The Michael Coombs Show

Michael Coombs
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  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Welcome to The Michael Coombs Show, where we'll be having conversations with tastemakers, entrepreneurs, and business leaders in the wedding and event industry. So sit back and enjoy The Michael Coombs Show. 

  1. Consistency, Follow-Up, and Luxury Hospitality Principles for Sales and Leadership with Cindy Novotny

    2D AGO

    Consistency, Follow-Up, and Luxury Hospitality Principles for Sales and Leadership with Cindy Novotny

    Host Michael Coombs interviews sales, leadership, and customer service trainer Cindy Novotny about building sustainable businesses through the combination of strong sales, exceptional service, and leadership. Drawing from her experience with the Ritz-Carlton Learning Institute and Malcolm Baldrige quality standards, she shared how vision, mission, onboarding, daily standards, reviews, and communication huddles all contribute to long-term success — and how luxury hospitality practices can translate into corporate industries. She also emphasized the importance of fast, personalized follow-up through “personal automation,” avoiding public pricing for customized work, and consistently pursuing business through referrals, outreach, and re-engaging after lost bids. We discussed the value of asking for honest feedback after losses, the reality that most prospects need 6–13 touchpoints, and the importance of staying connected with clients at least every six months. Some of the biggest themes throughout the conversation were consistency, blocking one hour daily for business development, understanding your numbers and ROI, using AI for call notes and speech prep, improving presentation skills, and staying curious and coachable across generations. 00:00 Consistency Wins 00:40 Meet Cindy Novotny 01:27 Sales Service Leadership Trio 02:56 Luxury Hospitality Playbook 04:08 Vision Mission Standards 05:13 Processes for Solo Entrepreneurs 06:06 Fast Follow Up Example 07:47 Personal Automation System 09:04 Why No Website Pricing 10:32 Referrals and Lost Deals 11:40 Handling Rejection and Feedback 14:36 Ghosting and Mystery Shopping 16:04 No Fluff Direct Leadership 19:14 Truth and Ethics in Sales 20:53 What Makes Winners Consistent 21:25 Daily Sales Consistency 21:42 Practice Beats Talent 23:11 One Hour Business Block 24:27 Capture Leads Fast 25:36 Follow Up Cadence 29:59 Know Your Numbers 31:26 Build Lists And Referrals 33:30 Get Help To Scale 36:37 AI As Your Assistant 38:13 Mentors And Learning 40:25 Closing Thanks And Subscribe Links: Cindy Novotny Michael Coombs

    41 min
  2. Josh Spiegel of Birch Events: Listening as Luxury, Surviving Debt, and Scaling Creativity

    MAY 12

    Josh Spiegel of Birch Events: Listening as Luxury, Surviving Debt, and Scaling Creativity

    Host Michael Coombs interviews Josh Spiegel, founder and chief creative officer of Birch Events, about his path from selling florals in his dad’s Brooklyn balloon shop to producing 200+ events a year. Spiegel says Birch’s foundation is service and listening, defining luxury as how clients feel and how heard they are. He recounts early financial naivety that led to about $1.5M in debt, and describes steps to regain control: paying himself a salary, using an “envelope diet,” finding partners with complementary skills, and selling 70% of the company to gain operational and financial support; he says the debt took about 10 years to resolve. He discusses partnership lessons, resilience through COVID, designing by extracting clients’ stories, the role of relationships and authenticity, excitement about AI-driven internal tools, hiring CEO Lance Emanuel in 2023, and plans for global growth and broader market service. 00:00 Service Is Luxury 00:16 From Balloon Shop 01:20 Listening Builds Birch 02:33 Debt And Naivete 04:20 Envelope Budgeting 07:15 Finding The Right Partner 09:59 A Decade To Debt Free 10:55 Surviving COVID 13:44 Resilience Mountain Mindset 16:47 Humility And Authenticity 18:17 Innovation At Scale 19:47 Client Discovery Process 20:45 Design Starts With Questions 21:07 Reimagining Navy Theme 21:50 Jewel Box Event Reveal 23:22 Listening As Superpower 25:52 Luxury Means Whole Sentence 27:18 Relationships Build Success 29:55 Social Media And Privacy 31:30 Standing Out In Luxury 33:46 AI Transforms Workflow 36:20 Why Hire A CEO 39:18 Whats Next For Birch 40:27 Final Thanks And Signoff Links: Michael Coombs Birch Events

