Data-Driven Strategies for Bookings and Guest Experience | The Venue RX

On this week’s episode of The Venue Rx Podcast, host Jonathan Aymin sits down with Tom Chelednik, Director of Vendor Engagement at The Knot Worldwide, to break down the current state of the wedding venue industry. From real data to real strategy, Tom shares insights every venue owner and operator needs to stay competitive in today’s market, covering everything from wedding industry revenue trends and evolving guest expectations to average spend per wedding and how those numbers are shifting across regions. He dives into key differences in guest counts, budgets, and venue preferences, while also unpacking the marketing musts venues can’t afford to ignore, including aligning your website and social media presence and maintaining a consistent brand identity. He also explores effective lead management, smart inquiry follow-up tactics, and realistic conversion benchmarks, along with opportunities to increase revenue through rehearsal dinners, after parties, and multi-day wedding experiences.About Our Guest: Tom Chelednik is the Director of Vendor Engagement at The Knot Worldwide, where he works closely with venue owners and wedding professionals across the country to help them grow and succeed in an evolving market. With a deep understanding of industry data, consumer behavior, and venue operations, Tom brings valuable insights into the trends shaping today’s weddings. He is passionate about equipping venue owners with the tools, strategies, and perspective needed to improve performance, strengthen marketing, and elevate the overall client experience.Find Him Here: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-chelednik-5b650812WeddingPro: https://pros.weddingpro.com/author/tchelednik/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tom_chelednik/

On this week’s episode of The Venue RX Podcast, our host Jonathan Aymin sits down with Anthony Lambatos, owner of Footers Catering and founder of MIBE, to discuss what it truly takes to build an intentional and high-performing workplace culture in the events industry. Anthony shares his journey of transitioning into and purchasing his family’s business, navigating a complex succession process, and redefining the company’s core values along the way. He offers practical, actionable insight into improving team dynamics and reshaping company culture, while also highlighting the tangible return on investment that comes from investing in people. He also discusses the impact of MIBE (Make It Better Every Day), including the summits and workshops he leads throughout the year to help businesses grow stronger from the inside out. About Our Guest: Anthony Lambatos is the owner and CEO of Footers Catering and the founder of MIBE, a culture-focused coaching and training company serving the hospitality and events industry. Growing up in the family business, Anthony officially stepped into leadership alongside his wife, April, when they purchased Footers Catering in 2010 and successfully transitioned it into a thriving second-generation company. Under his leadership, Footers has experienced significant growth while becoming nationally recognized for its people-first culture, consistently earning “Best Places to Work” honors and achieving industry-leading employee retention. Anthony is known for pioneering “heart-led leadership,” a philosophy centered on putting people first to drive both team fulfillment and business success. As a nationally sought-after speaker and coach, Anthony has helped thousands of leaders build intentional workplace cultures that fuel performance, engagement, and long-term growth. Through MIBE, he delivers keynotes, workshops, and summits designed to equip business owners and leadership teams with practical tools to create thriving, people-first organizationsFind Him Here: Website: https://themibe.com/Catering: https://footerscatering.com/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonylambatos/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mibeleadershipFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themibe

