Recently, Visualist attended several wedding industry events, including Wedding MBA 2023 and the latest Wedding Summit Series. We've seen firsthand the commitment of today's wedding planners to grow their wedding planning businesses. They're not just passionate about weddings; they're determined to build lasting businesses and create generational wealth.

One key takeaway: top professionals in the wedding planning industry know that education is fundamental to success.

Courses for wedding planners, workshops, and mentorship programs help planners develop their skills and stay updated on the ever-evolving wedding landscape. Ongoing education means smoother weddings, happier couples, and a competitive edge in the market.

If you're ready to build a successful wedding planning business, read on to learn:

• The benefits of joining educational workshops and courses for wedding planners
• The top wedding planner training, courses, and workshops in 2024
• Financial, legal, and marketing advice for wedding planners
• How to grow your wedding business as a female entrepreneur and creative entrepreneur
• Tips for using wedding business CRM to enhance your operations

Why is education important to wedding planners?

True professionals never stop learning. The wedding planning industry evolves quickly, and staying updated is crucial for success.

There's a vast array of courses for wedding planners, covering everything from improving client conversion to ensuring legal and financial security. But what exactly do you gain from continuing education for wedding planners?

Four benefits of continuing education for wedding planners:

• Enhance wedding planning skills. Wedding planners who invest in education acquire updated knowledge, skills, and techniques. This enables them to offer higher standards of service, ensuring every aspect of the wedding planning process is expertly managed.
• Boost self-confidence. With each new wedding planning certification or course completed, planners gain a sense of accomplishment and assurance in their expertise. This positively impacts their performance and interactions with clients.
• Increased revenue. Investing in education can directly impact a wedding planner's bottom line. Specialized wedding planner training attracts higher-paying clients, justifies premium fees, and lands specialized, in-demand projects.
• Expand professional network. Networking through workshops, conferences, and online forums broadens a planner's professional circle. It exposes them to new perspectives and collaborative opportunities. A strong network leads to referrals, partnerships, mentorship, and enhances visibility and credibility in the wedding planning industry.

Top educational resources for wedding professionals

Grow your wedding planning business with the best courses, workshops, and educators in the wedding industry

Wedding Summit Series

Type: Live workshop

Cherie Yang and Margaux Fraise discuss Visualist——an AI-powered software for wedding pros—ahead of The Wedding Summit Series.

The Wedding Summit Series is a bi-annual online gathering of the wedding planning industry's top educators, hosted by Margaux Fraise. Expect stellar educational presentations, live panels, and interactive workshops.

Each summit focuses on a specific topic impacting the life and work of wedding planners and event planners. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by too much information, you'll leave the event feeling focused and equipped to grow your wedding business.

The Planner's Vault 1-on-1 Clarity Coaching

Type: Mentorship

Get direct, powerful coaching sessions with Megan Gilkin of The Planner's Vault. These 90-minute clarity calls focus on your specific needs, whether you’re struggling to convert inquiries, feeling overwhelmed with delegation, or aiming to grow your wedding business. No fluff or generic advice—just smart, actionable steps.

You'll start with a detailed pre-call questionnaire to target your unique challenges. After the session, you'll receive a post-call summary to refer back to the insights and strategies discussed.

Planners Who Profit Accelerator Programme

Type: Digital course

Ready to grow your wedding planning business without sacrificing passion for profit? The Planners Who Profit Accelerator Programme offers advanced Wedding planner training for experienced event planners. This programme helps event planners build successful wedding planning businesses with a part-time schedule.

Planners Who Profit empowers wedding professionals to attract high-end clients, perfect sales pitches, and optimize their wedding planning business for maximum profitability.

Additional resources from Planners Who Profit include:

Additional resources from Planners Who Profit:

• PWP Live: Interactive sessions with industry experts.
• PWP Freebies: Valuable tools and templates for your wedding planning business.

Book More Brides: Growth Academy

Type: Digital course

Want to grow your wedding planning business and secure more bookings? The Book More Brides' Growth Academy is perfect for you. In just 90 days, you'll master the skills to communicate your value to clients. Plus, you'll get ongoing support from industry professionals as a long-term member of the Growth Academy community.

The Union Mastermind Mentorship

Type: Mentorship

The Union Mastermind Mentorship gives you real, no-BS advice to succeed in the wedding planning industry. Jamie Wolfer offers pre-recorded lessons and live monthly calls, making the content easy to understand and implement. The best part? After completing the program, you'll get exclusive referrals from Jamie herself.

The Bridal Show Blueprint

Type: Digital course

If you're tired of the constant hustle to book weddings, check out The Bridal Show Blueprint. This three-step method helps wedding planners score leads at bridal shows.

You'll learn how to connect with couples without sounding "salesy" and create a stunning booth design. It's a game-changer for any wedding planner or event planner looking to grow their wedding business.

TLDR: Invest in Education to Grow Your Wedding Business

Today's wedding planners are driven by passion and ambition. Investing in education for wedding planners is key to building a successful wedding planning business.

Continuing education through courses for wedding planners helps you stay ahead in the competitive wedding planning industry. It enhances skills, boosts confidence, increases profits, and expands your professional network.

Top Wedding Planning Courses and Educators in 2024

• Wedding Summit Series
• The Planner's Vault One-on-One Coaching
• Planners Who Profit Accelerator Programme
• Book More Brides' Growth Academy
• The Union Mastermind Mentorship
• The Bridal Show Blueprint

Investing in wedding planner training and continuing education is essential for any female entrepreneur or creative entrepreneur aiming to become a successful wedding planner. These resources provide crucial financial, legal, and marketing advice for wedding planners and help you master wedding business CRM to streamline operations and enhance client satisfaction.

To achieve long-term success in the wedding planning industry, keep learning and growing your skills with the best courses for wedding planners.

Wedding planning is a whirlwind of deadlines, last-minute changes, and administrative tasks all at once. While you may thrive in the industry, there comes a point when you start wondering: is it time to hire a wedding planning assistant?

Assistant wedding planners are in charge of repetitive, time-consuming tasks that you just don't have time for anymore. It differs from one planner to the other. It could jump from replying to emails to keeping the bridezilla meltdowns at bay. Managing an assistant wedding planner can have its challenges, but with the right approach, they can easily be one of the best investments for your wedding planning business.

In this article, you will learn:

• The roles and responsibilities of a wedding planning assistant
• The benefits of having a wedding planning assistant
• How to make the most out of an assistant planner

Should you hire an assistant wedding planner? Let's find out.

What is a wedding planning assistant?

A wedding planning assistant can play a crucial role in helping you deliver a high-class service for your wedding couples.

You, the planner, can delegate small, but time consuming, tasks to your assistants to free up your time to focus on high-level tasks such as conceptualising the design and co-ordinating with your vendors. You can hire two types of wedding assistants: day-of assistants and lead assistants.

The day-of wedding assistant works on the day of the wedding only. They swoop in to set up decorations, troubleshoot hiccups, and guarantee everything runs like clockwork. A day-of assistant is suitable for wedding planners who prefer to work on the preparations by themselves and just need someone to help them execute the plan flawlessly on the day.

Day-of assistant wedding planner responsibilities:

• Ceremony and reception set-up and decoration
• Tracking and coordination of on-the-day vendor arrivals/deliveries
• Assisting with guest management

On the other hand, a lead assistant works with you throughout the wedding planning process. They're by your side from concept to completion: researching vendors, managing budgets, attending venue tours, and so on. Lead assistants are best if you're working on several weddings at once and struggle with keeping up with each.

Lead assistant wedding planner responsibilities:

• Helping to connect with and co-ordinate your vendor network
• Replying to inquiries and management of client relationships
• Input on wedding concept and design ideation and execution

How to find your wedding planning assistant

Hiring the right wedding planning assistant can take your wedding business from good to great. Your planning assistant should be someone who understands your vision and your style to ensure you are providing a consistent service to your couples.

Not sure where to start looking? Explore the following avenues when looking for a wedding planning assistant:

• Personal network and referrals. Reach out to colleagues, mentors, and social media for recommendations. Your network of industry vendors may also know of talented individuals seeking opportunities.
• Wedding industry associations. Join professional organisations such as, The American Association of Certified Wedding Planners (AACWP) to access job boards and member directories. You can also connect with local chapters for regional networking opportunities and industry events.
• Creative recruiting agencies. Consider working with agencies specialising in event professionals, particularly those focused on the wedding industry. These agencies can understand your specific needs and help source qualified candidates tailored to your requirements.

The benefits of having a wedding planning assistant

Your time is precious. Hiring a wedding planning assistant allows you to share your workload

and claim back your time.

There are many benefits to hiring an assistant, here are a few:

• Free up time for your high-priority tasks. You didn't go into the wedding industry to do more admin. A wedding planner assistant can help you with administrative, or repetitive tasks that eat in to your time. The fewer low-priority tasks you have to manage, the more time and energy you can devote to creative design and fostering great client relationships.
• Scale your business. With more hands on the job, more work can be done! There's only so many projects you can handle alone. But with an assistant, you can tackle client consultations, contract signing, and social media management all in one day—leaving room to take on more clients and grow your business.
• Gain peace of mind. Hiring a competent and reliable assistant can alleviate stress, reduce burnout, and improve work-life balance. Knowing that tasks will be handled efficiently, you can confidently delegate tasks and approach your top responsibilities with better focus. To top it all off, you also get to actually enjoy the weekends!

How to make the most of your wedding planning assistant

If you're used to working independently, it can be difficult to integrate an assistant into your wedding planning process.

You may be unsure of what responsibilities to delegate, or worry that your assistant will not be able to execute in the way you hope for, ultimately adding to your workload. But here's the thing: you never know unless you try. Most successful wedding planners rely on a trusted team of assistants to help them offer their exceptional service.

At the end of the day, it all boils down to good communication, trust, and oversight. Ready to delegate? Here's some ideas of what a wedding planning assistant can do:

• Planning: Manage vendor communication, create timelines, handle RSVPs, update budgets.
• Admin: Respond to emails, schedule meetings, update social media.
• Logistics: Research venues, coordinate deliveries, oversee guest seating charts.
• On-the-day: Set up decor, manage rentals, receive gifts, troubleshoot on-site.

While assistants are there to alleviate your workload, you cannot simply dump your responsibilities on to them. A successful planner-assistant relationship requires an investment of your time, and consistent careful planing.

The five golden rules of managing a wedding planning assistant:

1. Plan in advance. If you’re prepared, your team will be prepared. Know what you need to happen on the day and exactly how your assistant slots into that plan. Then, set a quick call a day or two before the event to make sure you and your assistant are on the same page. As long as they're aware of the event flow, timeline, and floor plan, minor changes won't drive them to a corner.
2. Give the right resources. Your wedding assistant should be an extension of you! Create a binder full of all the information you have available and pass this on to your assistant. You can even set up cloud storage on Google Drive or DropBox if you want to keep it paper-free.
3. Lead by example. Provide clear instructions and demonstrate the task thoroughly before handing it off to your assistant. Demonstrations will help your assistant understand your expectations and gives them the confidence to proceed. Furthermore, it prevents any conflict later on.
4. Efficient communication. Stay in touch with your wedding assistant leading up to the wedding day, whether through Zoom calls, in-person meetings, or text messages. Keep communication channels open on the day of the event to address any last-minute changes or issues that may arise.
5. Be kind to them. Wedding planning assistants need time to settle into their roles. During this time, you need to be patient and understand that they might make beginner mistakes at first. Show appreciation for your assistant's hard work and dedication and address issues appropriately. A little kindness goes a long way!

Is it time to hire an assistant wedding planner?

If you're overwhelmed with tasks, want to grow your business, or seek a better work-life balance, then now is the time to hire an assistant planner.

Hiring an assistant is an investment in your business's future. So once you decide to hire, you need to clearly define the assistant's role, communicate openly, and provide proper training. Don't forget the five golden rules when managing a wedding planning assistant—plan ahead, give ample resources, lead by example, communicate well, and be kind.

Pro bono wedding planning services are deeds driven by passion and compassion. Aware of the fact that a wedding is a luxury not everyone can afford, a wedding planning business organise charitable weddings to extend their services to those in need. This could include planning, coordination, or consulting services.

Unlike regular, paid weddings, however, a pro bono wedding will cost you not just time and effort but also money out of your pocket. Most charity weddings are completely free. So you need to compromise to keep your financial health steady while working for good causes on the side. But don't worry, it only gets easier and the rewards are remarkable!

In this article, you'll learn:

• the definition of pro bono wedding planning
• the factors to consider when offering pro bono services
• the challenges and rewards of working pro bono

Ready to take your first charity wedding gig? Let's get the ball rolling...

What is pro bono wedding planning?

Pro bono is derived from the Latin phrase pro bono publico, which translates to "for the public good". If a wedding business offers a pro bono wedding service, they will be planning a wedding for free for chosen beneficiaries. A planner may choose to offer pro bono wedding planning services for a variety of reasons, usually pro bono wedding services are offered to couples who have undergone hardship or are struggling financially.

When wedding planners work pro bono, they have the opportunity to change a couple's lives for the better. To successfully manage pro bono weddings, a wedding planner must be...

• Compassionate. Wedding planners must recognise the unique circumstances faced by their couples. You can't demand more than what the couple can reasonably provide. For instance, if a couple expresses concerns about their circumstances, you should listen attentively, validate their concerns, and offer support without making them feel inadequate.
• Flexible. Wedding planners need to understand that plans may sometimes need to be modified to meet the needs and priorities of clients. You don't have free reign just because there is no payment. Instead, be ready to offer alternative solutions and compromises on your ideas. It is important to set clear boundaries with a couple to ensure that both parties' needs are met while staying within the constraints of the pro bono arrangement.
• Organised. If you decide to offer pro bono services then you have to make sure that you can pay them as much attention as your other paid weddings. Create separate schedules and timelines for pro bono projects, and communicate constantly with clients to keep things on the right track. This way, you can deliver exceptional service while giving back to the community.

Should my wedding business offer pro bono services?

Pro bono work is extremely rewarding, even without the financial compensation. Working pro bono, or for charitable causes, is a way for wedding planners to give back and make a difference in the lives of others.

Sarah Klingman, CEO of Gather,  intermittently donates her time to pro bono weddings and also donates a portion of her company's proceeds to Best Buddies—a non-profit organisation for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. For Sarah, the decision to do so was simple. "Pro bono work has been integral to our model from the very beginning. These are not just causes; they are commitments to making a meaningful impact. The decision to offer services pro bono was driven by a desire to contribute positively to these areas."