    41 min
  3. Mo Govindji of Mango Studios - Wedding Photography with Systems, Trust and a Visual Planning Process

    APR 14

    Mo Govindji of Mango Studios - Wedding Photography with Systems, Trust and a Visual Planning Process

    Host Michael Coons interviews Mo Govindji of Mango Studios, a wedding photography company founded in Toronto in 2005 that now shoots globally with a boutique team across Toronto, Miami, and destination markets. Mo attributes 20+ years of consistency to quality as a prerequisite, plus strong people, customer service, consistency, systems, and embracing change. He explains Mango’s three “machines” (sales/marketing, hiring/training and shooting, and production) and how their funnel uses tools like Instagram, Typeform, Acuity, Salesforce, and ShootQ. After COVID reduced in-person consultations, Mango built an in-house, collaborative system that transcribes calls and turns them into a visual canvas/plan (vision-board style) to align expectations and build trust, reducing post-wedding disconnects. Mo argues trust is the key differentiator in saturated markets, advises focusing on what you’re obsessive about, strengthening foundations to fix “leaky buckets,” prioritizing distribution, and applying “pain plus reflection equals progress” to adapt. 00:00 Adapt Or Die Mindset 00:49 Meet Mango Studios 01:51 Three Keys To Longevity 02:36 Building Consistency At Scale 03:50 Systems That Run The Studio 05:12 Sales Funnel And CRM Stack 06:39 Consultations Before And After COVID 09:42 Vision Board For Creative Alignment 12:03 Why Clients Stop Booking 13:38 From Portfolio To Plan 15:13 Integrating Tools Into One Canvas 18:25 Trust As The Differentiator 23:04 Advice To Rise Above 25:47 Start With A Strong Foundation 27:47 Distribution Beats The Product 29:51 Pain Plus Reflection Equals Progress 31:53 Closing And Farewell Links: Mango Studios Michael Coombs

    32 min
  4. Kathy Romero on Certainty, Alignment, and Building a Premium Event Planning Brand

    APR 7

    Kathy Romero on Certainty, Alignment, and Building a Premium Event Planning Brand

    Host Michael Coombs interviews global event planner and brand strategist Kathy Romero following her surprise talk at Toronto’s client appreciation party, The Interlude. Romero explains that reaching high-profile work required complete self-trust, strong boundaries, and projecting certainty because clients “hire a presence,” not just a planner. She emphasizes leaving fear by choosing yourself, vetting client alignment through experience, and building a clear, evolving vision rooted in the life and lifestyle you want rather than comparison or volume. Romero discusses recurring doubts, grief-driven overcompensation, burnout, and recovering through certainty. She defends a lean three-person team and fewer, higher-value clients, warning that scaling for status can trap businesses in overhead and ego. She outlines raising prices as a positioning signal, guiding clients away from trends, maintaining expert authority, handling vendor pushback through documented recommendations, fostering abundance-minded collaboration, and selling transferable skills when switching event niches. 00:00 Interlude Event Setup 00:47 Meet Kathy Romero 01:19 Becoming Certain 03:22 Leaving Fear Behind 05:30 Client Alignment Mindset 06:16 Vision And Foundation 09:18 Lifestyle First Business 10:35 Grief And Boundaries 13:11 Burnout And Certainty 15:19 Small Team Big Value 18:32 Status Ego Trap 20:57 Raising Prices Upmarket 25:26 Charge What You’re Worth 26:31 When to Raise Rates 27:59 Pricing With Integrity 28:48 Positioning Your Brand 29:52 Trends vs Timeless Taste 32:19 Stop Being a Yes Man 34:57 Handling Bad Vendor Picks 38:17 Confrontation and Accountability 38:51 Referrals Ego and Scarcity 43:11 Find Your People 46:40 Pivot Without a Portfolio 49:29 Closing Thanks and Subscribe Links: Michael Coombs Kathy Romero

