Today I'm chatting with Braden Drake, founder of Not Your Average Law Firm. He takes two typically dry subjects - finance and law and makes them a whole lot more fun. We discuss the importance of understanding legal and financial matters for wedding business owners. Braden talks about hiring practices, the necessity of comprehensive contracts, and the significance of separating personal and business finances.

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Time Stamps:

(0:00:00) Hiring and managing employees, freeing up time for business growth.

(00:00:24) Introduction to the podcast and guest, Braden Drake.

(00:01:23) Initial conversation and welcome to the podcast.

(00:02:02) Making boring subjects exciting, sharing enthusiasm.

(00:02:50) Discussing the start of Braden's journey in law and numbers.

(00:03:30) Law school experience, comparison to "Legally Blonde."

(00:04:37) Graduating and starting own business with financial support.

(00:05:57) Transition from working with creatives to the wedding industry.

(00:07:44) Helping wedding industry professionals with legal and financial matters.

(00:08:37) Mission behind helping businesses with legal and tax matters.

(00:10:26) Common contract mistakes and the importance of having contracts.

(00:11:13) Essential elements to include in client contracts for wedding suppliers.

(00:14:27) Common mistakes in accountancy, importance of separate finances.

(00:15:54) Setting aside money for taxes and profits, utilizing auto-savings.

(00:17:36)Personal approach to managing profits and savings for specific goals.

(00:18:15) Encouraging proactive tax payments and automation.

Automating Savings (00:18:29) Braden discusses the benefits of automating savings and the psychology behind it.

Tax Deductions and Credits (00:19:19) Braden explains the difference between tax deductions and tax credits, using examples to clarify.

Transparency in Finances (00:21:08) Becca praises Braden's transparency in discussing his own finances and the benefits of normalizing such conversations.

Pricing and Mistakes (00:22:59) Braden shares insights about pricing services based on actual numbers and learning from business mistakes.

Being Unapologetically Yourself (00:24:10) Braden talks about finding confidence in being himself and the benefits it brings to his business.

Hiring and Business Growth (00:26:10) Braden and Becca discuss the importance of hiring and growing a team in business expansion.

Closing and Contact Information (00:27:39) Becca shares details on how to connect with Braden and concludes the podcast episode.

Mentioned in this episode:

Summer Support!

Looking for support with your wedding business or venue this season? I have put together some options for you. Wedding Pro Agency: Hand over some of your admin tasks to my team to give you some time back this summer. From social media posting to website updates, email sequences and crm set up, there are lots of ways we can...

Today I am chatting with one of my founding Wedding Pro members Kevin Lines. What I love about Kevin is the way he keeps his work life varied with a mix of corporate work and wedding photography. He has a 'family first' mindset whilst also striving to bring in more income - it's a great conversation.

Visit Kevins Website

Follow Kevin on Instagram

Join the Wedding Pro Members Lounge

Time Stamps:

The journey to photography (00:00:00) Kevin discusses the importance of family and his background in photography, leading up to his career in press photography.

Transition to wedding photography (00:08:16) Kevin shares how he initially didn't want to do weddings but ended up enjoying it, leading to his first clients and the snowball effect.

Marketing strategies (00:10:25) Kevin discusses his unconventional approach to marketing, emphasizing the power of word of mouth and personal connections over traditional advertising.

Differences between corporate and wedding photography (00:18:11) Kevin explains the differences in corporate and wedding photography, how he found corporate photography connections, and the importance of networking.

Corporate Photography Challenges (00:20:21) Kevin discusses the challenges of corporate photography, including the limited creativity and the need to provide a defined brand style for clients.

Setting Rates in Corporate Photography (00:23:13) Kevin explains the process of setting rates for corporate photography, including considerations for day rates, half-day rates, and adjusting based on the client's budget.

Balancing Work and Family (00:26:35) Kevin shares his strategies for balancing work and family, including blocking out days for family time and limiting weekend work.

Benefits of Community Membership (00:31:28) Kevin highlights the benefits of being part of a community, such as sharing business issues with like-minded professionals and building a network for support.

Avoiding Comparison in Business (00:34:37) Kevin emphasizes the importance of not comparing oneself to competitors and focusing on individual strengths and unique selling points.

Conclusion and Contact Information (00:35:38) Becca and Kevin wrap up the conversation, and Kevin shares his website for those interested in reaching out to him for advice or enquiries.

Mentioned in this episode:

Summer Support!

Looking for support with your wedding business or venue this season? I have put together some options for you. Wedding Pro Agency: Hand over some of your admin tasks to my team to give you some time back this summer. From social media posting to website updates, email sequences and crm set up, there are lots of ways we can help you. One to One support: I have two spaces to offer one to one support from June - August to help keep you in track. If you are interested, drop me an email: becca@beccapountney.com

Wedding Pro Agency

Ever wonder how to make your wedding clients feel special? In a recent 2024 study by Wedding Dates they found that 74% of couples responded to say they felt like a number and not made to feel special by their wedding suppliers. In today's episode I am talking to founder of 'Secrets of a Bridal Seamstress' Nadine Bozeman about how we can ensure we give out clients the best experience so they feel seen and special every single time.

Follow Nadine on Instagram

Grab Nadine's private podcast resource.

Want to meet other likeminded wedding pro's so that you can share ideas, network and help each other out? Then why not go ahead and join my free Wedding Pro community over on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/weddingprosreadytogrow/

Find out more about how I can help you grow your wedding business over on my website or Instagram page:

www.beccapountney.com

www.instagram.com/beccapountney

Time Stamps:

Growing a Successful Alterations Business (00:00:00) Nadine discusses the importance of creating a memorable experience for brides during their appointments and consultations.

Introduction to Nadine Bozeman (00:00:54) Becca introduces Nadine Bozeman, founder of Sweet Francis Sewing Company, and her journey from a middle school teacher to a successful bridal seamstress.

Nadine's Chicken Therapy (00:01:41) Nadine shares the story of how she unexpectedly became a chicken owner and the joy she finds in spending time with her chickens.

Early Passion for Sewing (00:03:30) Nadine talks about her childhood interest in sewing, quilting, and how she transitioned from teaching to pursuing sewing as a business.

Transition from Teaching to Entrepreneurship (00:05:19) Nadine discusses her exit strategy from teaching and the shift towards building her alterations business.

Growth of the Alterations Business (00:06:58) Nadine shares the journey of transitioning from a part-time bridal seamstress to establishing a thriving brick-and-mortar alterations business.

Knowing When to Make the Leap (00:11:02) Nadine discusses the decision-making process and timing of leaving her teaching job to focus on her alterations business full-time.

Focus on Wedding Dress Alterations (00:16:40) Nadine explains her decision to specialize in wedding dress alterations and the higher value of bridal services.

Building Relationships in the Wedding Industry (00:17:54) Nadine shares her initial apprehension in approaching bridal shop owners and the importance of building relationships within the wedding industry.

Perfect Timing (00:19:44) Nadine discusses how a serendipitous meeting with a shop owner led to business growth and meaningful relationships.

Professional Boundaries (00:20:35) Nadine highlights the importance of establishing professional boundaries and controlling client communication channels.

Valuing Creative Work (00:23:43) Becca and Nadine discuss the undervaluation of creative skills in the industry and the...