Wedding planners are natural givers and always want to go above and beyond for clients. But, at what personal cost? It is important to ensure that working pro bono is a viable move for your wedding planning business. Before you start taking on pro bono wedding work, assess your business' capacity and clarify boundaries for yourself to avoid putting your finances at high risk.

Three questions to ask yourself before offering your wedding services for free...

1. Does offering pro bono services align with my business goals and values?

Whilst pro bono work can be fulfilling, it should not come at the expense of your personal goals for growth. The work you do for free should enrich your portfolio and be an enjoyable experience for you both professionally and personally. Planning a wedding pro bono should be an opportunity to connect with a new roster of wedding suppliers, a new photographer, and even a new venue. The content captured can be posted across your social media channels and your website in order to attract new couples and opportunities.

2. Have I set clear boundaries and can I communicate these to my pro bono clients?

Without a clear agreement in place, pro bono projects may be susceptible to scope creep—where clients expect more services than initially agreed upon. Setting boundaries protects your time, energy, and resources when you work for free. You have to communicate the scope of work, establish limitations, and make agreements in writing. Most importantly, you need to know when to say, "No".

3. Does my wedding business have enough resources (time, finances, network)?

Offering pro bono services puts strain on valuable resources, such as time, finances, and manpower. Sarah explains, "Balancing pro bono work while ensuring financial stability is simply said, challenging. Success requires stringent financial planning and prioritising projects that ensure financial health."

The charitable weddings you take on must not compromise the profitability and financial health of your wedding business. It is also important that you don't spread yourself too thin and risk creative burnout.

To avoid financial losses, Sarah plans strategically ahead and looks for support from fellow wedding professionals. "We actively seek partnerships and grants that align with our cause-driven work. These collaborations not only provide financial support but also amplify the impact of our work."

The rewards of working for free as a wedding planner

You may not earn money from charity weddings, but there are plenty of unexpected rewards to reap from doing a good deed.

Expand your professional network

Sourcing wedding suppliers to work for free might seem like a daunting task, but it is only difficult at the beginning. After a few charity weddings, you'll find yourself attracting vendors and professionals who share your values and views. This opens up opportunities for building your ideal vendor network and working on larger-scale projects.

Collect high-quality press and marketing material

Pro bono weddings are a gold mine for stunning photos and stories that you can use for digital marketing. Additionally, charity events like this always garner attention from publications since they're always hungry for heartwarming stories. If you're lucky, you might just get featured on bridal magazines or wedding blogs!

Build your portfolio, beautifully

Pro bono weddings add a meaningful touch to your portfolio. Other wedding planners could have a long list of grand weddings, however a pro bono wedding done out of pure generosity is rare. This speaks volumes of who you are as a person and how passionate you are about not just your career, but the community as well.

Expand your clientele

Having an advocacy attracts a new wave of clients who value good deeds above everything else. When clients learn about your commitment to giving underprivileged couples a chance to get wed, clients will flock to you for their wedding planning needs in silent allegiance to your goal. It's a similar idea to how committing to sustainable practices as a wedding planner attracts eco-conscious clients.

Pro bono wedding planning at a glance

Pro bono wedding planning is a compassionate gesture where you offer your expertise and services for free to underprivileged couples. Working pro bono comes with its set of challenges, from managing finances to setting boundaries. However, the rewards are just as remarkable, as they allow you to expand your professional network and clientele and explore exciting PR opportunities.

When you start working for charitable causes, you're working to redefine success. Pro bono projects offer something that paid weddings cannot, and that is the sense of achievement and pride in giving back to the community. As Sarah says, "Success is not just measured in profit, but in the difference we make in people’s lives and in the causes we believe in."

The key to success in not-for-profit wedding planning, according to Sarah is, "creating a sustainable model where passion and pragmatism coexist."

On the seventh floor of Bergdorf Goodman, Cherie, Visualist's founder, listens intently to Deborah Kugler, founder and lead designer of intimate luxury destination wedding service OFFICIALÉ. Cherie sips a mocktail. Deborah, hungry after a full day of meetings, orders the afternoon tea.

OFFICIALÉ is both new and novel, having launched at just the end of 2023 with a refreshing perspective on what a wedding can and should be. In fact, speaking with Cherie is one of the first times Deborah has verbalised the "scribbled notes" and "simmering thoughts" on her new venture.

The pair talk of their experiences as female founders, recent adventures in Vegas, distilling art into data, and the future of the wedding industry.  Before the teapot is empty, Cherie has already arranged for me to call Deborah from across the Atlantic.

A month later, via video call, Deborah, or Deb as she introduces herself, greets me like an old friend and we launch into an exploration of her journey into design, the origins of her systematic creativity, and the thought process that led to her debut into the luxury wedding industry.

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√A radical root

Deb might be new to the wedding industry, but she is certainly not new to life as an entrepreneur. We start our chat with the memory of Deb's earliest creative hustle... in fourth grade! Deb created her earliest compositions on an IBM PC, brought home by her father. The PC was pre-plugged with Print Shop Deluxe and Deb soon realised that creating compositions was simply a matter of selecting and arranging compatible elements: font, image, border. Deb's artwork found a fanbase in her fellow classmates and soon enough she was trading her art for their lunch money. Deb's masterpieces could be produced, and reproduced, following a simple sum: font + image + format = work of art.  This is a theory which she still applies to her work as a designer: "I love analysing the data behind something artistic and making sure that something scientific is imaginative."

Deb has always possessed an affinity for maths and sciences but selected her college studies based on what she wanted to do, not what she was told she should, and subsequently studied communication art. Her parents would have preferred something more traditional—namely medicine, law, or business. But Deb talked them round, quelling their anxiety with the idea that she could go into broadcast media. But Deb instead chose the path less-explored—I am beginning to spot a pattern here—and pursued visual communication.

Before graduation, Deb's college professor advised her that she would befit New York. So, in the year 2000, she packed her bags and made the 8,000 mile move to NYC to study her masters at Pratt Institute. Before graduation, Deb had landed a job with a manufacturing company as a product designer and was soon promoted to head of design. From there, she took a graphic design job in a marketing firm but made no secret of her intent to progress into a directorial role within the company. Three months in, Deb won the company an eight-million-dollar contract. The role was hers. Today, Deb works as the regional design director for PepsiCo in North America. Deb refers to her journey as an "atypical trajectory." She explains, "You often hear luminaries in the design industry that have a stellar projection from start to finish, as though the carpet had been rolled out for them. But for me the road was clunky and jagged, sometimes it had missing parts, and I had to really throw myself into the next leg of things in order to make it here."

Deb's job, in essence, is to make things beautiful. Though she did not become a lawyer or a doctor,  her parents came to understand that her work takes much more than an eye for the aesthetic—that it is in fact founded in "a robust systemic thought process" that Deb has spent years shaping and refining.

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An emotional science

Deb appreciates beauty, but she is not satisfied with the superficial. She wants to dissect and inspect, to figure out the mechanics, and apply that learning elsewhere. Complexity does not intimidate Deb—it excites her.

To an untrained eye, the wedding industry may appear uncomplicated. A wedding is the simple sum of all its parts: wedding = guest list + venue + music + decor + florals + dress... But Deb is, of course, not satisfied by this simple equation. "I feel like the wedding industry is ripe for redesigning itself", she explains. Deb is throwing caution to the wind with her own complex equation—and it takes both experience and an eye for the nuance to redefine the variables and constants, and along with them the operators and functions.

And yet, in her mathematical approach, Deb always accounts for a necessary constant: emotion. After conducting extensive research on the wedding industry, Deb concluded that "emotion" was underutilised in the brand positioning of wedding planners. The duty of a designer, Deb explains, is to translate emotion into something tangible. To make a complex emotion comprehensible. Conveyance of emotion is so central to her offering as a wedding planner that Deb named her brand after the thinking, "Casa Officialé delle Emozioné"—translated in English to "The Official House of Emotion".

In mathematics, a convolution is an operation on two functions that produces a third function. A wedding is the transformation of two individuals into a couple ready to begin a future together. In such a convolution, Deb is aware of the array of emotions that need to be brought to the forefront. "Each couple has a very unique love story to tell. My challenge is to be able to make that come forward—not to bring about some other fantasy that has nothing to do with what they love." A beautiful sentiment, but a difficult one to execute. I ask Deb how exactly she digests this information and translates it into a design, a mood, an experience. Deb's eyes light up at this question. It hits the spot—that rare intersection between her analytical mindset and her creative spirit. For Deb, the process is perhaps even more captivating than the finished product.

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Data translation

Each couple, Deb explains, contains a huge sum of data. Her job is to:

1. Extract the information.

2. Analyse the findings.

3. Transform the raw data into something beautiful.

Deb begins by ascertaining the primary information: when, where, how many guests are invited. She then layers on secondary information: taste, style, personality. Deb wants to get to know her clients as individuals, and as a couple. Her questions are extensive: "Where do you shop for homeware? What is your favourite way to spend time together? What do you like doing when you're alone? What kind of music do you listen to? Do you prefer to travel locally or globally?" Deb's background in UX design trained her to never design by assumption and so, her wedding planning process always goes back to its roots—the client. It's important that her client remains informed and in control. Deborah leans in, "My process, in essence, is to bring my clients in as collaborators."

Deb encourages her clients to pick an anomalous reference point for their wedding. This becomes a motif that can be explored and abstracted to produce the unique look and feel for their big day—the "wedding personality" as Deb calls it. If a couple were choose the House of Chanel as their inspiration, Deb would begin her research at last season's runway—not the bridal collection but the ready-to-wear, she distinguishes—inspecting the concept, the materials, the repeated design devices. Deb deduces that Chanel corresponds to a lot of tweed, sparkles—"but only in the right places, carefully curated"—and pearls. Deb's innovative mind would then set about applying these familiar trademarks in an unfamiliar setting—wedding design.

For her own destination wedding on the banks of Lake Como, Deb was inspired by the concept of a Baroque artwork. The inspiration manifested first in the materials she chose for her decor: the colour palette, the mixing of metals, and the use of worn things versus the new. Her invitation was finished in an antique gold and opened up like a gate, echoing the entrance to the villa in which guests would be staying. Invitees had to peel through different layers of the invitation and hidden inside was a miniature colour palette, a subtle hint to what guests could expect from the day—the smallest details always hold the highest impact. As for the table setting, Deb leaned into the Baroque ideology with Roman busts and fresh fruit. She used nuts as an alternative way to add texture to the table because, Deb asserts, "you should bring in natural wonders. I don't think that table decor starts and ends just with florals."

Why does an invitation have to just be a card? Why do centrepieces have to be florals? Deb's willingness to experiment with the unconventional—tweed for example—is precisely what sets her apart. The wedding industry is ready for an injection of the irregular and the innovative, and Deb is seeing that it gets it.

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Re-defining luxury

Deb promises to provide her clients with an inimitable celebration of their one-of-a-kind love. It is this promise of the bespoke that makes OFFICIALÉ deserving of its luxury label—a label that has become liberally applied. Deb agrees, "The term 'luxury' has been heavily overused, especially in my industry." At a recent convention for wedding planners, Deb sought out the agreed definition of luxury amongst the wedding industry. The answers she found varied: "Luxury is abundance, volume, excess." Deb could see sense in the definition, but worried this thinking was irresponsible. "Luxury is creating a fantasy." This did not sit right with Deborah either—should luxury not feel undoubtedly real? Unsatisfied with her findings, Deb analysed her own perception of luxury and landed on two definitions...

1. Luxury is the effortlessness that comes from mastering a craft.

"A luxury brand creates a product or a collection that is so refined one cannot see the amount of work that went into it. You would love to own it simply because it's a work of art. You don't see a stitch of imperfection because of the abundance of time and love devoted to it. I love the idea of effortlessness derived from mastery. I would love for my couples to experience this level of service. An effortless look is actually an effort full look, right?"

2. Luxury is the priceless quality of giving and receiving the world's most intentional work.

"Luxury and value are almost synonymous. You always think that to have a luxurious experience, you have to spend so much money. But there is a difference between money and value. Something that is valuable to one person might not be valuable to another. Instead of placing a value on my work which might not resonate with somebody else, I want to be priceless. There is the luxury of giving in my role. I want to give the luxury of my most intentional work."

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More than the sum of its parts

Deb's definitions of luxury speak to her unwavering devotion to her craft and to her clients. Her weddings are not fleeting dates in the diary but are instead opportunities to share in a memorable, meaningful celebration. Deb relishes the time spent with her clients in the planning process but worries that too often precious time in the lead-up to the big day is shunned because the planner, and as a result the couple, are too focused on the singular moment at the top of the aisle. "I noticed that planners seem to focus on just that one day—not even a full 24 hours. The fact that, in a year of planning, you're only focused on 24 hours feels wasteful."

Deb rejects the narrative of the wedding day as the apogee. Her role is not to co-ordinate a singular day of celebration but rather escort her clients on a journey throughout their wedding year that benefits their physical and emotional wellness. This journey is designed to strengthen their bond as a couple and their circle of treasured friends and family. "A wedding is a celebration of a couple's love. But it's also a love story between them and the family and friends that have supported them." As such, Deb dedicates time within the planning process to gather loved ones together to simply talk about what is to come. "Preparing for a wedding is a chapter where people are bringing a couple from one point into the next and I would love to be there as the guide, the mentor, the coach, and the best friend." Deb concludes, "A wedding is an opportunity to strengthen relationships between each other, with your own self, and with those closest to you. I hope that my couples will come away from the celebration transformed not just by the 24 hours in which they get to be the bride and groom, but by a full year of appreciating the value of taking care of themselves and connecting with their people. The wedding is not a final destination, but a journey of preparation for a new life together."

It is this understanding of all that a wedding is, and all that it can be, that has become the defining piece of Deb's equation. In an industry rooted in tradition, Deborah has entered as a new variable.

Let's get one thing straight: weddings can be grand, stylish, and exceptionally fun, whilst also being kind to the Earth.

Sustainable weddings are not a fleeting trend, they are a movement towards a greener future. Wedding planners have a responsibility to support the movement by encouraging clients to make sustainable choices and by evaluating the eco-friendly updates they can make to their own planning process.

A sustainable wedding business equals happy clients and a healthier planet—so what are you waiting for? We have gathered leading sustainability advocates in the wedding industry to give us an insight as to the environmental impact of the wedding industry and how planners can contribute to a more sustainable future for the wedding sector.

