The Venue Nest Podcast

Ashley Shepherd + Kelsey Smith
  • 5.0 (10)
  • Entrepreneurship

The Venue Nest Podcast is where real venue owners come to feel less alone, get clear on what’s actually working, and learn how to run a profitable, organized, and experience, driven venue without the overwhelm.

  1. 1d ago

    Why Community Over Competition Always Wins in the Wedding Industry

    Competition is everywhere in the wedding industry, but does it have to be? In this episode of The Venue Nest Podcast, Ashley Shepherd and Kelsey Smith explore what can happen when wedding professionals choose community over competition. Ashley shares the experience that completely changed the way she viewed other venue owners and vendors, including the powerful lesson that “there is room for everyone.” That lesson eventually inspired Vendor Friendsgiving, an annual event that brings 150+ wedding vendors together for connection, vulnerability, networking, and service. Ashley and Kelsey break down how the event works and share practical ideas for creating a supportive vendor community of your own, even if you’re starting with just 10 or 20 people. They also share a full-circle moment from last year’s Vendor Friendsgiving, when Ashley and the very venue owner who taught her that there is room for everyone showed up wearing the exact same outfit—pants, vest, undershirt, and even glasses. What began as a difficult lesson about competition eventually became a genuine friendship built on trust, respect, and mutual support. If you’ve ever felt like you’re competing for the same clients, struggled to trust other vendors, or felt like you have to figure everything out alone, this episode is a reminder that you don’t have to build your business in isolation. There is room for everyone. Rate, review, and subscribe, and join the Venue Nest community for more support, connection, and resources for venue owners. 00:00 A Lesson in Community 03:24 There is Room for Everyone 05:45 Introducing Vendor Friendsgiving 09:05 How to Organize a Community Event 12:54 A Full-Circle Moment 17:16 Building a Support System 18:37 Start Small and Find Your People Join our free community! https://live.venuenest.com/signup Follow Us Instagram https://www.instagram.com/venuenest Facebook https://www.facebook.com/venuenest YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@VenueNest TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@venue.nest Website https://www.venuenest.com/

  2. Aug 12

    Turning Reviews Into Growth

    Google reviews can make or break your wedding venue’s reputation. In this episode of The Venue Nest Podcast, Ashley Shepherd and Kelsey Smith break down how venue owners can build a strong reputation through Google reviews, client testimonials, vendor relationships, and consistent customer experiences. They share practical strategies for getting more reviews, responding to negative feedback, repurposing testimonials on social media, and capturing authentic client experiences. The key takeaway? Your reputation is built through thousands of small moments that create trust. Rate, review, and subscribe, and join the Venue Nest community for more support and resources for venue owners. 00:00 The Power of Reputation 03:00 Strategies for Getting Initial Reviews 06:03 Incentivizing Employees to Collect Reviews 08:39 Responding to Negative Reviews 10:31 The Importance of Reviews for AI and SEO 11:32 Repurposing Reviews for Social Media 13:34 Capturing Reviews on the Event Day 16:02 Building a Consistent Brand Over Time 18:15 The Optimal Timing for Review Requests 20:19 Leveraging Vendor Relationships Join our free community! https://live.venuenest.com/signup Follow Us Instagram https://www.instagram.com/venuenest Facebook https://www.facebook.com/venuenest YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@VenueNest TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@venue.nest Website https://www.venuenest.com/

