May 12, 2024 • 33 mins
Prepare to unlock the secret ingredient to supercharging your career with the power of networking. Our special guest, Jordan Heller, the maestro behind Swell, joins us to spill the beans on how themed cocktail parties and a dash of FOMO can revolutionize your professional world. From his humble beginnings as a waiter to becoming a titan in the events industry, Jordan's candid tales of climbing the networking ladder will leave you inspired and ready to shake up your own approach to making those crucial connections.
Ever feel like networking is a party you weren't invited to? Fear not! This episode is brimming with relatable stories and practical tips, especially for the introverts who'd rather blend into the wallpaper than work the room. I confess my own networking jitters and how I overcame them by creating a familiar space at events. Together with Jordan, we dissect strategies for virtual networking and the importance of being a regular face in the crowd. If you're ready to transform anxiety into action, our conversation will equip you with the tools to step into the networking arena with newfound confidence.
As we wrap up our enlightening chat with Jordan Heller, we tease the exciting horizon for our Wedding Academy. With a revamped website and a shiny new pro community subscription, your journey of growth never stops. Get a glimpse into the future of networking, where intimate, niche experiences await, and learn why even the missteps in our careers are stepping stones to personal growth. Don't miss out on joining our innovative empire – reach out on Instagram, TikTok, or our Facebook group, and stay tuned for a secret project that's set to engage and transform your professional path in magical ways.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
So Ben, with this last episode that we had you
kind of made mention thatbusiness networking is not
really your thing.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Yes, and in doing so I got called out during that
episode and was kind of forcedto go to a little photographer's
networking.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Oh, you went I went.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
I went, yeah, the next morning, good Without me.
Yeah, okay, he was going totake me, but anyway.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
It was too early.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
We'll take that offline.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Even though I didn't make it on time.
Oh really no.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Yeah, that would have pissed me off.
Anyway, we digress.
So, with Ben confiding in meand all of you that he doesn't
love business networking, Ithought it would be a good idea
to bring in one of the expertswho has turned business
networking into an absolute artform.
So let's not waste any moretime, let's bring him in and
(00:54):
hopefully, ben, you're going toleave today with absolute,
amazing skill set when it comesto business networking.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Yep, okay, are you ready?
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Okay, all right, everyone meet Jordan Heller.
Hi Jordan, how are you going?
Speaker 2 (01:08):
We need a round of applause.
How are you?
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Jordan, I'm great.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
How about you?
I'm living the dream, yes.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Okay, Jordan Heller, we've brought you in because you
have a really impressive CVwhen it comes to business
networking.
I know you've got some diverseexperience around catering,
venue sales and event planning,but you've really mastered your
craft when it comes to buildingconnections and networking.
So I guess I'd like to hearabout your journey sort of
(01:37):
specifically through the eventsindustry.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Yeah, after college, like a lot of people, I had no
idea what I wanted to do withmyself, so I ended up waiting on
tables.
So I was.
I was doing that for a fewyears and moved to Florida.
Kind of being in food servicekind of led me into catering.
I started doing catering forlike like luncheon catering,
making sandwiches and droppingthem off at doctor's offices and
(02:00):
pharmaceutical reps and allthat.
But I ended up really buildinggood relationships with the
pharmaceutical reps.
So when I was fired from thatjob they had made a lot of good
connections that I got a job atanother company, kind of like
telling them I was coming withthese connections for lunch
business.
And when I moved to that job Iended up buying that company.
(02:21):
So I took over this cateringcompany but that was like a full
service caterer and I had comefrom like little sandwiches and
nothing.
So I really bit off a lot withthat.
But while I was there I reallyI started doing weddings, I
started doing full servicecatering.
But for some reason I used toget this like really big high
out of referring people.
Like I would bring people infor a tasting and I had this
(02:43):
whole table in my tasting roomwith business cards and I'd be
like, oh, who don't you have?
You don't have a DJ, here's aDJ.
And they were like looking atme like I was nuts sometimes but
I was.
I don't know something aboutthe idea of getting business for
someone else.
Also, knowing who you're goingto work with on the wedding day
was exciting.
When you walk in you don't knowall the vendors.
It was exciting to be able tohelp that process.
(03:03):
I kind of didn't realize I wasbuilding the steps of networking
then, but after that I wentinto venue sales and I started
this networking group on theside, just as a fun side thing.
Me and a planner did this twicea year networking event.
She was a wedding planner and Iwas working at venues.
Our first event we had 180vendors come to and it kind of
just grew from there and after afew years I had someone kind of
(03:27):
sit me down and put pen topaper, was like you could do
this as a business.
So in 2020, late 2019, startingin 2020, I flipped it into a
full-time business where I nowhave 215 members and do monthly
networking events, education andall different types of things
and it's called swill yeah, it'sum, I wanted, I wanted
something that I could say as aword, because there's a lot of
(03:48):
networking groups that are justlike letters, or sometimes
they're letters and they don't.
They're not supposed to make aword, but people say it as a
word and it sounds ugly.
So I spent a lot of time likeusing the letters and finding
something that was easy to say,that sounded like something else
, that had like a positiveconnotation behind it.
So after you know mixing up abunch of you know you always
(04:09):
have to have wedding and event,so I knew there's gonna be a w
and e in there.
But yeah, so swell is sun coast.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Wedding and event leaders I have to say it jordan,
that's a swell name oh god yeah, wow, sorry everyone, all right
, I do I do actually need somesound effects.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
I'm going to arrange that for the next episode.
So something you don't knowabout me, Jordan, is I actually
developed a business networkingevent business myself called
Business in Heels, and it grewto 55 franchises worldwide.
So I also know a thing or twoabout networking events.
So I'm really interested toknow, I guess, the format of the
(04:44):
event.
How does it work?
What sets it apart from othernetworking events out there?
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Yeah.
So our events I really likepride myself on creating FOMO
with our events.
That like they're all reallyunique.
I think one thing that's reallyfun about our events is like
they're not usually expo style.
They're more a themed cocktailparty, the majority of which is
kind of how we started out andwe've continued that.
(05:09):
You know through the through,now that we're a membership, we
have a big themes pop culturethemes, retro themes and it's
just.
It allows our members toshowcase what they can do in the
confines of a theme, which iskind of like what a client would
throw at you.
You know, they give you theparameters of their event design
, so it's not just like a bunchof tables with decor that's at
odds with each other.
It's always stuff that'scohesive and within the theme,
from the food, the music,everything kind of goes together
(05:31):
.
So that really, I think, getspeople excited, especially if
it's a theme they're excitedabout.
We did a Harry Potter event andthere were a lot of people who
were not Harry Potter fans, butthey came out just because they
wanted to see what we were goingto do with it.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
You are or you're not .
No, I'm not either.
Are we allowed to say that?
Speaker 2 (05:47):
And the ratings go.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
I don't think I've even seen one.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Anyway, sorry, yeah, but so we do a lot of those
themed events.
We do education events.
Our big Swell Summer Summit,which is in August every year,
is a full day of education, mainstage speakers and breakout.
We do some events that are likespeed networking.
We have a really popular eventevery March.
Last year was coffee overcompetition, this year was
cocktails over competition,because we made it a little bit
(06:13):
more alcoholic this year.
But it was a roundtablediscussions by vendor category.
All the planners sat together,all the photographers sat
together, all the DJs sattogether and everyone kind of
had discussions within theircategory about what was plaguing
them in in their specific sectof the industry and at the end
they all had a representative atthe table who stood up and kind
of like read out their painpoints to the rest of the
(06:33):
industry and it was.
It was like really catharticand fun and like people were
kind of like taking jabs at eachother, but in a fun way, and it
really helped people connectwith other people who do what
they do instead of like lookingat them as just competition.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Can I throw you under the bus, jordan?
