Your Business Grew. Did You?

When was the last time you made a decision that was entirely for you — for your business, and for the version of you that's still becoming?

That question sits at the center of this conversation, because wedding planning is built on heart. But heart without structure has a ceiling — and a lot of planners hit it before they ever realize what held them back.This industry has a way of keeping you so focused on everyone else's big day that your own professional growth quietly gets deprioritized. And that gap shows up eventually — in your systems, your pricing, your confidence.

In this episode, Krisy Thomas is joined by Denitra Barnes, Certified Wedding Planner and owner of Tailored for You Wedding and Event Planning, who is currently pursuing her Master Certification. Denitra opens up about what finally pushed her past the internet rabbit holes and into structured professional education — and the real-world difference it made: stronger client consultations, clearer pricing, more confident vendor relationships, and tools that help her deliver a consistent, elevated planning experience every time.

They also get into something that doesn't get talked about enough — how education reshapes your internal credibility. Denitra shares how client psychology training has changed the way she responds when emotions run high, family dynamics get complicated, or conflict shows up mid-process. That kind of calm doesn't come from experience alone. It comes from preparation.

If you've been sitting on the fence about certification, Master Certification, or simply how to grow your planning business without burning out, this conversation will give you something real to work with.

Subscribe, share this episode with a planner who's ready to grow, and leave a review — it helps more planners find this community. To learn more about professional development, certification, and what's possible for your planning business, visit The CWP Society — the world's premier wedding planner certification and membership organization — at CWPSociety.com.

www.cwpsociety.com | info@cwpsociety.com | IG: @cwpsociety | FB: @cwpsociety

Transcript

Make A Decision For Yourself

SPEAKER_02 0:00

There's a question I've been sitting with lately, and I want to ask it to you directly. When is the last time you made a decision that was entirely for you? Not for a client, not to fill in a gap for your schedule or respond to pressure from the outside just for you, for your business, for the version of you that's still becoming. Because I think a lot of us in this industry, we are really good at giving. We give our time, we give our attention, we give our call, and we give it constantly. And what happens is we get really good at justifying why we can't give that same energy back to ourselves. So today's conversation is about what happens when you stop waiting and you actually make the investment, and not just in a program or a credential, but an investment in yourself, in your potential, in the idea that you are worth the time, the effort, and yes, the money it takes to grow and to grow deliberately. Now, my guest today is Denetra Barnes, who is a certified wedding planner and owner of Tailored for You Wedding and Event Planning, and someone who is currently in the process of pursuing her master certification. And what she has to say about that decision and what it's already changed in her is worth hearing. Stay with me.

SPEAKER_00 1:18

You're listening to the Wedding Planner Society podcast, brought to you by the CWP Society.