  3. Aug 5

    How to Turn More Venue Tours Into Bookings

    Why do couples disappear after a venue tour? It may have less to do with your price and more to do with the connection you created. In this episode of The Venue Nest Podcast, Ashley Shepherd and Kelsey Smith discuss why couples often "ghost" venue owners after tours. Drawing from a sales psychology training with expert Matt, they reveal how missed emotional connections can lead to lost bookings and share practical strategies for asking meaningful questions, practicing tour scripts, creating gentle urgency, and handling common objections with confidence. The key takeaway? Successful venue sales isn't about being pushy. It's about listening, building trust, and guiding couples toward a decision that feels right for them. Rate, review, and subscribe, and join the Venue Nest community for more support and resources for venue owners. 00:00 Introduction 03:27 Common Mistakes Venue Owners Make 05:01 The First Five Minutes of a Tour 07:14 Key Questions to Build Trust 09:30 Creating and Practicing a Tour Script 14:33 The Power of How You Make Couples Feel 19:28 Handling Common Objections 23:36 Actionable Takeaways for Listeners Join our free community! https://live.venuenest.com/signup Follow Us Instagram https://www.instagram.com/venuenest Facebook https://www.facebook.com/venuenest YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@VenueNest TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@venue.nest Website https://www.venuenest.com/

  4. Jul 29

    Wedding Venue Marketing That Actually Gets You Bookings

    In this episode of The Venue Nest Podcast, Ashley Shepherd and Kelsey Smith reveal why some wedding venues thrive while others struggle to get noticed. They explain why visibility is now the currency of the wedding industry and how venue owners can adapt to today's digital landscape using platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and YouTube. You'll learn why authentic, behind-the-scenes content often outperforms polished marketing, how to repurpose content across multiple platforms, use location tags and strong hooks to reach the right audience, and even leverage AI to generate content ideas. The biggest takeaway? Consistency, not perfection, is what drives long-term growth. If you're a wedding venue owner looking to increase visibility, attract more qualified couples, and book more weddings, this episode is full of practical marketing strategies you can start using today. For a deeper dive into venue marketing, be sure to check out Venue Nest University. 00:00 Introduction to Venue Marketing 02:54 The Evolution of Venue Marketing 04:25 Repurposing Content Across Platforms 07:02 Overcoming Perfectionism 11:31 Targeting the Right Audience 13:18 The Power of a Good Hook 14:47 Understanding Viewer Psychology 17:16 How to Stay Current with Trends 19:27 Consistency is Key Join our free community! https://live.venuenest.com/signup Follow Us Instagram https://www.instagram.com/venuenest Facebook https://www.facebook.com/venuenest YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@VenueNest TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@venue.nest Website https://www.venuenest.com/

  5. Jul 22

    Why Every Wedding Venue Needs a Venue Director

    If you're afraid no one will care about your venue as much as you do, this episode is for you. In this episode of The Venue Nest Podcast, Ashley Shepherd and Kelsey Smith explore why hiring a venue director can be the turning point for a growing wedding venue. They explain the difference between a venue coordinator and a venue director, share their proven hiring process, reveal the qualities they look for in strong leaders, and answer the biggest concerns venue owners have, including "What if they leave?" and "No one will love my venue like I do." Whether you're hoping to scale from 50 to 150 weddings a year or simply step away from the day-to-day without sacrificing your client experience, this episode offers practical leadership and hiring strategies to help you build a stronger, more sustainable venue business. If you're ready to stop being the bottleneck in your business and start building a team that can carry your vision forward, this episode is a great place to start. Be sure to like, subscribe, and join the Venue Nest community for more practical advice to help you grow your venue with confidence. 00:00 Introduction 01:08 What is a Venue Director? 02:25 Venue Director vs. Venue Coordinator 05:32 Finding and Filtering Candidates 07:40 The Problem with Traditional Hiring 09:57 Implementing a Video Application Requirement 12:15 Qualities of a Great Venue Director 17:41 Objection: "It's Easier If I Do It Myself" 19:58 Objection: "What If They Leave?" 22:20 Episode Wrap-Up and Call to Action Join our free community! https://live.venuenest.com/signup Follow Us Instagram https://www.instagram.com/venuenest Facebook https://www.facebook.com/venuenest YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@VenueNest TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@venue.nest

