What do you do when everything falls apart—false accusations, devastating loss, and burnout—all at once? Anna Leigh shows us how she kept going.

In this powerful and honest episode, Nadine sits down with Anna Leigh, a talented bridal seamstress and long-time member of Secrets of a Bridal Seamstress. Anna opens up about navigating false accusations, review bullying, and profound personal loss—all while running a successful bridal alterations business.

This conversation is raw, real, and deeply encouraging. Anna shares how she kept showing up for her brides even in her darkest moments, the lessons she learned about protecting her business, and why she's now intentionally choosing balance over burnout. If you've ever felt alone in your struggles or wondered how to keep going when things get tough, this episode will remind you that you're not alone—and that resilience is possible.

In this episode:

• Anna's journey from fashion design school to building a successful bridal business during COVID
• The nightmare scenario every seamstress fears: a bride damages her own dress, blames you, and recruits 15+ people to leave fake reviews
• How Anna kept working and showing up even while facing injustice and personal grief
• The business protections you absolutely need before you think you need them—contracts, careful language, and boundaries
• Running a business while grieving: the mistakes Anna made and what she'd do differently
• How to know when it's time to step back and take on less (even when the money is good)

Connect with Anna:

Website: https://annaleighbridalalterations.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annaleighbridalalts/

Connect with Nadine:

Check out the exclusive private podcast series, Fitting Packages 101: https://enchanting-sun-77080.myflodesk.com/privatepodcast

Become a member: https://secretsofabridalseamstresspodcast.com/membership

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretsofabridalseamstress/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nadinebozeman

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@secretsofabridalseamstress

Wedding season is coming. What if you didn't have to face it alone this year?

In this Six Figure Friday episode, I'm sharing the most exciting update happening inside the SBS membership: our brand-new cohort system designed to support you exactly where you are in your bridal business journey.

MEMBERSHIP OPENS: Second week of March

What Are the Three New Cohorts?

COHORT 1 – Building Your Foundation

Perfect if you're getting clients in the door, figuring out pricing, setting up contracts, choosing a CRM, and creating sustainability in your business.

COHORT 2 – Growing & Streamlining

For established seamstresses ready to grow your team, increase profitability, manage your time better, and streamline your existing systems.

COHORT 3 – Scaling Your Business

For those managing full teams and exploring additional revenue streams, retail portions, wedding gown sales, or opening a second location.

What You Get as an SBS Member:

3 monthly calls for ALL members:

• Training call (1st Tuesday)

• Sew-along call (2nd Tuesday)

• Girls Night In - casual, unrecorded (3rd Tuesday)

Bonus cohort-specific trainings tailored to your business stage

Community with women in the same stage as you

Why This Matters:

You get to see what's possible from women ahead of you, while getting the specific support you need right now. No more feeling like some trainings don't apply to you or wishing you had more targeted help.

Next Steps:

📅 Coffee Talk - First week of MarchGet your backstage pass to the membership and hear more about the cohorts!

https://secretsofabridalseamstresspodcast.com/membership-checkout

Questions?📧 Email: nadine@sweetfranciscosewing.com📱 Instagram: DMs always open!

Maybe this is the year where everything changes for you. Let's talk about it.

Feeling nervous about showing your face on social media? You're not alone.

In this episode, Nadine sits down with visibility coach and keynote speaker Renee Dalo to talk about the real fears, hesitations, and hang-ups that keep bridal seamstresses from getting on camera—and how to finally move past them.

This conversation is packed with practical tips, honest encouragement, and actionable strategies to help you show up on social media with confidence. From panic attacks to imposter syndrome, she's heard it all—and she's here to help you overcome it too. Whether you're posting for the first time or looking to be more consistent, this episode will help you take the next step.

In this episode:

• Why showing your face on social media is so important for building trust with brides
• The real reason bridal seamstresses struggle with visibility (and how to work through it)
• What a "talking head reel" is and why it's the best place to start
• Simple content ideas that don't require a viral moment or trending audio
• How to document your day in 20-30 seconds without overcomplicating it
• Why your life doesn't need to be exciting to create great content
• The connection between visibility, humanity, and client experience
• Creative content ideas specifically for bridal seamstresses

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Connect with Renee:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reneedalo/

The Verve & Vision Club: https://www.instagram.com/theverveandvisionclub/

Connect with Nadine:

Check out the exclusive private podcast series, Fitting Packages 101: https://enchanting-sun-77080.myflodesk.com/privatepodcast

Become a member: https://secretsofabridalseamstresspodcast.com/membership

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretsofabridalseamstress/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nadinebozeman

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@secretsofabridalseamstress

Welcome back to Six Figure Friday! This week's quick tip tackles the topic most bridal business owners avoid: retirement planning. If you've been putting off opening that Roth IRA because it feels too complicated, this episode will show you exactly how to get started—no financial expertise required.

Perfect for: Self-employed bridal seamstresses, wedding business owners, and alterations professionals ready to invest in their financial future.

You'll Learn:

• Why you don't need to understand financial jargon to start saving for retirement

• How much money you actually need to open a Roth IRA (hint: way less than you think!)

• The simple 2-step process to get your retirement account started this week

• How to set up automatic withdrawals that work with seasonal bridal business income

• Why starting now matters—even with small monthly contributions

Connect with Nadine:

Check out the exclusive private podcast series, Fitting Packages 101: https://enchanting-sun-77080.myflodesk.com/privatepodcast

Become a member:https://secretsofabridalseamstresspodcast.com/membership

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretsofabridalseamstress/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nadinebozeman
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@secretsofabridalseamstress

One leap of faith transformed years of creative experience into a thriving bridal career.