SPEAKER_02 1:32

Welcome to the Wedding Planner Society Podcast, brought to you by the CWP Society, the world's premier wedding planner certification program and membership. I am Chrissy Thomas, Senior Educator here with the CWP Society, and I am so glad that you are tuning in. Now I want to start today with something honest. Most of us didn't get into the wedding planning business because we saw a clear career ladder laid out in front of us. We got in it because we love it, because something about the work, the people, the creativity of it all, it just fits. And for a lot of us, that love was enough to get started. Here's the thing: love alone doesn't build a sustainable business and it doesn't protect your clients, doesn't prepare you for the moments of this work that will test you, because this work will test you. Every single one of you has had a moment or you know will have one where something unexpected lands in your lap on wedding day or in the middle of the planning process, and you have to figure it out in real time. Now, what separates the planners and coordinators who handle those moments with confidence and from the ones who are silently white-knuckling it isn't just talent, it's preparation. And here's what I want to spend a few minutes on because I think this is something we talk around, but we don't always say clearly. Investing in yourself is not just a mindset statement. I'm gonna say that one more time. Investing in yourself is not just a mindset statement, it's a concrete decision that changes how you operate. You know, when I look back at my own career, and I've talked about pieces of this on the podcast before, but that shift didn't happen because I got more clients or I booked more weddings. No, the shift happened when I made a decision to get a structured education behind what I was doing. And that decision changed how I thought about my work. It changed how I talked about my work, and also it changed how other people responded to my work. Here's the part I really want you to sit with today. It also changed how I valued myself. You know, there's something that happens when you take your own growth and your own development seriously. And not as a response to a problem, and not because someone told you that you needed it to improve, but because you looked at where you were going, where you wanted to go, and you decided that you wanted to arrive there prepared. Something shifts in you internally. You start making decisions from a different place, and you start saying yes to the right things and no to the things that were costing you more than they were giving you. You know, I've seen this happen planner after planner. The investment is never just about the content, it's about what it does to your relationship with yourself as a professional. And I think there's a few specific things that change when you make that kind of investment, especially when you're doing it with intention. The first is clarity. When you go through a beautiful structured education, again, to me, real education, not just a YouTube rabbit hole or a Facebook group. But when you go through real education, you start to see not just what to do, but why it matters. And that's that why is everything because it allows you to explain your processes to a client without apologizing for it. It's what allows you to hold your pricing without second guessing yourself every time someone pushes back. Clarity in your knowledge creates confidence in your delivery. Now, the second is credibility and not in the way that you're thinking. You know, most planners, when they think about credibility, they often think about how other people see them. And of course, that does matter. Credentials matter in this industry. Venues notice it, other vendors notice it, clients notice. But the credibility I'm talking about is the kind that you feel from the inside. The kind where you walk into a vendor meeting or a site visit and you're not just acting out or pretending that you're confident. You actually have it. You know, you're not hoping you know enough. You do know enough because you've done the work. That internal credibility is a quiet sureness. And it's one of the most underrated outcomes of investing in your professional development. And it doesn't come from booking, you know, another 10 weddings, it comes from doing the work and educating yourself. The third thing that it changes is your standard. Because when you invest in yourself, you raise your own bar. Not because someone made you, but because you can see more now. You understand the level of professionalism this industry is capable of, and you want to operate at that level. Your contracts get tighter, your client communication gets more intentional. And the way you show up on a wedding day, even the details no one else would notice, they start to matter more to you. And that's not perfectionism, trust me. I'm always trying to aim for perfectionism, and that doesn't exist, but that is ownership. That's what it looks like when you take your role in this industry seriously. And I want to be clear about something. Investing in yourself doesn't look the same for everyone and doesn't happen on someone else's timeline. Some of you who are listening are just starting out, and that investment in yourself, it feels enormous. It feels enormous financially, but also even emotionally. Some of you have been doing this work for years, and the honest answer is you've been too busy to slow down long enough to ask yourself, okay, what's next? Some of you maybe just smack that in the middle of something. You started a process, you're working through it, and there are days where it feels harder than you expected. All of that is valid. But I also want to say this: the planners and coordinators who wait for the perfect time, the ones who are going to invest when they have more time, more certainty, most of them are all still waiting. That decision doesn't get easier. You guys just have to make it. And the return on that decision, it doesn't always show up in the way that you expected. Sometimes it shows up as a new client referral. Sometimes it shows up as a vendor who starts treating you differently. Sometimes it shows up as a conversation with yourself at the end of the wedding day, where instead of wondering if you did enough, you just know that you did. And that's what I want to talk to you about today, with someone who is in the middle of that return right now.

Denetra’s Path From Passion To Prep

SPEAKER_02 7:58

Denitra Barnes is a certified wedding planner and the owner of Tailored for You Wedding and Event Planning. And she is currently working through her master certification, like I mentioned earlier. Which means she didn't just make the decision once, she made it again. And that tells you something about who she is as a professional. Denitra, welcome to the podcast. This is your first time being here. Yes. I'm so excited.

SPEAKER_01 8:21

I'm so excited to be here.

SPEAKER_02 8:23

What's fun about Denitra, guys, is not only is she the owner of Tailored For You wedding and event planning, Denitra also works for me at Southern Sparkle. For years, Denitra was an associate planner, meaning that she booked weddings, led them, planned them, executed them all under Southern Sparkle. But now that she's on her own, she's just helping me out of the day of as an assistant as she launches and gets her own business up and running, which it has been up and running. But now you you made the decision to really focus on tailored for you. And I could not be more excited for you. And I've already seen so much growth in your business. So I'm excited for you, Miss D.