Yeah, that's good.
In the email prior to this yousaid that you were going to make
me uncomfortable, so I think weno.
My question is the weddingindustry worldwide has what we
call wedding expos, weddingfairs, that kind of thing, and
it's all the suppliers in onespot and everyone comes in and
everyone just tries to hocktheir wares and sell them their
stuff and all that sort of stuffand it's like walking through.
(07:06):
If you've ever been to bali,it's like walking through bali.
The couples get to the end ofit and just go oh my god, I'm
sorry over this, get me out ofhere.
Eject and for.
For my whole, probably the last10 years of my career, I've
been trying to work out a betterway to do that.
A similar kind of scenariowhere you obviously you're a
supplier, you're a vendor andpeople are coming in to see you.
But have you got any ideas ofhow that can be done better so
(07:30):
that people don't walk in andfeel kind of sold to violated
and walk out going oh my god,that was just.
How do I get out of here?
Speaker 3 (07:37):
yeah.
So I don't do wedding exposmyself.
I, you know I do business tobusiness.
I don't really do business toclient except for my magazine,
but I have seen a couple twistson it.
I've seen people do moreboutique style events.
There was, you know, where theyhad people in pods kind of,
where there were different podsaround the room where it was
like every pod had a planner, aflorist, a photographer, like
(08:00):
they were, so like you would go,and it was kind of like vendors
who worked well together andyou could pick a whole, a whole
pod.
I've seen ones where it's likethere was one, I think, where
they were couples, had a like aliaison almost, and took them
around the room like they wouldsay, oh, I need to meet with
these three people, and theywould kind of like take them
around the room can you tell usabout how, I guess, you've
(08:22):
become particularly skilled atnetworking?
Yeah, I mean I think having jobsdidn't pay well helped Because
it really like kind of makes youput your head down and really
get to know people and to get tothe next step in your career.
And so I never really missedany opportunity, especially when
I was working at places thatthey may have had like a good
(08:42):
reputation but not like butweren't paying that well.
So people get excited to meetyou because you were from that
venue or from that that company.
So I would use that reputationof the places I worked with to
meet as many people.
I would use it to get people tocome to swell events, not in
any kind of like promissory way,just kind of like hey, this is
Jordan from so-and-so, you knowwe're having an event.
(09:04):
But I really use the names ofthe places and obviously being
at a venue is always greatbecause venues and planners it's
kind of sometimes you can go toa networking event.
Just if you have the right nametag on you can just stand back
and people come to you.
So I use that to meet people.
But yeah, I don't, ben, I'm kindof like you where I don't
really like networking, which isweird for me to say running a
(09:26):
networking group professionally.
But if I go to you know anothermarket and walk into a room,
people I don't know, I'm likeagainst the wall, like I feel
like like completely assaultedjust by the thought of having to
talk to strangers.
So I totally get that.
But really I just used knowingpeople as a way to kind of make
(09:46):
my comfort zone, where now, likeI can walk into my own event
and I know 90 of 100 people.
So it's comfortable.
You know they're all my friendsand they're going to introduce
me to the other 10 people, andthen the next month I'm going to
know everyone and then, youknow, the new people come and
I'll get introduced to them, andso you kind of have to do that
as an attendee as well.
You have to meet as many peopleas possible, not just in person,
but like virtually as well.
(10:07):
I always find meeting peoplevirtually first makes it really
easier.
If you connect on Instagram orLinkedIn or wherever and you
know someone's face.
It's so weird to walk up to agroup of like five people who
were talking and just put yourhand out and start hi, I'm
Jordan.
It's just it's.
And you're like we're having aconversation here, like it's
weird.
But if you know someone bytheir face, you're like, oh, hey
(10:28):
, it's Jordan I, you know, we'refriends on LinkedIn or hey, I
saw you did this wedding at suchand such last weekend.
There's like an in if youalready have a virtual
connection.
So I'm I'm really big on the.
It's kind of like online datingprofessionally.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
I love that and I think something that you said
about over time, the more you gothat you know obviously the
more people that you're going tomeet.
I think that's actually really,really key, especially if you
like buy a membership to yourlocal chamber of commerce and
you've paid some annual fee.
Like that alone should motivateyou to go to those 12 events
from a financial perspective butwe discussed this with Madeline
(11:02):
in our previous episode in thatyou you know if you can make a
commitment to go up and talk toone or five people.
You know, yes, it might get youout of your comfort zone, but
over time if you do that and youhave this sort of membership in
place, then you know that's 50people, isn't it by the end of
the year that you've connectedwith?
And it's going to be more andmore comfortable going to these
(11:22):
events because you're going towalk in and you're going to know
10, 20, 50 people in there andyou'll gravitate to them and
they'll introduce you to someoneelse.
You just got to start, really.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
And you don't want to ignore the people you already
know either.
People think like, oh, I haveto meet this many new people and
I don't have time to meetpeople I already know.
I had someone who once told me,like oh, I keep seeing the same
people over and over and I'mlike that's the point.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
You want to build a relationship.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Yeah, if you meet people once and then never talk
to them again, you're not goingto build.
If you, if you have somethingthat they need for their client,
they're going to think of youas soon as it comes up, because
they just saw you two weeks agoand they know they're going to
see you in another two weeks.
So you're on.
You're on their mind.
You know you have to alwayskeep fostering those
(12:07):
relationships.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Maybe I need to pay to motivate me like to go to
something like this.
Maybe I need to pay to,actually, because Kiri's just
said in in the chat that there'squite a few groups in Melbourne
that would just pay and playand go along with, and that
wasn't her bag.
So you can't beat them.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Start your own it's funny when, when I built my my
network business in heels, Iactually took the reverse
approach.
I thought that it was it wasmore appropriate to charge a low
fee per visit, because I feltlike when you wanted to go to
networking, you kind of maybecouldn't afford it.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
And that's a commitment too, yeah yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
So our model was pay $40, pay as you go.
There was no membership.
So I've since sold the businessand I do believe that they do
do memberships now, but for meit was a point of difference in
that you pay $40, it's amazingvalue.
You're leaving with a goodiebag that's maybe $200, $300
worth of value alone, but you gowhen you want to go.
There's no commitment.
(13:04):
So I don't know.
There's lots of different sortof options out there, but there
are ones like that as well,where if you feel like I'm not
going to be able to commit to 12or a year or whatever and make
it financially viable, there aredefinitely ones out there.
Even or a year or whatever makeit financially viable.
There are definitely ones outthere, even on meetup and things
like that, that you can findwhere you can just go and you
can pay a low fee and gocasually.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Yeah, we do like a flat fee for the year and then
it includes your tickets, butthe fee is so much lower than
the retail.
If you bought two tickets forall 10 events it would be like
almost twice as much as ouractual membership fee.
So with our membership thetickets are included, but if you
miss a couple of events youdon't feel like you paid for
(13:45):
nothing, because you really haveto miss a lot to not have it be
still valuable.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Have you got any tips around someone like Ben who's
walking into a room, what aresome tips for him to just get
started and kind of conquerthese first steps?
Speaker 3 (13:57):
So yeah, because I'm right there with you.
So I think, first of all, goingwith someone who's more
outgoing than you is a great tip, and I think you talked about
that yesterday.
You need someone like you, jack, who will introduce you to
other people, who will likeforce you to meet other people,
because if you go by yourself,it's such a recipe to just like
be on your phone and hide in thecorner and leave early, because
(14:19):
I've done it and wasted a lotof money doing it.
So like I feel like you have totake someone with you and and I
do a presentation calledNetworker he wrote which is like
a nod to the 80s TV show Murder.
