, popular, and fulfilling wedding venue. Whether you’re a seasoned owner or just opening a venue, we welcome venues big and small to grow, learn, and support together.
Location:
United States
Description:
The Aisle Files Podcast is for wedding venue owners who want to listen in to business discussions between like-minded industry peers. Hosted by Kelly Ewell, the show features owner interviews, best practices, lessons learned, and business strategies. With a combination of practical ready-to-use advice and inspirational stories, each episode provides a discussion on the business of running a profitable, popular, and fulfilling wedding venue. Whether you’re a seasoned owner or just opening a venue, we welcome venues big and small to grow, learn, and support together.
Language:
English
Episodes
027: 15 Ways Your Venue Can Prepare for Booking Season and Maximize the Offseason
9/3/2019
This is the last episode of season two, so thanks for tuning in to everything the past few months! At the time of recording, my venue is getting ready to head into our busiest time of the year, which is the fall. And then right after that is the proverbial booking season with the new year upon us. So this episode is going to prepare our venues for all that’s to come over the next half of the year. How do we make sure we’re ready for all of those newly engaged couples coming right after the...
Duration:00:09:01
026: Tips for SEO, Website Design, and Live Website Critiques
8/27/2019
Thanks for checking out another episode! You might have noticed by now that I like to mix things up sometimes and do things we haven’t done before, and that’s exactly what we’re doing again with this show. Not only are we going to talk about website design and SEO and practical tips to make your website work better for your venue, but we’re going to take listener websites and do a live review of what we see! We’ll talk about what’s working well and what’s a quick fix that each of them can...
Duration:00:40:19
025: Ask Me Anything - Q&A Session
8/20/2019
You’ve got me for another solo episode today, but everything I talk about today will come from you – because this is a Ask Me Anything Q&A show! I posted in our Aisle Files Community Facebook group a few weeks ago to see what you all were curious about, so thanks to everyone who submitted questions there or sent me an email! Are we ready? Let’s dive in!
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
RESOURCES WE MENTION:
Kristin Binford Venue Consultant – new venue owners’ Facebook group and...
Duration:00:12:26
024: How Setting Boundaries Will Help Attract Your Ideal Couple
8/13/2019
As you check out to this episode, it’s quite possible that you’re in a busy wedding season. If not just a busy season of life! As passionate wedding venue owners, we always want to serve our clients well and exceed their expectations. But as you’ll hear in my conversation today, your job is not your life. Even though it might feel that way sometimes! I’m sure we all know that boundaries are important and even necessary, but why is it so hard to put that into practice? Well today I’m talking...
Duration:00:37:08
023: How I Use Calendly for Automation
8/6/2019
Today’s show is a very hands-on, practical, actionable kind of show. Calendly is a program I use to help with so much automation, and I’ll be walking you through exactly how I use it. If you have Calendly, you can walk through this with me here. If you’re planning to get Calendly soon, you can bookmark this episode to come back to walk you through it then.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
RESOURCES WE MENTION:
Kristin Binford Venue Consultant – new venue owners’ Facebook group and...
Duration:00:10:34
022: The Appeal of Elopements and Petite Weddings
7/30/2019
In this episode, we are going to challenge some stereotypes perhaps as we look at the appeal of elopements and petite weddings! They’re not all minimalist ceremonies planned under tight timelines. Some couples are still looking for meaningful and details events, but done on a smaller scale. My guest today is Linnie Hughes, and she’s going to talk with us about the ins and outs of elopements and smaller weddings and how they might be used by venues to expand their services.
In this episode,...
Duration:00:28:54
021: Best Practices from a Venue Employee (and How to Get Published)
7/23/2019
Today’s podcast is a fun one because my guest and I really take on two very different topics, but they all evolve out of her experience in the wedding industry. You’ll not only hear what it’s like to be an employee of several different styles of wedding venues, but also all about how putting a focus on public relations can help grow your business - even with small steps to begin. Who better to cover both of these than Meghan Ely?
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
RESOURCES WE...
Duration:01:04:36
020: Running a Venue with Another Full Time Job
7/16/2019
As we dig into another episode, I’m wondering – what are you doing right now? Are you driving in the car? Listening as you answer emails or try to squeeze in a workout? Whatever it is, I’ll bet you’re multi-tasking. Because the fact is, we’re all busy all the time it seems. As an entrepreneur, we’re always giving our attention to something and we probably feel we work way harder than if we worked for someone else. But what if you had another full time job as you ran your venue? Or not even a...
Duration:00:35:39
019: Second Year Lessons with The Farmhouse
7/9/2019
In this episode, we are continuing our mini series of interviews with new venue owners. Our last two episodes talked with ladies who had just reached the milestone of finishing their first year, but today we’re talking with a venue that’s just finished their second year. How have things changed and grown for her? And how are second year challenges different from first year hurdles? Well today’s interview is pretty amazing!
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
RESOURCES WE MENTION:
Kristin...
Duration:00:35:46
018: First Year Lessons with Alvis Farms
7/2/2019
This episode is a continuation of our mini series of interviews with first-year venue owners. We’re learning all about their successes and struggles, and sharing their knowledge so other venue owners can learn from their experiences. And, this show is a first where I’m talking with not just one, but TWO guests!
