The wedding pro survival guide for building a sustainable business without burning yourself out...or trying like hell.
Christina kicks us off with words that hit home, "Let’s be real — running a creative business is hard enough. Add homeschooling two kids, working with your spouse, and trying not to burn it all down? That’s a whole different game."
Then Kathy coming in with the corporate to "side hustle" shift...."I'm no longer able to just focus on the craft of what I love, now we have to build a sustainable and responsible business. Let’s just say it’s not all coffee shops and flexible hours.”
So let's dig in and discuss what burnout and boundaries really look like for creatives in the wedding industry. And let's throw balance in the mix because we love to make things even more complicated sometimes....so here we go. In this episode Kathy & Christine discuss:
- What it's like to go from a hobby or side-hustle to a full blown small business, with spouses, family responsibilities, children, pets, etc. all while trying not to burn the house down accidentally.
- Why is it so easy for us to miss the early warning signs? You can pretty much blame adrenaline and passion for masking the damage. Maybe we see the early signs, but we're REAL good at ignoring them because there are already so many other things to focus on.
- How the industry’s triple-standard message: 1). hustle harder, 2). look perfect, 3). act “chill” no matter what.
- The emotional cost of what people only see on "pretty" social accounts.
- The cost of measuring success only by booked dates and income.
- Failed personal & professional boundaries.
- Recognizing when “yes” is actually self-sabotage.
- Learning to say "no" with grace and without guilt.
- How no’s lead to better yeses (and fewer regrets).
- Why failing at boundaries sometimes teaches you more than setting them.
- Protecting your homelife, your spouse, children and yourself.
- Shutting down after a certain hour — or at least trying to.
- Navigating client expectations when you are your brand.
- The Big Lie of “Balance”
- Practical Tools for Sustainability
- Encouragement for the Vendor in Survival Mode
- Christina: “You’re not failing — you’re adapting.”
- Kathy: “This season won’t last forever. Your worth isn’t tied to your output.”
- In closing, remember you can't do your best work if you're running on empty, and NO, you don't have to earn your rest.
Finally feeling like you're not alone? Share your story. We'd love to know what challenges you have as a small business owner/creative professional and how do you manage those challenges.
