From Weddings to World Stages: Ashley Adana on Producing Culture-Shifting Events
In this episode of Making the Moment, host Aja Bradley Kemp sits down with powerhouse producer Ashley Adana, CEO of BEC Production, whose event planning journey spans nearly 15 years—from Atlanta weddings to global conferences and cultural tentpole events like InvestFest. Ashley shares how a high school reunion lit the spark for her career, why she transitioned out of weddings, and the lessons she’s learned producing events for industry giants like Rick Ross, Nehemiah Davis, and Dame Dash.
She also drops gold on crisis management, international planning logistics, negotiating venues, and why every event—no matter the size—demands excellence. Plus, she introduces her Event Creators Academy, a course built for the next generation of producers ready to scale their impact.
🎧 What You'll Learn:
- How Ashley went from planning weddings to managing 20,000+ attendee conferences
- Her behind-the-scenes process producing InvestFest and events for Rick Ross & Dame Dash
- Tips for navigating international event production (even without site visits)
- Why vendor relationships are your greatest asset
- The biggest red flags that tell you someone isn’t built for production
- How to avoid burnout in an industry that never sleeps
- The vision behind her course, Event Creators Academy, and who it’s for
- Why Tyler Perry is “having a moment” in her eyes
💡 Notable Quotes:
- “All plans are meant to be broken—but you must still have a plan.” – Ashley Adana
- “I give to myself before I give myself to the world.” – Ashley Adana
- “It doesn’t matter if the event is for 100 or 20,000 people—the responsibility is still major.” – Ashley Adana
🔗 Resources Mentioned:
- Ashley’s Course: ashleyadana.com
- Ashley on Instagram: @ashley_adana
- InvestFest by Earn Your Leisure
- Dream Collective by Tyler Perry (for aspiring filmmakers)
🎧 Subscribe & Share
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💼 Work With Us
Interested in booking a guest, sponsorship, or collaboration? Contact us at mtm@conversatecollective.com.
📍 Connect with Us:
- Host: Aja Bradley Kemp
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🎙️ Making the Moment is produced by Conversate Collective.
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