She wrote, where I kind ofcompare planning networking to
planning a murder.
So with that, it's like youknow having an accomplice is
(14:40):
really good because you needsomeone to like help carry the
body.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
You thought this through, Jorah I like this.
I didn't think we were going inthis direction.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
But here we are.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
Ladies and gentlemen, this has gone a whole other way
the analogy really goes off therails like mid
presentationresentation, but itmakes it a lot of fun.
But yeah, so I think you haveto.
I would never go to anythingalone.
That's why I include twotickets for my membership,
because I don't think anyoneshould show up by themselves,
Unless they're like just thatsuper extrovert who's going to
like run laps around the room.
(15:12):
Also, I always go and this hasnothing to do with alcohol, but
I always go straight to the bar.
I want to be able to like gointo the room and survey the
room and see who's there, who Ineed to avoid, who I want to
(15:32):
meet, and like kind of just geta sense of the room.
So going and like getting intothe line for the bar right away
kind of is like a way for me tolike get a hold of the room, a
hold of the room.
And then also, if you'reawkward with your hands like if
you don't know what to do withyour hands at a networking event
, putting a drink in it is likean easy way to just fill at
least 50% of your hands.
I always use like because Idon't want to be on my phone,
because I feel like that'sreally standoffish.
If I'm wearing like a blazer,I'll put like the blazer over my
(15:53):
other arm so I have like adrink in one hand and a blazer
in the other arm and then thatkind of just like fills my arm.
So I don't feel like I don'tknow what to do with my hands.
And it doesn't need to bealcohol.
I mean, I, I like to drink andI think Ben, you like gin as
well, correct?
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Gin and tonic, espresso, martini, whatever, yep
.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
I'm a.
I'm a gin and club soda.
I can't do tonic, but it's.
You know, even if I'm notdrinking, you can just get a
club soda and lime in that way,because you know you always have
those people oh, why aren't youdrinking?
Which is one of those, likenone of your business questions.
But if I'm not drinking, clubsoda with a lime looks like a
drink.
But you know, gin and club sodais great.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Completely off topic at this point um, I always, I
always like to answer thatquestion with something
surprising and horrendous, butanyway, I think it's good now in
in the current kind ofsituation, there's so much zero
alcohol stuff out there.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
I mean I went, I went to something another week a
work event for me and I had todrive, but I wanted to get
amongst it, so I had a zeroalcohol shandy actually I think
it was.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
I felt like I was yeah yeah, yeah and then I think
also, like, if you look forthose people who are doing the
same thing as you, who areplaying on their phone, who do
look uncomfortable, like thoseare the best because you already
know that they're uncomfortable, so you're going to like be the
hero in their eyes.
If you go and break the ice withthem because they're
uncomfortable, so they're goingto be super willing to talk
(17:11):
already, and then you know, ifthere's someone you can work
with in the future're alwaysgoing to remember you as the
person who who broke the ice forthem.
I was at a networking event acouple months ago and, like it
was a group of people from swelland it was a not, it was not a
swell event, but there was like10 of us and then like two
people it was the beginning ofthe event two people who were
not with us and you could justtell they were like all these
(17:33):
people know each other and Ijust ran over and grabbed them,
which is like not my personalityto talk to strangers, but like
I knew I was like in that herdthat looked scary, and so I like
brought those people in becauseand they were like you know, I
see this person all the time nowand like we have a great friend
relationship, because sheremembers me as that person who,
like, didn't let her standawkwardly in the corner for two
(17:56):
hours.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
So, jordan, off the back of that, like, can you
share a networking success storythat you've had, where you've
made a connection that's led tosomething significant or some
kind of big opportunity incollaboration?
Speaker 3 (18:08):
I think for my, looking at our membership, the
biggest wins that I've seen arethe people who showcase at
events, because it's anopportunity for them to work
with people they might not haveworked with.
But then that I've seen are thepeople who showcase at events
because it's an opportunity forthem to work with people they
might not have worked with.
But then you know just peoplewho work together planners.
You know, I try to connect myplanners with venues they've
never worked at, because tobring them to something they
(18:29):
work at all the time it's notdoing much for them.
But if I have a plannerplanning one of my events at a
venue they've never worked atand then they start booking
weddings there, it's a big winbecause it's opening a door for
them, because that was as avenue.
That's always the hard thingwhen you have someone who comes
to you and says you know I wantto be on your list and you say,
well, you have to do a weddingor two here before you're on the
list.
And they say, well, how do Ibook a wedding if you don't put
(18:50):
me on the list?
O?
So a networking event where Ibring in planners, it's a really
good opportunity to like youknow you're getting in and
you're showing you can do awedding there or an event there.
Respect their rules, respecttheir space, put on something
amazing.
So my wins really come frompeople who come and showcase and
show what they can do and workwith different people that they
(19:12):
haven't worked with before.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
I've been to a couple of wedding specific networking
events that were like venue opendays and gosh, they work so
well.
I can imagine they work reallywell for the couple kind of
walking in and seeing a floraldisplay in the venue that
they're considering and whatnot.
But such such a great relaxedway to meet other wedding
vendors as well, particularly ifyou've got a little stall set
(19:35):
up or whatever you just you justnaturally feeling more
confident going up yeah sayinghello to the other stall holder
and and whatnot.
So I think I think those lookout for those they're.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
They're really great, especially if it's a venue that
you want to work with and thoseare the great things where,
like, people think of networkingas a networking event.
But, like, networking is anyopportunity you can have to
interact with someone.
So if you're doing a weddingshow, you know an expo alongside
someone else, the people whoare there, even every email,
every DM, every interaction ispart of networking because it's
(20:06):
all part of building therelationship.
I think I've had peopleactually on events behave really
badly Even though you'reworking.
This is networking.
Like on a wedding day, it'snetworking.
You know how you work withsomeone affects your
relationship with them andwhether they want to work with
you again.
Every single opportunity youhave is always like an
opportunity to build arelationship.
(20:27):
Anytime you're in the same roomor somehow connected to another
vendor, it's a networkingopportunity, negative or
positive.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
What about when it comes to relationship building?
Have you got any tips aroundafterwards, after you've met
this person, whether that's inin person or at a wedding?
What are your tips aroundcultivating that relationship?
Speaker 3 (20:45):
I think the thing is it's it's a slow game.
People want to like become bestfriends overnight, especially.
They want to become friendswith people they don't really
even like.
They're just trying to likehave a relationship for business
purposes, and you really haveto like make real relationships,
trying to like have arelationship for business
purposes, and you really have tolike make real relationships
which just like I mean they arereal relationships and just like
a relationship.
You know, romantic friend, it'ssomething that develops over
(21:07):
time.
You can't expect to meet someoneon a Tuesday at an event and be
put on their list or get bookedwith them or do something you
know two days later.
You know we're going to be inthis industry, hopefully for a
long time, so you have to buildthese relationships slowly,
which is seeing people multipletimes.
It's connecting with them onsocial media and then
thoughtfully engaging with them.
(21:28):
You have to like really becareful when you're engaging on
social media and I know, benyou're, you have a radar for for
fakeness and I think you haveto be careful when you're
interacting.
I have one person I know who.
I think they schedule theirsocial media time and they'll go
through and they'll comment oneverything I posted for a week
(21:49):
with very generic like way to go, good job, and it's obvious
they're not paying attention towhat I actually posted.
It's like, oh, I scheduled from4 to five o'clock and I have
this list of 10 people and I'mgoing to go through productivity
wise, props to them for doingthat.
But, like, authenticity wise,like it's not authentic at all.
(22:09):
To do that, you have to, like,look at what people are posting
and post something.