    50 min
  5. Behind the Scenes of TIFF's 50th with Mariangel Urdaneta

    MAR 31

    Behind the Scenes of TIFF's 50th with Mariangel Urdaneta

    Toronto International Film Festival isn’t just a festival—it’s a cultural force.  TIFF’s Director of Special Events, Mariangel Urdaneta, pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to bring it to life. At its core, TIFF operates as a charity with a bold mission: to shift how people see the world through film. For its 50th anniversary, the focus wasn’t on doing more—it was on doing better. Think elevated experiences. Opening day set the tone with a Walk of Fame moment, back-to-back premieres, and a high-energy kickoff party that only TIFF can deliver. Behind the scenes? It’s all about intentional design—keeping events accessible, maintaining a seamless brand feel, and building with sustainability in mind (yes, even repurposing florals across 100+ events).  Because at TIFF, every detail isn’t just planned—it’s curated. 00:00 TIFF Vision Intro 00:42 TIFF 50 Highlights 03:33 Budget And Partners 05:38 Event Guidelines 07:17 Sustainability In Action 09:59 Hangar Party Logistics 12:40 Keeping It Fresh 14:45 Content Market Explained 18:20 Behind The Scenes Ops 22:30 Permits Visas Logistics 23:50 Tribute Gala Evolution 26:40 Honorees Star Power 27:45 Breaking Into Events 30:00 Weddings Versus Festivals 31:15 Drone Show Planning 35:50 Looking Ahead To 2026 37:40 Final Thanks And Wrap Links: Michael Coombs Marieangel | Instagram tiff

    38 min
  6. Why the Human Touch Is the Future of Luxury: Scaling Wedding Creative Businesses with Katie Hendricks

    MAR 24

    Why the Human Touch Is the Future of Luxury: Scaling Wedding Creative Businesses with Katie Hendricks

    Host Michael Coombs interviews Katie Hendricks, founder of Masterfully Managed and Forma, about supporting wedding creatives through operations and representation. Katie explains that Masterfully Managed, an eight-year-old 17-person team, acts as an extension of clients’ brands by handling behind-the-scenes tasks like client communication, vendor/venue sourcing, submissions, social media, blogs, and Pinterest. She shares how Forma, launched five to six months ago, emerged from photographers requesting agency-style representation, and how she now matches photographers/videographers to planners and couples by factoring in budget, availability, and personality dynamics. They discuss the value of in-person conferences and relationship-building, the benefits of a specialized virtual team versus a single assistant, common operational pain points like broken systems and inbox/file chaos, and cautious, selective use of automation and AI while emphasizing personalization and human connection as “the future of luxury.” 00:00 Human Touch Luxury 00:20 Meet Katie Hendricks 00:53 Two Businesses Explained 01:47 Why Forma Exists 03:14 Matchmaking Photo Video 06:11 Creative Outreach Ideas 09:22 Conferences Matter 12:06 VA Versus In Person 13:56 Fixing Operations Systems 16:25 Building Client Trust 18:41 Automation And AI 23:04 Future Of Luxury 24:41 Advice For Overwhelm Links: Michael Coombs Masterfully Managed Forma

    30 min
  7. DJ MOS on Becoming the Oscars’ Official DJ, NYC Nightlife Roots, Social Media Growth, and AI in DJing

    MAR 17

    DJ MOS on Becoming the Oscars’ Official DJ, NYC Nightlife Roots, Social Media Growth, and AI in DJing