SPEAKER_01 8:58

Yes, I'm so excited. I'm so excited. And I will forever be a sparkle sister. That's just what it is.

SPEAKER_02 9:06

Yeah, exactly. Exactly. So take me back to the early days of your business before any growth, before the decisions that shaped you where you are now. What was driving you and what were you most uncertain about?

SPEAKER_01 9:21

I think the thing that drove me the most was the excitement for the for the industry. Way, way back in the day, there were not a lot of people who were willing to take you under their wing and show you the ways or people that you could really ask questions about. It was exciting, but then there was a lot of uncertainty. So, of course, like you said, there are things that was out on the internet, but there are so many different rabbit holes that you can dive down and not all of the quality. I would preview programs and kind of see what it's about. And I'm like, uh, that's that's not what I'm looking for. That's not what I'm looking for. And it wasn't until I actually stumbled on the CWP that I was like, oh my God, this is what I've been looking for. Where has this been? Why haven't I seen this before now? And I was like, you know what? All things always happen in the perfect timing when it's just the right time. And so when I finally stumbled on CWP, that was just the right time for me to really dive in to decide, determine. Actually, it was CWP that helped me determine if I'm going to do this for a living or keep it as something that I just do for family and friends here and there. It wasn't until I actually took the class and the certification that helped me understand that decision. I didn't want to just put myself out there, oh yeah, I can do your event and not really be the best version of myself for my clients. That really mattered to me.

SPEAKER_02 11:12

Yeah, it really does. And I love too, you're kind of piggybacking off what I mentioned, like the love for this job, the passion for this job, it can open up the door for you, but it's not going to keep that door open. Like you want something that other than just your drive and your passion, that's going to allow you to create a actual sustainable business. It goes beyond love and passion. Love and passion is definitely a huge spark. But flame won't stay burning quite long if you don't invest in yourself. And what I love too about your story, Denitra, is you've been doing this for a while. Like you said, you've you've done events for family and for friends. So you have that experience behind you. But knowing who I like how who I know that you are, you are always a lover of education. I mean, you've got how many degrees? You were like missed degrees. Yes. For education was already there. But I love that even though an industry that you didn't, a degree wasn't required, you still were like, okay, I want to grow, I want to learn, give you all the information. You're such a sponge when it comes to learning.

SPEAKER_01 12:19

And Chris, see, what's funny about that is when I was working on my master's in human resources, I literally was combing the internet, not just in Memphis, but maybe an online class. I was looking to see, was there a college-level equivalent of event wedding and event planning? And there wasn't any at all. You could go into hospitality, but that was not what I was looking for. I wanted something to really educate me. I kind of have had the foundation, but I knew that there was much more. And I was like, I need that something that's gonna show me, are my systems good? Am I doing this the right way? How do I handle and work my vendor relationships more? So it wasn't like I said, until I actually came across CWP that I was like, this is something more or less on a college level course that I was looking for. Not making me making any other program less than, but for somebody that's really, really serious about growing their business and being efficient in this industry because there are so many people in it, that's one of the key things that will help you stand out is really, really understanding the nature of this business. And that's what I was looking for.

SPEAKER_02 13:55

I feel like you kind of answered my next question. I was gonna ask you, you know, was there a decision? What made you decide that booking more weddings, getting better through experience alone wasn't enough? I mean, it sounds like you're like, I you just wanted to be the best version you could possibly be. And even though you already had that foundation, you wanted to build on top of it more.

SPEAKER_01 14:14

I needed more. I knew that there were certain things that I could do that was good. But when I first started the course, it was just like mind-blown. I could have been doing this this way all along and saving myself some heartache, some headache, and some grief. Not to mention that my money. We all know we want to keep our monies in the pocket. And I was like, Oh my gosh, why didn't I know about this? And I was like, I could have been doing this the whole time. So it really not only educated me on how to create better systems, but also it opened up my mind and my imagination into being more innovative in my own business. It sparked new things and opened new doors and new ways of thinking of, oh, this is possible. Oh, I can da-da-da and da-da-da by being more da-da-da-da-da. So that that is really what I was looking for, is something that would help me become the better version of me, and then help me when a client interviews three or four different planners. What is that one factor or that one thing that you'll that impression that you're gonna leave with that client that's interviewing you that makes them pick you over everybody else? Because I've had that. I've had clients come back and say, Well, I have two or three more interviews, and we'll let you know by the end of the week. And when they come back, all the planners were great, but it was just something about you. Yeah, it was how you talked to us, it was it was like you were reading our minds and you were already inside of our heads. And what I wanted to say was, honey, I learned that through the CWP, how to relate, how to really, how to talk their language. Yeah, you can have a regular conversation with your client, but once you kind of start understanding the psychology of that client, who they are as a person, those were things and skills that I learned through CWP. And I was like, oh, this is that type of client. Okay, I already know how to handle them and how to talk to them, how to relate. And that started building that instant bond.

