017: FIRST YEAR LESSONS – BRICK BALLROOM

 

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:

  • Meet Heather and hear her story
  • The process of bringing everything up to code
  • The layout of the space
  • The most surprising thing about the wedding industry
  • What things will change for the second year of business
  • What Heather learned about raising prices
  • How they found a reliable cleaning crew
  • What staff roles look like
  • How does she handle couples choosing vendors
  • How they were able to book so many weddings so quickly
  • The most rewarding part of being a venue owner
  • Lessons she’s learned of what not to do again
  • How she uses Instagram to help generate inquiries
  • Is running a venue what she thought it would be
  • What second-year challenges are they having
  • Biggest piece of advice to new venues

RESOURCES WE MENTION:
Kristin Binford Venue Consultant – new venue owners’ Facebook group and Masterclass
EventStablesave $100 on your order
The Venue Owner Shop – use code FIRSTORDER to save 15% on your first order
The Contract Law Shop – use code KELLYEWELL10 to save 10%

ABOUT OUR GUEST:
Heather Lanker is the owner of the The Brick Ballroom, a renovated 1920’s Chevy dealership in the heart of downtown Siloam Springs, AR. It has recently already been named the #1 venue in the state of Arkansas by Southern Celebrations magazine! Its original oversized windows, lofty wood trusses and mezzanines make it irreplaceable. Heather enjoys refurbishing old things into usable possibilities so the Ballroom is an expression of her love. .

BE A FRIEND:
Leave an iTunes review here.

BE A GUEST:
Are you passionate about sharing your knowledge about running a wedding venue? Know someone who is? Email us at kelly@aislefilespodcast.com to let us know why you’d be a great person interview!

Find full show notes from this episode here.

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The Aisle Files Podcast is created and produced by Kelly Ewell, owner of 48 Fields Farm.