What you'll learn:

• The environmental impact of the wedding industry
• The definition of a sustainable wedding planning business
• How to tackle the difficulties of running a sustainable wedding planning
• How to make your wedding business more eco-friendly

A greener future for your wedding business awaits...

The environmental impact of the wedding industry

According to the Green Bride Guide, each wedding produces approximately 400-600 pounds of trash and emits around 60 tons of CO2. This is equivalent to the weight of a grand piano and the annual emissions of approximately ten regular cars—in other words, its a lot. And all for just one event. Now, take into consideration the millions of weddings that happen annually and you'll understand that if every wedding planner were to turn a blind eye to their environmental responsibility, the results would be devastating.

Sarah Klingman is the CEO of Gather—an award-winning wedding planning concierge team based in the US. According to Sarah, "The prevalence of waste in the events industry is massive." Sarah estimates that each wedding guest generates up to one pound of waste, with some of the biggest contributors to waste being single-use plastics used in decorations and catering. Sarah also duly notes the large carbon footprint being produced by transport to and from wedding venues, along with the huge amount of energy needed to power the big day. Sarah points out that in order to tackle these deep-rooted issues in the industry, the onus must be placed on the industry at large not the individual, "Addressing these issues is not just a matter of corporate responsibility but also of industry-wide sustainability."

These statistics might paint a pretty grim picture, but the continually growing awareness amongst wedding professionals of the need for more sustainable practices is something to celebrate. And so too is the attitude of the consumers. Sarah notes, "In recent years, there has certainly been a noticeable shift in client preferences towards more sustainable ceremonies and practices. Clients are increasingly aware of the environmental impact of their events and are seeking options that align with their values." Weddings are no longer solely for show, couples want celebrations that reflect their beliefs. This growing demand is a clarion call for wedding planners to adapt their services to reinforce their commitment to sustainability and cater to the evolving demands of their clientele.

What is a sustainable wedding business?

The wedding industry needs to be more sustainable, on that we can all agree. But what exactly is a sustainable wedding business? The buzzword of the moment might change (green, sustainable, eco-friendly, etc.) but for JoAnn Moore, certified green wedding planner and founder of JoAnn Moore Weddings & Events, the definition of a green wedding remains the same: "When a couple and their wedding team make choices that decrease the negative impact on the environment, that is a Green wedding."

True sustainable planners are actively engaged in minimising their environmental impact at every step of their operations, which includes those they choose to collaborate with. Sustainable planner should seek out vendors and venues whose environmental values align with their own, JoAnn gives the example of photographers who work with digitals, or caterers who source their ingredients locally. When building a network of trusted wedding vendors and venues, JoAnn advises planners undertake thorough research in order to avoid falling victim to green washing.

Of course, planners must also take responsibility for their own practices. "Where and who a planner works with is essential, but there will be no credibility with such businesses if they don’t also make efforts to reduce the environmental impact of their own work." explains Gwenda Jeffs, editor and owner of The Green Union—a community and resource bank for eco-friendly wedding professionals.

Gwenda started her career in the wedding industry as a florist and recalls feeling like somewhat of a minority when it came to her concern for the negative environmental impact of floristry and the wedding industry at large. She spent the next few years refining her practice to be as eco-friendly as possible, and watching out for others who were doing the same. Thankfully, the commitment of Gwenda and other early-adopter sustainable wedding pros paid off. Gwenda recalls, "Slowly, a small but noticeable shift began to happen. What was seen once considered to be predominantly of interest to ‘unwashed hippies’, as I once heard it described, was being increasingly embraced in the mainstream and even luxury end of the industry."

The shifting attitude towards sustainability in the wedding industry mirrors the growing awareness of the general public. Gwenda notes, "Strides forward have been directly linked to events that have caused financial insecurity (namely Brexit and the dreaded Covid), as well as the more obvious media attention paid to the realities of the climate crisis." Gwenda explains that before the pandemic, couples would often only choose to dial down their guest list or extravagant decor due to budgetary constraints however in recent years, scaled-down sustainable weddings have become "a genuine choice for wedding professionals and couples alike."

Ever increasing awareness of the climate crisis has left wedding professionals keen to understand their role in making the industry more green. "The industry is thirsty for information and ways to improve how they do things", assures JoAnn. In fact, JoAnn has taken an active role in providing such education to her fellow wedding pros across the U.S. and Mexico—she even has the backing of the Mexican government who are keen to sustainably scale their destination wedding industry whilst decreasing the impact on the local environment.

JoAnn is currently working on compiling her eco-philosophy into a book alongside Kate Harrison, author of  The Green Bride Guide, and Helena Ricon, a certified green wedding planner and educator. The guide will focus on the responsibility of wedding professionals and venues in building a more sustainable future for the industry and is due for publication later this year (2024). Testament to her growing presence as an advocate for eco-conscious weddings, JoAnn was invited to speak at the latest Association of Bridal Consultants conference in Puerto Rico and the positive response to her talk was overwhelming. JoAnn beams, "I'm still receiving text messages, emails, and calls with questions." It is clear that wedding planners are keen to assume responsibility for their carbon footprints and take the first step in building more sustainable businesses.

Barriers to sustainability in the wedding industry

The response to JoAnn's work serves as evidence that the wedding industry is ready for a green revolution. And yet, progress remains slow. Whilst wedding industry professionals have good intentions, building sustainable practices does not happen overnight and going green poses significant challenges to planners and vendors alike.

A primary concern, as is always the case for wedding pros, is appeasing the client. "We are people pleasers, after all" explains JoAnn, "Professionals need guidance with making a stand between doing what is right for the environment and pleasing their clients." Sarah Klingman echoes these sentiments, "The most challenging aspect of our transition [to greener practices] was balancing sustainability with client expectations." Thankfully, wedding planners aren't often forced to choose between the two—"I have not encountered many couples who are anti-eco-friendly", JoAnn clarifies—but sometimes clients don't even realise the devastating environmental consequences of their dream wedding. JoAnn recalls a client who was besotted with the idea of launching Chinese Lanterns. The problem? The wedding was scheduled in the midst of a severe drought and federal fire restrictions had to be strictly observed. When it became clear the bride was not going to change her mind, JoAnn politely turned down the wedding. But she wonders how may professionals would be willing to do the same. If wedding planners are serious about improving their environmental impact, they must be prepared to turn down work that no longer aligns with their sustainable principles.

Additionally, the mounting pressure to run a sustainable wedding business can leave wedding planners fearful to take the first step. Many industry professionals grapple with the desire to be more eco-friendly but falling short of executing sustainable business practices perfectly. As a "recovering perfectionist" herself, Gwenda relates, "I totally get it! But to repurpose the tagline of a well-known supermarket chain, every little helps." Gwenda is quick to reassure fellow wedding pros that moving forward imperfectly, is preferable to not making progress at all. Gwenda references Anne-Marie Bonneau to drive home her point, "We don't need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly. This rings just as true to me if you replace ‘zero waste’ with ‘sustainable weddings’. " The quest for a more sustainable wedding industry starts with a shift in mindset towards progress over perfection. Sustainability is not a competition. It doesn't matter if all you can do right now is minimise your single-use plastic consumption, what's important is that you are doing what you can. The only rule: be transparent. Gwenda advises, "Just stay clear of greenwashing. Simply communicate what you are doing right now, and what you strive to be doing in the future. You’ll find this will resonate with heaps of prospective clients who are doing their own imperfect best, too."

How to build a sustainable wedding business

When it comes to sustainability, there is no shame in starting small. JoAnn shares some quick-fix examples of where to start:

• Eliminating single-use plastics like straws and disposable cutlery
• Using recycled materials for decorations
• Cutting down guest lists to cut down carbon emissions
• Choosing green vendors and venues

Embracing digitalisation is another powerful step towards reducing the environmental footprint (and boosting the efficiency) of your wedding planning business. Gwenda explains, "The majority of a planner’s work is administrative so going fully paperless is an ideal place to start. Eco-friendly mobile phone plans, renewable energy tariffs for the home/office, green website hosting, and repairing over replacing fixable tech are other easy wins. If you are able, consideration should be given to restricting the area in which you will travel for work (and to carbon offsetting with one of the plethora of schemes out there for anything you are unable to avoid.)"

These little changes add up. However wedding planners should also be aware that building sustainable practices might take an initial investment of both time and money. Sarah recounts the transitional period at Gather, "It required a significant investment in training our staff to prioritise green practices—such as biodegradable materials, sourcing locally to reduce transportation emissions, and ensuring efficient energy use at our venues—without compromising on the quality of our services."

A financial commitment might not always be possible, and that is okay. Gwenda assures, "I am all too aware of the fine balance that needs to be drawn between one’s budget and one’s conscience." But she can also speak from experience when she says that a lot of the sustainable swaps mentioned should have minimal cost implications. In fact, some will likely save you money in the long run—bonus!

Building a truly sustainable wedding business requires long-term commitment and continual revisions, but every wedding planner can implement small changes to their process that together will make a huge difference to the environmental impact of the wedding industry. Take this as your sign to work towards a more sustainable future for your wedding business, You can start small, the most important thing is just to start. Because, as JoAnn encouragingly rallies, "We can do better."

Let's get one thing clear: you don't need a wedding planner certification to become a wedding planner. However, a formal wedding planning education and a wedding planning certificate can help you start a wedding planning business.

Although not mandatory, becoming a certified wedding planner can make your wedding planning business stand out. A wedding planner qualification validates your expertise. It reassures clients that you're more than capable of managing their special day.

Success in the wedding industry depends on many factors. Practical experience, a strong professional network, and general business skills are key. These topics are all covered in professional wedding planning courses. In this article, we'll discuss the fundamentals of becoming a qualified wedding planner and starting a career in the wedding industry, including:

• The qualifications you need to become a wedding planner
• What to expect from your wedding planner certification course
• The best courses available to wedding planners to earn your wedding planning certification
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What qualifications do you need to become a wedding planner?

Technically, you don't need formal qualifications to become a wedding planner. However, completing a formal educational course to become a certified wedding planner will boost your chances of success in the competitive wedding planning industry.

What to Expect from Your Wedding Planner Certification Course

Wedding planning courses will teach you essential wedding planner skills. You'll learn about budgeting, timeline creation, and client communication. Advanced Certification Wedding Planning programs offer in-depth knowledge and real-world scenarios to test your skills.

Best Courses for Wedding Planning Certification

To earn your wedding planning certification, choose a course that fits your needs. Many professional wedding planners recommend online courses for flexibility. Consider programs that offer a wedding business CRM component. This tool helps manage client details and vendor contracts efficiently.

Skills Needed for a Successful Wedding Planner

Some things can't be taught. To be a successful wedding planner, you need strong organizational skills, creativity, and the ability to multitask. Here are a few must-have wedding planner skills:

• Empathy. Wedding planners with strong empathy forge deeper connections with their clients. If you can understand your couple's vision and emotions, you'll deliver a meaningful celebration.
• Organisation. Wedding planners juggle many moving parts. Solid organizational skills are essential to coordinate all aspects of the big day and maintain client wellbeing.
• Communication. Wedding planners spend a lot of time communicating ideas, setbacks, and solutions to clients, vendors, and venues. Both written and verbal communication skills are crucial.
• Adaptability. Things don't always go according to plan on a wedding day. A good wedding planner can think on their feet, come up with creative solutions, and keep the day running smoothly even when things go awry.

If you tick all the above boxes, you have what it takes to start a successful career as a wedding planner. Pursuing a wedding planning certificate will help you consolidate your skills and learn how to apply them as a professional wedding planner. Your journey to becoming a certified wedding planner starts here.

What is a wedding planner certification?

A wedding planner certification is a formal credential acknowledging your completion of an industry training program and your proficiency in executing successful weddings. Wedding planning certification programs provide a structured learning curriculum covering key areas like event management, budgeting, etiquette, and cultural sensitivities. This knowledge enables you to handle diverse wedding scenarios professionally and confidently.

How Long Does it Take to Get a Wedding Planning Certificate?

A wedding planning certification program can take between two weeks and six months to complete, depending on the complexity and format. Online courses for wedding planners tend to be shorter since they can be accessed anytime and anywhere. In-person courses follow a specific timeline.

Benefits of Becoming a Certified Wedding Planner

Becoming a certified wedding planner will make you better and more confident in your work—a bonus in itself. But you can also use your wedding planning certificate to symbolize to new clients that you are the real deal. Here are three ways to use your wedding planner certification to promote your wedding planning business:

• Display it on your website. Create a dedicated section showcasing your wedding planner certification. Include details such as the issuing organization, the year obtained, and notable achievements.
• Post on social media. Share certification achievements on your business's social media profiles. This makes great content for platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
• List your services in professional directories. Newly engaged couples often search reputable industry directories like Hitched and Bridebook to find their planner. As a certified wedding planner, you'll be eligible for listing as an approved planner.

By enhancing your wedding planner qualifications, you can become a qualified wedding planner who stands out in the wedding industry. This can help you start a wedding planning business and build a successful career in wedding planning. Enroll in wedding planning courses UK or online courses for wedding planners to get started. Advanced Certification Wedding Planning programs can further hone your wedding planner skills, including using a wedding business CRM.

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Our top 6 wedding planning certification courses

Ready to start your career in the wedding industry as a certified wedding planner? Whether you're based in the UK, the US, or anywhere else in the world, we have found the right course for you!

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Wedding Planner Certification Program - Certified Wedding Planner Society (CWP)

Price: $598

Type: Online

The Wedding Planning Certification Program by CWP is a 20-hour online course that covers the essentials, from effective client communication to establishing a professional online presence for your wedding planning business. The course also provides insights into the current job market for professional wedding planners. Upon completion, you will receive a lifetime membership to the CWP Society.

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What you will learn:

• Cultivating strong connections with venues
• Wedding etiquette and procedures
• Creating a preferred list of vendors and a dream team
• Identifying and building your wedding planning niche
• How to create your portfolio (what to include and skip)
• Optimising your wedding planning website

Certificate Of Professional Wedding Planning, Styling & Design - The Wedding Planner Institute

Price: $697

Type: Online

This online wedding planning course by The Wedding Planner Institute is the perfect introduction to wedding planning. It covers every aspect of wedding planning, styling, and design, providing a step-by-step guide to kickstarting your career in the wedding industry. By completing this wedding planner certification, you'll gain the practical skills and confidence needed to oversee all aspects of a wedding.