SPEAKER_02 16:43

And that's creating that luxury experience. To me, that's what luxury is all about customizing things for them. Even the way that you talk needs to be customized for them because you want them to hear you in the way that they hear things, in their personality, in their language. And oh, I'm so glad that you said that. What I love about what she just mentioned to D is that you said it allowed you to be innovative in your business. And I love that she said that because Lori says this all the time. She's not looking to create many lorries all across the globe. She wants to provide you with the foundation and the tools you need to be a success in this industry, but she wants you to put your bit your touch on it. She wants to put for me, put your southern sparkle on it, make it you, make it work for you. Still have the foundation and the tools and the standards in place, but you want to create something that's for you and for your business as personalized that way. So I'm so glad that you mentioned it allowed you to be innovative. Absolutely. I think that's a lot sometimes where people do struggle. They get their education, they understand the standard, but they're still not putting their own little twist on it. Not putting a little bit of who their business is on it. So they're not being able to stand out in the same way as other people are interviewing other wedding planners the same way that you are. Absolutely.

Weekly Workshops That Sharpen Your Edge

SPEAKER_02 18:01

Something too, G, that I that I know about you, because I know how much you love education, it's that you always make sure if you can be live Wednesdays at 12 p.m. during our free weekly workshops, you are going to be. Can you speak to that to maybe the certified and master certified planners who are listening who already went through the process, but they're not taking advantage of the additional or even not additional, their membership in general when it comes to can you speak to that and why it's so important to you?

SPEAKER_01 18:30

Yes. If you are not online for these Wednesday workshops, you truly are missing out. Let me tell you, these Wednesdays, when I can't hop on, I'm upset. But I am really thankful that I can go back and watch the replay. And I do because those Wednesday workshops, those are the nuggets that keep you going. Some of those classes, the gems and the jewels and the information that you and Lori take the time out to research and bring to us and present the meat. You can chew and eat, but y'all just bring the meat. And that's what I need. I have a full-time job, and then I have a full-time business. And I don't always get to read every single article or keep up on the latest thing or separate what's trendy and what's needed and what's going to be tried and true. You guys present that on Wednesdays in a format to where I'm able to take notes and then pull the things out. You know what? That's something I have been thinking about. I'm so glad they're talking about this. And I start pulling those notes in and start seeing how I can apply those tools in my business. It is very important that if you can log on to those classes on Wednesdays, that you log on or even tune in for the replay. There are several CWP members here in Memphis that I know are CWP members. And I am always telling them listen, if you are not on the class on Wednesdays, you are missing out. That's the time when Lori and Chrissy present new things that they may have come up with. I can't tell you how many templates I purchased within the first five seconds when you say you have something new. I don't even have to have the whole presentation because I know it's going to be something that saves me time. And for you to just give it to us, not for free, but at an affordable price, to where all I have to do is add my marketing, that is priceless within itself. So you're missing out on the latest things, on the things that I have. Some planners look in my computer and they're like, oh, that's neat. What is that? Where did you get that? CWP. Oh, wait, wait, wait. So, honey, they already have it packaged up with a bow. The only thing you have to do is swipe that little card. It's delivered to your email and personalize it and use it. So you're missing an opportunity to continue to sharpen your tools in your toolbox or add tools to your toolbox when you're not attending those classes. Yeah. Or at least watching the replay. Like you're almost doing yourself a disjustice.

