Hi planners, welcome to this week's episode. It's one that is equal parts laughter as it is filled with nuggets of insight. Meet my next guest, Fallon Carter.

Fallon is the founder and creative director of Fallon Carter Events. She has been named one of the top wedding planners in the world by Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, and Brides Magazine. Fallon is well known for connecting southern hospitality with international luxury.

As you'll hear in this episode, Fallon's journey began after helping a friend with her three-day Paris wedding. Fallon soon fell in love with the organization, logistics, and the process of planning. So she left law school and began the life of an entrepreneur, launching Fallon Carter Events in New York in 2012. Finding the joy in adventure, travel, and alfresco dining, Fallon leaned into the destination, events, and experiences.

In this conversation, you'll hear how incredibly natural it is for Fallon that she focuses on destination events and how travel is a massive part of her life, including how she's taking this year to live a nomad life in Japan, Mexico, France, Angola, and more. But one of the most interesting things about our conversation is that despite being well-known, well-respected, and highly sought after, she too struggles with perfectionism and negative self-talk. We dive into that a bit and I'm so appreciative of Fallon's honesty. We also talk about how crucial relationships and referrals are to her success and how after many conversations with planners seeking advice, Fallon has started officially offering advice for those looking to learn from her, her experience that has so often been learned the hard way.

In this episode:

• Fallon Carter specializes in destination weddings and event planning.

• Her first wedding experience in Paris ignited her passion for planning.

• Networking and referrals were crucial in her early career.

• She emphasizes the importance of having a financial safety net when starting a business.

• Fallon did not seek formal education but learned through experience and mentorship.

• Perfectionism and self-critique are ongoing challenges for her.

• Destination planning is both thrilling and stressful due to various challenges.

• She believes in the power of community and sharing knowledge among planners.

• Fallon reflects on the importance of learning from mistakes in her career.

• Her journey highlights the significance of finding one's unique strengths in event planning. Resourcefulness is key in destination weddings.

• Understanding client needs is crucial for successful planning.

• The ideal client trusts the planner and focuses on the marriage.

• Word of mouth is the best marketing strategy.

• Diversifying business can create new revenue streams.

• Mentorship can provide valuable insights and guidance.

• Every conversation can lead to mutual learning and growth.

• Future plans should align with personal passions and interests.

• Simplicity in weddings can be refreshing and meaningful.

Connect with Fallon:

Fallon Carter Events

https://falloncarterevents.com/

https://www.instagram.com/falloncarterevents

Podcast - The We Do Collective

https://www.instagram.com/thewedocollective/

Hi Planners! Recently I have been getting a lot of questions from planners about streamlining their inquiry process. The pros and cons or offering a few options or more limited options. How to suss out if the client is the right fit and so much more. It got me thinking about one of my favorite topics - the green or red flag system for evaluating if clients are a good fit for you.

So today’s episode is just that. Entitled Green Flag vs Red Flag Inquiries.

I’ll walk you through what this process is, how you can adapt it, what an important tool it is and when you should use it.

In this Episode:

• Streamlining the inquiry process is essential for planners.
• The green flag and red flag system helps evaluate client fit.
• Not every inquiry should lead to a booking.
• Reflect on past clients to identify ideal fits.
• Create a personalized flag system for better decision-making.
• Consider emotional and statistical factors in evaluations.
• Yellow flags indicate flexible considerations in client fit.
• Improving the sales process enhances quality of life.
• Tweak the flag system as your business evolves.
• Different service levels require tailored flag systems.

Ready to book more clients? Get my Sales Call Template available now. OR want to get the ful Mastering Management Template Bundle? Use code PODCAST for $20 off the bundle.

Happy Planning!

xo, Heather