What you will learn:

• Planning ceremonies and receptions
• Creating an impressive wedding planning portfolio
• Finance management
• Landing your first wedding
• Starting a wedding planning business

Wedding Planning Elite Course - The Wedding Planner School

Price: £3,449

Type: In-person (Kent, UK)

The Elite Course by The Wedding Planner School is a one-week intensive wedding planning certification program. It combines theoretical learning with practical experience in wedding coordination. Under the guidance of an award-winning professional wedding planner, students collaborate to coordinate a real-life wedding.

Upon completion, students receive an externally accredited wedding planning certificate from the International Association for Distance Learning (IADL). They also gain valuable resources such as planning templates and ongoing support tailored to their needs.

What you will learn:

• Wedding planning basics
• Marriage laws and procedures
• Researching suppliers
• Social media training
• Creating a marketing plan
• Health and safety obligations

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Certificate in Wedding Planning - The Event School London

Price: £1,350

Type: In-person (London, UK)

The Certificate in Wedding Planning course by The Event School London is a transformative 5-day program curated by renowned wedding planning expert Siobhan Craven-Robins. Classes are held at the prestigious ExCel London Campus, where you'll explore every aspect of wedding planning—from understanding client needs to starting a wedding planning business and promoting it effectively.

What you will learn:

• Wedding industry working conditions and ethics
• Spotting and implementing wedding trends
• Managing wedding budgets
• Using wedding planning tools
• Contingency planning

Wedding Coordination and Design - The International School of Hospitality

Price: $3,300

Type: In-person (Las Vegas, NV)

The Wedding Coordination and Design course by The International School of Hospitality equips you with the skills and knowledge to excel in the wedding industry. From the first client meeting to the wedding day, this course offers top-notch guidance from experts in Las Vegas' wedding scene. You'll learn about cultural ceremonies, vendor relations, and more. After completion, you'll receive a Wedding Coordination and Design (WCD) Certificate, proving you're a qualified wedding planner ready to shine in the industry.

What you will learn:

• Proposal writing
• Photography and videography
• Sustainable wedding planning
• Staffing and timeline

Certified Wedding & Event Planning Course - Lovegevity Wedding Planning Institute

Price: Starting at $1,595

Type: Online/in-person (US)

Lovegevity offers a comprehensive certification programme for wedding planners. The 12-week long programme is designed to educate you on the top strategies, practices, and techniques to become a wedding planner. Take the course on a self-study basis, or add on the fast track package which offers real-life experience working on actual events guided by industry experts. As a graduate of this programme, you won't just receive a certification, but also a letter of recommendation and CWEP designation that recognises you as an industry expert.

What you will learn:

• Building your portfolio
• Mastering client acquisition
• Create standout wedding packages
• Etiquette and cultural intelligence
• Standard event planning platforms and technology

TLDR: Start Your Career as a Certified Wedding Planner Today!

In the competitive wedding industry, aspiring planners aim to differentiate themselves by obtaining a wedding planner certification. While not mandatory, certification validates expertise and professionalism, providing a competitive edge.

Becoming a certified wedding planner demonstrates commitment and proficiency. Training covers industry trends, vendor relations, and event logistics, fostering confidence in handling diverse weddings. Certification assures clients of a planner's skills in delivering seamless, memorable experiences.

Networking opportunities and community support facilitate ongoing professional growth. This certification not only attracts diverse clientele but also lays a solid foundation for a fulfilling career in the dynamic wedding industry.

Interior designers must continually seek improvement to their creative skillset and their business management capabilities—for personal challenge, professional growth, and the success of their interior design business. Interior designers can find further education after becoming qualified via courses, workshops, and seminars to develop new, important interior design skills to attract new clients and remain at the forefront of the interior design industry. We call this Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

The British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) is the UK's preeminent professional body for interior designers. Commitment to CPD is a requirement for all BIID members, this mandate ensures British interior designers strive for continual development and helps to maintain a standard of excellence that drives the interior design industry forward.

CPD for interior designers creates opportunity for personal and professional growth. In this article we'll explore the benefits of participating in CPD to interior designers, and provide an explanation of CPD requirements for BIID members. A breakdown of what we'll cover:

• The benefits of ongoing education for interior designers
• The CPD requirements for BIID members and how to track them
• The best BIID accredited UK-based interior design courses—and why you should take them

Ready to take the next step in your interior design career? Let's start learning.

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Why is Continuing Professional Development important for interior designers?

The interior design industry is constantly evolving and interior designers need to keep up. CPD keeps interior designers sharp, adaptable, and informed on important conversations happening in the design industry. Neglecting CPD is passing up an opportunity to learn and develop as an interior designer—in other words, self-sabotage.

The three biggest benefits of CPD to interior designers:

Refine your interior design skillset

You always want to be working at the top of your game, right? CPD ensures you continue to reach your potential as an interior designer and can feel proud of the level you are working at, both creatively and managerially. Plus, clients want to work with someone clued up and professional—CPD is a great way to ensure that you are always both.

Meet BIID member requirements

Last but not least, completing BIID approved CPD courses is a mandatory requirement for BIID members. Being a member of BIID opens up a wealth of opportunities and industry insights. It is said that BIID members are often preferred by high-end clients and are more frequently featured in publications.

Prove your worth

A commitment to CPD sets you apart from your competitors in the interior design space. One hundred designers might claim to be "experts" in certain topics, but how many have the credentials to back that up?

Certificates of completion for industry-standard training courses look great on your website and help prove to prospective clients that you are the real deal—display them like a badge of honour. Fellow industry professionals will be impressed by your list of educational accomplishments too, opening up opportunities for brand collaborations and partnerships.

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CPD requirements for BIID members

BIID members are required to complete and record at least 20 hours of CPD activity per membership year (1st April - 31st March). At least 10 hours should be structured CPD activities, and the rest can be unstructured.

Structured CPD activities form part of a planned programme and have clearly defined goals. On the other hand, unstructured CPD activities are more self-led and spontaneous.

Examples of unstructured CPD activities:

• Attending in-person educational events such as CPD training, seminars, courses, and conferences.
• Becoming digital educational events such as webinars, recorded talks, and e-learning courses.
• Publishing articles, manuals, or books for a professional audience.

Examples of unstructured CPD activities:

• Attending interior design industry trade shows.
• Reading interior design related books, journals, or magazines.
• Becoming an interior design mentor.
• Listening to interior design podcasts.

Exemptions to CPD requirements do apply, so don't be disheartened if you are not currently in a position to commit to CPD at this scale. See BIID website for more details.

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BIID-approved CPD courses for interior designers

We have rummaged through thousands of excellent educational resources for interior designers, to bring your our top pick of BIID-approved CPD courses for interior designers. Get your notebooks at the ready...

BIID Essential Business for Interior Designers

Type: Live workshop

Duration: 18 hours (31st January—2nd February 2024)

"Dive into the basics of building and running a successful interior design business."

The BIID Essential Business for Interior Designers (EBID) is a three-day interior design workshop tailored for emerging and early-stage interior designers. It addresses the unique challenges faced by pre-startup and early-stage interior designers and tackles business fundamentals including strategic planning, effective marketing, and more. The course is limited to a small group of 12 designers to ensure individual attention and interaction.

What you will learn:

• Interior design business 101: marketing, time and project management, setting goals.
• Client management: communication strategies, setting boundaries.
• Financial management: financial planning, bookkeeping, taxes.

Book a slot and learn more about the BIID Essential Business for Interior Designers.

Smartphone Photography for Interior Designers

Type: Live workshop

Duration: 3 hours (28th February 2024)

"The lenses are ready, but are you?"

High-quality photos are the cornerstone of an interior designer's online presence. They allow you to visually showcase your work, attract potential clients, and stand out in a crowded market. This three-hour interior design workshop invites designers to discover the exciting possibilities of using smartphone cameras to capture and showcase their work.

What you will learn:

• Basics of smartphone photography: tips and techniques.
• How to edit smartphone pictures.
• Put it into practice: practice your new skills in the showroom with advice from Jenny.

Book a slot and learn more about the Smartphone Photography for Interior Designers workshop.

BIID Member Tour of Collect Art Fair 2024

Type: Live event

Duration: 1 hour (29th February 2024)

"Discover new artists, trends, and perspectives."

Collect Art Fair offers a curation of work from emerging artists across various styles and mediums. Limited to just 10 BIID members, this event provides an insider's perspective on developments in design and craft to provide a fresh perspective on the artworks, ranging from textiles and new materials to glass and ceramics. Here, you'll discover unique textures, colour combinations, and artistic techniques that wouldn't be readily found in magazines or online.

What you will learn:

• Network with fellow industry aesthetes.
• Discover fresh perspectives on art and its applications.
• Spot emerging trends in the word of art and design.

Book a slot and learn more about the BIID Member Tour of Collect Art Fair 2024.

Applying Circular Economy to Office Furniture Projects

Type: Online seminar

Duration: 1 hour

"Foster sustainability with remanufactured furniture."

Timely and relevant, this course explores the industry's imperative shift toward a circular economy—a model of production that aims to keep resources in use for as long as possible. By adopting circular economy strategies, interior designers can minimise their environmental footprint and address industry challenges like carbon washing.

What you will learn:

• How furniture suppliers are reducing carbon emissions.
• How specifying sustainable furniture contributes to carbon-neutral design.
• How to identify true ecological suppliers.

Book a slot and learn more about Applying Circular Economy to Office Furniture Projects.

Instagram: How to Create an Algorithm Proof Content Strategy

Type: Online workshop

Duration: 1.5 hours (7th February 2024)

"Achieve consistent visibility, engagement, and growth on Instagram."

Instagram is an ever changing landscape, but don't let the algorithm get the better of you!

This workshop with social media strategist Bella Foxwell promises to equip interior designers with a practical toolkit to adapt to current Instagram trends and create future-proof content strategies.

What you will learn:

• The rules of the Instagram algorithm in 2024.
• How to align your content strategy to your sales funnel.
• How to approach scheduling of feed posts and stories.

Book a slot and learn more about Instagram: How to Create an Algorithm Proof Content Strategy.

Health and Wellbeing in Homes

Type: Online course

Duration: 2 hours

"Show how much you care for your clients through design."

People are now placing higher value on overall wellbeing, leading to an increased demand for homes that go beyond aesthetics. In this online interior design short course, you explore the gap between what you know about housing and health and how it's put into practice. This helps you understand how wellness-focused trends, like biophilic design and ergonomic furniture, can make residents healthier and happier.

What you will learn

• The importance of health and wellbeing in the interior design industry.
• Gain an insight into the major considerations for health and well being in design.
• The criteria of a healthy home and how to achieve it.

Book a slot and learn more about Health and Wellbeing in Homes.

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CPD for interior designers in a nutshell...

A commitment to CPD is integral to the professional development of an interior designer and the subsequent success of their interior design business.

In order to uphold high standards in British interior design, BIID makes CPD a membership requirement. BIID-approved CPD courses set the gold standard for professionalism, ethics, and technical competence within the industry. BIID members are required to complete at least 20 hours of BIID approved CPD courses per year.

Educational courses for interior designers can be found on a range of topics, from technical skills to business management. We encourage interior designers to participate in an array of educational activities for optimum growth.

Continuing education for interior designers is an unspoken rule. In order to run a successful interior design business, you must strive for continual progression and upgrades to your interior design skillset.

In order to remain at the forefront of the interior design industry, designers and architects must complete continuing education units (CEUs). CEU courses are not only a great way to maintain industry knowledge and important skills as an interior designer, but they are also often a mandatory requirement. For example, The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) makes participation in CEU-accredited courses a requirement of membership.

ASID approved CEU courses come in all shapes and sizes, from online courses to in-person workshops. Topic covered range from managing risks as the owner of an interior design firm, to learning how to foster community through design. In fact, there is so much education available to interior designers, it can be hard to know where to start.

In this article, we'll walk you through the fundamentals of CEU for interior designers, including:

• The benefits of participating in further education for interior designers
• What is CEU for interior designers? And how is it tracked by ASID
• The top ASID-approved CEU courses for interior designers

Ready to level up your skills as an interior designer? Here is the what, why, and how of CEU for interior designers.

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Why is continuous learning important for interior designers?

The interior design industry is continually evolving which means that in order to stay at the top of the industry, interior designers must evolve too.

Interior design education covers all facets of life as an interior design entrepreneur: business management, tactile skills, critical thinking about industry development, and more. In every format, CEU is a powerful tool for interior design career development.

Three key benefits of continuing education for interior designers:

Improve important interior design skills

Interior design clients are increasingly seeking expertise in innovative commercial design, sustainable design, and incorporating AI into the design process. Regularly completing relevant CEU courses allows interior designers to confidently navigate these frontiers and offer them to clients. In addition, further education for interior designers informs participants on changes in ethical considerations, building codes, and other legal requirements, helping to reduce the legal and financial risk to your interior design business.

Increase credibility to prospective clients

CEU certifications are physical proof that you have the credentials to support your claims. Clients are more likely to trust an accredited interior designer, and your sharpened skills means they are are more likely to be satisfied with the outcome of their project.

Fellow industry professionals will also view your ASID membership as a badge of merit, opening the doors to new  brand partnerships and collaborations.

Retain membership to ASID

In order to be a member of ASID, interior designers must complete a set criteria of ASID approved CEU courses. As a member of ASID, interior designers have access to a comprehensive bank of resources essential to career maintenance and growth. For example, the ASID provides research reports on the latest developments in the interior design industry, compiles an unrivalled list of interior design jobs, and hosts regular awards to allow your interior design excellence to be recognised industry-wide.

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CEU requirements for ASID members

All ASID members need to complete at least 10 units (equal to 10 contact hours) of approved continuing interior design education every two years. Certain exemptions do apply—see ASID website for details.

The ASID maintain the belief that ongoing continuing education is important for interior design professionals because "professional development strengthens the interior design profession and the Society by improving members’ competencies, knowledge, and skills in subject areas essential to the growth and success of the industry." CEU benefits the individual designer, and the interior industry at large.

What types of of CEU can I undertake?

CEU courses can be taken in-person or online and ASID approves many learning formats such as short courses, workshops, webinars, and conferences. ASID does not limit the subject matter of CEUs but instead encourages interior designers to pick the courses that best support their personal professional development.

In order to be credited, a CEU must be approved by one of the following:

• IDCEC Approval System
• State Regulatory Board
• Approved Industry Relevant Organizations:
• American Institute of Architects (AIA)
• Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI)
• International Facility Management Association (IFMA)
• National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA)

If an interior design course is not yet approved by one of the above entities, you may submit the course for review using the ASID Self-Reporting Submission Form.

