The Michael Coombs Show

Michael Coombs
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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. 2d ago

    Julian Leaver on Hospitality, Client Advocacy, Feedback, and Pricing Transparency in Wedding Planning

    Host Michael Coombs interviews event planner Julian Leaver, who started by planning sorority parties at the University of Oklahoma, nearly pursued a State Department career, worked in hotels including Rosewood, and now runs Julian Leaver Events with offices in Dallas and Paris. Leaver explains how low-budget college events taught scrappiness, tight logistics, and prioritizing guest experience, and how hotel systems, data, and collaboration shaped his firm while he left behind high-volume repetition. He discusses saying no based on fit and budget, educating clients on costs (including a budgeting method based on venue and food-and-beverage estimates), and managing 3,000+ micro-decisions through phased planning and recorded calls. He details post-event surveys for clients and vendors, using feedback to improve systems and understand buyer types, emphasizes client advocacy and direct communication with vendors, shares his 10-year sobriety, describes his “Mind Over Matrimony” podcast for transparency, and outlines clear, commission-free pricing practices. 00:00 Service Is the Product 00:19 Meet Julian Leaver 00:42 From State Dept to Events 02:42 Sorority Parties to Hospitality 04:24 Origin Story and Referrals 06:32 Guiding Clients on Experience 08:17 First Year Lessons Saying No 10:16 Budget Fit and Education 12:51 Wedding Budget Rule of Five 13:51 Hotel Systems vs Creative Freedom 17:06 Client Capacity and Team Structure 18:12 Paris Office and Global Planning 19:32 Local Teams Matter 20:19 3000 Micro Decisions 22:15 Recording Calls For Clarity 23:03 Post Wedding Surveys 24:15 Using Feedback To Improve 25:51 Buyer Types And Messaging 27:09 Why Vendors Avoid Surveys 30:18 Client Advocacy First 31:51 Handling Vendor Misalignment 33:09 Mind Over Matrimony Podcast 36:23 Pricing Transparency Explained 38:58 Closing Thanks And Subscribe

    Julian Leaver on Hospitality, Client Advocacy, Feedback, and Pricing Transparency in Wedding Planning

  2. Aug 11

    Dryden & Emily on Excellence, Preparation, and Building a Luxury Destination Wedding Brand

    Host Michael Coombs interviews husband-and-wife destination wedding photo and video team Dryden and Emily about building a respected luxury storytelling brand since launching in 2020. They explain why destination work keeps them inspired and removes seasonality, how they manage creative disagreements by leaning into each other’s strengths, and why extensive preparation—like arriving 2–3 days early to scout—helps them capture “magazine-worthy” imagery without harming the couple’s wedding experience. They credit rapid growth to social media, constant debriefs, and pursuing excellence in shooting, editing, branding, and posting. They discuss rebranding from Wild & Rome to “Dryden and Emily” to better resonate with luxury clients, evolving their ideal client, relying on planner relationships, and the role of community, networking, and conferences. They close by stressing there’s no single path to success and acknowledging struggles with comparison and FOMO. 00:00 Excellence First Mindset 00:46 Meet Dryden And Emily 01:29 Why Destination Weddings 02:56 Creative Conflict And Prep 05:38 Imagery Versus Experience 07:23 Prep As A Business Edge 09:38 How They Started In 2020 10:49 Scaling Fast With Social 12:34 Rebrand To Their Names 14:29 Finding The Right Clients 18:42 Planners And Vibes Check 23:52 Community Fuels Growth 26:51 Where To Network 27:57 No One Right Path 29:50 Wrap Up And Thanks Links : Michael Coombs Dryden & Emily

    Dryden & Emily on Excellence, Preparation, and Building a Luxury Destination Wedding Brand

  3. Jul 28

    DJ Malike on Choosing Joy, Cultural Relevance, and Innovating the Wedding DJ Industry