That's, I think, the same way.
Instagram, you know, registersyour comment if it's more than
four words to make it count foryour engagement, you have to do
the same.
You have to put somethingthat's a little bit more
thoughtful.
If it's someone's birthday,just don't write HBD Like.
You have to do a little more todevelop that relationship and
(22:33):
show someone you care.
So I think it's all aboutauthentic and and just giving
the time the relationship needsbecause it because it's a real
relationship yeah, so so goingthe effort to to personalize
that message.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
You know, jordan, it was great seeing the other night
.
I'd love to tie you know,whatever, whatever, but like
saying something, you go.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
Oh, this person's like actually gone to a bit yeah
, we're doing a callback tosomething you talked about, like
if you talked about a tv showor a really good thing to this
is this is terrible.
A really good common ground isa common enemy.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
I feel this guy.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
I don't ever want to encourage gossiping, but I feel
like there's something peoplereally can connect about If you
have both had a bad experiencewith the same person.
Or it's terrible thatnegativity, like, is sometimes
more engaging.
And I'm not talking abouttalking about someone personal,
like what's going on, thatthey're getting a divorce,
(23:32):
something awful.
I'm talking about like thisperson took my tip and pocketed
it.
You know they gave the bride,gave this planner $200 for me
and it never got to me, like Idon't know.
There's bad behavior in ourindustry and finding people who
are a common enemy can sometimesreally bring you together.
Uniting, yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
So where do you think our networking's heading?
You think there's going to beany big changes on the horizon,
or this is it, linkedin, I thinkmore hands-on experiences, more
immersive experiences arereally where people are going,
getting away from fluff.
Speaker 3 (24:12):
You know, with our education I always want to bring
in people who do like reallyengaging, how-to instructional.
We don't do too much of theinspirational and I don't want
to put down anyone who does.
To me it's just not what'sgoing to move your business
forward, and so I think the morehands-on we get, the more niche
(24:33):
we get.
With Swell, we speak to a bigaudience because we have people
from every category.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
Jordan, if you walked outside today and ran into an
18-year-old version of yourselfoutside, what advice would you
give that 18-year-old version ofyourself knowing?
Speaker 3 (24:47):
what you know.
Now, the first thing I wouldsay is you're not fat.
It's only going to get worsefrom here.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
Only be as fat as I was then I knew.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
I would say that, Then I would say stop using
hairspray.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
You don't need hairspray, Jordan.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
Well, I did when I was 18 and under and I think it
might have led to some follicleissues because I used a lot of
it in the 90s.
You know, I don't honestly knowif I would tell my 18-year-old
self that much else, becausebusiness-wise I made a lot of
mistakes.
I bought a catering companywith no ability to cook.
It failed miserably.
(25:34):
I had to file bankruptcy.
But if I didn't go through thatI don't think I would be
comfortably where I am today.
So all of my mistakes Iwouldn't want to warn myself
about because I would be scaredto see where I was.
If I just kind of glidedthrough I might be doing
something I really hate.
So I would just say you'll getthrough the mistakes and just
(25:55):
live in them.
Speaker 1 (25:57):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Yeah, good advice.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
Someone once told me this one line, which doesn't
sound like much, but if youactually sit on it and think of
it, it makes a lot of senseEducation is expensive.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
Right, honestly like the mistakes but their education
at the end of the day and youand you learn from them.
But yeah, I've, I've had somesome doozies myself that have
cost a lot of money.
But education is expensive.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
Success is a shitty teacher too, I think.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
That's a good one.
I like that, jordan.
I know that you've gotsomething special coming up a
virtual summit.
Why don't you walk us throughthat one?
Speaker 3 (26:31):
Yeah, may 29th we're doing a website summit.
It's the first virtual eventI've done since 2021.
I kind of feel like I, you know, stayed away from it because it
just gave me too many COVIDflashbacks.
But we have some really greateducators who aren't all here
locally, so it's all aboutwebsites.
We have a speaker coming in totalk about a copy on your sales
(26:53):
page.
We're doing something on SEO.
And then we have someonetalking about design, and it's
about hiring a designer versusdoing it yourself.
And then we have a really aboutdesign and it's about hiring a
designer versus doing ityourself.
And then we have a really greatemcee who is a lawyer, who will
be kind of guiding everyonethrough the event but then also
giving like legal tips inbetween about things you need to
have on your website to keepyou, you know, legally, all good
(27:15):
with your site.
So it's May 29th, it's going tobe an Eastern Standard Time,
it'll be 1pm to 4.30pm probablythe middle of the night for you.
We record everything, and soanyone who buys a ticket will
get the recordings as well.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
The Wedding Academy.
My business is mostly anAmerican and European market,
but, yeah, for any Aussies thatare listening, like me, I think
it's three o'clock in themorning, isn't it?
Jordan?
Something like that, so stay upwith that gin or watch the
recording, but it sounds like itwould be absolutely worth doing
so.
The website issuncoastweddingsandeventscom and
(27:50):
your Instagram username isSwell with one L S-W-E-L events.
Jordan thanks so much forjoining us.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
Thank you, Jordan.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Awesome, jordan.
Thanks so much for joining us.
Thank you, jordan, I've seenyou as well, all right we'll see
you soon.
Speaker 2 (28:03):
God, that was a good one, that was fun.
Yes, I got a lot out of that hedidn't make me uncomfortable.
No, no, no, but I mean I Idon't know.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
I know a lot about networking and he had some
really interesting ideas that Ithought were really yeah, some
stuff I need to think about.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
Maybe.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
Yeah, yeah, so yeah, yes I was a bit busy over the
weekend and built a littlewebsite for the podcast,
weddingempirescom.
Go there.
You can see all of our episodesand all of our links to where
you can find the podcast on allof the platforms.
So Apple Podcasts, spotify, theUsual Suspects, iheartradio,
amazon, all of that.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Everywhere where you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Everywhere where you get your podcasts.
And also you'll see there's a$9 subscription option as well,
and I'm really, really excitedabout that.
It's for our pro community.
Some of you are already there.
The benefits of joining thiscommunity are incredible.
You are going to be here forthese events, but you're going
to receive an invite remindingyou of these events before they
(28:59):
go live, so you can just clickfrom your phone or your email
and be here and watch.
But also there's all theseadditional other events and
trainings on top of what we doat the podcast.
So we're constantly getting inprofessionals to help you with
various topics for your weddingbusiness, and there's at least
four of these a month on top ofanything that we're doing on the
(29:20):
podcast for nine dollars amonth nine dollars a month
subscribe and that alone more ofus.
But wait, there's more this.
So so you're getting thepodcast.
You're getting exclusiveepisodes of the podcast as well,
so you're gonna start seeing onyour podcast provider locked
episodes that are only availablefor these pro members.
(29:40):
So that's going to be anotherbonus.
And lastly, we've got a huge,huge library of templates, so
tried and tested worksheets,documents, guides to help you
with your wedding business, sothings like budget spreadsheets
and venue inspection checklists,and they're for all different
kinds of roles, so not just fora wedding planner.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
There's things in there for florists, venues,
photographers, the whole, thewhole bit so, and for my, for my
photography team, there is someextra stuff coming for you as
well, yes, yes, we've beenplotting some course material
about wedding photography, soanyway, can we share the other
stuff?
Speaker 1 (30:19):
what other stuff?
Speaker 2 (30:19):
the, the other, the other stuff, your stuff, the
secret, no, the secret squirrelstuff that we're thinking about
just just a little, just alittle bit okay, go on okay, I'm
really excited about this, soI'm not going to tell you what
it is, but we we have, we havesomething in the works that
we're really excited about, andit's something that is going to
(30:40):
involve you guys, all of you outthere who are watching, and
we're going to ask for yourinput and ask for your stories.