How do I track my CEUs?

After successfully completing a CEU, interior designers should log their certificate of completion with the International Design Continuing Education Council (IDCEC). All ASID members are granted access to the IDCEC registry with their given IDCEC number.

What happens if I don't meet my CEU requirements?

After each reporting period, ASID will look at the IDCEC report to see if you met the required number of CEU for interior designers. You may also be asked to audit and present proof of completion

If you can't provide proof of having completed the mandatory CEU requirements laid out by ASID, you might face membership suspension. In case of health issues, disabilities, or other extenuating  circumstances, you can request an adjustment at least three months before the current reporting period ends.

For other questions and concerns, visit the ASID Frequently Asked Questions.

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Our top 5 ASID-approved CEU courses for interior designers

Ready to take on your first interior design workshop or event? Let's explore five promising CEU interior design courses.

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[R]Evolution of Interior Design: Demonstrating its Power and Value

Type: Webinar (recording)

"Learn how the interior design profession is reinventing itself, breaking down barriers to develop new partnerships and new approaches to the practice and process of design."

The role of an interior designer is evolving. This webinar explores how interior designers can collectively build a better future for the industry. Explore paths to innovation from cross-industry collaborations, to incorporating new developments in health, safety, and welfare.

What you will learn:

• Review and evaluate changes in design by practice area and process.
• Identify opportunities for cross-disciplinary learning.
• Understand and communicate the power of interior design.

Register for [R]Evolution of Interior Design: Demonstrating its Power and Value.

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Body, Mind, Wallet: Translating Your Values to Your Design

Type: Short course

Meet your educator: Marylena Sevigney

"Approach design decisions as an expression of your values by implementing simple, accessible strategies to support health, wellness, and sustainability."

Your designs should always reflect your personal values. This course teaches interior designers how to identify their personal values and appreciate their role in the health and well-being of their community. Equip yourself with a framework to make deliberate design decisions that reflect your values .

What you will learn:

• Draft a values statement to guide your design process and project goals.
• Identify steps you can take to improve your own health and wellness.
• Identify ways in which you can build a more sustainable design practice.

Register for Body, Mind, Wallet: Translating Your Values to Your Design.

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Managing Risk in Your Interior Design Business

Type: Short course

"Learn how to effectively protect your business from risk exposure and expensive lawsuits."

A creative mind is not enough to run an interior design business. Sometimes, you need to pull up your boots and tackle the serious stuff. ASID-approved CEU course that breaks down legal matters such as contracts, intellectual property, liability to ensure you are up to date with different regulations and licensing requirements and feel confident in your work. Resources include downloadable PDFs and educational videos.

What you will learn:

• Common legal claims against interior designers
• How to recognise and address potential problems
• Importance of liability insurance

Register for Managing Risk in Your Interior Design Business today.

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Build Your Brand Identity Beyond Logos

Type: Short course

"How Interior Designers Can Use Branding to Build a Successful Business."

Branding is the best investment you can make for your interior design business. The Build Your Brand Identity Beyond Logos course is not just about creating a good logo; it's about developing a unique identity that resonates with clients. This material for continuing education for interior designers revolves around consumer behaviour, types of branding, brand strategy development, and more.

What you will learn:

• The true definition of branding and its influence on business growth.
• How to create a brand strategy document.
• Alternative ways to look at branding.

Register for Build Your Brand Identity Beyond Logos.

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Planning for Your Firm's Future - And Yours!

Type: Webinar (recording)

"Learn how to plan for your future at key stages in the business lifecycle."

At all stages of your interior design career, you want feel secure in the future success of your interior design business. This ASID accredited course teaches interior designers about the life cycle of an interior design business and the best approach key decision making.

What you will learn:

• Recognise the importance of planning for transition.
• Describe the possible advantages of selling your firm.
• Identify the ways in which partnerships can ensure your firm’s legacy.

Register for Planning for Your Firm's Future - And Yours!.

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CEU for interior designers in a nutshell...

Staying at the forefront of the interior design industry requires more than just creativity, it demands a commitment to continual education and improvement.

ASID has made it easy for interior designers to access CEUs that interest them and contribute to their professional development. In order to retain membership to the ASID, interior designers are required to complete at 10 units of CEU every two years.

Continuing education for interior designers is beneficial to the interior designer, the clients, and the interior design industry at large.

Jeffrey Ampratwum is a creative director, stylist, and educator specialising in menswear. I met Jeffrey in March of this year and was immediately drawn to his abundance of energy. In his own words, Jeffrey is "the guy who will dance at all your parties (and drink all of your champagne)." Having got to know him better, this description fits.

Outside of his obligations as life of the party, Jeffrey is dutifully committed to his work. He is passionate, admirably so, and he approaches styling with a respect and ingenuity that is rare in an era of trend-mania and throw-away fashion.

I am unable to define Jeffrey's personal style—something I think he'll be pleased to hear. Jeffrey's outfits are spirited but always smart, influenced by tradition but never predictable. He certainly has style trademarks—"some people know me as ‘Babushka Boy’"—and his influences—"Renaissance art, Parisian art deco, and contemporary New York"—are evident in equal measures but still a definitive descriptor eludes me. I come to realise this is because there is far more to a Jeffrey-ensemble than the clothes. The context in which an outfit is seen in, is as important as the garments themselves. One must set the stage. "The surroundings, the look, the delivery, the conversation. For me, that is style."

Jeffrey is intriguing. His style turns heads. But, it is his understanding of fashion's pivotal role in how we interact with both ourselves and others that I am most fascinated by. I ask Jeffrey to dial in from across the pond to talk me through his perspective, his process, and the origins of his signature style.

Raised in New York

Jeffrey dials in from a park bench in the centre of his city, unfazed by the incessant traffic, ambling onlookers, and an inquisitive pooch that joins us mid-call—a true New Yorker. After all, New York is the city that raised him. And it is the city that continues to inspire him.

Jeffrey sets the scene. "I'm sitting here, my birthplace actually: the Bronx, New York. There is an extremely creative atmosphere." The Bronx is also the birthplace of hip-hop. Jeffrey grew up apace with the Hip Hop movement, his childhood soundtracked by new funk-inspired beats. "We wanted to emulate what we saw. So during our downtime, it was basketball or it was hip-hop music. [This is] before we had the phones. We were forced to come outside and do things!"

Jeffrey credits his environment growing up with nurturing his creativity. But perhaps the biggest influence of all came from even closer to home, his mother. Jeffrey's mother took pride in her appearance, despite being a single parent she would always find the time to make an effort. Jeffrey started paying closer attention to his mother's morning routine and realised that the ritual was about more than hygiene or habit. He realised she was creating a look. And that it was really important to her. Observing his mother allowed Jeffrey to draw the correlation between getting dressed up, and feeling good about yourself. "I knew that when my mother put on certain things, it made her feel better. I think that's where my first love for dressing women came from."

Jeffrey reflects, "I was melting into this creative being, but I didn't necessarily know it. As I started high school, I began to express my creativity in my wardrobe and by drawing on things." And yet, a career in fashion—or a creative career, full stop—never felt like an option to Jeffrey. "Being from West Africa, Ghana specifically, you're not encouraged to go into the arts. It's either you're going to be a lawyer, a doctor, an engineer, or… just go back into the womb!" When Jeffrey attempted to marry his innate creativity with a family-approved profession, he got dentistry. "I'm left-handed, but I think with the right side of my brain. I coordinate well. I'm artistic. I can draw. I need to appease my family. I love a great smile. I love to smile. I like to be around people who smile. It made sense." Jeffrey packed his bags and set course for dental school in Tennessee.

Jeffrey has never lost his love of a great smile but, as one may have already assumed, his dentistry career was short lived. After graduating, Jeffrey admitted that his heart was still elsewhere and so returned to New York and found work at a non-profit. After three years, Jeffrey came to the realisation that "the American passport is a thing of luxury" and decided it was time to take advantage of that. To figure out his destination, he looked back to his roots. "I'm nostalgic. I love my past and as such I have always loved vintage. I wanted to feel like I was living back in the '80s." He settled on Paris.

Paris, the city of dreams

Many become enamoured by tales of Parisian romance but complain that Paris never lives up to expectations. For Jeffrey, the beauty of Paris never became an illusion. "The imagination of Paris made me feel like I was living in another life. Or, even living a life that I had lived before. Paris is very different after dark. A lot of the characters start to come out when the sun goes down, you get to experience the great and the raw of Paris."

In Paris, Jeffrey was finally able to pursue fashion, and he took no hesitation in doing so. Almost immediately after touching down in this foreign city, Jeffrey slid into the DMs of an art curator and built a partnership that allowed him to find his feet as a stylist. The pair collaborated on a fashion editorial shoot outside of the Louvre—Jeffrey acting as stylist, art director, and production manager. I note that many aspire to this level of proactivity, but Jeffrey does not indulge in self-praise. He shrugs, "My attitude has always been, I'm gonna get up and go do it." Simple.

Paris was just the beginning. Jeffrey also nestled his way into the fashion scene in Stockholm, and then London. He recalls his travels by the outfits that defined them, his style evolving and adapting based on the vibe of his surroundings. For Jeffrey, fashion became a way to document the stories he encountered along the way. He tells me of his collection of lace dresses that became a travelling canvas. Jeffrey dressed models across Europe in the same dresses and after painted each individual's story upon the dress in red wine and acrylic. Each dress a documentation of the people he had met and the stories they had told. More than just a keepsake of his travels, the dresses helped Jeffrey to recognise himself as a 'real' stylist, "It was a confirmation of my ode to fashion. I realised I was good at what I was attempting to do and people appreciated it." Upon reflection, Jeffrey, pinpoints this experiment as the catalyst to his becoming a creative director.

Jeffrey's rite of passage into the industry was not an easy journey. He explains that there was a time when Paris really beat him up. "You can't be a poser in the arts. The French are tough. When you come in from the outside saying you're an artist, they say 'prove it'." Jeffrey rose to the challenge.

The student becomes the master

Jeffrey returned from Europe armed with a new found self-belief and a clear sense of direction. He enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and completed a fashion styling programme. At college, Jeffrey set up a mentoring programme for younger students. In his own words, "I made it cool to be smart, I made it cool to get all As. And I offered a new perspective on how to obtain information." Jeffrey speaks the language of menswear, but more importantly he knows how to convey it to others. His evident enthusiasm for education, accompanied by his command of the subject set him on a path which culminated in landing the role as lead educator on the menswear programme at FIT.

Jeffrey continues to teach Menswear Styling at The Fashion Institute of Technology, a role in which he takes great pride. "I think I'm really good at what I do. I'm probably one of the best in the menswear teaching space, in the way that I teach it." And that is because Jeffrey's criteria for success deviates from the traditional A-F grading system. Jeffrey sees his course, and fashion more generally, as a vehicle for young people to explore their strengths, express themselves, and find their true calling. "I've always been big into education. I think that stems from my childhood, being the only child and always feeling like I needed mentorship. We all have some form of innate creativity. My job is to help my students tap into that and then find out where they can excel best. By doing that, we can find the best you. I have a lot of students who are now in PR, design, hair and makeup—nothing to do with styling at all." Jeffrey's own tough journey into the industry means he is committed to not letting other young people walk in blind. He explains, "As we all know, most of the time we go to school and we come out doing something totally different from what we thought. My students are no exception. Logistically, I think it's good to talk about industry practices and where you can have a career in other areas. It's important that they know they have options. I want the next generation to enter the industry with accurate expectations."

Jeffrey is teaching the future of the fashion industry, but his syllabus is rooted in history. "I go through the whole history of menswear in my class. An understanding of that history has been important to me as a personal reference, and I think it is a great checkpoint for all." By teaching students to appreciate the value of dress through time, Jeffrey hopes his students can find their own respect for dress. "My dad's generation would never go to a dinner without a jacket. Think about your dad, granddad, great grandad in their overcoats and their ties." To Jeffrey, inheriting a generational hand-me-down is a great honour. "Not only are these quality pieces, but they also tell a great story." The idea of storytelling through dress is integral to Jeffrey's teachings at FIT.

Jeffrey is conscious that his classes are equal measures challenge and fun. Jeffrey talks me through a go-to exercise in his curriculum: a pile of random garments is laid out on a table and Jeffrey gives his students 3 minutes to rummage through and piece together "the key look". Once the students have presented their outfits of choice, Jeffrey will announce that nobody made the grade and instead show them the look he would have compiled. At that moment—and this is his favourite part—he can guarantee a flurry of objections. I can see Jeffrey's genuine delight as he narrates the scene that follows. Naturally, the students begin to defend and justify their looks and Jeffrey is often forced to admit that they have a good point. "Fashion is subjective and it's open to interpretation. So I often leave the classroom thinking, 'You know what? That person was kind of right.'"

These teachings then move with Jeffrey into his work in the industry. When someone offers up an idea he hasn't yet considered, he is conditioned to respond with, “Let's try it!” Jeffrey also credits his students with helping him keep pace in today's ever-evolving digital landscape, "My students are utilising platforms like Pinterest and TikTok more and more. I can't continue to use PDFs and PowerPoint presentations and gradually become outdated. I'm always welcoming new technologies and new conversations from the students. It helps us all to grow. It's always good to get different perspectives, and I get that from my students."

Building a brand

Jeffrey is always searching for the new approach. In his work as a fashion director, he is keen to pioneer new visual narratives. With his own fashion brand, he is pushing the possibilities of what it means for fashion to be an experience.

Jeffrey is the co-founder of luxury goods brand Ken Jeffreys. "A buddy that I met in college and I made a vow to both become dentists. He saw it through, I didn’t. But more importantly, we stayed friends. He's Kenny, and I'm Jeffrey—KenJeffreys. The brand is built on the idea of appreciating and elevating the experience of travel—undoubtedly informed by Jeffrey's own experience travelling at the start of his career. Now, the KenJeffreys product range includes a unisex fragrance, bespoke shoes for women and men, and a collection of handbags. All is made to order, in line with Jeffrey's commitment to sustainable practices.

Ever a connoisseur of trends and culture, Jeffrey set out to build a luxury brand with lifestyle at its core. The products are not simply practical accessories for use when travelling; they are emblems of the beauty of travel itself. Jeffrey explains, "The act of arriving at the airport and settling into your business class seat, what does that feel like? When you get to the hotel, what are you wearing? When you open the door to your room, what is the fragrance? What is your experience getting ready for dinner? Foggy bathroom mirrors wiped with a fresh cotton towel—these are the moments that we want to capture. That for us is a luxury travel brand."

