From Side Hustle to Wedding Powerhouse to Tech Founder ft. Annie Lee

Why He Left The "American Dream" To Bet On Himself And The Mindset Shift That Carries You Through Uncertainty

Join Natasha Yuhjtman for another episode of The Hard Launch as she sits down with Luciano Barajas, co-founder of His & Hers Events. In this episode, Luciano shares the story behind building one of the most immersive luxury event brands. From growing up in a traditional immigrant household to leaving a secure corporate role and launching during COVID, Luciano opens up about risk, identity, and betting on yourself when no one else fully understands the vision. He reflects on co-founder dynamics, using Instagram to fuel early growth, learning to say no to protect quality, and the moment he realized he had truly "made it." This episode is about creative courage, partnership, and redefining what success really means. Follow His & Hers on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/HISANDHERS_EVENTS] Work with His & Hers here [https://hishersevents.com/] Follow The Hard Launch on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thehardlaunchpodcast?igsh=NXFoY2lmOWdtbzh0] Follow Natasha on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/vidadowntheaisle/)] Watch the full episode on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheHardLaunchPodcast] Timestamps: 00:00 – Meet Luciano Barajas + the story behind His & Hers Events 04:45 – Leaving corporate life & proving his parents wrong 09:52 – Six years in business + the Super Bowl "pinch me" moment 11:30 – From high school drama to co-founders 19:34 – Building a co-founder partnership that actually works 25:20 – Their luxury design process + trusting the vision 30:16 – When events don't go as planned 43:44 – How Instagram fueled 80% of early growth 50:37 – Scaling without sacrificing quality 55:43 – The moment he realized he had "made it" 58:57 – What's next: interior design, travel & building a design house

How serial founders build, rebuild, and leverage Every Lesson

In this episode of The Hard Launch, Natasha sits down with Dylan Petro, founder of WedPing, and Morgan Kennedy, the newest member of the WedPing team, to unpack what building from zero to one actually looks like in an underserved industry. Dylan shares his journey from launching a real-life dating app in NYC to building wedding tech, breaking down the hard distinction between traction and true product-market fit. and why "good" isn't good enough if no one is obsessed. He opens up about luck, timing, knowing when a business model doesn't work, and why staying alive long enough is sometimes the only strategy. Morgan brings the wedding industry perspective, revealing the communication gaps planners face daily and what it takes to introduce new tech into a fragmented, relationship driven space. Together, they dive into selling innovation before the market fully understands it, simplifying AI so it feels invisible, and why building for intensity, not volume, changes everything. This episode is for founders chasing product market fit and wedding pros thinking about the future of events. Learn more abourt WedPings at Wedping.com [https://www.wedping.com/] Follow The Hard Launch on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thehardlaunchpodcast?igsh=NXFoY2lmOWdtbzh0] Follow Natasha on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/vidadowntheaisle/)] Watch the full episode on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheHardLaunchPodcast] Timestamps: 05:13 – Traction vs. Obsession 08:01 – The Audacious Hypothesis Test 10:16 – Great Product, Bad Business 28:38 – The 2-Minute Demo Rule 36:03 – Stay Alive Long Enough 38:16 – When to Quit vs. When to Pivot 47:16 – AI as an Ingredient, Not the Dish 50:26 – Founder + Parent Perspective 57:25 – Advice for Non-Technical Founders

Sarah Klingman On Building With Conviction, The Realities of Zero to One, & Reframing Pivots

Sarah Klingman, founder and CEO of Mostest, joins the show to share what building from zero to one really looks like. She breaks down the early-stage reality founders don't talk about, why "pivoting" is often misunderstood, and how reframing change can unlock better decisions and long-term growth. Sarah talks about conviction over noise, following the breadcrumbs instead of a rigid plan, and what it takes to build a company without burning out. This episode is a must-listen for founders, creators, and working parents navigating early-stage startups, motherhood, and modern entrepreneurship. More about Mostest [https://joinmostest.com/] Follow The Hard Launch on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thehardlaunchpodcast?igsh=NXFoY2lmOWdtbzh0] Follow Natasha on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/vidadowntheaisle/)] Watch the full episode on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheHardLaunchPodcast] Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro + casual banter before diving in 01:15 – Sarah Klingman's background and founding story of Mostest 03:54 – Why corporate event planning at Adidas exposed a massive market gap 09:30 – The "full-body sweat" birthday party moment that changed everything 14:55 – Why founders must stay close to the work (and actually plan events) 22:38 – The first version of Mostest and what went wrong with hourly pricing 27:38 – Why "pivoting" is often just learning (and why Sarah hates the word) 48:21 – Building a startup while raising three kids: the real zero-to-one reality