SPEAKER_02 21:38

Yeah. I think you really are. And because I remember obviously before I became senior educator here at CWP, I remember people like, oh my gosh, I see that you're CWP. I went to CWP too. How are you already so successful? I'm like, A, I listened to every single thing that I was taught in the program, put my Southern Sparkle on it, but B, I continue to invest in myself. Yeah. Learning doesn't stop. Me, growing doesn't stop. Just because I have the foundation doesn't mean I don't need to add on to it. And being a part of those weekly workshops allows you to add on to it. It's it's something that I think if you're not taking advantage of that being part of your free membership, because attending the workshop is free. And yes, even when we do have templates that you have to purchase, they're at a severely low, low, low, low rate. You have to purchase it because part of the presentation is showing you what's in it. So if you want to do it on your own, you can do it on your own. You don't have to purchase the template at all. But like you said, Denisha, we make it, we want to make it as easy as possible for you. So we have it templated where it's just a bow on it, and you go in and you customize you. But if you don't even want to do that, just by being at the presentation, you know what's the contents that are of the template. You know the why behind the template and you know the return on said template. And I would say a lot of our templates and the whole certification process, that's one reason why certified wedding counters are the CWP have an 85% higher booking rate than those who are not. And it's because of those tools and those templates and like you said, the education of how to talk to a couple.

unknown 23:09

Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 23:11

CWPs are more successful when it comes to booking.

SPEAKER_01 23:14

That's absolutely true, Chrissy. One of my top most commented thing that sells my customers is my dog on Timeline. I learned about Timeline Genius through CWP. Never heard of it in a day in my life. They're like, oh, Denitra's your planner. Oh, hands down. She's so organized and so on point. Everything is going to be laid out for you. You truly have a gem if you have booked her. And that's only because it's of the tools that I got from CWP that started making me set myself apart from my other planners in the area. Not saying I'm any better than anyone else, but I like to implement and use those tools that are tried and true. And that's how some of my vendors even recommend their clients to me. Do you have a planner? No, I don't. Listen, I don't know if she's available. Call this person, see if she's available. Trust me, you need somebody like her on your day of. And it's because of the things I've learned from CWP.

SPEAKER_02 24:28

Exactly. It's so funny. I just had a client that I just spoke to, they're getting married in June 2027, and they were they went to a wedding down in Florida. Guests at that wedding were past clients of mine, or just people who have been at weddings I've been to. And when they were like, Oh, you guys are engaged, congratulations. Yeah, we just had a wedding planner, Chrissy at Southern Sparkle. Oh my gosh, she's the best. Guests at a wedding all the way over in Florida. And I'm like, that blows me away. And it just also reassured her, like, okay, I made the right decision. And we hadn't even had our first onboarding meeting yet. Like, she booked me that Wednesday, went to that wedding on Friday. We had our onboarding meeting the next week, and she told me that. And I got so tickled. I was like, wow, that's such a huge compliment. And you're right, I all of that to what I've gained from CWP and what I've gained through continuing my education with things like the weekly workshops. Yes, yes.

Finding Your Voice And Brand Name

SPEAKER_02 25:23

So, what does Tailor for You, which is your wonderful business, what does that mean to you as a business owner? What does that name represent in how you actually show up for your couples? I I I love that name, it's so on point for you. Tell me more about it.

SPEAKER_01 25:37

Tailor for you, I actually went through four or five names. Before I found my voice, is what I like to call it. And once again, I'm telling you, I owe so much to CWP, and this is not me hyping CWP up. When I really, really decided to really do this and put my all into it, the first step was finding some type of education format to help me understand the why I want to do this and make sure I want to do this. After I completed that certification, at that time, I think my business name was still Simply Chic. I'm telling you, I went through about 50 women.

SPEAKER_02 26:25

I never even heard of that one. I just know you're not.