    Host Michael Coombs interviews DJ Malike of Curate Entertainment about his recent high-profile appearances (BizBash, New York Bridal Fashion Week, Engage, FIFA) and why audiences respond to his authenticity, energy, and focus on joy. Malike defines joy as a resilient choice distinct from happiness, shaped by his mother and influenced by Viktor Frankl, and describes practicing it through acceptance, gratitude, and service, including a FIFA Fan Fest moment when sprinklers ruined the sound system and he shifted to uplifting others backstage. He discusses being the first DJ to speak on Engage’s main stage, the role of goal-setting with deadlines, and BizBash recognition for making DJs culturally relevant and fashion forward by blending professionalism with club-level cultural cool while “knowing the rules” before breaking them. Malike addresses pricing through perceived value, scarcity, and emotional intelligence, and responds to online criticism about his style by defending cultural expression and refusing to change. 00:00 Rules and Innovation 00:19 Meet DJ Malik 01:15 Authenticity and Joy 02:38 Defining Joy 04:35 FIFA Setback Story 08:29 Choosing Joy Daily 10:19 Engage Main Stage First 11:36 Why Malike Was Chosen 14:05 Who Malike Really Is 16:26 Goals and Manifestation 19:30 BizBash Recognition 20:01 DJ Industry Bubble 20:41 Conference Famous Trap 21:35 Giving Flowers Publicly 22:14 Culturally Relevant DJs 24:45 Bridging Two Worlds 26:19 Know Rules Break Rules 27:44 Reading The Audience 29:41 Raising Rates Perception 32:54 Best Work Scarcity 36:54 Heat Over Style 37:48 Culture Loud Luxury 42:16 Final Mic Drop Links : Michael Coombs Curate Entertainment

    DJ Malike on Choosing Joy, Cultural Relevance, and Innovating the Wedding DJ Industry

  4. Jun 23

    Kristin Banta on Defining Creative Point of View, Storytelling Events, and Finding the “Why”

    Host Michael Coombs interviews Kristin Banta, founder of Kristin Banta Events, about being named one of the most influential event professionals of the past 25 years and how her 23-year journey evolved from learning weddings from scratch to producing premieres, immersive brand events, and corporate work. Banta explains she broke from traditional weddings by first mastering the rules, then reshaping them around a clear point of view, and advises creatives to define what they uniquely bring and find clients who respond. She describes her client intake process as listening, asking the right questions, and uncovering the “why” before design begins, noting the stigma corporate clients can have toward wedding producers and the limits of designing solely for social media moments. She details her award-winning “Shape of Water” wedding concept and shares how surviving a hit-and-run accident reframed her priorities and gratitude for life. 00:00 Find Your Point of View 00:16 Meet Kristin Banta 01:22 Starting in Weddings 02:51 Theater to Events Path 05:30 Learning the Rules 06:53 Breaking Tradition Backlash 08:36 Expanding Beyond Weddings 09:51 Client Why and Intake 11:11 Corporate Stigma Shift 15:25 Pretty Versus Impact 16:13 Beyond Social Media Moments 18:30 Standing Out Today 20:40 Shape of Water Concept 22:50 Guest Journey Walkthrough 24:43 Designing Multisensory Stories 25:39 Life Changing Accident 28:56 Why the Work Matters 30:55 Closing and Subscribe Links : Michael Coombs Kristin Banta Events

    Kristin Banta on Defining Creative Point of View, Storytelling Events, and Finding the “Why”

  5. Jun 2

    Veronica Di Santo on Launching V, Building Ines Di Santo, and Leading Through Grief

    Today’s show features Veronica Di Santo, co-founder and managing partner of Ines Di Santo, about luxury bridal fashion, entrepreneurship, and resilience.  Veronica describes herself as a passionate, people-focused, and spiritual person while sharing the story behind the launch of V, Veronica Di Santo. She reflects on growing up in her mother’s atelier, where she learned that bridal is about creating history and that building a successful brand requires both sacrifice and a relentless pursuit of excellence. She also shares the “aha” moment she experienced while in university that led her to join the family business. Throughout the conversation, Veronica discusses the brand’s growth on a global scale, the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people, and why strong teams are essential to long-term success. She opens up about her manifestation practices, navigating the loss of her husband during COVID with the support of her team, and the habits that keep her grounded, including working out and learning tennis. Her biggest lessons: lead with passion, embrace what makes you different, invest in great people, and always be willing to listen. 00:00 Carving Her Own Path 00:35 Meet Veronica Di Santo 02:34 Launching V Bridal Line 04:41 V Bride vs Ines Style 06:03 Growing Up In Atelier 08:29 Choosing The Family Dream 11:16 Scaling To Global Luxury 13:24 Finding Talent And Manifesting 18:56 Grief And Healing Journey 24:12 Staying Grounded And Sharp 26:47 Advice For Brand Builders 27:57 Power Of Listening 31:03 Closing And Subscribe Links : Michael Coombs Veronica Di Santo Ines Di Santo

    Veronica Di Santo on Launching V, Building Ines Di Santo, and Leading Through Grief

  6. May 19

    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

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

  7. 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

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

  8. 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

    Mo Govindji of Mango Studios - Wedding Photography with Systems, Trust and a Visual Planning Process
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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
    68
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Michael Coombs Show
  • Show Website
    The Michael Coombs Show