Own Your Business Sam Jacobson with Ideaction

I remember my first day on the job working in a restaurant in 1994 at the age of 16. I’d eaten at them while growing up, but I’d never known how it all went together behind the scenes, behind the swing door going into the kitchen - and I was transfixed when that first day in the back-of-house watching it all go down. 

Same thing happened when I worked my first wedding 17 years ago. I’d attended two weddings  in my life up until that point, but even so I was blown away by how much work went in behind the scenes to make it happen. So many moving pieces all coming together. 

When I started doing ultra-luxury weddings with Todd Events in 2015 it was another eye-popping experience.

Now, I spend my time not working directly with couples putting together their wedding, but with wedding professionals to create a successful company. A big part of anyone’s business is their website - and I’ve seen a lot of them come together over the years. 

Our company has been a part of over 350 in the past 4+ years, which is like 10-15 years experience in design years. Remember, we currently have seven people working full-time to create brand strategies, design sites, and write copy. 

Today, I’m bringing my wife and business partner, Katy Taylor Jacobson, on the podcast to talk about what goes into building a new site, and offer tips to take when you decide to undertake an overhaul or refresh, whether or not you choose us to bring the site together.

Enjoy the conversation!

In the intro to the podcast you hear me say it’s hard to own your own business. Especially if it’s a business of one.

Why? Because you’ve got to do ALL the things - even if you’re not good at them or love doing them. When you’re starting out or struggling, or too stubborn to hire out important work to experts, you end up doing all of it by yourself.

And it’s tiring. You only get so much energy to devote to important things every day. Your brain can only do so many things with its logical, rational way of thinking - your System 2 mind. After a while, it switches over to System 1, where it makes decisions largely on autopilot using your emotional mind.

For those of you with ADHD, it’s even tougher, because executive functioning skills like focus, attention and memory don’t come naturally like they do to many others. 

Here’s something for you: Did you know that people with ADHD are 3-4x more likely to start and operate their own business than the regular population. Some estimates are that 1 in 5 entrepreneurs have ADHD, which means that hundreds of you who listen to this podcast regularly are going to get much-needed insight from my friend, colleague Megan Gillikin.

Megan was diagnosed with ADHD a few years ago, after struggling with certain parts of her life but constantly being told, “No, it’s not ADHD.” Finally, after advocating for herself and finding the right people, she got the information, insights, and resources she needed to overcome obstacles, and enjoy daily work more regularly.

If you have ADHD, listen in, because Megan will share ideas for you to follow.

If you think you might have undiagnosed ADHD, she’ll tell you how she went from curious about a diagnosis to determined to succeed with one.

And if you’re just a regular solopreneur struggling to find ways to focus on your most important work, tune in as well, because you’ll hear new ways to make the most of your time in the office.

Want to know why you’re not attracting the right kinds of couples to your inbox? 

First place to look is your website. But don’t look at it like a filter, or a screen. Think of it like a magnet.

Are you putting out content that triggers interest in ideal clients? 

We look at literally thousands of websites and galleries every year, and I can assure you that most people are putting out images that do NOT appeal to their ideal clients. 

Yes, they tell a story of the wedding day. 

Yes, they reflect your style. 

But they don’t connect with what matters most to people when they’re considering a purchase:

What motivates them in life.

If you want to get more interest from your favorite kinds of couples, you’re going to enjoy this episode.

Are you pitching your packages and pricing on discovery calls?

If so, listen up.

You might be booking couples with your current approach. But are you booking as many as you could if you chose to delay your pitch…

Until they were at the right stage in the buyer’s journey?

Until you’d built enough trust and respect with the couple?

Until they were eager to hear that kind of information?

Until all the decision-makers were paying attention?

In today's episode, I’ll share a story about how a salesperson recently struck out on a major sale with me, why it happened, and how it’s - unfortunately - very similar to the sales approach many wedding professionals take with their inquiries.

Today, I bring in Julian Leaver, the Dapper Diplomat and owner of Julian Leaver Events.

Julian was on the podcast a few months ago for episode 123 to talk about the power of a strong personal brand. It was one of the most popular podcasts we’ve done over the past year, which got me thinking about how to dive even deeper into the knowledge he can share with the audience.

So I’m bringing him in quarterly, now, to talk about important topics like personal brand, grooming and attire, etiquette, communication, client experience, and how to handle difficult situations. 

I like his no-nonsense approach, and self-effacing take on what it means to work with luxury clients and vendors.

Today’s discussion is about networking, because it’s a) crucial for long-term success in the wedding industry, and b) a challenge for many, maybe even most people in the audience. Even if you think you’re doing a great job at networking, it’s quite possible - maybe even likely - that you’re messing it up and don’t even know it.

I’ve learned a ton from Julian over the years. I know you will too.

You listen to the podcast because you want to be a more successful business owner. You want to get better at selling your services. At creating a solid website. At making messages that connect with your ideal clients. 

I share information on the podcast, because I know how to do these things. And I love helping others like you who are open to the insights, the information, and most importantly, are willing to do the work to make the improvements.

While I might be good at sales, marketing and buyer psychology, I was not always a good listener. It's been a weak spot in my skill set, not just in business, but as a person. As a friend, as a brother, as a son. 

So 10 years ago, I decided to do something about it. Like you, I sought out a coach, an expert who could show me the way. 

I learned a ton, not just from my coach, Laura, but from the resources she shared, the books I’ve read over the past decade, and the mentors who’ve taught me the value of listening is often more helpful in life and business than being a good talker.

Today I’ll share a few techniques that will help YOU be a better listener. For people who inquire, for current clients, for friendors you collaborate with, and for everyone else in your life that wants to connect with you in real, meaningful ways.

Listening may seem like a soft skill, but there’s nothing fluffy about the content I’m going to share over the next 15 minutes.