SPEAKER_01 26:28

No, and I kept I have every business card I've ever had. It was Lush Chic, Simply Chic. I had I've and I kept every business card. It's like the um the evolution of Taylor for you. And it was towards the end of my that first certification that I was like, that's not it. That's not the name that I'm looking for. That's not what is what represents me. After I've gotten this good education, this good lesson, and that was one of the chapters was identifying or kind of finding your voice in this industry. I was at home one night and something just came and it was like tailored for you. No two weddings are ever the same, no two clients are ever the same. So when I offer a consultation, I tell clients, it's hard for me to give you an outright price because all my packages are more or less custom. There is a base, but then it's customized to fit your needs. And so that's how Tailored for You kind of came about is I want to tailor my services to complement you. So that's how I talk to you, how I handle you, how I handle your family, your loved ones, your vendor team, the whole process from the moment that we have that initial consultation to the moment that I send you off for your grand exit. All of that is tailored and catered specifically for you. And so that is what resonated with me is I like to approach each client as an individual and handle them in that matter. So that's kind of how the name derived or came about, and it just stuck. I was like, Perfect, it's perfect for you.

SPEAKER_02 28:28

It's so on brand for you and the type of experience you create for your couples. So when you said that the simply chic, I was like, who? Like that is that nature at all. Not saying you're not chic, because you obviously are, but tailored for you is just so on point and so on-brand for who you are just as a person, too, and and obviously how you show up to in in weddings. So I'm I love that. I love that so much. And I will say this is completely out of what I originally wanted to talk about. But I what I love too about the nature is the way that we work together. Because we just so you guys are clear, like picturing the two of us. I am 5'10, 5'11, probably. I say 5'10. Denetra is four foot three. Um how tall are you, dude? I am 4'11. 4'11. So we are I'm an entire foot taller than Denitra, but the two of us we work so well together, and our communication styles are very different. But we when we're together, it is watching us. I wish we I wish we were on a reality TV show. We work together so well and seamlessly, and it's just it's so much fun. We just work so incredibly well together.

SPEAKER_01 29:44

I do wish that we had a TV camera, and it's the unspoken with us.

SPEAKER_02 29:49

We can make each other, and we both already know. I can't remember somebody. I think that it was like a speech was going too long, uh-huh. And we just looked at each other because you were closer to the DJ. I was getting the next person ready for their speech. Yeah. We looked at each other, and you went straight to the DJ and was basically like, and let's wrap this up.

SPEAKER_01 30:12

It's like we just don't even have to say words. It is, it's the best time, but that's how you know, like it's that it's that kind of passion and that kind of fun that just it just drives you to it's just, I don't know, there are just no words. If this ever becomes unfun for me, well, that's when I will make my exit. When it stopped being fun, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 30:36

I love it so

Why Pursue Master Certification

SPEAKER_02 30:37

much. Now, Denitra, you obviously we talked about earlier at the top of this that you were in the process of going through your master's certification. Yes. Which you could just stop at just getting your certification, knowing though that you already have masters in other parts of your career. What do you think pursuing your master's in wedding planning at NCWP? What do you think it has to say about your own growth?

SPEAKER_01 31:01

I would like to say that this should show my clients, and it's not just for show, it's for myself too, just how passionate I am about my business and about this industry. Um while I was waiting for the new masters to um take off, I went ahead and did my design certification, which opened the door for a wonderful opportunity that I had a couple of weeks ago. I was not the planner of this particular high-profile wedding. I was actually the designer.

SPEAKER_02 31:40

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 31:41

And so that allowed me to step into a whole new arena of this industry. And then the masters came about, and I have been taking my time with it. Yeah. And I can say it's needed. That psychology chapter challenged me. And the feedback that I got from the team made me look at things differently. And how I think about how I think about things and then what's real. And it um it helped me do a lot of self-evaluation, and not just that, I have a client, and I'm telling y'all, I never expected to get a mini psychology lesson in this master's program. I have a client so, so sweet. But some of the tools, I'm so thankful I made it through this chapter because how I'm handling her through this process, by all means, I'm not a psychologist or a therapist. But how when she's having moments, how I'm able to understand and respond to her, yet and still in a respectful way, staying respectful to her parents, but also hearing her. I got those skills through that chapter that I just took before I had to have a really short break. Literally, some of the notes that I've been flipping back through in my notes from the master's program, I flipped back through and kind of reread over. And it's been helping me to handle this client and to keep us on track, but also keep things in a subtle and calm demeanor. And she texted me just the other day and just said, I'm so thankful for you. Not only are you my planner, I don't expect you to be my therapist, but thank you for just hearing me. I feel not only do you hear me, you see me and understand me. And that's worth more than what I can actually pay you. And I just wanted you to know that that really means a lot to me. And that right there, honey, just tore me up because I'm not doing it for praise or for anything like that. I really, really depend on this education and the things that I've learned from y'all to really, really help me be the best person for my clients. I can't say that enough. The education that you get from this program really, really will help you handle your clients, especially when you have them that have family dynamics. Or, honey, I had a client that just lost their minds a little bit with my vendor team, and I had to reel him in and then go back and apologize to the vendor team, but we all got back on the same page, had a wonderful event. Those are skills that I learned from the CWP.