I'm not going to share too much.
I just want to sit that thereand just run away.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
Yeah, watch this space.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
Yes, just watch this space.
We're super excited about thisand I'm really excited about
this.
So, yeah, yeah, watch thisspace.
Something big is coming thereyou go.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
You heard it here first, so more details to follow
.
But yeah, our website isweddingempirescom.
If you want to connect on thesocials and send us a message,
we'd love to hear from you.
Our username on instagram andtiktok is wedding empires
podcast, and if you look it upon facebook, you'll find a
little group there as well.
Yes, indeed cool.
Thanks, guys, thanks.
So Ben, with this last episode that we had you
kind of made mention thatbusiness networking is not
really your thing.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Yes, and in doing so I got called out during that
episode and was kind of forcedto go to a little photographer's
networking.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Oh, you went I went.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
I went, yeah, the next morning, good Without me.
Yeah, okay, he was going totake me, but anyway.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
It was too early.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
We'll take that offline.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Even though I didn't make it on time.
Oh really no.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Yeah, that would have pissed me off.
Anyway, we digress.
So, with Ben confiding in meand all of you that he doesn't
love business networking, Ithought it would be a good idea
to bring in one of the expertswho has turned business
networking into an absolute artform.
So let's not waste any moretime, let's bring him in and
(00:54):
hopefully, ben, you're going toleave today with absolute,
amazing skill set when it comesto business networking.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Yep, okay, are you ready?
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Okay, all right, everyone meet Jordan Heller.
Hi Jordan, how are you going?
Speaker 2 (01:08):
We need a round of applause.
How are you?
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Jordan, I'm great.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
How about you?
I'm living the dream, yes.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Okay, Jordan Heller, we've brought you in because you
have a really impressive CVwhen it comes to business
networking.
I know you've got some diverseexperience around catering,
venue sales and event planning,but you've really mastered your
craft when it comes to buildingconnections and networking.
So I guess I'd like to hearabout your journey sort of
(01:37):
specifically through the eventsindustry.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Yeah, after college, like a lot of people, I had no
idea what I wanted to do withmyself, so I ended up waiting on
tables.
So I was.
I was doing that for a fewyears and moved to Florida.
Kind of being in food servicekind of led me into catering.
I started doing catering forlike like luncheon catering,
making sandwiches and droppingthem off at doctor's offices and
(02:00):
pharmaceutical reps and allthat.
But I ended up really buildinggood relationships with the
pharmaceutical reps.
So when I was fired from thatjob they had made a lot of good
connections that I got a job atanother company, kind of like
telling them I was coming withthese connections for lunch
business.
And when I moved to that job Iended up buying that company.
(02:21):
So I took over this cateringcompany but that was like a full
service caterer and I had comefrom like little sandwiches and
nothing.
So I really bit off a lot withthat.
But while I was there I reallyI started doing weddings, I
started doing full servicecatering.
But for some reason I used toget this like really big high
out of referring people.
Like I would bring people infor a tasting and I had this
(02:43):
whole table in my tasting roomwith business cards and I'd be
like, oh, who don't you have?
You don't have a DJ, here's aDJ.
And they were like looking atme like I was nuts sometimes but
I was.
I don't know something aboutthe idea of getting business for
someone else.
Also, knowing who you're goingto work with on the wedding day
was exciting.
When you walk in you don't knowall the vendors.
It was exciting to be able tohelp that process.
(03:03):
I kind of didn't realize I wasbuilding the steps of networking
then, but after that I wentinto venue sales and I started
this networking group on theside, just as a fun side thing.
Me and a planner did this twicea year networking event.
She was a wedding planner and Iwas working at venues.
Our first event we had 180vendors come to and it kind of
just grew from there and after afew years I had someone kind of
(03:27):
sit me down and put pen topaper, was like you could do
this as a business.
So in 2020, late 2019, startingin 2020, I flipped it into a
full-time business where I nowhave 215 members and do monthly
networking events, education andall different types of things
and it's called swill yeah, it'sum, I wanted, I wanted
something that I could say as aword, because there's a lot of
(03:48):
networking groups that are justlike letters, or sometimes
they're letters and they don't.
They're not supposed to make aword, but people say it as a
word and it sounds ugly.
So I spent a lot of time likeusing the letters and finding
something that was easy to say,that sounded like something else
, that had like a positiveconnotation behind it.
So after you know mixing up abunch of you know you always
(04:09):
have to have wedding and event,so I knew there's gonna be a w
and e in there.
But yeah, so swell is sun coast.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Wedding and event leaders I have to say it jordan,
that's a swell name oh god yeah, wow, sorry everyone, all right
, I do I do actually need somesound effects.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
I'm going to arrange that for the next episode.
So something you don't knowabout me, Jordan, is I actually
developed a business networkingevent business myself called
Business in Heels, and it grewto 55 franchises worldwide.
So I also know a thing or twoabout networking events.
So I'm really interested toknow, I guess, the format of the
(04:44):
event.
How does it work?
What sets it apart from othernetworking events out there?
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Yeah.
So our events I really likepride myself on creating FOMO
with our events.
That like they're all reallyunique.
I think one thing that's reallyfun about our events is like
they're not usually expo style.
They're more a themed cocktailparty, the majority of which is
kind of how we started out andwe've continued that.
(05:09):
You know through the through,now that we're a membership, we
have a big themes pop culturethemes, retro themes and it's
just.
It allows our members toshowcase what they can do in the
confines of a theme, which iskind of like what a client would
throw at you.
You know, they give you theparameters of their event design
, so it's not just like a bunchof tables with decor that's at
odds with each other.
It's always stuff that'scohesive and within the theme,
from the food, the music,everything kind of goes together
(05:31):
.
So that really, I think, getspeople excited, especially if
it's a theme they're excitedabout.
We did a Harry Potter event andthere were a lot of people who
were not Harry Potter fans, butthey came out just because they
wanted to see what we were goingto do with it.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
You are or you're not .
No, I'm not either.
Are we allowed to say that?
Speaker 2 (05:47):
And the ratings go.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
I don't think I've even seen one.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Anyway, sorry, yeah, but so we do a lot of those
themed events.
We do education events.
Our big Swell Summer Summit,which is in August every year,
is a full day of education, mainstage speakers and breakout.
We do some events that are likespeed networking.
We have a really popular eventevery March.
Last year was coffee overcompetition, this year was
cocktails over competition,because we made it a little bit
(06:13):
more alcoholic this year.
But it was a roundtablediscussions by vendor category.
All the planners sat together,all the photographers sat
together, all the DJs sattogether and everyone kind of
had discussions within theircategory about what was plaguing
them in in their specific sectof the industry and at the end
they all had a representative atthe table who stood up and kind
of like read out their painpoints to the rest of the
(06:33):
industry and it was.
It was like really catharticand fun and like people were
kind of like taking jabs at eachother, but in a fun way, and it
really helped people connectwith other people who do what
they do instead of like lookingat them as just competition.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Can I throw you under the bus, jordan?
Yeah, that's good.
In the email prior to this yousaid that you were going to make
me uncomfortable, so I think weno.
My question is the weddingindustry worldwide has what we
call wedding expos, weddingfairs, that kind of thing, and
it's all the suppliers in onespot and everyone comes in and
everyone just tries to hocktheir wares and sell them their
stuff and all that sort of stuffand it's like walking through.
(07:06):
If you've ever been to bali,it's like walking through bali.
The couples get to the end ofit and just go oh my god, I'm
sorry over this, get me out ofhere.
Eject and for.
