Kevin Dennis and Meghan Ely Unfiltered: Behind the Scenes of Wedding Business Pro's
If you were to imagine a podcast episode that seamlessly blends humor with heartfelt industry insights, you'd be picturing the first episode of Mind Your Wedding Business with Kevin Dennis and special guest Meghan Ealy.
From hilarious tales of pranks and mishaps to deep reflections on the impact of their work during the pandemic, this episode both entertains and will be sure to have you laughing.
Join Kevin and Meghan as they recount their journey through the wedding industry, their memorable collaborations, and the importance of sleep schedules (yes, really!).
Dig deeper into their humorous yet impactful relationship as business associates and friends, and get a sneak peek at the fun and valuable content you can expect from future episodes.
Highlights:
1. Meghan's serious commitment to her 9:00 p.m. bedtime and how it affects her social life and work.
2. The hilarious story of how Meghan became known as Kevin’s third favorite client and the subsequent trophy prank.
3. Reflections on their numerous webinars during the pandemic and their impact on the community.
4. The entertaining banter as Meghan jokingly suggests being a guest host on the podcast.
5. Insights into Kevin and Meghan's approach to juggling professional commitments with personal life, especially during conferences.
6. A fun discussion about loyalty to different brands, a potential dream guest, and future podcast plans.
Tune in to enjoy a perfect blend of humor and industry expertise that's guaranteed to keep you engaged from start to finish!
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Transcript
Welcome to mind your wedding business podcast. I'm your host, Kevin Dennis. In addition to leading the charge at Weddingiq, I also run fantasy sound event Services, a lighting and entertainment company based in Livermore, California, that I founded over 35 years ago. Each week on this podcast, you'll hear thought provoking and empowering interviews with wedding professionals who have found success in the industry. If you're a business minded wedding pro who loves love but also cares about their bottom line, buckle up and get ready to learn from a new industry expert each week. So welcome to the first episode of mind your wedding business. We are going to be a weekly podcast talking about all things for your wedding business and just really bringing it in and just bringing all the wonderful things I've learned throughout the years and bringing wonderful guests on. And I think the biggest part about this podcast is we're going to have fun and helping people grow their business.
Kevin Dennis [:So I am your host, Kevin Dennis. So I'd like to welcome myself to the show, so to speak. But also I want to welcome my, my sister from another mister, Megan Ealy. So I couldn't imagine doing this episode without. With anyone other than you because you.
Megan [:Well, you've threatened it for so long, too. I mean, this was always. Yeah, you were like, I'm gonna do podcasts. You're the first one on. Like, you've said that for some time now. So I feel like that was our destiny, was to start like this.
Kevin Dennis [:Was that the night in New Orleans when we all went crazy?
Megan [:That's a whole other podcast for another time.
Kevin Dennis [:Okay.
Megan [:That will be behind a paywall at a later date.
Kevin Dennis [:Good old cater source. What year was that? I don't even remember. Caters. 19. 2018. 2017.
Megan [:No, no, the 19 hundreds I met.
Kevin Dennis [:2019. 2019.
Megan [:Pre pandemic.
Kevin Dennis [:Yeah, it was later times, maybe 18. It was in New Orleans. It was one of those.
Megan [:Facebook reminds me, I literally recovered last week from it. So it's at some point, it's been. It's been some time.
Kevin Dennis [:Good old Razzuz. Okay. All right.
Megan [:Shout out. Shout out to Razzuz, New Orleans.
Kevin Dennis [:So as we go, as you can tell, we're going to have a lot of fun on this and we're being really silly and go crazy. But anyway, so, Megan, tell us a little bit about yourself, and then we're going to get into how we met and then why I'm going to put you on the spot. Why you think this is going to be fun every week. So let's start.
Megan [:Okay. Okay. Am I doing my actual bio or like a bio that you think. You think it's my origin story. Like, where are we going with this?
Kevin Dennis [:Good point. Good point. Because the whole sister thing. Let's. Let's clarify that, because. Just let's.