SPEAKER_02 35:04

Yeah. And I say too, what I love about all everything that you've shared is that because I feel like it's one thing to get the education, to get the credential, to have it on your website and be dying. You gotta apply it. Yes, it's another thing to get the education and actually apply it because that's gonna be real growth, and that's where the real change comes from. Having all this information and knowledge in your brain does nothing if you don't do what she did, which was self-reflection, don't apply it to your business. And I like you, it's not just a one-off, like you keep you kept going, but you still to this day keep going back to your notes, keep making sure things on right. That, my friends, are the is the power of education. You have to self-reflect, apply it, and relook at it if you need to. I love that so so much.

SPEAKER_01 35:54

Yes, absolutely.

Client Psychology That Calms Chaos

SPEAKER_01 35:55

And if you're in the master's program or if you're in the first level, take the notes. I'm telling you, it will I go back to these notes a lot of time when I'm kind of puzzled on in the middle of planning. Sometimes something that I'm thinking about, if I flip back, I know they talked about this in one of these chapters, and I'm like, there it is. That's this is how this is supposed to be done. Okay, now I can go back, okay, and get that answer for the client. It's it's it's priceless. This, you guys really should be charging a monthly subscription because you do get a lot, but again, it's a lot to take advantage of it.

SPEAKER_02 36:38

Once you gain your certification, you get that free membership to where you can keep growing and keep building the business that you want to be be in this industry because it's always changing, it's always evolving, always always changing. Your clientele is always changing. Who is that who's getting engaged to be married? That group of couples that they're always changing. The democrats, how do you stay on top of it? Investing in yourself because it's not just a one-time thing, unfortunately. Fortunately, really, I mean, because what a beautiful thing is that we get to keep growing and we get to keep learning. And at CWP, you get it with your free weekly workshop. So if you're CWP and you're not taking advantage of these weekly workshops, whether it's joining live, joining live obviously has its perks, and that you can ask Lori and I questions or whatever for having a part of it. But catching the replay, we keep it up until Tuesday morning. We keep it up so that way you can catch that replay. And if you have a question and you want to join us for the next live one, you can do answer, you know, ask the question there.

SPEAKER_01 37:39

So again, Chrissy, how many of us can really afford an assistant? Those templates save me time. You guys going ahead to update the contract to make sure that we are always like in a good legal standpoint. Who has time for that? That's saving me time, that's saving me money. The only thing we have to do is download it, it's presented to us. We always have access to it. Like those are things that people will ask you, oh my gosh, this is a great contract. I can't let you copy mine, but if you join CWP, you too can buy the template bundle. I'm gonna lie about that. I am hands down the stuff that I've paid for. I will, I will gatekeep. Yeah, I will share where you can get it. Yeah, but if I invested it, my time and my money for it, honey, I need you to look at it the same way. Take the time to invest in it, believe in it, and it will start to change you as well.

SPEAKER_02 38:46

Yeah, and what I love too, how what she mentioned, D, is that with the ultimate template bundle, when you do purchase it, you're grandfathered in. So when we do make those updates and changes, because we uh we just made a really big update back in October with our contract. Yes. This is off of some we had a coaching call with a couple who, or not with a couple, excuse me, with one of our planners who was going through something with a client. We're like, you know what, we think we can make this contract even better. Our contract has been held up in the court of law numerous times, but once you purchase it, your grandfathered in, we make those updates or changes. It's up to you to make sure you get the most updated version. So for those CWPs listening who have yet to download the most updated versions of all our templates, make sure you do so now. If you've already purchased them, you're grandfathered and to do so. FYI.