In this episode, Nadine sits down with Chris, a Pennsylvania-based bridal seamstress whose business took off quickly after a bold career shift. Chris shares her journey from fashion illustration and costuming to going all-in on bridal alterations post-COVID. You’ll hear how mentorship, community, and collaboration shaped her growth — from finding guidance through other seamstresses to building local relationships instead of competing. Chris also opens up about early wins, growing pains, hiring help, pricing confidence, and why she wishes she had started sooner. This episode is for seamstresses considering a career change, navigating fast growth, or learning how to build a sustainable bridal business with intention.

In This Episode:

• How a leap into bridal turned years of creative experience into rapid business growth
• What made her business grow faster than expected in the first year
• What no one tells you about the growing pains that come with being fully booked
• The mindset shift that helped her stop underpricing and start owning her value
• Why collaboration with other seamstresses accelerated her business instead of slowing it down
• Small wins that validated she was on the right path — and kept her going
• How hiring part-time support created freedom without overcommitting
• Lessons from stepping into a room full of strong business owners for the first time

Connect with Chris:

Website: https://opalterations.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/opalterations/

Connect with Nadine:

Check out the exclusive private podcast series, Fitting Packages 101: https://enchanting-sun-77080.myflodesk.com/privatepodcast

Become a member:https://secretsofabridalseamstresspodcast.com/membership

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/secretsofabridalseamstress/

TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@nadinebozeman

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@secretsofabridalseamstress

In this episode, I’m revisiting fitting packages and the bridal investment guide—and why this topic matters more than ever. Every seamstress I know who’s implemented fitting packages has said the same thing: I wish I had done this sooner.They don’t just increase revenue—they change the quality of clients and the way your time is respected.

I share how fitting packages started in my own business back in 2017, how coaching helped me clarify boundaries and pricing, and what fitting packages actually are (and aren’t). You’ll also hear real stories from SBS members who went from burnout and difficult clients to a more profitable, aligned business. This episode is for bridal seamstresses who want to step into 2026 with confidence, clarity, and a better way of working.

In this episode:

• Why fitting packages consistently lead to immediate revenue growth

• How charging for fittings changes client behavior and respect for your time

• What fitting packages actually include—and how flexible they can be

• Why your investment guide should not live on your website

• How this model helps attract better-aligned, higher-quality clients

Connect with Nadine:

Check out the exclusive private podcast series, Fitting Packages 101: https://enchanting-sun-77080.myflodesk.com/privatepodcast

Become a member: https://secretsofabridalseamstresspodcast.com/membership

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretsofabridalseamstress/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nadinebozeman

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@secretsofabridalseamstress

In this episode, I’m sharing a real, behind-the-scenes recap of attending Wedding MBA in Las Vegas just days after our SBS Fall Fest retreat. I talk about what it was like stepping into the largest wedding professional conference in the world as one of only a handful of bridal seamstresses in attendance, and what that revealed about how our role is still misunderstood and overlooked.

This episode is for bridal seamstresses who are deciding where to invest their time, energy, and money when it comes to conferences, education, and community. If you’ve ever wondered whether big industry events are worth it, or if seamstress-specific spaces matter more, this one is for you.

In this episode:

Why Wedding MBA offers limited value for bridal seamstresses compared to industry-specific retreats

What speaking at a major wedding conference revealed about how invisible seamstresses still are

The importance of education and mentorship designed specifically for bridal alterations

How community and shared language make learning more impactful

Where to focus your investment if you want real growth as a bridal seamstress

Connect with Nadine:

Check out the exclusive private podcast series, Fitting Packages 101: https://enchanting-sun-77080.myflodesk.com/privatepodcast

Become a member: https://secretsofabridalseamstresspodcast.com/membership

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretsofabridalseamstress/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nadinebozeman

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@secretsofabridalseamstress

In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of our SBS Fall Fest Retreat in Scottsdale, Arizona, and why it ended up being one of my favorite retreats yet. I share why I decided to make retreats members-only, what changed when everyone came with the same foundation, and how that shifted the entire experience from “catching up” to true growth.

You’ll hear how we designed Fall Fest around the theme “remembering your why,” especially after a packed sewing season that can leave you disconnected from what you actually want. I break down what made our keynote day with Michelle Grosser so powerful—from noticing stress patterns to understanding the deeper “why” behind habits like overbooking, avoiding confrontation, and staying stuck on pricing.

PS - I give you a peek at what’s coming for Nashville (March 10–12): a bigger group, new ways to keep it intimate, and a “Future by Her Design” theme with sessions on serving weight-loss-journey clients, social media + AI + Canva, and financial planning.

In this episode:

• A shared foundation changes everything in an in-person retreat experience

• Stress patterns can drive overbooking, avoidance, and pricing hesitation

• Vulnerability and real connection create the “no drama, all growth” dynamic

• Retreat structure matters: space, pacing, small groups, and intentional bonding

• Nashville is March 10–12 with a “Future by Her Design” focus

  
  

  Learn more about the upcoming SBS retreat: https://secretsofabridalseamstresspodcast.com/retreats

  
  

Connect with Nadine:

Check out the exclusive private podcast series, Fitting Packages 101: https://enchanting-sun-77080.myflodesk.com/privatepodcast

Become a member: https://secretsofabridalseamstresspodcast.com/membership

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretsofabridalseamstress/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nadinebozeman

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@secretsofabridalseamstress