The journey with Ken Jeffrey's has just begun. Bottling the essence of travel and capturing the mood of exploration has endless possibilities. Jeffrey envisions it as so, "I believe in the near future I will be incorporating more bespoke wear and suits to my collection. The levels of customisation will be endless and allow me to play in various areas of menswear aesthetics on the highest level. I’m excited for that!"

Ken Jeffreys exemplifies the same simple principle that has guided Jeffrey's interest in fashion to date. In his own words, "We want to look good and smell good. Because if you do, then you feel good. And then you perform well. All these things are important."

Put on your best shoes

Teaching the next generation of fashion enthusiasts and heading a new-wave lifestyle brand are mammoth tasks in themselves. But what about conveying the value of style to a seemingly fashion-averse generation?

Many emerged from the pandemic happy to roam the streets in their sweatpants, but Jeffrey is not too keen on the trend. "There's been a shift in dress culture. The pandemic and the rise of working from home have been taken by some as an excuse not to groom, not to get dressed up." Flip-flops have become a staple at cocktail bars and sports shorts have found entry into jazz clubs.

Jeffrey attributes this to a lack of understanding of and appreciation for dress culture. "I think some men are using it as an excuse; not knowing how to dress for an occasion, versus not knowing how to dress at all."

In an attempt to combat this style epidemic, Jeffrey compiled his style philosophy into a Menswear style guide—a ‘how-to’ on dressing for a metropolis: New York, London, Stockholm, Paris etc. A physical style guide could be deemed superfluous in an age where a majority seek quick style inspo on social media but it aligns perfectly with Jeffrey's appreciation for presentation, quality, and story. The guide is certainly not a rule book—Jeffrey doesn't abide by fashion rules—but it does enforce just one: enjoy it. "I love to have good fun with fashion. That's my thing. The most important questions: Is it fun? Is it enjoyable?"

What Jeffrey teaches in his book is more than the intricacies of matching a tie to a blazer. Instead, Jeffrey repositions the act of getting dressed as a manifestation of your attitude to life. It is not so much about the shirt you choose, as it is the fact you consciously chose it. In doing so, you have displayed a willingness to put in effort for yourself and others, and will find more fruitful connection and opportunities as a result. Jeffrey explains, "You don't have to be in a three-piece suit every time you leave your house. But certain events are important: dinners, weddings, galas." Jeffrey reasons that that if we lose the art of, or care for, dressing for these events, then we lose our chance for allure, enchantment and sexiness. Without that, what do we have to look forward to? How do we as individuals feel about ourselves? And how are we being perceived by others?

Jeffrey doles out a harsh truth: "Whether we like it or not, people judge you based on your appearance." As a society, we spend a lot of time trying to deny that fact. But in doing so, are we leaving young people ill-equipped to navigate the world of work?

Jeffrey is very aware of the barriers to entry imparted across all industries—"I look back now and think, 'Hey, I'm from the Bronx, how does this even work?'"—but he is determined to not let appearance be yet another barrier to entry for young people who grew up in the same place he did. So, he has made it his mission to educate the young men of New York on the importance of style. "You can't be sloppy if you're going for the interview. You have to put in some effort in order to get to a certain place in your life, and that can start with getting dressed."

Jeffrey and his partner, Ken, set up a social programme to help young people understand the value of being well-groomed—and how to do it. The pair visit colleges across the US and deliver a taste of the KenJeffreys experience, including style assessments, dressing for work tutorials, lessons on general grooming, and even a dental screening. Because, as Jeffrey explains, "It's an entire package. Think about it; you can't be dressed smart and looking great but chatting with food in your teeth—oh God!" Jeffrey's outburst is both a nod to his dentistry days and evidence of his understanding of style as a whole package, not just a choice of clothing.

With his teaching, his book, and his social programme, Jeffrey wants to offer young people a helping hand in making their way in the world. Style holds the same value today as it always has. Jeffrey explains, "Things change. Music, beauty, communication, everything changes. But we cannot go outside naked. That's never gonna change. Well, maybe we might come to that one day…" But for now, putting on your best suit still goes a long way.

After an hour chatting to Jeffrey I am left with a renewed energy, a new found pride in my appearance, and a reluctance to slip back into my hoodie. I have just one question final question before we part ways, one that is over-worn but interesting when posed to the right person: Does fashion change lives? Jeffrey smiles, nods, and says, "I'll start with me. Fashion gives me both the energy to want to create and the physical space to do so. Fashion also gives you the capacity to leave a mark, a legacy, if you will. Creating something that continues to give. When both your passion and your purpose marry, I think you've satisfied your hunger. That is where I am now, and that is what I am trying to build for the students. My leadership role is about helping them find their passion and then seeing where it fits into the lexicon of fashion because there are a plethora of roles that they can apply their greatness to. Fashion gives me an outlet to continue to create. They say when you love what you do, you don't work a day in your life."

Connect with Jeffrey on Instagram. Learn more about his work on his website.

When you first ventured into the wedding planning business, what was your dream? What vision of your future motivated you to start your career as a wedding planner?

Those long term goals for your wedding planning business are still in reach. You just need a plan to help you get there. Goal setting is a crucial practice for establishing a successful wedding planning business, playing a significant role in both personal well-being and business strength.

Introducing a system of short term and long term goals to your wedding planning business contributes to a clearer pathway to success. Ready to stop dreaming and start doing?

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Why is goal setting important for wedding planners?

Whether you have been planning weddings for over 20 years or have just begun, it is vital to have a clear vision for your wedding business. Setting yourself clear goals is the key to achieving this vision.

Like any effective business, high-level and well-thought-out goals should be implemented as a strategy to track progress. Every goal you achieve contributes to the execution of your long term vision for your wedding planning business.

There are a lot of moving parts to a high-functioning wedding planning business. Without a clear strategy, you may find yourself in a difficult position—setting goals will increase your motivation and keep you from getting lost.

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How to use short term and long term goals for your wedding business

In order to set aspirational yet attainable goals for your wedding planning business, you should first understand the difference between short term and long term goals.

Short term goals are mini goals that you can tackle in the near future—think a few months to a couple of years. Setting short term goals as a wedding planner will keep you motivated with small-wins, improve your focus, and help you to manage your time.

Long-term goals are your long term aspirations—the big dreams you hold for the future of your wedding planning career. Having solid and clear long term goals sets a strong foundation for your wedding planning business (and short term goals keep you on the right path for reaching these grand plans).

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Long term goals for wedding planners

First things first, what do you want to achieve as a wedding planner and as a business owner? You must consider your overall long term goals and aspirations when it comes to wedding planning. What is the purpose and motivation behind your business?

Your goals can span financial, professional, and personal areas of interest. For example, a personal goal might be to be able to take one extra day off a week to spend with your family. Aligning your goals with your values and what holds the utmost significance to you will provide increased motivation for their long term accomplishment.

It is easy to feel overwhelmed and develop a doomsday tunnel vision whilst figuring out ambitious long term goals. To prevent this, try working backwards. Start by defining your wildest dreams—if anything was possible where would you love to see yourself and your wedding planning business in 10 years time? Then, work backwards. What three goals can summarise this dream vision? And what milestones will you need to achieve over the next 10 years in order to get there? Reversing the process enables you to experience a sense of achievement in advance, providing valuable insights into the steps needed to attain it.

Once you have defined your ultimate vision, breaking down your long term goals into short term goals will further help you to avoid burnout and remain on track (more on that to come!)

It is important to remember that over time, your aspirations might evolve. Regularly reassess your goals and be open to modifying, refining, or even discarding them if they no longer align with your vision. Implement monthly check-ins as a way to ensure that your goals are moving you towards your vision of success for your wedding business.

Examples of long term goals for wedding planners

1. Grow my Instagram following to >10,000. Whilst following isn't everything, a notable online presence increases your reach and client trust. It also helps you to establish a name for yourself amongst fellow wedding professionals such as vendors and wedding venues.
2. Establish myself as an industry leader with a feature in Vogue Weddings. A feature in one of the most highly respected wedding publications solidifies your work as truly unique and of the utmost quality. It also advertises your services to thousands of new clients and connections.
3. Book 35 couples in the year 2026. A full calendar is every wedding planners dream—how can you make it your reality? Diversifying your offerings, improving your branding, and lots of networking are good ways to start.

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Short term goals for wedding planners

Congratulations! You've set out a clear vision of success for your wedding planning business. The next step is to work out a plan to make that your reality. Dissecting your overarching objectives for your wedding planning career into smaller, more manageable goals enables you to progress step-by-step towards your ultimate destination.

Short term goals act as checkpoints on the journey to achieving your long term aspirations. In order to set effective short term goals for your wedding planning business, use the SMART formula. The SMART goal setting formula ensures that all your goals are:

Specific

Measurable

Achievable/Attainable

Relevant/Realistic

Time Based

Following this formula will ensure your short term goals will be effective in helping you to eventually achieve your long term goals. Goal setting in this manner will not only benefit your career as a wedding planner,  but also create a more organised and healthy system for your own mind.

Examples of SMART short term goals for wedding planners

Let's work with the long term goal: Book 35 couples in the year 2026. In order to make that possible, here are three short term goals to keep you on the path to success.

1. I will give my About Me page on my wedding business website a makeover to be more personable and make myself stand out.

Deadline: 10 days

2. I will research 3 influential wedding planners who I admire and make notes on their brand positioning and the services they offer. I will reflect on how I can implement aspects of this into my own wedding planning business.

Deadline: 1 month

3. I will attend 3 wedding industry networking events (trade shows, seminars, industry mixers) to bolster my professional development and grow my network. More industry contacts = more referrals.

Deadline: 6 months

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How to track the progress of your wedding planning business

There are countless ways to keep track of the progress of your wedding business, but what is really important is to recognise your development and congratulate yourself at every step of the process. Careful thought and reflection on your progress towards your goals—even if less than you'd hoped for—can help motivate you and invigorate your passion for your wedding planning business.

Three ways to track your progress as a wedding planner:

• Keep a daily/weekly journal to document your progress towards your goals, the problems you are facing, and anything you have learned along the way.
• Track and analyse metrics for all quantitative goals (things that can be measured in numbers).
• Meet with a mentor, advisor, or friend at least once a month to discuss your progress and ask for advice or constructive feedback.

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Setting goals for your wedding business: the summary

Goal setting in the wedding planning business isn't just about setting directions; it's the roadmap to success. From distinguishing short-term wins to sculpting grand, long term dreams, each step contributes to the ultimate success of your wedding business.

By aligning personal values with clear-cut goals, carving out distinct pathways, and implementing SMART strategies, you pave the way for your wedding planning business's growth. Regular reassessment of your goals, allowing flexibility in your approach, and consistent goal tracking ensure you stay on course—transforming aspirations into accomplishments.

Whether it's through journals, consistent check-ins, or seeking guidance, each move propels you closer to the envisioned success story of your wedding planning venture.

Designing beautiful interiors is an intricate skill. Many spend years studying the craft before entering the world of work as an interior designer. But what if there was an alternative way to start a career as an interior designer?

From innovative layouts to experimental colour palettes, these three interior designers turned their personal spaces into laboratories of creativity and leveraged their newly made-over spaces as launchpads for their interior design careers. Learn how these industry experts transformed their living spaces into stunning reflections of their design philosophies and set the stage for their success in the interior design industry.

Ksenya Malina

Ksenya Malina is the founder of Time & Place Interiors, a New York-based design studio specialising in combining vintage with modern decor.

Ksenya's story

Ksenya's journey into the interior design industry began with the gut renovation and furnishing of her own pre-war apartment in Manhattan. Being mindful of the building's Art Deco architecture, she sought to juxtapose her apartment flat with her love for Mid Century style design. She began to dive into the interior design and architecture world by salvaging vintage doors, hardware, antique grille covers, original bath fixtures, and vintage lighting.

Throughout the renovation, Ksenya was working a full time corporate job. She recounts, "My work paid the bills, but I began realising how a career in the visual field would be a much better fit for me. I didn't intend to become an interior designer, but I started some side projects before eventually taking the leap into a full-time pursuit of my own business. As luck would have it, I landed my first big client project the day after I left my office job!"

Now, Ksenya's projects involve broader scopes of interior design for both modern and older spaces, but she continues to prioritise vintage and antique fixtures and furniture in her designs. Ksenya explains, "[Antiques] not only make a space feel special by bringing a unique history and style; they’re also the greenest way to decorate."

Ksenya's advice: phone a friend

"Don't delay in documenting your work with professional interior photography. It's critical to building your portfolio and winning new projects. My own home was the primary source for my portfolio, but I made sure to document other small projects I was doing for friends and family to round out my website. I also began a blog to educate prospective clients about my design philosophy and approach.

Start requesting Google reviews from family and friends early on to build up your client feedback ratings and online presence. Finally, even when you work with friends and family, follow your professional process to set expectations for both yourself and your client."

Find more of Ksenya's work on her website or on Instagram.

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Alessia Lamonaca

Alessia Lamonaca is an interior decorating and home staging expert from Barrie, Ontario. She holds a Fine Arts degree from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) and began her early creative career in film and marketing before moving into design.

Alessia's Story

Growing up, Alessia created room mood boards for fun and spent her free time flipping through home décor magazines and pinning interior design inspiration to Pinterest boards. Yet, it wasn’t until the purchase of her first home that she truly started putting her passion for interior design to work.

In 2020, Alessia started an Instagram account to document her home renovation journey along with photos of interiors that inspired her. The account garnered interest from friends, family, and new followers—many asking for help in their own spaces. Alessia recalls, "I had a friend who had just purchased a house as well. After seeing my mood boards, she reached out and said, 'You have to help me!'" The friend then referred Alessia to her friend, and so on, and so on. And the rest is history!

At first, Alessia found it challenging to achieve the elegant, luxury design looks she loved on a tight budget. However, she soon figured out that the formula came down to knowing where to pinch pennies and where it was important to splurge. Though Alessia grew up loving design, she'd never heard of anyone in her circle hiring an interior designer before and felt the service was typically perceived to be a luxury reserved only for a wealthier, older crowd.

As a result of her experience, Alessia decided to leave her successful career in marketing to set up her own interior design firm called New Mode Home. She set out to disrupt the industry by offering more affordable, virtual design packages in hopes of making beautiful, luxurious spaces more accessible. New Mode Home has since flourished into a thriving interior decorating, styling, and staging firm offering remote and in-person services to residential and commercial clients globally.