Tools That Raise Standards And Referrals

SPEAKER_02 39:32

As we wrap up, what's the one thing you want a planner or coordinator listening to today to actually do for themselves and their business?

SPEAKER_01 39:41

If you are listening today and you are considering or thinking about joining the CWP, you've been on the free come and check in here and there. If you are really, really, really, really serious about this industry and you are serious about your business, hands down, this is one of the best investments that you will ever make in your life. This investment pays for itself over and over and over again. When I harp on you guys really should be charging more, I'm dead serious about that. The tools that we get, the you're able to, if you need a one-on-one call, it's not like Chrissy and Lori are not available. They are available. You have to schedule, and that may be a paid coaching call, but I'm telling you, the things that you do that invest in yourself today will definitely pay off tomorrow. And before you know it, you're gonna have other planners or other people in the industry asking you, how do you do that? Or you have people saying, Oh, I want the kind of clients that you have. Well, you got to do what probably the next person isn't willing to do to take the time to take the class. Take the time to take the certification. Don't just stop at one certification. There are multiple certifications and they're broken up on purpose. I understand why there's a separate design certification. I understand why there is a timeline certification. I understand why there is a floor plan certification. It's not to keep pumping money into CWP staff or things like that. It really has to be broken up so that you can take that time to horn in on that particular skill that you're trying to sharpen. And then once it's done, not only does it feel good, but when you start to implement it, it make you pop your collar just a little bit. I was popping my collar last week in Nashville, honey. I knew I had that layout laid out. The vendor team, the hotel was this is an amazing floor plan. Your notes, what's happening next, how we need to transition, how this flip needs to happen in this small space. Not only are you putting people out, but you're rolling tables in, you have a band coming in to set up just the notes. All of those are skills and things that I learned from CWP. It wasn't what I knew from when I first started. It's the skills and the education that I got.

SPEAKER_03 42:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 42:34

And then I apply it. I apply it to every single client. There are certain things that are like my CWP checklist that I'm gonna implement for every single client, regardless. Yeah, and so that education, my friends, is something that's gonna be the best thing that you ever do, not just for yourself, but for your business to come in the future.

SPEAKER_02 43:00

Denisha, amen. Thank you. Because to me, the way that you talk about this work, the way that you talk about yourself in this work, this is it, that's exactly the type of conversation I want to have because we talk about stuff like this all the time because you're just so passionate about it. So I'm so glad that we've had the opportunity to talk about it on the podcast for others to hear. I know your passion is just going to show through in this. So thank you so much for being a part of this podcast.

The Next Step You Already Know

SPEAKER_02 43:28

But before we wrap up, I do want to take a moment to come back to something I said at the top of this episode, which was when was the last time you made a decision that was entirely for you? Because if you've been listening today and something in this conversation has been sitting with you and you've been pondering it, that's not an accident. To me, that's recognition. That's part of you that already knows what the next step is. The planners and coordinators who grow in this industry, the ones who build careers at last that earn real respect, that still feel meaningful and still have fun, like you said, the nature of five and ten years in, they have one thing in common. They didn't wait to feel ready. They made a decision and then got ready. If you're at the beginning of that decision, if you're looking at CWP and the certification and wondering if it's worth it, I want to tell you clearly that it is. Not because of what it looks like on your website, but because of what it builds inside of you. That clarity, the confidence, the standards you hold yourself to. Those things change the way you operate into every room that you walk into. So if you're already certified and you've been sitting on the idea of going further, I think you just heard exactly what that next step can look like. Go further. Invest in yourself. Tune in every single Wednesday at 12 p.m. Eastern for those workshops. The CWP Society is where the entire process of this starts. For those of you who want to learn more about the certification, visit CWP Society.com. Again, I am Christy Chalmas, senior educator here at the CWP Society. Thank you so much for spending time with me and Danitra. And Danita, thank you again for joining. Thank you for having me. Absolutely.

A Discount For Podcast Listeners

SPEAKER_00 45:10

And before you go, we have a little something just for our podcast listeners. If you are ready to elevate your career as a wedding planner or coordinator, you can use code podcast to receive $50 off the executive or master certification program. This code is valid until the next episode releases. So be sure to take advantage while it's available. This offer can't be combined with any other discounts. Visit CWPsociety.com to learn more.