Megan [:Let's clear the air.
Kevin Dennis [:Yeah. Because Megan foolishly has me introduce her at conferences, and I think she likes the punishment. I'm going to be honest with you, because she.
Megan [:I don't even ask you, though. I'm just like, you're coming, right? Because I've. That's been the plan the whole time you're introducing me. I just am letting you in on that.
Kevin Dennis [:So now we have my. I always wear my Megan Ely socks that day, which are socks with my.
Megan [:Face on them, just for the uninitiated.
Kevin Dennis [:And I always pull them up so people can see the socks when I walk. Yeah. And then one time you foolishly told me just, you know, everything. Just. Just make. Say, whatever, whatever. So I went out and I was really nice to you. I gave you all kinds of good.
Kevin Dennis [:Yeah. Good accolades and everything.
Megan [:Well, you kept looking at me that you were like, that's right. Right. And then you were like, ooh, that's impressive. Like, you weren't in the room when I got that, like, award or press thing. You're like, oh, and I do that sometimes.
Kevin Dennis [:Sometimes. Because one time I did read your actual bio, and then you. And I was like, man, mom and dad must be so proud of you.
Megan [:Is this even true?
Kevin Dennis [:Yeah, that was the best. That was the best.
Megan [:When I did ask, is this even true? And then you get into the big point at the end because I let.
Kevin Dennis [:You out very, very first time I went and I was nice to you, and I said, it's not every day that you get to introduce your older sister onto the wedding NBA stage. So, ladies and gentlemen, let's give a warm welcome to my sister, Megan.
Megan [:It's just an intimate room of 500 people. Just an intimate room of 500 people.
Kevin Dennis [:But your mouth hit the floor. I remember looking back at you and your mouth was like.
Megan [:It was less about the related, which, to your audience, we are. We are actually not. But it's the older, since you actually have, like, a decade on me, but I do have the gray. And I was like, oh, my God. And so it just became a thing, and you. And it just so naturally comes out of your mouth. And now I get stopped a lot where people like, oh, yeah. I didn't even know you guys were related.
Megan [:I'm like, we're not. Like, I'm at nace evolve. I didn't even know Kevin was your brother. And they're walking away and I'm like, he's not like even a little bit.
Kevin Dennis [:Well, and I just recently. So I will work that I work you into. I should be, you should be paying me to be a publicist because I. How am I, I know because I work you into almost every podcast that I'm on or every time I speak, I somehow something back to Megan Ealy. And I'm like, and I usually go, well, you know, my older sister Megan Ealy. And then I go on and tell my story and I don't, I don't stop. But it's the reaction of people's mouths going, what I never knew. Or, yeah, what did you not know?
Megan [:Anyways, so if you're going that route, I think that would be the beginning, middle and end of the bio. But I'm actually not related. And so I was born on one stormy day in February in New Hampshire. No, I'm like from the complete, like 3000 miles away. But no. So I am Megan Neely, not related to Kevin. And I am a wedding publicist. So I own ofd consulting.
Megan [:I've been in the industry over 20 years, got my start. I've been in hospitality since I was 14. And I worked at a lobster pool, which is like the most New England job a human possibly could have growing up, but then jumped into the world of weddings when I graduated from college and decided to go out on my own, which is like its own other story. So I've owned OFD for 15 years as a publicist, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I am old ish. And but really the real story is Kevin came into my life in July of 2014, Nace Baltimore. And you were sitting in the crowd. I was doing a topic I learned later.
Megan [:Don't say yes to a topic because someone's like, someone couldn't make it. Can you do it? And I said yes. And I've never done that since. And I remember you like turned to Lindsey in the room and you said, I'm going to hire her.
Kevin Dennis [:No, no, Lindsay, I walked out, literally, and don't take this the wrong way because we're gonna allow cussing on my, on my podcast. So. But I walked out and remember how nace of experience, they used to do those cool food and stuff and so Lynn, Lindsay, who works for me, was at the conference with me and I walked out of there cuz rip Bertino is the one that encouraged me to go shout out, see, you speak. She goes, you really need to go hear Megan speak. Yep. And I walked out of that. That room. I found Lindsay, and she goes, how was it? I go, we're hiring that bitch.