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
RESOURCES WE MENTION:
Kristin Binford Venue Consultant – new venue owners’ Facebook group and Masterclass
EventStable – save $100 on your...
Duration:00:29:51
017: First Year Lessons with the Brick Ballroom
6/25/2019
Today’s episode is a fun one! It’s actually kicking off a short mini series where I’ll be chatting with a few different new venue owners all about their first year in business. We’ll find out what went well, what they’ll never do again, and everything in between! There are some real lessons learned by these venues and I’m so honored to share their stories with you!
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
RESOURCES WE MENTION:
Kristin Binford Venue Consultant – new venue owners’ Facebook group...
Duration:00:33:19
016: Bookkeeping, Taxes, and Paying Yourself
6/18/2019
OK, show of hands, who here sits around and talks about money like it’s no big deal? I’m willing to bet, very few of you are raising your hand now. Money and finances are one of those taboo topics it seems that no one really wants to ask about but really has a lot of questions they want answered. Well, you’re in luck because today our topic is what to do with and how to handle your money with our guest Braden Drake. Bookkeeping, taxes, and paying yourself. We’ll cover all that and more!
In...
Duration:00:42:41
015: Building a Strong Venue Team
6/11/2019
Today’s podcast is not only a topic I am really interested in learning more about, but I’ll be talking with someone who is such a great resource in the wedding venue world – Kristin Binford. From the first time I met Kristin, I knew that she was passionate not only about running a wedding venue, but for simply running a business. With systems, processes, and a great team in place at her venue, it’s freed her up to work ON her business instead of IN her business. That’s a phrase that so many...
Duration:00:53:15
014: Things We Say "No" to Doing
6/4/2019
Today’s podcast takes an inside look at some of our business decisions. More specifically, I’ll be talking about “no” and all the things that we say “no” to doing at our wedding venue. So the word “no”. Do you say it enough? Not in the sense of being difficult or combative. But do you say it to help set boundaries? To make sure each couple you work with has the same guidelines or rules to follow? Or sometimes saying no can just make your life easier and less complex. I’ve learned over the...
Duration:00:12:39
013: A Bride's Perspective on Choosing a Venue
5/28/2019
Today’s episode is coming at you with a bride’s perspective on looking for venues! What stood out on tours, what kind of information was most important, and what can make or break a good first impression! My guest is Lauren Harbin, not only is she a wedding planner, but she’s also a very recent bride. With all her planning fresh in mind, she’s going to be a great resource to hear what it was like to book a venue.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
RESOURCES WE MENTION:
Kristin Binford...
Duration:00:29:50
012: Five Biggest Wedding Day Challenges for Venues
3/15/2019
Double surprise! We’re back again with another Five Minute Friday bonus episode for you! This show is one that I think we can all relate to. It’s the Five Biggest Wedding Day Challenges we face at our venue. Now I don’t mean for this to come off as a gripe session! This is all in good fun and I’ll be talking more about the challenges that I wouldn’t have expected to have before becoming a wedding venue owner. I know there are some listeners here who aren’t venue owners yet, but want to be...
Duration:00:09:00
011: Five Tools I Can't Live Without
3/8/2019
Surprise! Today is a bonus episode, and I’m popping in here with a quick Five Minute Friday show all about the Five Tools I Can’t Live Without! These are the things that help me run an efficient and organized business, and I’d probably be lost without any one of them.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
ABOUT OUR GUEST:
Today’s show is a solo episode with host, Kelly Ewell. Kelly is the owner of 48 Fields, a century-old farm estate set in the heart of Virginia wine country. The venue...
Duration:00:07:15
010: Creating Strategic Marketing Systems with Joe Rare
3/5/2019
Whether you love or hate it, marketing and selling your venue is imperative if you want to keep your business afloat! Without bookings, our venues are not long for this world. Maybe you’re already killing it and have figured out exactly what you need to do so that you’re selling out your calendar each year. But I’m willing to bet that most of us would be open to booking more if we could. Or at least booking couples sooner or at a higher rate. Today’s guest is set to throw down some knowledge...
Duration:00:58:06
009: Creating a List of Banned Items for Your Venue
2/26/2019
We all have that one wedding. The one that has stuck with you. The one that gets under your skin and irritates you to no end! You can still envision it and remember that it made you change your contract afterwards, right?
Now I’m not trying to get you in a bad mood! And there could be a million different things that you’re all thinking of right now! But I’ll bet that some of you are thinking about cleaning. All the extra clean up and vacuuming and deep-down hands and knees scrubbing that...
Duration:00:10:05
008: What It Takes to Buy an Existing Venue with Amanda Jackson
2/19/2019
On this episode, we are chatting with Amanda Jackson of the Pick Inn Weddings and Events all about how she ended up buying the very place where she got married! Yep – the highs, the lows, the challenges, the celebrations. All the things along the learning curve for someone who didn’t previously have a background in weddings. Get ready to be inspired as she shares her amazing journey with you today!
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
RESOURCES WE MENTION:
The Venue Owner Shop – use code...
Duration:00:59:52