For my whole, probably the last10 years of my career, I've
been trying to work out a betterway to do that.
A similar kind of scenariowhere you obviously you're a
supplier, you're a vendor andpeople are coming in to see you.
But have you got any ideas ofhow that can be done better so
(07:30):
that people don't walk in andfeel kind of sold to violated
and walk out going oh my god,that was just.
How do I get out of here?
Speaker 3 (07:37):
yeah.
So I don't do wedding exposmyself.
I, you know I do business tobusiness.
I don't really do business toclient except for my magazine,
but I have seen a couple twistson it.
I've seen people do moreboutique style events.
There was, you know, where theyhad people in pods kind of,
where there were different podsaround the room where it was
like every pod had a planner, aflorist, a photographer, like
(08:00):
they were, so like you would go,and it was kind of like vendors
who worked well together andyou could pick a whole, a whole
pod.
I've seen ones where it's likethere was one, I think, where
they were couples, had a like aliaison almost, and took them
around the room like they wouldsay, oh, I need to meet with
these three people, and theywould kind of like take them
around the room can you tell usabout how, I guess, you've
(08:22):
become particularly skilled atnetworking?
Yeah, I mean I think having jobsdidn't pay well helped Because
it really like kind of makes youput your head down and really
get to know people and to get tothe next step in your career.
And so I never really missedany opportunity, especially when
I was working at places thatthey may have had like a good
(08:42):
reputation but not like butweren't paying that well.
So people get excited to meetyou because you were from that
venue or from that that company.
So I would use that reputationof the places I worked with to
meet as many people.
I would use it to get people tocome to swell events, not in
any kind of like promissory way,just kind of like hey, this is
Jordan from so-and-so, you knowwe're having an event.
(09:04):
But I really use the names ofthe places and obviously being
at a venue is always greatbecause venues and planners it's
kind of sometimes you can go toa networking event.
Just if you have the right nametag on you can just stand back
and people come to you.
So I use that to meet people.
But yeah, I don't, ben, I'm kindof like you where I don't
really like networking, which isweird for me to say running a
(09:26):
networking group professionally.
But if I go to you know anothermarket and walk into a room,
people I don't know, I'm likeagainst the wall, like I feel
like like completely assaultedjust by the thought of having to
talk to strangers.
So I totally get that.
But really I just used knowingpeople as a way to kind of make
(09:46):
my comfort zone, where now, likeI can walk into my own event
and I know 90 of 100 people.
So it's comfortable.
You know they're all my friendsand they're going to introduce
me to the other 10 people, andthen the next month I'm going to
know everyone and then, youknow, the new people come and
I'll get introduced to them, andso you kind of have to do that
as an attendee as well.
You have to meet as many peopleas possible, not just in person,
but like virtually as well.
(10:07):
I always find meeting peoplevirtually first makes it really
easier.
If you connect on Instagram orLinkedIn or wherever and you
know someone's face.
It's so weird to walk up to agroup of like five people who
were talking and just put yourhand out and start hi, I'm
Jordan.
It's just it's.
And you're like we're having aconversation here, like it's
weird.
But if you know someone bytheir face, you're like, oh, hey
(10:28):
, it's Jordan I, you know, we'refriends on LinkedIn or hey, I
saw you did this wedding at suchand such last weekend.
There's like an in if youalready have a virtual
connection.
So I'm I'm really big on the.
It's kind of like online datingprofessionally.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
I love that and I think something that you said
about over time, the more you gothat you know obviously the
more people that you're going tomeet.
I think that's actually really,really key, especially if you
like buy a membership to yourlocal chamber of commerce and
you've paid some annual fee.
Like that alone should motivateyou to go to those 12 events
from a financial perspective butwe discussed this with Madeline
(11:02):
in our previous episode in thatyou you know if you can make a
commitment to go up and talk toone or five people.
You know, yes, it might get youout of your comfort zone, but
over time if you do that and youhave this sort of membership in
place, then you know that's 50people, isn't it by the end of
the year that you've connectedwith?
And it's going to be more andmore comfortable going to these
(11:22):
events because you're going towalk in and you're going to know
10, 20, 50 people in there andyou'll gravitate to them and
they'll introduce you to someoneelse.
You just got to start, really.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
And you don't want to ignore the people you already
know either.
People think like, oh, I haveto meet this many new people and
I don't have time to meetpeople I already know.
I had someone who once told me,like oh, I keep seeing the same
people over and over and I'mlike that's the point.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
You want to build a relationship.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Yeah, if you meet people once and then never talk
to them again, you're not goingto build.
If you, if you have somethingthat they need for their client,
they're going to think of youas soon as it comes up, because
they just saw you two weeks agoand they know they're going to
see you in another two weeks.
So you're on.
You're on their mind.
You know you have to alwayskeep fostering those
(12:07):
relationships.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Maybe I need to pay to motivate me like to go to
something like this.
Maybe I need to pay to,actually, because Kiri's just
said in in the chat that there'squite a few groups in Melbourne
that would just pay and playand go along with, and that
wasn't her bag.
So you can't beat them.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Start your own it's funny when, when I built my my
network business in heels, Iactually took the reverse
approach.
I thought that it was it wasmore appropriate to charge a low
fee per visit, because I feltlike when you wanted to go to
networking, you kind of maybecouldn't afford it.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
And that's a commitment too, yeah yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
So our model was pay $40, pay as you go.
There was no membership.
So I've since sold the businessand I do believe that they do
do memberships now, but for meit was a point of difference in
that you pay $40, it's amazingvalue.
You're leaving with a goodiebag that's maybe $200, $300
worth of value alone, but you gowhen you want to go.
There's no commitment.
(13:04):
So I don't know.
There's lots of different sortof options out there, but there
are ones like that as well,where if you feel like I'm not
going to be able to commit to 12or a year or whatever and make
it financially viable, there aredefinitely ones out there.
Even or a year or whatever makeit financially viable.
There are definitely ones outthere, even on meetup and things
like that, that you can findwhere you can just go and you
can pay a low fee and gocasually.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Yeah, we do like a flat fee for the year and then
it includes your tickets, butthe fee is so much lower than
the retail.
If you bought two tickets forall 10 events it would be like
almost twice as much as ouractual membership fee.
So with our membership thetickets are included, but if you
miss a couple of events youdon't feel like you paid for
(13:45):
nothing, because you really haveto miss a lot to not have it be
still valuable.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Have you got any tips around someone like Ben who's
walking into a room, what aresome tips for him to just get
started and kind of conquerthese first steps?
Speaker 3 (13:57):
So yeah, because I'm right there with you.
So I think, first of all, goingwith someone who's more
outgoing than you is a great tip, and I think you talked about
that yesterday.
You need someone like you, jack, who will introduce you to
other people, who will likeforce you to meet other people,
because if you go by yourself,it's such a recipe to just like
be on your phone and hide in thecorner and leave early, because
(14:19):
I've done it and wasted a lotof money doing it.
So like I feel like you have totake someone with you and and I
do a presentation calledNetworker he wrote which is like
a nod to the 80s TV show Murder.
She wrote, where I kind ofcompare planning networking to
planning a murder.
So with that, it's like youknow having an accomplice is
(14:40):
really good because you needsomeone to like help carry the
body.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
You thought this through, Jorah I like this.
I didn't think we were going inthis direction.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
But here we are.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
Ladies and gentlemen, this has gone a whole other way
the analogy really goes off therails like mid
presentationresentation, but itmakes it a lot of fun.
But yeah, so I think you haveto.
I would never go to anythingalone.
That's why I include twotickets for my membership,
because I don't think anyoneshould show up by themselves,
Unless they're like just thatsuper extrovert who's going to
like run laps around the room.
