Origins: When Culture Is the Strategy- Building a Catering Company and Venue

The Venue Masterclass: The Truth About Wedding and Event Insurance

Wedding insurance is one of those things nobody wants to think about… until they need it. In this episode of Gathered Here, Dana sits down with Mitchell Busse, the driving force behind Event Guard [https://www.eventguard.ai/?utm_source=chatgpt.com]  - the first AI-powered event insurance platform in the United States -  to talk about the realities of risk, liability, cancellations, and the misconceptions that venue owners and couples still have about wedding insurance. From frozen florals and missing vendors to hurricane season and “friendors,” this conversation dives into the real-life scenarios that can completely derail an event, and how the right insurance coverage can protect not only the couple, but the venue, vendors, and the overall guest experience. Dana and Mitchell also unpack: * The difference between liability and cancellation insurance * Why more venues are requiring cancellation coverage * The biggest insurance misconceptions in the wedding industry * What venue owners think they’re protected against (but aren’t) * Why small weddings still carry big risks * How insurance actually helps preserve client relationships during stressful moments Whether you’re a venue owner, planner, vendor, or engaged couple, this episode is a practical and eye-opening conversation about the part of weddings nobody thinks about — but everyone should. Thank you to our amazing sponsors! Aisle Planner [https://www.aisleplanner.com/] Wedding Pro [https://pros.weddingpro.com/] Brite Biz [https://join.britebiz.com/gathered] Lead Lock [https://leadlockpro.com] Releventful [https://www.releventful.com] Event Guard [https://eventguard.ai/] VenueX AI [https://venuexai.com/] Interested in learning more about The Venue Masterclass? Join us February 21-24 in Tampa, Florida. Learn more here: https://www.thevenuemasterclass.com Follow my new ventures: https://mcalisterleftwich.com/ [https://mcalisterleftwich.com/] https://thegrahammill.com/ [https://thegrahammill.com/]

AITVA: Is Wedding Tipping Out of Control?

Wedding tipping culture has officially entered the chat… and people have thoughts. In this very first edition of AITVA (Am I The Vendor Asshole?), Dana is joined by wedding planner and designer Irene of Irene & Co Events to unpack one very heated Reddit thread: a bride questioning whether she really needed to tip her wedding vendors 20%… including a $6,000 gratuity for catering staff. From tip jars at wedding bars to service fees, self-employed vendors, bad DJs, and the pressure couples feel to tip everyone — nothing is off limits in this conversation. Together, Dana and Irene dive into: * Whether self-employed vendors should expect tips * The difference between gratuity and service fees * Why transparency matters more than ever * How venues and vendors should educate clients * Why handwritten notes and reviews often mean more than cash * And whether tipping culture has officially gone too far Funny, honest, slightly unhinged, and packed with real industry insight — this episode is for vendors, couples, planners, and anyone who has ever felt personally attacked by the iPad tip screen. So… is the client the asshole here? Thank you to our amazing sponsors! Aisle Planner [https://www.aisleplanner.com/] Wedding Pro [https://pros.weddingpro.com/] Brite Biz [https://join.britebiz.com/gathered] Lead Lock [https://leadlockpro.com] Releventful [https://www.releventful.com] Event Guard [https://eventguard.ai/] VenueX AI [https://venuexai.com/] Interested in learning more about The Venue Masterclass? Join us February 21-24 in Tampa, Florida. Learn more here: https://www.thevenuemasterclass.com Follow my new ventures: https://mcalisterleftwich.com/ [https://mcalisterleftwich.com/] https://thegrahammill.com/ [https://thegrahammill.com/]

The Venue Masterclass: Not Every Venue Needs to be a Wedding Venue

This episode of Gathered Here: The Venue Masterclass Series challenges one of the biggest assumptions in the venue industry: that success only comes from weddings. Dana sits down with venue consultant and sales strategist Adrienne Gardner to talk about diversification, burnout, staffing realities, and the pressure venue owners feel to become the “top wedding venue” in their market. Together, they unpack why more weddings are not always the answer — and how corporate events, galas, proms, celebrations of life, and repeat community partnerships can create more stability, better staffing balance, and a healthier business overall. From honest conversations about ego and profitability to practical strategies for creating recurring revenue, this episode is a reminder that there is no single blueprint for success in the venue world. If you’ve ever questioned whether the traditional wedding-only model is sustainable, this conversation is for you. Thank you to our amazing sponsors! Aisle Planner [https://www.aisleplanner.com/] Wedding Pro [https://pros.weddingpro.com/] Brite Biz [https://join.britebiz.com/gathered] Lead Lock [https://leadlockpro.com] Releventful [https://www.releventful.com] Event Guard [https://eventguard.ai/] VenueX AI [https://venuexai.com/] Interested in learning more about The Venue Masterclass? Join us February 21-24 in Tampa, Florida. Learn more here: https://www.thevenuemasterclass.com Follow my new ventures: https://mcalisterleftwich.com/ [https://mcalisterleftwich.com/] https://thegrahammill.com/ [https://thegrahammill.com/]

Quick Chat: If You Look For The Good, You Will Find It

If You Look for the Good, You’ll Find It In this Quick Chat, I’m reflecting on one of the biggest leadership lessons that’s been sitting with me since my conversation with Anthony Lambatos—and honestly, it hit deeper than I expected. We talk a lot about team culture, hiring the right people, and building something meaningful. But what happens when someone who was the right person… isn’t anymore? In this episode, I’m unpacking: * The shift from “dream employee” to someone who no longer believes in the vision * The leadership mistakes I didn’t see in real time (but see so clearly now) * Why not everyone is meant to stay forever—and why that’s not always a failure * And the mindset shift that’s changing everything for me right now: if you look for the good, you’ll find it This one is honest. A little uncomfortable. And a reminder that even in the hard seasons—especially in the hard seasons—there’s something worth holding onto. Thank you to our amazing sponsors! Aisle Planner [https://www.aisleplanner.com/] Wedding Pro [https://pros.weddingpro.com/] Brite Biz [https://join.britebiz.com/gathered] Lead Lock [https://leadlockpro.com] Releventful [https://www.releventful.com] Event Guard [https://eventguard.ai/] VenueX AI [https://venuexai.com/] Interested in learning more about The Venue Masterclass? Join us February 21-24 in Tampa, Florida. Learn more here: https://www.thevenuemasterclass.com Follow my new ventures: https://mcalisterleftwich.com/ [https://mcalisterleftwich.com/] https://thegrahammill.com/ [https://thegrahammill.com/]

Quick Chat: Where I Got Culture Wrong — And What I’m Doing Differently Now

Where I Got Culture Wrong — And What I’m Doing Differently Now In this Quick Chat, I’m reflecting on my conversation with Anthony Lambatos—and more importantly, what it brought up for me as I step into building new teams and new venues. We talk a lot about company culture in this industry, but what happens when you realize… you didn’t get the core right? In this episode, I’m breaking down the three things that actually define culture: * People doing work they’re good at * Understanding the purpose behind the work * And building relationships rooted in love, trust, and respect But more than that, I’m sharing where I got it wrong. From misaligned roles and burnout… to losing the “why” behind the work… to unintentionally creating a culture that felt more transactional than meaningful. This is an honest look at what I’ve learned, what I would do differently, and how I’m approaching leadership as I build again. Because culture doesn’t just happen. It’s built—intentionally, daily, and often through failure first.