Kevin Dennis [:And I didn't mean bitch in a bad way. I know. I was just like, but you didn't.
Megan [:And then you took about six months to actually email me because that surprised me. You really did take that long, because you tell us, are you like. And then I was like, I'm gonna hire her. And I was like, but I didn't hear from you until then.
Kevin Dennis [:It was more like. It was. We're here in the Bay area, East Bay, where I am. We get back in July, and then August, September, October are our crazy months. Like, they are insane.
Megan [:Yeah. No, no, no. Totally.
Kevin Dennis [:I know I didn't impulsively do it right then and there, but I have done it.
Megan [:Well, that's okay, because I had my one year old off site, like, running off to him, so we actually didn't spend any time together. And then. And then we. As you said, we had an awkward lunch, which I thought was lovely, in January.
Kevin Dennis [:Oh, that's downtown.
Megan [:Danny hired me 2014. And then we were going to TSC, Tortilla Joe's. And as I remember, we had this great. We'd already been working together, great lunch. But, like, I heard you telling the story, like, a year or two later, and you're like, yeah. Then I had this awkward lunch with her. I was like, I thought it was awkward. It was delightful.
Megan [:I was like, so we have, like. We have vastly different, like, recollections of our history, and. But we've been together ever since. So we have worked together. We've.
Kevin Dennis [:We really have. We.
Megan [:We have many states association. How many cities we've done. I think we've been in. We have a notes app that tracks. We've done, like, 20 cities we've traveled.
Kevin Dennis [:I was gonna say. I thought it was 20 plus cities.
Megan [:Traveling. We're like, how many times have we done this?
Kevin Dennis [:And so we did not do that the night of. Nor of our crazy night in New Orleans. So.
Megan [:No, no, that was sitting on a, um. That rental. That rental place in Lax.
Kevin Dennis [:Oh, I remember that.
Megan [:And then we were going, yeah. So we've been, like, literally everywhere together. So, I mean, I know your Starbucks order. I know your preferences for everything.
Kevin Dennis [:Yeah, my Starbucks. My Starbucks order is the easiest one, though. So it's just.
Megan [:Well, it's a massive ice tea, Trent. Black ice, and nothing.
Kevin Dennis [:There's nothing.
Megan [:Anyways, that's our story. But we've worked together for years. And you've been to Richmond? I've come to Livermore. I've hung out with your family. You kindly took me in when my flight after club k canceled, so I spent pizza night on the first day back from school with your family. I did.
Kevin Dennis [:You did. In your cute, cute little convertible. I remember that card.
Megan [:Which I took your wife because. I took Jessica because I was like, she's coming with me. And then we left you guys behind. But, yeah, you guys have always been very welcoming over the years.
Kevin Dennis [:Love ours long time.
Megan [:I have no plans for our. I guess next year we'll wait. No. Oh, this is awkward.
Kevin Dennis [:Oh, yeah, it is awkward. You better plan something for October.
Megan [:I was gonna say we first came in July of ten years ago right now, so I'm looking forward to handing me some sort of gift at the end of this.
Kevin Dennis [:Oh, is that like. Like this? What is it, the third. 3rd place or third place?
Megan [:Oh, yeah, absolutely. But anyways, that's our story, so.
Kevin Dennis [:Yeah, and here we are. So, I mean. And we've served on WIPA boards together. We've got. We've been. You've helped out with Nace foundation stuff.
Megan [:Yeah, we've both been long time nace members. I've come out for Tri Valley. I mean, everything, really. We've served a million different things together over the years, so that's how we've traveled so much.
Kevin Dennis [:I'm your. I'm your. I'm your favorite panel guest. You tend to put me on panels.