In this week’s episode of The Venue Rx Podcast, host Jonathan Aymin sits down with Artūras Asakavičius, co-founder of Breezit, to explore the future of AI in the wedding and events industry.Artūras shares how artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming venue management, marketing, and customer interactions, giving venue owners a clear, no-fluff perspective on what’s coming and how to stay ahead. He dives into the shifting landscape of traditional platforms like The Knot and WeddingWire, and what their evolution means for the industry as a whole.He also explains how AI assistants are reshaping both the customer journey and the venue owner experience, along with practical strategies for optimizing your website for AI-driven discovery and LLM searchability. Artūras breaks down the real-world impact of Breezit’s AI tools on lead management and conversions, and what will ultimately set venues apart as AI adoption continues to accelerate.About Our Guest: Artūras Asakavičius is a tech entrepreneur, investor, and the co-founder and CEO of Breezit, a modern platform transforming how people discover and book event venues and vendors. Originally from Lithuania, Artūras began his career as a finance lawyer at a leading Baltic law firm before pivoting into entrepreneurship, driven by a desire to build innovative, tech-enabled solutions. He went on to co-found a renewable energy startup in Australia, gaining international experience before exiting the business and turning his attention to the events industry. The idea for Breezit was born while planning his own wedding, where he recognized a major gap in the market, an outdated, opaque booking process lacking transparency and efficiency. Under his leadership, Breezit has grown into one of California’s largest event venue marketplaces, offering real-time pricing, instant booking capabilities, and AI-powered search tools that streamline the planning experience for couples and event organizers. Artūras brings a diverse background spanning law, fintech, clean energy, and startups, and is known for his focus on innovation, transparency, and customer-centric product design. In addition to leading Breezit, he is also an active angel investor and advisor, supporting emerging technology ventures.Find Him Here: Website: https://breezit.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justbreezit/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JustBreezitTik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@justbreezitLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arturasasakavicius/

In this week’s episode of the Venue RX Podcast, host Jonathan Aymin sits down with Dixie Bagley, a venue owner, venue coach for the Bridal Society, certified wedding planner, and consultant. Dixie shares practical, real-world lessons from her journey transforming venues, managing teams, and building multiple thriving businesses in the wedding industry.Dixie opens up about how she transitioned from hosting social events to owning a successful wedding venue, and what it really took to make that leap. She talks candidly about the importance of trusting your instincts as a business owner, especially when making big decisions that shape the future of your company. She also dives into why setting boundaries and learning to say “no” is critical for long-term success, sustainability, and protecting your vision.Dixie also unpack the realities of rapid growth, including the lessons she learned from managing 50 weddings in her very first year. From navigating overwhelm to building the right systems, Dixie shares what she would do differently and what she believes every venue owner should prioritize. Furthermore she shares her strategies for outsourcing, hiring, and identifying the strengths within your team so you can scale without burning out.About Our Guest: Dixie Bagley is a seasoned wedding industry entrepreneur, venue owner, certified wedding planner, venue coach for The Bridal Society, and consultant who helps wedding professionals become the boss of their business. A Georgia native, Dixie’s journey began when she and her husband purchased a barn in 2008 and hosted a spontaneous wedding that sparked a thriving business. She opened The Farm, a European-style barn venue in Rome, Georgia, and quickly booked out every weekend, which led her into wedding planning, launching The Sweet Bar Bakery, opening a second venue (The Tillman Hangar), and founding The Southern Wedding Collective, an online directory built on integrity and high standards. With hundreds of weddings and years of real-world experience under her belt, Dixie mentors venue owners and wedding pros on profitable pricing, smart business systems, team building, ethical practices, and sustainable growth. Her mission is to empower others to run intentional, profitable, and fulfilling businesses without losing their passion or peace of mind.Find Her Here: Website: https://dixiebagley.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dixiedoesweddings/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/dixie.bagley/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dixiebagley

