HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I'm not quite sure I believe that it's already half way through the first month of 2009, and I certainly don't know where the last quarter of 2008 went! Actually, I do know where it went ... I got married (yeah!), moved into our first home (yeah!), Kylie and I finished teaching the August 2008 evening class (great students!), Kylie moved house (yeah!), we prepared for our Summer School intensive class (more great students!), we spent some time working on new and improved plans for 2009, and somewhere in there we also managed to spend some time with our friends and families, and relax ... just a little bit!
Kylie and I are both now back at work full time and we can't wait to deliver our plans for 2009! We'll have two evening class intakes (one in March and the other in August) and possibly a Winter School intensive class. We are also looking at developing our first Weddings Are Our Business professional development day which will be held in Melbourne in June and expanding our classes into Sydney. There's also a few other things on our minds but they are top secret at the moment while we put a bit more time into developing them.
I've been doing tones of reading and research over the last few months about all kinds of topics - home design is my guilty pleasure, but the business side of wedding planning is a seriously enjoyable obsession. I've got some great insights and resources to share with you over the coming weeks, and I'd love to get your feedback, comments and input. Let me know what your business concerns are and I'll see if I can find you some sensible solutions.
I know we're in somewhat of a financial crisis, and that some of you must be worried about starting a wedding planning business or whether your existing business can survive. The answer is yes! You may have to take a good hard look at your business and change a few things to keep up with what you client's are looking for ... but don't we do that anyway? Just because there is an economic downturn going on doesn't mean the end of the wedding planning industry. The smart, pro-active people out there who see this as an opportunity will survive and may well even thrive. Will you be one of them? I'll bring you lot's of tips and resources to help you over the coming months.
I look forward to our conversations throughout 2009. Happy New Year!
Have you seen the previews for Bride Wars with Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson? Think it looks like a fun movie for a night out with the girls? Why not make it a night out with your industry friends and colleagues, roll in some drinks and hey presto ... a great night out, a great excuse to get together and a great way to build your referral network.