Megan [:Yeah, you do. You sit on a lot of my panels. And you. You've always. You've definitely introduced me the most out of anybody, for sure.
Kevin Dennis [:I know. I really was talking with Alexis already planning your introduction for wedding MBA this year, so.
Megan [:Wedding MBA coming up. Perfect.
Kevin Dennis [:Yeah, I said I have to go a different route, and I told Alexis she has to help me, so.
Megan [:Okay, perfect. Anyways, our history is a long one. Yeah, as you can tell, goes way back.
Kevin Dennis [:We've been going now for about eight, nine minutes on the history, so that just means we're old.
Megan [:Yeah. Especially you. July 13 through 16th, 2014. So we literally.
Kevin Dennis [:Oh, you really. Oh, my God.
Megan [:I just looked it up. Yeah. Happy anniversary.
Kevin Dennis [:Yeah. There you go. We're getting there. All right. So, why did I ask you to be here? What do you think?
Megan [:Couple things. I have theories, partly because I know all of your. Your dark secrets. So if you're looking for ratings, I mean, obviously I'd be a good one to come and just, like, spill all the things, but that's only one guess. That's one guess. No, also, well, being a publicist, I mean, I've worked with you over the years, and you've been on a bajillion podcasts yourself, and I see firsthand kind of the power of that. And so I figured we'd talk a little bit about podcasting. I don't know.
Megan [:I figured that was part of it. And plus, you knew you can say whatever and get away with whatever with me, so it's like, maybe you needed that, like, launching pad. If you're like, let me see if I can test the waters with.
Kevin Dennis [:No. Well, and it's. It's a well known. It's a comfort thing, so I feel very comfortable with you. So I. That was. That was all. You see, we have to have our little nice moment, so.
Kevin Dennis [:No, but, yeah, I. Like. I love being on podcasts, so. And then that's when I had the idea. It was when Covid hit, and it's funny, it's taken this long to do, but it's when Covid hit, and I. And you and I sat at the food court at the Mandalay Bay during Borrows pizza. Yep. And we were like, oh, shit, the world's gonna end.
Kevin Dennis [:And we. We're going to do a few webinars for Wipa and keep members engaged because we didn't know what was going to happen.
Megan [:I mean, it was literally, tell people it was March 12, 2020. So I think people really need to know what the date was to understand we're literally in Vegas, don't know what to do, and we're right. This conference, we can't get out.
Kevin Dennis [:Well, and people. Yeah, people are leaving the conference to go fire people. People were getting fired that were at the conference. Yeah.
Megan [:Literally losing south by southwest. I remember the caterers. It was like, when I say you and I were sitting there with our little pizzas, but everything around us was on fire. It was on. It was, like the weirdest, weirdest thing.
Kevin Dennis [:And I'll never forget the. The search party that night, because our. You know, our friend Jordan, he. He sang his rear end off that night, and it was just such a weird energy in that room.
Megan [:Well, it was. No one knew what to do. We didn't know. None of us had masks, but we didn't know. We couldn't get our hands on mask, and we didn't know what to do. And even when we. I remember flying, and you and I, I'm sure, talked at length about it, and I talked to my team, and I was like, you don't have to come, but, like, I'm contracted. I have to go.
Megan [:We didn't know how bad it was going to be. We landed, and we were like, what.
Kevin Dennis [:Are we doing to?
Megan [:And I think you and I were like that, too. We both were. So we just got to work because we didn't know what else to do, you know?
Kevin Dennis [:So we started the webinars, and I think we did almost 60 of them when it was all said and done.
Megan [:Yeah, you did 60 plus. You did an amazing job.
Kevin Dennis [:Yeah. And that's where it really, because basically, doing a webinar was like doing a podcast. And so, except I get to talk more on a podcast than I do on a webinar and ask the questions and interview. And I've always like to be. I'm inquisitive, as you know, and I like to talk, as you know. I do talk a little too much.