On this week’s episode of The Venue Rx Podcast, Jonathan Aymin sits down with Travis McBurney of The McBurney Group to unpack how AI is revolutionizing the events industry and making it easier than ever for venue owners and event professionals to streamline operations and reclaim their time. Travis shares why AI is a true game-changer for our industry, comparing this shift to major tech transformations of the past and explaining why those who embrace it now will have a powerful advantage. He breaks down practical, approachable ways to get started with AI, even if you don’t consider yourself tech savvy, and clarifies the differences between prompts, workflows, automations, and agents, showing how each can be applied to everyday business tasks. He also covers how to choose affordable, effective AI tools and certifications without getting overwhelmed, as well as the key areas where human oversight remains essential. About Our Guest: Travis McBurney is the founder of The McBurney Group, a people-centered, AI-forward consulting and solutions firm built on more than two decades of hands-on experience in events, hospitality, operations, and talent acquisition. With a career shaped by producing over 300 events and leading complex operational teams, Travis brings a unique blend of practical expertise and forward-thinking innovation to the challenges facing today’s event and business professionals. He helps organizations streamline workflows, implement intelligent automation, and leverage AI tools to reduce administrative burden while enhancing human decision-making and operational excellence.Travis partners with businesses to build tailored systems, whether that’s automating routine tasks, optimizing hiring practices, or designing custom operational solutions, all grounded in real-world experience and strategic insight. His work emphasizes thoughtful AI adoption that empowers teams, improves efficiency, and frees up valuable time for creative and relational work that matters most.Find Him Here: Website: https://www.themcburneygroup.com/Email: [email protected]: 310.692.1667Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travis-mcburney/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-mcburney-group/

In this week’s episode of the Venue Rx Podcast, our host Jonathan Aymin sits down with Dana Kadwell. Dana is a wedding industry educator, multi-venue owner, and founder of Venue Masterclass, known for helping venue owners build profitable, sustainable businesses through practical strategy and community-driven education.Dana shares her journey from wedding planner to owning multiple venues, including the emotional experience of selling a venue she built. She unpacks the realities of venue ownership, from the differences between buying an established venue and starting from scratch to the cash flow challenges and operational hurdles that come with both paths. Dana also explains how aligning your venue’s aesthetic, pricing, and service model is essential for long-term profitability and sustainability.She also discusses smart strategies for hiring and scaling, and what it truly takes to transition from being involved in the day-to-day operations to stepping fully into CEO mode. She also dives into why venue education and community matter in such a fast-evolving industry, along with details about Dana’s Venue Masterclass and how venue owners can get involved.About Our Guest: Dana Kadwell is an entrepreneur, venue owner, educator, and speaker with more than 18 years of experience in the wedding and events industry. She is the co-founder of Hustle & Gather, a consulting and education company that helps venue owners and event professionals build profitable, sustainable businesses. Dana has launched and operated multiple event companies and venues and is the founder of Venue Masterclass, a leading educational platform for venue owners. Known for her candid leadership style and practical business strategies, she is passionate about empowering entrepreneurs to grow strong teams and thriving businesses.Find Her Here: Website: https://www.hustleandgather.com/Venue Masterclass: https://www.thevenuemasterclass.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hustleandgather/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hustle-gather-podcast-consulting

In this week’s episode, host Jonathan Aymin sits down with Tim Mitchell, founder of MNG Event Collective and Mangia Catering, for an honest and insight-packed conversation about building a successful catering business and creating strong venue partnerships. Tim shares his journey of scaling from a family-run Italian restaurant into a high-volume, full-service catering company, while navigating the realities of entrepreneurship, leadership, and family life. He dives into the importance of “buying back your time” by building systems, delegating effectively, and shifting from day-to-day kitchen work into strategic business leadership. Tim also offers candid perspective on what makes a healthy venue-caterer partnership, common red flags venues should avoid, and how professionalism and focus elevate the guest experience. He also unpacks the differences between serving traditional and luxury clients, how branding and presentation play a critical role in attracting high-end clientele, and why trust and reputation are everything at the top of the market. Grounded in real-world experience, he delivers practical, no-nonsense advice for hospitality entrepreneurs looking to grow with intention, avoid burnout, and build businesses that support both their professional goals and personal lives.About Our Guest: Tim Mitchell is the chef founder and luxury event planner behind Mangia Catering Co., a highly respected catering and event company based in Liberty Lake, Washington. With more than 15 years of experience in the wedding and events industry, Tim grew Mangia from a home-kitchen startup into a company known for elevated cuisine and thoughtfully executed experiences. He is passionate about bringing creative visions to life through intentional menus and meaningful details, and he also serves on the board of the International Caterers Association, where he supports and advocates for the catering community. Above all, Tim is driven by relationships and purpose, grounded in his faith, and deeply values his role as a husband to his wife Erica and father to their four childrenFind Him Here: Email: [email protected] Website: https://mangiacateringco.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MangiaCatering/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mangia_catering/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mangiacatering/Tim’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecheftim

In this week’s episode of The Venue RX, host Jonathan Aymin sits down with Adrienne Gardner, speaker, coach, and sales strategy and revenue expert behind The Gardner Effect, to discuss Future State of Mind Selling and why venues need to stop selling features and start selling outcomes. Adrienne breaks down how future state selling differs from traditional asset-based sales, why the house-hunting analogy reflects how couples choose venues, and how professionals can move beyond order taking into a more intentional, relationship-driven sales process. She also shares how to apply gap selling during venue tours, create powerful “you are here” moments, personalize the tour experience, and avoid common sales mistakes that cost bookings.About Our Guest: Adrienne Gardner is a speaker, coach, and sales strategy and revenue expert with over 20 years of experience in the events industry. As the founder of The Gardner Effect, she helps venues and event professionals move beyond order taking into confident, relationship-driven sales processes that increase revenue and clarity. Known for her direct, practical approach and engaging style, Adrienne equips teams with the tools and mindset needed to sell outcomes, build stronger connections, and book with confidence.Find Her Here: Website: https://www.gardnereffect.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TGEcoachInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/gardnereffect/Email: [email protected]

Excellence doesn’t happen by accident.It’s not a vibe, a slogan, or something you hope your team “just gets.”A standard of excellence is a decision, and someone has to own it.In this video, I talk about why teams drift when standards are unclear, why good people still miss the mark without clarity, and why leadership means defining what great actually looks like then protecting it.If you want consistency, quality, and a team that knows how to win, it starts with the standard you’re willing to set and keep.

On this week's episode of  the Venue RX Podcast, our host Jonathan Aymin sits down with Sam Jacobson, Co-Founder of DUET and Owner of Ideaction Consulting, to talk about what it really takes to start or refine a business with a strong digital presence in today’s ever-changing industry.Sam explores why business owners can’t afford to operate on autopilot, how the wedding and creative industries have evolved over the years, and why regularly reassessing your goals, services, and direction is essential for long-term growth. Sam breaks down the foundational steps of building a business, from defining your ideal client and structuring your services to deciding whether to remain owner-operated or build a team.He also dives into how to transition from saying “yes” to every client to intentionally targeting the right ones, using real-world client examples and case studies. Sam shares practical ways to gather and analyze client feedback through surveys, reviews, CRMs, and AI-powered tools, plus he explains how to use AI responsibly to enhance strategy, systems, SOPs, and operations without relying on it as a shortcut.He highlights the importance of business structure, naming, branding, and the importance of taking imperfect action, knowing when to refine, pivot, or double down on what’s already working, so you can keep moving forward without getting overwhelmed.About Our Guest: Sam Jacobson is a Co-Founder of DUET and the Owner of Ideaction Consulting, where he has spent nearly two decades helping wedding professionals elevate their businesses and stay ahead in a competitive market. Through Ideaction Consulting, Sam has guided hundreds of creative entrepreneurs by sharpening their marketing messages, understanding buyer psychology, and building sales systems that convert interest into booked clients.Known for his ability to activate audience interest, Sam specializes in clear, persuasive communication that attracts ideal clients directly to the inbox. As social-led marketing emerged as the primary driver of visibility and inquiries for creative brands, Sam became deeply focused on the strategies that turn attention into trust—and trust into results.At DUET, Sam leads client strategy and trains the team on how to use storytelling to spark connection, build credibility, and drive measurable growth for wedding venues and creative businesses alike.Find Him Here: Website: https://ideactionconsulting.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ideactionconsulting/?hl=e Website: https://duetsocialmedia.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/duetsocialmedia/?hl=en