    Host Michael Coombs interviews DJ MOS, an NYC and LA nightlife veteran and, with his wife DJ Kiss, the Academy Awards’ official DJ. MOS recounts how he manifested the Oscars gig and met an assistant to the Academy president who helped connect him, and explains preparing for celebrity rooms by reading the crowd and mixing classics with current hits. He reflects on formative experiences at NYC clubs like the Tunnel, interning at Elektra Records, and learning through “DJ university” nights, citing mentors including Peter Paul, Du Ray, Mark Ronson, Rich Medina, DJ AM, and Clark Kent. He describes moving to LA with DJ Kiss, how they met at PM and became a DJ duo, and shares views on brand partnerships, DJs’ longevity, and embracing new tech while staying rooted in vinyl. He discusses AI as a research/organization tool, social media’s importance, and how COVID live streams—boosted by a D-Nice redirect—gained him 35,000 followers in eight hours. He previews film projects, new music, and continuing to DJ. 00:00 Viral DJ Moment 00:12 Oscars DJ Origin Story 02:13 Preparing for Celebrity Rooms 03:29 Teen Years in NYC Clubs 04:53 Electra Records and Leveling Up 06:35 Mentors and DJ University 09:53 Why Move to Los Angeles 11:39 Meeting DJ Kiss and Duo Life 13:26 Brand Deals and Staying Authentic 14:45 DJs as Brand Ambassadors 15:42 No Age Limit DJing 16:10 Connecting Across Generations 16:32 Music Knowledge Advantage 17:30 Relentless Gig Stories 18:51 Veterans vs New Tech 20:24 Gear Preferences Workflow 21:21 AI in DJing 24:16 Social Media Strategy 26:05 COVID Live Stream Breakout 29:03 What’s Next and Farewell Links: Michael Coombs DJ MOS | Instagram

    30 min
  8. Tyler Speier on Carefully Executed Restraint and Executing Luxury Events at Scale

    MAR 10

    Tyler Speier on Carefully Executed Restraint and Executing Luxury Events at Scale

    Host Michael Coombs interviews Santa Barbara planner, designer, and florist Tyler Speier, creative director for Engage! Santa Barbara, about executing luxury at scale under industry scrutiny, short turnarounds, and high expectations. Speier explains the intentional Santa Barbara story he designed for Engage—from natural beauty and monarch migration to agriculture, downtown, Fiesta, cowboy history, and old Hollywood—and why he took on the project for both challenge and ROI, citing amplified reach, stronger venue relationships, and new contracts. He shares how his company began after high school with budget weddings, grew alongside a nonprofit career, and expanded rapidly after an analytical decision to go full-time. Speier emphasizes venue relationships, kindness, hospitality, and on-site presence, and details his philosophy of “carefully executed restraint”: strategically balancing wow moments with restraint to highlight architecture, natural beauty, and impact. He describes an integrated planning/design/floral process, logistical realism, solution-oriented client communication, collaborative team structure, and educational offerings on tylerspeier.com. 00:00 Executed Restraint Teaser 00:39 Engage Creative Pressure 02:02 Santa Barbara Story Arc 03:16 Why Take The Risk 05:05 Finding Daily Inspiration 06:23 From Budget To Luxury 08:29 Going Full Time 10:06 Venue Relationships Matter 12:02 Kindness As Leadership 13:25 Being Present Onsite 15:44 Defining Executed Restraint 18:04 Origins Of The Philosophy 18:24 Design With Restraint 19:25 Guiding Budget Choices 21:05 Client Process Breakdown 22:28 Hands On Or Hands Off 23:40 Creativity Meets Logistics 25:05 Truth Moments With Clients 26:34 Backup Plans Under Pressure 28:01 Team Candor And Brainstorms 30:05 How The Team Is Structured 31:40 Education And Giving Back 32:48 Engage Santa Barbara Reflections 34:35 Final Thanks And Sign Off Michael Coombs

    35 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Michael Coombs Show, where we'll be having conversations with tastemakers, entrepreneurs, and business leaders in the wedding and event industry. So sit back and enjoy The Michael Coombs Show. 

Information

  • Creator
    Michael Coombs
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    63
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Michael Coombs Show
  • Show Website
    The Michael Coombs Show

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