(15:12):
Also, I always go and this hasnothing to do with alcohol, but
I always go straight to the bar.
I want to be able to like gointo the room and survey the
room and see who's there, who Ineed to avoid, who I want to
(15:32):
meet, and like kind of just geta sense of the room.
So going and like getting intothe line for the bar right away
kind of is like a way for me tolike get a hold of the room, a
hold of the room.
And then also, if you'reawkward with your hands like if
you don't know what to do withyour hands at a networking event
, putting a drink in it is likean easy way to just fill at
least 50% of your hands.
I always use like because Idon't want to be on my phone,
because I feel like that'sreally standoffish.
If I'm wearing like a blazer,I'll put like the blazer over my
(15:53):
other arm so I have like adrink in one hand and a blazer
in the other arm and then thatkind of just like fills my arm.
So I don't feel like I don'tknow what to do with my hands.
And it doesn't need to bealcohol.
I mean, I, I like to drink andI think Ben, you like gin as
well, correct?
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Gin and tonic, espresso, martini, whatever, yep
.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
I'm a.
I'm a gin and club soda.
I can't do tonic, but it's.
You know, even if I'm notdrinking, you can just get a
club soda and lime in that way,because you know you always have
those people oh, why aren't youdrinking?
Which is one of those, likenone of your business questions.
But if I'm not drinking, clubsoda with a lime looks like a
drink.
But you know, gin and club sodais great.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Completely off topic at this point um, I always, I
always like to answer thatquestion with something
surprising and horrendous, butanyway, I think it's good now in
in the current kind ofsituation, there's so much zero
alcohol stuff out there.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
I mean I went, I went to something another week a
work event for me and I had todrive, but I wanted to get
amongst it, so I had a zeroalcohol shandy actually I think
it was.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
I felt like I was yeah yeah, yeah and then I think
also, like, if you look forthose people who are doing the
same thing as you, who areplaying on their phone, who do
look uncomfortable, like thoseare the best because you already
know that they're uncomfortable, so you're going to like be the
hero in their eyes.
If you go and break the ice withthem because they're
uncomfortable, so they're goingto be super willing to talk
(17:11):
already, and then you know, ifthere's someone you can work
with in the future're alwaysgoing to remember you as the
person who who broke the ice forthem.
I was at a networking event acouple months ago and, like it
was a group of people from swelland it was a not, it was not a
swell event, but there was like10 of us and then like two
people it was the beginning ofthe event two people who were
not with us and you could justtell they were like all these
(17:33):
people know each other and Ijust ran over and grabbed them,
which is like not my personalityto talk to strangers, but like
I knew I was like in that herdthat looked scary, and so I like
brought those people in becauseand they were like you know, I
see this person all the time nowand like we have a great friend
relationship, because sheremembers me as that person who,
like, didn't let her standawkwardly in the corner for two
(17:56):
hours.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
So, jordan, off the back of that, like, can you
share a networking success storythat you've had, where you've
made a connection that's led tosomething significant or some
kind of big opportunity incollaboration?
Speaker 3 (18:08):
I think for my, looking at our membership, the
biggest wins that I've seen arethe people who showcase at
events, because it's anopportunity for them to work
with people they might not haveworked with.
But then that I've seen are thepeople who showcase at events
because it's an opportunity forthem to work with people they
might not have worked with.
But then you know just peoplewho work together planners.
You know, I try to connect myplanners with venues they've
never worked at, because tobring them to something they
(18:29):
work at all the time it's notdoing much for them.
But if I have a plannerplanning one of my events at a
venue they've never worked atand then they start booking
weddings there, it's a big winbecause it's opening a door for
them, because that was as avenue.
That's always the hard thingwhen you have someone who comes
to you and says you know I wantto be on your list and you say,
well, you have to do a weddingor two here before you're on the
list.
And they say, well, how do Ibook a wedding if you don't put
(18:50):
me on the list?
O?
So a networking event where Ibring in planners, it's a really
good opportunity to like youknow you're getting in and
you're showing you can do awedding there or an event there.
Respect their rules, respecttheir space, put on something
amazing.
So my wins really come frompeople who come and showcase and
show what they can do and workwith different people that they
(19:12):
haven't worked with before.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
I've been to a couple of wedding specific networking
events that were like venue opendays and gosh, they work so
well.
I can imagine they work reallywell for the couple kind of
walking in and seeing a floraldisplay in the venue that
they're considering and whatnot.
But such such a great relaxedway to meet other wedding
vendors as well, particularly ifyou've got a little stall set
(19:35):
up or whatever you just you justnaturally feeling more
confident going up yeah sayinghello to the other stall holder
and and whatnot.
So I think I think those lookout for those they're.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
They're really great, especially if it's a venue that
you want to work with and thoseare the great things where,
like, people think of networkingas a networking event.
But, like, networking is anyopportunity you can have to
interact with someone.
So if you're doing a weddingshow, you know an expo alongside
someone else, the people whoare there, even every email,
every DM, every interaction ispart of networking because it's
(20:06):
all part of building therelationship.
I think I've had peopleactually on events behave really
badly Even though you'reworking.
This is networking.
Like on a wedding day, it'snetworking.
You know how you work withsomeone affects your
relationship with them andwhether they want to work with
you again.
Every single opportunity youhave is always like an
opportunity to build arelationship.
(20:27):
Anytime you're in the same roomor somehow connected to another
vendor, it's a networkingopportunity, negative or
positive.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
What about when it comes to relationship building?
Have you got any tips aroundafterwards, after you've met
this person, whether that's inin person or at a wedding?
What are your tips aroundcultivating that relationship?
Speaker 3 (20:45):
I think the thing is it's it's a slow game.
People want to like become bestfriends overnight, especially.
They want to become friendswith people they don't really
even like.
They're just trying to likehave a relationship for business
purposes, and you really haveto like make real relationships,
trying to like have arelationship for business
purposes, and you really have tolike make real relationships
which just like I mean they arereal relationships and just like
a relationship.
You know, romantic friend, it'ssomething that develops over
(21:07):
time.
You can't expect to meet someoneon a Tuesday at an event and be
put on their list or get bookedwith them or do something you
know two days later.
You know we're going to be inthis industry, hopefully for a
long time, so you have to buildthese relationships slowly,
which is seeing people multipletimes.
It's connecting with them onsocial media and then
thoughtfully engaging with them.
(21:28):
You have to like really becareful when you're engaging on
social media and I know, benyou're, you have a radar for for
fakeness and I think you haveto be careful when you're
interacting.
I have one person I know who.
I think they schedule theirsocial media time and they'll go
through and they'll comment oneverything I posted for a week
(21:49):
with very generic like way to go, good job, and it's obvious
they're not paying attention towhat I actually posted.
It's like, oh, I scheduled from4 to five o'clock and I have
this list of 10 people and I'mgoing to go through productivity
wise, props to them for doingthat.
But, like, authenticity wise,like it's not authentic at all.
(22:09):
To do that, you have to, like,look at what people are posting
and post something.
That's, I think, the same way.
Instagram, you know, registersyour comment if it's more than
four words to make it count foryour engagement, you have to do
the same.
You have to put somethingthat's a little bit more
thoughtful.
If it's someone's birthday,just don't write HBD Like.
You have to do a little more todevelop that relationship and
(22:33):
show someone you care.
So I think it's all aboutauthentic and and just giving
the time the relationship needsbecause it because it's a real
relationship yeah, so so goingthe effort to to personalize
that message.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
You know, jordan, it was great seeing the other night
.
I'd love to tie you know,whatever, whatever, but like
saying something, you go.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
Oh, this person's like actually gone to a bit yeah
, we're doing a callback tosomething you talked about, like
if you talked about a tv showor a really good thing to this
is this is terrible.
