"Unreasonable Hospitality" by Will Guidara is a must-read for anyone in the event or hospitality industry. Guidara writes from the perspective of his own experience working in the restaurant industry but shares how the principles of "unreasonable hospitality" can be applied to anyone working in the hospitality and service industry. For me, the book encapsulates why I do what I do. He beautifully describes how the power of small moments can make a world of difference to our clients and impact how they remember their experience working with us for a lifetime.
As a wedding stationery designer and small business owner, I wholeheartedly recommend "The Win Without Pitching Manifesto" to my peers in the industry. This book completely revolutionized my relationship with clients and transformed how I market to couples. A quote that resonates deeply with me is, "We are hired for our expertise, not our service." This simple yet profound statement shifted my focus from just creating trendy or original designs to recognizing that my true value lies in my expertise. For example, knowing which supplier offers the highest-quality envelopes, understanding whether an invitation suite with ribbon requires additional postage, or selecting the best adhesive for envelope liners—these insights are invaluable to clients. The book made it clear that industry expertise is often more crucial than any physical product or service we provide. Beyond advocating for the importance of expertise, "The Win Without Pitching Manifesto" also guided me in defining my specialization within the wedding market, setting boundaries, and continually expanding my skill set. Whether you're new to the wedding industry or a seasoned professional, this is a must-read. Despite its brevity, the book is packed with business insights and years of client wisdom. My only regret is not discovering it sooner in my nearly eight-year journey as a business owner.
My husband and I own a wedding officiant business in South Florida, which started in 2019 after officiating our daughter’s ceremony. It became my full-time job after Covid hit in 2020. Being small business owners means we do it all—sales, ceremony logistics, PR, marketing, advertising, accounting—you name it. We juggle a lot, and it can get overwhelming. That’s why I’m so happy I came across Atomic Habits by James Clear. One idea I constantly remember is making small, 1% improvements in different areas can lead to big changes over time. But trying to do too much at once is a recipe for burnout. Focusing on small, consistent improvements in our business has allowed us to gradually build better systems that help us manage our workload without feeling overwhelmed. Managing our time was one of the things I had to learn early on. With so many responsibilities—from ceremony planning to calls with clients, learning how to manage social media, and keeping track of finances—our days often felt chaotic. But after reading Atomic Habits, we realized the importance of creating routines and automating processes as much as possible. Creating email templates made communicating with leads and clients so easy because the emails were often very similar. One of the most game-changing ideas from the book is focusing on "identity-based habits." Instead of just thinking about the outcomes we want—like getting more quality clients—we started thinking about the kind of business we want to be. We asked ourselves, "What would a successful, organized, and client-focused wedding officiant business do?" That question has become our north star and we’ve adopted habits that align with the identity we want to build in our future. Lastly, another big lesson we’ve learned from Atomic Habits is being patient and persistent. Throughout the book, you are constantly reminded that to accomplish meaningful progress it will take time and that only through your small daily actions is that you will encounter bigger and successful results that you have been waiting for. By focusing on making minor improvements every day, we’ve been able to build a solid foundation for our business. In short, Atomic Habits has been a productive guide for us. It’s not only about getting organized or managing our time better—it’s about creating a mindset that supports long-term success. For any small business owner who feels like they always have to be on top of a million things, I can’t recommend this book enough.
I would recommend *“The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters”* by Priya Parker. This book offers profound insights into the purpose and structure of gatherings, which is essential for anyone in event planning. Parker delves into the intentionality behind creating meaningful and memorable experiences, emphasizing the importance of purpose and connection in any event. The book has influenced my approach by reinforcing the idea that every event should have a clear purpose and a deliberate design to foster engagement and connection among attendees. It encourages looking beyond the logistical aspects and focusing on the deeper experience and impact of the gathering. This shift in perspective has helped me craft events that are not only well-organized but also resonate on a personal level with participants.