From Side Hustle to Wedding Powerhouse to Tech Founder ft. Annie Lee

In this episode, Natasha sits down with legendary wedding planner and entrepreneur Annie Lee, founder of Daughter of Design and Plannie, to explore what it really takes to build longevity, relevance, and innovation in the wedding industry. Annie shares how she accidentally entered weddings, how growing up in a family of interior designers shaped her creative eye, and why studying history helps her anticipate shifts in wedding trends. Annie discusses why weddings are uniquely recession proof, how planners can stand out in an oversaturated luxury market, and what it takes to build lasting credibility through media, relationships, and visibility. They also dive into the creation of Plannie and unpack how technology, AI, and changing consumer behavior are reshaping the future of weddings. This episode is a must listen for planners, creatives, and founders looking to evolve beyond traditional models and build sustainable businesses. More about plannie [https://www.plannie.com/] More about Daughter of Design [https://www.daughterofdesign.com/] Follow The Hard Launch on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thehardlaunchpodcast?igsh=NXFoY2lmOWdtbzh0] Follow Natasha on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/vidadowntheaisle/)] Watch the full episode on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheHardLaunchPodcast] Episode Timestamps 00:00 – Annie's path into weddings, early career, and design background 05:31 – Design, history, and how wedding trends evolve over time 15:21 – Recession-proof weddings, market saturation, and industry shifts 27:01 – Building Daughter of Design, media credibility, and standing out 39:31 – Why Plani was created & the rise of hourly, fractional planning 50:31 – Technology, AI, and the future of event planning 01:00:46 Advice for planners, defining success, and what's next

Weather Witchcraft, Climate Chaos & Six-Figure Weddings: How Andrew Levitt Turned Event Disasters Into a Luxury Concierge Forecasting Empire

#12 In this episode of The Hard Launch, Natasha sits down with Andrew Levitt, founder of Ironic, to unpack how he built a niche, profitable company at the intersection of weddings, weather, and event safety—without chasing the traditional startup playbook. Andrew shares how he went from DJ-ing and touring in live music to concierge meteorology for ultra high-end events, why his first tech product flopped, and how redefining success as a "mom and pop" business helped him avoid burnout while still serving top planners around the world. They dive into bootstrapping on credit cards, building credibility in a small, tight-knit industry, setting boundaries with the wrong clients, and what it really looks like to offer human-led, high-touch services in the age of AI. Andrew also breaks down the rise of Etsy "weather witches," how most $12 spells miss the mark, and the story behind co-creating a New Orleans voodoo-inspired blessing offering that blends ritual with real meteorology. If you're an entrepreneur navigating pivots, pressure, or the temptation to "go big" just because everyone says you should, this conversation will hit home. More about Ironic [https://www.ironicreports.com/] Follow The Hard Launch on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thehardlaunchpodcast?igsh=NXFoY2lmOWdtbzh0] Follow Natasha on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/vidadowntheaisle/)] Watch the full episode on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheHardLaunchPodcast] Timestamps: 00:01 – Andrew's unconventional path into weather, events, and weddings 05:06 – The entrepreneurial itch: finding "what's not there" 08:15 – Why Andrew's first tech product failed (and what it taught him) 10:45 – Startup vs small business: choosing sustainability over hype 15:55 – Burnout, failure, and why you have to get it wrong first 23:32 – Finding the right clients (and why not everyone is your customer) 27:35 – How Andrew built credibility in a tight-knit wedding industry 35:41 – "Pay to play": getting into the right rooms and building relationships 41:09 – The truth about Etsy witches and wedding weather 01:11:50 – Practical weather planning advice every couple should know