  6. Jul 15

    Turning Overwhelm into Opportunity: A Venue Owner’s Guide to Scaling Smart

    Feeling overwhelmed as a venue owner? It might not be a time problem. It might be a systems problem. In this episode of The Venue Nest Podcast, Ashley Shepherd and Kelsey Smith share why so many venue owners become the biggest bottleneck in their own business. They break down three practical ways to reduce overwhelm, including brain dumping every role you handle, creating canned responses for repetitive questions, and mapping out your client journey. They also explain why documenting your processes makes it easier to delegate, protect your business, and create more freedom without sacrificing the experience you provide. If you're ready to spend less time putting out fires and more time growing your venue, this episode is for you. Be sure to like, subscribe, and join the Venue Nest community for more practical strategies to help you build a thriving venue business. 00:00 Introduction 03:37 You Are the Bottleneck 05:01 Documenting Processes to Create Freedom 08:47 The Many Hats of a Venue Owner 10:16 The Power of Transparency 13:24 Tip 1: Identify and Offload Roles 14:25 Tip 2: Use Canned Responses and Automation 18:26 Tip 3: Define Your Client Journey Stages 20:21 A Resource for Venue Owners Join our free community! https://live.venuenest.com/signup Follow Us Instagram https://www.instagram.com/venuenest Facebook https://www.facebook.com/venuenest YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@VenueNest

  7. Jul 8

    How Can Sales Strategies Transform Your Wedding Venue Business?

    Want to book more weddings and convert more venue tours into bookings? The secret might not be better selling. It might be better listening. In this episode of The Venue Nest Podcast, Ashley Shepherd and Kelsey Smith sit down with Venue Nest partner Matt, a wedding venue owner, investor, and former high-ticket sales leader. Matt shares proven sales strategies for wedding venues, including how to build trust during venue tours, use transparent pricing to attract the right couples, improve tour-to-booking conversions, and create a client experience that feels helpful instead of pushy. He also explains how venue owners can increase profitability, generate more qualified leads, and build systems that make a venue business easier to scale or sell. Whether you're a venue owner, venue director, or wedding venue entrepreneur, this episode is packed with practical strategies to help you book more weddings and grow a more profitable venue business. 00:00 Matt's Background in High-Ticket Sales 02:06 Why Wedding Venues are a Great Investment 05:37 Preparing Your Venue for Sale 09:57 The 80% Rule for Delegation 13:35 Building Trust with Couples on Tours 17:35 What Separates Successful Venues 21:20 Common Mistakes During Venue Tours Join our free community! https://live.venuenest.com/signup Follow Us Instagram https://www.instagram.com/venuenest Facebook https://www.facebook.com/venuenest YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@VenueNest TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@venue.nest Website https://www.venuenest.com/

  8. Jul 1

    Why Every Venue Owner Needs Better Systems

    Starting a wedding venue is exciting, but the reality of running one can look very different than expected. From becoming the plumber and maintenance person to building systems that actually allow a venue to grow, the journey requires more than just loving weddings. In this episode of the Venue Nest Podcast, hosts Ashley Shepherd and Kelsey Smith sit down with Braden, a Venue Nest partner and multi-venue operator, to talk about his journey from real estate investing to scaling wedding venues. Braden shares the challenges of starting from scratch, creating systems, hiring the right venue directors, managing managers, and finding the balance between collaboration and competition in the venue industry. He also explains how those experiences helped shape Venue Nest into a platform built for venue owners and operators. 00:00 The Reality of Venue Ownership 02:13 Braden's Entry into the Wedding Industry 05:58 Hiring the First Venue Director 07:44 Advice for Overwhelmed New Owners 09:43 The Search for the Right Software 11:05 The Creation of Venue Nest 14:38 What Separates Venue Nest 16:00 The Challenges of Managing Managers 20:08 Outro Join our free community! https://live.venuenest.com/signup Follow Us Instagram https://www.instagram.com/venuenest Facebook https://www.facebook.com/venuenest YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@VenueNest TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@venue.nest Website https://www.venuenest.com/ Venue Nest Podcast https://www.venuenest.com/podcast

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5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

The Venue Nest Podcast is where real venue owners come to feel less alone, get clear on what’s actually working, and learn how to run a profitable, organized, and experience, driven venue without the overwhelm.

Information

  • Creator
    Ashley Shepherd + Kelsey Smith
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Venue Nest Podcast