Alessia's passion for storytelling and design has always been evident in her work, whether helping businesses convey their brand message through marketing and creativity or assisting homeowners in telling their personal stories through their home décor. She is driven by her tremendous ambition and an unrelenting desire to challenge the status quo and bring big, creative ideas to life.

Alessia's advice: overcome imposter syndrome

"My advice to new designers who don’t yet have a portfolio of their work is to just start. Build your online presence, get involved in the interior design community and start making a name for yourself. I remember wanting to start for a while but wanting everything to be perfect before I launched things. I wanted the brand to be perfect, I wanted all of my services to be buttoned up, and I wanted stunning portfolio photos. It was overwhelming to think about. But one day I just started Instagram from my couch. I didn’t launch my website until months later. And guess what? Nobody cared but me. Your brand will evolve and you figure things out as you go. The hardest part is just getting started.

There are many challenges to overcome when transitioning from a hobby to a business. I had to determine a process that worked best for my clients, develop a contract, determine my services and pricing, and figure out a system for taking payment. As a one-woman show, I had to wear all the hats. I also had to overcome imposter syndrome. I was self-taught, and even though I had soaked up a ton of information over the years and had been designing mood boards as a hobby for a long time, the stakes felt so much higher when I started charging people money. But as soon as clients confirmed that they loved something as much as I did and told me I had a great eye, it gave me the confidence I needed to keep going.

To get portfolio photos, start with your own home. You can also consider working with a close friend or family member for free with an agreement that they’ll let you take photos of the space once it's finished. If you have the skills for it, designing digital mood boards can also show potential clients how you can put a space together.

Some designers feel strongly that you shouldn’t post other designers’ work on your Instagram feed but I strongly disagree; plenty of people do it, even big accounts. When you’re just starting out it’s difficult to have enough content to post to socials—reposting others’ work allows you to curate a vibe and help potential clients see what your style is before you have a portfolio to show them. It also gives them a place to go and get inspired by images that match your aesthetic. It’s just important that you give proper credit to the designer (and photographer, stylist, etc. if that information is available)."

Find more of Alessia's work on her website or on Instagram.

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Debbe Daley

Debbe is an experienced interior designer helping homeowners in New England and beyond. Debbe is also involved with the Designer on Call programme at Boston Design Center.

Debbe's story

Ever since Debbe was young, she has had a passion for interior design. She learnt to sew scrap fabrics on her mother's sewing machine as a child, would regularly rearrange her bedroom furniture, and, during her preteen era, she even asked for a  a wicker peacock chair for her birthday.

Despite her passion, Debbe was never exposed to the idea of interior design as a career. Instead, she pursued business but continued to sew and design pillows and clothes. But at the age of 22, Debbe had the joy of decorating her own home, from the flooring to the wallpaper. The creative freedom unlocked her passion and rekindled her relationship with interior design. Debbe proudly declares herself as a "DIY-er before it was even a thing!"

Debbe began assisting friends and family with redesigning their living spaces and soon felt a strong pull to join the interior design industry. She pursued this passion by enrolling at the New York School of Interior Design, balancing her studies with online classes in the evenings alongside her daytime job. Her goal was to expand her knowledge to eventually establish her own interior design business.

In a strategic move to broaden her expertise, Debbe took on a part-time role at a flooring store. There, she immersed herself in learning the intricacies of different flooring options. This hands-on experience not only enriched her understanding of design but also empowered her to assist homeowners in selecting the perfect flooring for their spaces. Her growing expertise led her to offer comprehensive home design consultations, allowing her to guide homeowners in making informed design choices.

All of Debbe's experiences culminated in her opening a boutique studio where she sold hand-sewn window treatments, antique furniture, and hand-picked wallpaper. Today she has expanded her footing in the industry, as a full-service interior designer, published author, and interior design educator. In Debbe's own words: "Interior design is my life. Being  able to help others create beautiful, sanctuary spaces that they love is my goal."

Debbe's advice: think outside the box

I began building my portfolio with photos of my creative projects and work in my own home. I would rearrange furniture and create tabletop accessories to showcase collections. I started with a sofa, table, and mantle, and an array of arranged pictures forming a wall gallery of art. I would rearrange candlesticks, stacked books, pillows, rugs, accessories, and window treatments to demonstrate my creativity.

Ask family and friends if you can practice your design skills on a room in their home. In return, you want to be able to take professional photos of the spaces for posting on your website and on social media. Tip: take photos in portrait mode on your cell phone, this will focus on one item and create a blurred background that gives the image a high-quality feel.

Another creative way to attract clients is to have an event in your own home (or a friend’s home). Offer a wine and cheese night and invite friends to bring a plus one.  Throughout the evening, give a demonstration of redesigning a room in the home. Start the evening in the room that is going to be transformed so that your guests can see the before. Then, have the guests mingle in the kitchen whilst the space is being transformed. Once the space if completed, invite them back into the room for the reveal of the redesigned space. Explain the changes you’ve made and talk about the services you offer: paint consultations, room redesign, shopping services, etc. Encourage the guests to take photos and share the event on social media. Be prepared to book appointments and ensure you have a fee and service schedule ready to offer your guests.

Nowadays, video is also very important. For new designers, explaining your design process on social media and even creating a YouTube video with a shareable link is a great way to attract potential clients. Get in front of your dream clientele and show them your personality and your knowledge as an expert. The design world is visual. It’s all about showing your work.

Find more of Debbe's work on her website or on Instagram.

Aaina's journey is best described as a series of sojourns—from New Delhi to San Fransisco to London—with something collected at each stop: a passion for photography here, a deeper understanding of mental health there, and all along which there has been one underlying message: take the world as your oyster.

One of the key topics of our conversation was inspiration: what inspiration means, how to capture it, and—sometimes—what to do when it’s just not there.

For Aaina, mental health and inspiration go hand in hand—her passion for photography provides a map of her mental health from day to day, telling her when she needs to rest, and take a break.

We also chat about her love of graphic—and then product—design, and her journey all the way from discovering InDesign in high school, to her current role in design leadership.

Finally, our conversation covers her current project, Dear Genie: how it began, finding inspiration to write, and how it helped her deal with the emotions of losing a loved one.

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Let’s start at the beginning... Where did you grow up and what do you remember of it?

I grew up in a very small town near New Delhi in India. I lived there until I was about fourteen and then I moved to the Bay Area. My upbringing was typically Indian in the sense of the food, the friends, the school life.

Creativity was always encouraged in my household, so it was a really interesting way to grow up. “The world was your oyster” was the messaging that I got, so that was really liberating and exciting. I could explore whatever I wanted to do.

I remember doing a lot of doodling, painting, and chalk art as a very young kid. I mean, I didn't know what lettering was at the time, but that's what I was trying to do.

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What was moving to the Bay Area like?

When we moved to the Bay Area near San Francisco, I began going to high school and that was a whole new experience. As you can imagine, coming from a different country with a completely different background, it was intimidating. I’d watched those movies about high school in America and I didn't know what to expect.

Luckily, all my classmates were really nice and welcoming, so I think I lucked out there.

I got interested in a lot of creative things in high school, including photography. I was in a yearbook class and that's when I was like, this is actually a lot of fun. I was put on layout duty, so I was doing a lot of photography and layout for the yearbook in my junior year.

That's when I got interested in design because I was in InDesign almost every day doing layouts, and I wanted to explore it further. That's when I really got interested in finding out more about design, and specifically print design and graphic design.

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I read that you studied graphic design at the San Francisco Academy of Art. What was that experience like?

I love San Francisco so much. I used to visit San Francisco with my family every once in a while and it was a fascinating city. It's small enough so it feels very homey and small, but still has this big larger than life vibe to it—at least it did back then back when I was 16 years old.

I visited the Academy of Art to explore what my options were. I wanted to explore Parsons and a few other universities, but the Academy of Art really stood out to me.

I wanted to go into graphic arts and the programme there was amazing. I talked to a few teachers, did a little tour, and fell in love with everything that I saw. I could not wait to get started.

It didn't feel like school in the typical sense of going into university to go to classes, I felt like I was just having fun. A lot of my friends who went to other schools would talk about their classes and I could really tell that my experience was drastically different from theirs in terms of the practical knowledge that I was getting.

That was one of the things that drew me to the Academy of Art: they really lean on designers who have their design practices, and bring them on as faculty. You get that real life practical experience of what it’s like to run a design agency and how to talk to clients, which I don't think a lot of universities or colleges necessarily offer.

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You’ve always loved the creative arts, even since you were a child. When did you realize that you wanted to pursue that as your career?

In high school, because I was exploring so many different creative directions.

I was in journalism class, photography class, and involved in the yearbook. I would do anything creative that I could find.

If I reflect back, there were a lot of cultural nuances that I didn't know about, because I was coming from a completely different country and coming into this culture where everything's done differently.

I think I leaned on the mindset of, “I'm just gonna find creative things to do and not worry about those cultural differences.” At the age of fourteen, everything is confusing anyway. My coping mechanism was to see what I could do in terms of learning different languages and being part of all of these clubs.

That's when I was sure that I have to make this my career somehow. I was exploring journalism, which I felt was creative, but then I discovered the visual part of the creative industry and that's when the light bulb went off.

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Do you still have any of those creative influences from high school?

Even now, I'm a huge fan of photography.

I am an amateur photographer, definitely not professional in any way, but I've kept that going.

A lot of those ideas that I had in my mind of what I could do when I was fifteen or sixteen years old have actually come true, which I'm extremely fortunate for because that usually doesn't happen.

I've taken my career in a different direction now in terms of being more of a design leader, but that has some different creative challenges.

I feel extremely fortunate that I've been able to carry this through.

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Were you at all apprehensive about making a career out of something that you love so much?

The messaging that I got from my parents was that the world is your oyster, so I never had that limitation of, “don't go into this because you're not gonna be able to sustain yourself” or “you're not going to be able to make a certain amount of money.” For me, it was, “I will figure it out.”

I think I was very naive at the time.

I didn't know what graphic design was at all until I came across the Academy of Art. I was like, “bingo, I didn't even know this existed.”

I will say, in all honesty, I was never apprehensive about it because it never crossed my mind to be.

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Was your family a family of creatives?

Not really, honestly.

My dad is an accountant, so he was quite the opposite. He was creative with numbers, but you can only be so creative with numbers. He was always very encouraging about me choosing my own path, though.

My mum is very creative. She has had a few different careers, and at the age of fifty she decided to go to school to become an aesthetician, which is incredible. She's such a huge inspiration. She always had that creative side to her. She had side businesses that I saw growing up, so I always got the example that you could pick something up and just do it from her, so that's been a huge inspiration.

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What about your brother?

My brother and I started a Bollywood website when we had first moved to the US, when I was about fourteen.

It was basically all of the content we could find, rehashed and rewritten and presented in a very different light. That was another place where I saw that you can come up with an idea and just do it.

Since then, my brother's always tinkered with something or the other on the side. I think that gave me the spirit of, ‘always keep doing something.’ It's exciting.

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Do you see that as being quite unusual amongst immigrant families coming from Asia?

Absolutely.

I thought it was a normal thing back when I was growing up. But talking to a lot of my friends whose parents were pushing them into medicine or law or engineering, I found that there are those kinds of stereotypes.

Even with my brother, for example, things were quite different for him. It could be that I always showed signals of being creative, so my parents knew that I was obviously going to become a creative person.

I feel fortunate that I wasn't thrown into a path that I didn't feel passionate about, because if I was doing anything else I feel that I would have to backtrack a little bit and rethink my life a little bit.

I didn't recognise it then, but reflecting back on it years later, I'm like, “Thank you, mum and dad!”

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I want to talk a little bit more about photography. That's something that you've been doing for a long time. I guess you can say it’s one of your first loves. What do you love most about photography?

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So much.

In this fast paced world nowadays, you don't get opportunities to slow down and admire something in front of you as much as people probably used to, fifty years ago.

The other thing is that you can capture so many emotions in one shot. If somebody were to look at a photo that was really well crafted and the composition was perfect, you can dissect so much from that one snapshot. That's a pretty exciting challenge to have.

I always think of photography as a challenge and that's what gets me excited.

I normally don't take photos unless I feel inspired—so on the days I don't take photos, I know that I'm not inspired inside. If that happens too many days in a row then I know that there's something wrong within me, that my mental health is affected in some way. Photography is a big, big thing for me in that way.

Music is another thing. If I don't feel like listening to music for a few days, I know there's something wrong and I need to fix it.

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On your Instagram, you've got a hashtag for your travel photography called #sojournym. What does that mean?

It was something that I created many years ago, because I started traveling a lot and wanted to give my photographs an identity.

Sojourn is a word centered around traveling, so everything around that word was already in existence.

There's that risk that anybody could use that word—it's not proprietary to me— so I decided to make up a word and added the Y and M to it!

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Speaking about travelling, when did you move from the US to London and what prompted that?

We moved about four years ago. My husband and I had been in the Bay Area for a long time. I had been there for sixteen years and he'd been there for fourteen years, and we were looking for someplace new to explore.

We love Europe and we thought—we know the Asian culture quite well as we’re from that part of the world; we've explored the US quite a bit as we’ve lived in California for a long time—so we wanted to explore a very different side of the world.

We’ve now lived in three very distinct cultures, which is great.

Also, I was a bit jaded by the constant need to talk about technology and acquisitions and raising funding rounds. I think that's great—the Silicon Valley and Bay Area are all about that—but I was a bit tired of that.

I wanted a change of pace where people talk about something different and the work-life culture is very different.

It's been four years now, and we love it here in London.

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Where do you call home now?

That’s a very good question. Home is London now, but we are actually moving back to the Bay Area later this year! So I've now started thinking about home as being closer to family and friends.

Where I grew up, that doesn't feel like home anymore. When I go back to visit, it feels foreign. I don't relate to the culture as much as I used to. Even though London is home right now, that also feels foreign because all of our friends and family are in the Bay Area.

I've been moving around so much that I've lost that sense of definitive identity: ‘this is who I am, this is where I belong,’ and I quite enjoy it to be honest with you.

I don't really need to feel like I belong in one place. I can belong in multiple places, which is great.

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You started your design career with roots in graphic design, and you talked earlier about your progression into being a design leader. What does being a design leader mean to you?

Design leadership to me is, first of all, making a case for why there needs to be a presence of design within a company, within an industry, and within an organization.