A really good common ground isa common enemy.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
I feel this guy.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
I don't ever want to encourage gossiping, but I feel
like there's something peoplereally can connect about If you
have both had a bad experiencewith the same person.
Or it's terrible thatnegativity, like, is sometimes
more engaging.
And I'm not talking abouttalking about someone personal,
like what's going on, thatthey're getting a divorce,
(23:32):
something awful.
I'm talking about like thisperson took my tip and pocketed
it.
You know they gave the bride,gave this planner $200 for me
and it never got to me, like Idon't know.
There's bad behavior in ourindustry and finding people who
are a common enemy can sometimesreally bring you together.
Uniting, yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
So where do you think our networking's heading?
You think there's going to beany big changes on the horizon,
or this is it, linkedin, I thinkmore hands-on experiences, more
immersive experiences arereally where people are going,
getting away from fluff.
Speaker 3 (24:12):
You know, with our education I always want to bring
in people who do like reallyengaging, how-to instructional.
We don't do too much of theinspirational and I don't want
to put down anyone who does.
To me it's just not what'sgoing to move your business
forward, and so I think the morehands-on we get, the more niche
(24:33):
we get.
With Swell, we speak to a bigaudience because we have people
from every category.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
Jordan, if you walked outside today and ran into an
18-year-old version of yourselfoutside, what advice would you
give that 18-year-old version ofyourself knowing?
Speaker 3 (24:47):
what you know.
Now, the first thing I wouldsay is you're not fat.
It's only going to get worsefrom here.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
Only be as fat as I was then I knew.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
I would say that, Then I would say stop using
hairspray.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
You don't need hairspray, Jordan.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
Well, I did when I was 18 and under and I think it
might have led to some follicleissues because I used a lot of
it in the 90s.
You know, I don't honestly knowif I would tell my 18-year-old
self that much else, becausebusiness-wise I made a lot of
mistakes.
I bought a catering companywith no ability to cook.
It failed miserably.
(25:34):
I had to file bankruptcy.
But if I didn't go through thatI don't think I would be
comfortably where I am today.
So all of my mistakes Iwouldn't want to warn myself
about because I would be scaredto see where I was.
If I just kind of glidedthrough I might be doing
something I really hate.
So I would just say you'll getthrough the mistakes and just
(25:55):
live in them.
Speaker 1 (25:57):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Yeah, good advice.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
Someone once told me this one line, which doesn't
sound like much, but if youactually sit on it and think of
it, it makes a lot of senseEducation is expensive.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
Right, honestly like the mistakes but their education
at the end of the day and youand you learn from them.
But yeah, I've, I've had somesome doozies myself that have
cost a lot of money.
But education is expensive.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
Success is a shitty teacher too, I think.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
That's a good one.
I like that, jordan.
I know that you've gotsomething special coming up a
virtual summit.
Why don't you walk us throughthat one?
Speaker 3 (26:31):
Yeah, may 29th we're doing a website summit.
It's the first virtual eventI've done since 2021.
I kind of feel like I, you know, stayed away from it because it
just gave me too many COVIDflashbacks.
But we have some really greateducators who aren't all here
locally, so it's all aboutwebsites.
We have a speaker coming in totalk about a copy on your sales
(26:53):
page.
We're doing something on SEO.
And then we have someonetalking about design, and it's
about hiring a designer versusdoing it yourself.
And then we have a really aboutdesign and it's about hiring a
designer versus doing ityourself.
And then we have a really greatemcee who is a lawyer, who will
be kind of guiding everyonethrough the event but then also
giving like legal tips inbetween about things you need to
have on your website to keepyou, you know, legally, all good
(27:15):
with your site.
So it's May 29th, it's going tobe an Eastern Standard Time,
it'll be 1pm to 4.30pm probablythe middle of the night for you.
We record everything, and soanyone who buys a ticket will
get the recordings as well.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
The Wedding Academy.
My business is mostly anAmerican and European market,
but, yeah, for any Aussies thatare listening, like me, I think
it's three o'clock in themorning, isn't it?
Jordan?
Something like that, so stay upwith that gin or watch the
recording, but it sounds like itwould be absolutely worth doing
so.
The website issuncoastweddingsandeventscom and
(27:50):
your Instagram username isSwell with one L S-W-E-L events.
Jordan thanks so much forjoining us.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
Thank you, Jordan.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Awesome, jordan.
Thanks so much for joining us.
Thank you, jordan, I've seenyou as well, all right we'll see
you soon.
Speaker 2 (28:03):
God, that was a good one, that was fun.
Yes, I got a lot out of that hedidn't make me uncomfortable.
No, no, no, but I mean I Idon't know.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
I know a lot about networking and he had some
really interesting ideas that Ithought were really yeah, some
stuff I need to think about.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
Maybe.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
Yeah, yeah, so yeah, yes I was a bit busy over the
weekend and built a littlewebsite for the podcast,
weddingempirescom.
Go there.
You can see all of our episodesand all of our links to where
you can find the podcast on allof the platforms.
So Apple Podcasts, spotify, theUsual Suspects, iheartradio,
amazon, all of that.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Everywhere where you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Everywhere where you get your podcasts.
And also you'll see there's a$9 subscription option as well,
and I'm really, really excitedabout that.
It's for our pro community.
Some of you are already there.
The benefits of joining thiscommunity are incredible.
You are going to be here forthese events, but you're going
to receive an invite remindingyou of these events before they
(28:59):
go live, so you can just clickfrom your phone or your email
and be here and watch.
But also there's all theseadditional other events and
trainings on top of what we doat the podcast.
So we're constantly getting inprofessionals to help you with
various topics for your weddingbusiness, and there's at least
four of these a month on top ofanything that we're doing on the
(29:20):
podcast for nine dollars amonth nine dollars a month
subscribe and that alone more ofus.
But wait, there's more this.
So so you're getting thepodcast.
You're getting exclusiveepisodes of the podcast as well,
so you're gonna start seeing onyour podcast provider locked
episodes that are only availablefor these pro members.
(29:40):
So that's going to be anotherbonus.
And lastly, we've got a huge,huge library of templates, so
tried and tested worksheets,documents, guides to help you
with your wedding business, sothings like budget spreadsheets
and venue inspection checklists,and they're for all different
kinds of roles, so not just fora wedding planner.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
There's things in there for florists, venues,
photographers, the whole, thewhole bit so, and for my, for my
photography team, there is someextra stuff coming for you as
well, yes, yes, we've beenplotting some course material
about wedding photography, soanyway, can we share the other
stuff?
Speaker 1 (30:19):
what other stuff?
Speaker 2 (30:19):
the, the other, the other stuff, your stuff, the
secret, no, the secret squirrelstuff that we're thinking about
just just a little, just alittle bit okay, go on okay, I'm
really excited about this, soI'm not going to tell you what
it is, but we we have, we havesomething in the works that
we're really excited about, andit's something that is going to
(30:40):
involve you guys, all of you outthere who are watching, and
we're going to ask for yourinput and ask for your stories.
I'm not going to share too much.
I just want to sit that thereand just run away.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
Yeah, watch this space.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
Yes, just watch this space.
We're super excited about thisand I'm really excited about
this.
So, yeah, yeah, watch thisspace.
Something big is coming thereyou go.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
You heard it here first, so more details to follow
.
But yeah, our website isweddingempirescom.
If you want to connect on thesocials and send us a message,
we'd love to hear from you.
Our username on instagram andtiktok is wedding empires
podcast, and if you look it upon facebook, you'll find a
little group there as well.
Yes, indeed cool.
Thanks, guys, thanks.
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