That was my first order of business when I joined HelloSign back in San Francisco, and now Unmind in London. My job is to make a case for why design is one of the most important things that we should be focusing on as a company.

The second thing would be to embed design into every single touch point. I come from a branding background, but I moved into product design and then into leadership, so I understand both the worlds quite well: the user experience side of things, as well as the branding side of things.

For me, the entire end-to-end user journey has to have a touch point that relates to design. Branding doesn't only mean a logo or a website or a brochure that you see. It’s the way a salesperson or anybody on the team talks about the company. That is branding, that's part of the brand.

Spreading that message across to the leadership team and having that as firm messaging to the company is very important to me.

There are also more tactile things like building up the team and making sure the team feels supported on a daily basis. All of that is extremely important as well.

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From branding to product design: how did that move come about?

My first job as a visual designer was at Zendesk, which was a relatively small start-up back then.

I was working on the brand side and I would talk regularly to my product design colleagues and became interested in what they were doing. I attended a few user research sessions to understand how users were perceiving our brand and our product, and that’s when my interest really grew. I was trying to understand what product design was and how product designers worked.

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When you moved into product design, did that come intuitively to you?

It took a lot of learning in the beginning.

I knew I was interested in it, but I didn't know if it was something that I wanted to explore seriously or not. I talked to a lot of product designers and people who had made a similar transition to me. At that point, ten years ago, there wasn't too much in the way of formal education around user experience design, so it was a lot of figuring things out along the way.

It was more about working on projects. I did my own side projects. I'd redesign certain user experiences on my own and show them to friends, asking for feedback.

I slowly started learning what the process looks like. It took some time to get there, but I had the support internally within the company to be able to explore, so that was extremely helpful.

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What did you find interesting about product design?

One thing that I found really interesting was the difference between branding and user experience design.

With branding, a lot of it was very art based and very opinion-based. If I put a poster out there, it was a case of: great if the users or the consumers like it, too bad if they don’t. There wasn't an iterative process, necessarily.

With product design, it was quite the opposite. It was all about that iterative process of, ‘learn something from the users, apply it to your designs, see how it performs and then do the whole thing over again.’

You actually take control in your hands as a designer, as a product manager, as an engineer to iterate on it constantly.

That's when I started really enjoying UX. I asked my manager if I could take on some product related projects, and he was incredibly supportive.

I remember there was an onboarding project that I took on. It was very much at the cusp of the branding world and the product world. From there it was obvious to me that that's something I wanted to explore.

I still say that branding is at the heart of what I do. I love it, so that’s why I do side projects. Part of the reason is that I get to explore that side of my roots.

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You mentioned that branding is an artistic process, whilst product design is more iterative. What about photography?

This is going to sound very harsh, but I don't necessarily care about opinions there. It is very much an art form for me.

I put something out there because it resonates with me. If it resonates with others, great. If it doesn't, that's fine too.

Anything that has business goals attached to it automatically becomes something that has research backing it up and data science. There's a lot to it.

But with something like photography, it's my way of being inspired and exploring something from my own viewpoint.

That's how I see a lot of my favorite photographers, just exploring their own points of view, and that's how I see photography.

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What kind of photography do you enjoy?

I love any type of street photography, whether that's photographing architecture or even people. I'm slowly getting into people photography, I find it a bit intrusive so I tried not to go that way, but it can be pretty exciting to shoot people as well.

This is why I love traveling as well. Going to places, shooting architecture and other elements of that place and presenting your own viewpoint. Even shooting Paris, which has been shot millions of times, your perspective can be that unique perspective. It's pretty exciting.

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Do you share your photography online? What does that mean to you?

I have a bunch of my photography on Unsplash. I love the comments that I get on there, as well as people using the photos. If they were just sitting in my hard drive it would be a very sad thing.

Putting photos up on a platform like Unsplash and giving people access to it means that the photos live on and people can use them in different contexts, and that's exciting to me.

It's not about the number of likes or anything - it's when I get comments from friends saying, ‘oh, that was really cool, I loved how you captured that thing.’ It makes me feel appreciated and excited.

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You talked about getting inspired. What does inspiration mean to you?

Inspiration for me is feeling excited about something and wanting to take it forward, whether that's something as simple as getting up and listening to some music or working on a big project that absolutely needs to be done, breathing some inspiration into it and getting excited about it.

There are times when I'm really interested and I'll take a lunch break and go out and photograph things, versus there are days when I don't feel like it.

I can see it when there are those really inspiring days. When that happens I can see that translate through to my work, to my life, to everything throughout the day.

It's very binary for me. When it's the opposite, it's the opposite in all of those areas. I feel stuck that day, and I hope that tomorrow is different. If I'm feeling like that for multiple days in a row, that's usually a red flag that I need to make some changes.

I've now implemented some coping strategies around that. I try to meditate more often. There are still days when I'm stuck, and that's fine. I'll do admin tasks and things that don't necessarily need a lot of inspiration.

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How do you recognise those telltale signs?

Fashion is a big part of it.

I never pick my clothes the night before, because I want my fashion choices for that day to relate to how I'm feeling on that day.

If I'm wearing something big, heavy, and black, I'm in a receded mode and want to be by myself and introverted that day. If I'm wearing something colourful, I know that I want to go and be a little more out there, so that's usually my first sign.

Another thing is that I'm very much a morning person. I'll wake up between 5:30 and 6 am, and I don't need coffee, I'm just ready to go.

Most days, I’ll make my to-do list and get ready to go in and drop my son off to nursery in the morning. I get 45 minutes of walking in the morning, so that walk is my indicator of whether or not I feel energised. If I am, I take photos sometimes in those 45 minutes along the route.

Then there are days when I can't wait to be over with the morning routine and dive straight into work.

For me, it's very clear.

Sometimes it'll happen multiple days in a row and that's when I know that I need to really do something. Two weeks ago, I took a whole week off. In this pandemic world, we’re dealing with a lot of burnout and dealing with mental health issues, so that was amazing. Coming back into work and feeling that I have my fire back and I can go again was a great feeling.

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Fashion is one of the earliest markers in your day of how you’re feeling. Is it colours? Is it materials? What is it that symbolises how you feel?

Colour is a big one. That's the most obvious one. If I'm wearing something super bright, it makes me feel brighter and lighter and happier.

Another thing is whether an outfit looks well put together to me.

Sometimes, I’ll throw on a sweatshirt and call it a day and not put a lot of effort into it because I can't be bothered.

Other days, I’m accessorised, put together, look a lot more polished, which is always nice. With a toddler, that becomes increasingly difficult to find the time to do, but I still try.

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What colours do you have in your wardrobe? Is it the whole rainbow?

It is pretty much the whole rainbow. I don't do too many super bright fluorescent ones, there's a lot of pastels and stuff.

It's a whole gamut—I've never subscribed to the idea of ‘this colour doesn't look good on me.’ Again, that could be being naive, that's fine.

It's an art form for me. I think with fashion, it's about expressing myself more than how it resonates with others. I dress for myself.

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Have you always been able to recognise those signs, or is it a more recent discovery?

It happened a little bit later on, probably in my mid-twenties. That’s when I got into the routine of going into work.

I think when I fell into a proper routine and also got more self-aware of what a good successful day looks like versus a not-so-successful one, I started to recognise that. Even then, it wasn't crystal clear to me what was going on. It was like, ‘some days are great, why can't every day be like that’. That's when I realised where mental health comes in.

Mental health is not a topic that we necessarily talk about, especially in Asian cultures. I did not grow up with that understanding of what mental health means and that mental health is something that we have all the time.

It has a certain taboo and stigma attached to it. It was when I started exploring some of these subjects with my friends that everything started clicking, but I wish it had come sooner.

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You talked about routines a lot. Are you a big routine person?

I'm a big routines person. If I have that routine, I really thrive in carrying that through.

At the same time, I am also somebody who likes change. It's a weird dichotomy for me. Some days if it [my routine] is thrown off, I actually welcome it. You don't want to be stuck in the same rut and same routine every single day.

As much as I love routines, there are times when I do things differently. I'll sleep in some days and it's fine. No big deal.

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What happens when your routines get messed up?

There are days when things don't go the way you want in a negative sequence, and that's when you have to practice that inner calm and tell yourself that everything's going to be fine. I used to get very anxious about it, but now I’ll stay calm and see how things go, and usually they turn out fine.

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You work at Unmind now. Did your awareness of mental health come prior to Unmind, or was it something you learned more about through your job?

My awareness came before Unmind, but not in the same way as what I've learned in the past four years.

I never gave it that much thought. I knew mental health needed to be nurtured and cared for, but I didn't exactly know the mechanisms around it.

Unmind has accelerated that thinking for me, and now I'm a huge proponent of mental health practices. Being more proactive and preventative about it, as opposed to reactive, which is how the world really sees mental health.

The world sees it in a way that puts a lot of stigma to it and in a very negative light, where a lot of the imagery is centered around this black and white imagery of somebody holding their head in their hands, sitting in the corner of a room. That's not necessarily what mental health looks like. It's very much about celebrating the most complex organ in our bodies, which is our brain.

We often make this argument that we go to the gym to take care of our physical health all of the time in that preventative and proactive way, yet we don't do that with our brains. A lot of that awareness came much later and I'm so glad. It's going to stick with me for the rest of my life.

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And finally, let’s talk about your side projects which you’ve alluded to above. I read about Neem. Can you tell me about that?

When I was still at HelloSign, I decided that I wanted to bring Indian drinks to the world. Coming from an Indian background, I always loved chai and lassi. There are so many interesting Indian drinks out there.

At that time there was a lot of talk around why social events in start-ups centred around alcohol. It's still a huge thing. For me, it was a very simple idea. What if there were social events that were centred around these drinks that I have come up with?

It was this one-person operation. It was absolutely insane. I would find myself awake at three o'clock in the morning, making the product, marketing it, being the support person, doing everything on my own. But it was a great learning experience.

I did it for a little over a year and a half and then we decided to move to London right after.

I felt good about it because I didn't have any resentment or any regret around it. I tried it, I did what I wanted to do and got it out of the system.

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What about DearGenie, your newsletter? I know that it's named after your dog who sadly passed away this year.

It's been an incredibly difficult year, generally speaking, and then Genie... She's our first child, that's how we usually introduce her, and she was so close to us.

She was with us for ten and a half years and she was our everything—our entire lives focused around her. We planned our travels around whether she was coming with us.

She started not feeling too well in January, and we had to say goodbye to her in April. It was extremely difficult, to say the least.

I didn't, at that moment, know what to do to get out of that feeling of helplessness. It made both my husband and I rethink a lot of things in life because her loss was pretty immense.

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I’m so sorry to hear that. After that happened, how did the newsletter come about?

It was more about figuring out how to channel all of this negativity and helplessness I was feeling into something positive and productive.

I thought about what I could be doing, and I sketched up a lot of different things that revolved around rescue dogs and shelters.

I still want to do some of those things that I've planned out, but they're long-term projects and they're not going to happen overnight.

My thinking was that I've been a dog owner, I grew up with dogs, I've been a mum to Genie for the past ten years and I've learned so much from that experience. What can I give to the world from that experience?

I was approaching this from a perspective of: I'm not the authority; I'm not a dog trainer; I'm not a vet. But I have had this amazing pup and I’ve been fortunate enough to have her in my life and all the learnings from that I can share with others, and also learn a bit about other people's experiences along the way.

The shortest route to getting something out there was a newsletter. I thought it was a very effective way to put something out.

The last thing was honouring Genie. My biggest fear was that we're going to forget her. I don't think that's ever possible, but I wanted to hold onto her and her memory, and so this is a good way for us to do that.

It's been an emotional process for sure.

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What is your schedule like, running DearGenie?

Every other week I send out a newsletter that has different sections and there's a theme to every newsletter. I talk about house-training dogs; I talk about life after lockdown with your dog, which is especially relevant for all of those who got dogs in the last 18 months.

It's a really great way for me to learn more as well and inject my own experience into it and share it with the world. I didn't want all that we've done to sit in my head and me to mull over it and feel helpless.

I have received some comments in the last few months saying, “Keep going, this is great and I've found value in this.” It's a great way to build a community around something that I love and feel strongly above.

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Just hearing you speak about it, I’m getting so emotional. Writing a newsletter is a pretty big undertaking. Do you ever not feel inspired when you need to write?

Absolutely, and that's when a change of scene comes in. This is something that I do feel sometimes, because of having a full-time job, having a toddler at home and everything else that's going on. It is difficult to put this on the priority list.

Over the weekends, I'll have a change of scene, like I may go to a café.

It doesn't take more than two to three hours to put an issue together. It's more about finding that motivation to think of new, interesting ideas.

Now I have a running list. Every time I have an idea, I'll log it and make some notes, which makes my life easier. There are times that I’ve run out of inspiration or ideas for a particular issue, but that's when research comes into play and I find other ways to cope with it.

It doesn't happen too often. I’m usually pretty motivated about sending the newsletter out.

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You’re definitely a designer. Do you consider yourself a writer?

No, I don't.

I'm slowly getting into it. When I started taking some of those creative writing and journalism classes in school and at the Academy of Art, I thought I was good at it, but then I saw other people in my class and it was mind-blowing. People around me were so much more talented.

It was more of an awakening that I'm really good with visuals, and I can confidently say that. But with words, I still have a long way to go.

I want to approach this with that sense of curiosity. A friend of mine gave me the advice to approach it with that curiosity and some authority. It's not about being an authority figure in this industry. It's about writing what comes from the heart and your shared experience. That's what I try to do.

I'm still learning a lot about writing, about words, about editing paragraphs in a way that is engaging. Sometimes I tend to go on and on.

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Are your physical conditions the same when you're writing versus when you’re doing visual design?

I would say so. I need to be in a place where it's comfortable, it's exciting, it's inspiring. This is why I surround myself with things that excite me and inspire me.

Now, everything has gone digital, but I do have a notebook where I try to write as much as I can on a piece of paper, and that helps as well. I love the art of actually writing.

I have a selection of ten different types of pens. I’ve always been fascinated by stationery, so I’ll pick a different pen to write with.

Anything that gets you excited, right?

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To finish off, do you have any other side projects that you're working on?

No, with DearGenie and with my day job, that’s quite a bit.

I would like to do a lot more with DearGenie, and I'm constantly thinking about what else and how else I can make that happen.

There's only so much time in the day, so I have to be very specific with what I'm doing and how I'm doing it.

For the time being, no, but if I do explore anything further, it will be DearGenie.
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Learn more about Aaina's work on her website.