Megan [:As I intimately know. You do like to talk. No, you're right that back then, to give you massive credit, I mean, that was a game changer because it just opened up the floodgates for, you know, just this discourse in the middle of, like, chaos, you know, I mean, because nobody else was doing that. Nobody else was doing that. So I was so glad that you've channeled it, you know?
Kevin Dennis [:Yeah. And then, and I think what we did, you and I made the decision, and we made the decision to open it up to everyone, not just whippa members. And I think that was the, that was the game changer because there were, like, the time I had, you know, and then I randomly asked David to Tara. Don't know David to Tara. He probably doesn't even remember being on a podcast or on a webinar with me. But I remember we had over 500 people. I was almost 500 people because we had our Zoom account can only handle 500 people at the time. And I was nervous that we were going to, like, shut.
Kevin Dennis [:I didn't know what, like, what was going to happen in the middle of everything going on, literally.
Megan [:Kevin Dennis, breaking the Internet. Look at you. Watch out. Kim Kardashian. No, that was great. I'm so glad that you channeled it to this because I remember and people still reference it. It was such a game changer for the industry. It gave us community in a time where we were all stuck at home, especially us, with kids who weren't getting school anymore.
Megan [:We're like, what the heck are we supposed to do? And so you would come on, and it's like, okay, we at least have this going for us. So it was so good.
Kevin Dennis [:Yeah, that was, yeah. Crazy. I don't know, I just, and it, for me, it gave me, I would actually break the rules and go, yeah, and I would break the rules and go into work and do them from work and I wouldn't stay at home because it was easier to do it from the office, but it just gave me something to do and it was giving back and it was, you know, it was like creating a sense of community, but it was, it's crazy to look back. That was four years ago and we're.
Megan [:Still here, so it feels like four decades ago, honestly. I mean, it really does.
Kevin Dennis [:It really does. Yeah.
Megan [:It feels like so long ago. It seems like I can touch that time and remember it enough. I think some of it I've blocked out, though, because I'm like, I never want to think about second grade math again, like literally ever. But then it does seem so far away from now. It's like, you know, our kids don't, which we have some similar age kids. Some of them barely remember that. Can you imagine? And they're like, oh, I guess I stayed home for a little bit. I'm like, it was 18 months.
Kevin Dennis [:Yeah, well, yeah, because you're in a similar state that I'm in that we were shut down forever and then we had friends of ours that were in the middle of the US, you know, already doing weddings in that summer. It was crazy. It was just the wild times of that time. But anyways, we nailed it. We are here today. We're going to have fun doing this.
Megan [:Yeah. It will not be pandemic failed. This is going to be a different theme. That theme was, what the hell are we doing? This will be different. This will be fun. And what we've learned and talking have changed.
Kevin Dennis [:Yeah, that's the other thing. Our industry through that has changed dramatically. And I think that is one thing. And it's fun to learn from other people through their trials and tribulations. That's the best part. So, you know, so I can't wait to get going and get interviewing all these wonderful people and go from there.
Megan [:So you're a big part of my trial on Tripuli. No, I'm just kidding. I know you'll have to have a guest host because it's going to get awkward. No, I'm just teasing.
Kevin Dennis [:Oh, yeah. Oh, I wonder if I could do that. How like Letterman and Jay Lennon would bring in people. I wonder if I can do that sometime. Maybe you'll be my guest host.
Megan [:Oh, can you imagine who would I bring on. I don't even know. I'll guess. I'll guest host and I'll interview you. We'll switch it. Go switcheroo.
Kevin Dennis [:So, as someone that will be a regular on the podcast, we will have to. Maybe we'll do that one time. You interview me, and then I'll interview you for a different one.
Megan [:We should bring in a therapist sometime, too. I mean, I think we should mix it up. I'm just kidding.
Kevin Dennis [:I'm all about the mental health, so. Yeah, the therapy for you and I.
Megan [:No, I need a therapist for what.
Kevin Dennis [:I meant, so we can do a therapy session in front of everyone. I think that might be a good thing.
Megan [:Yeah, that would be funny. That would be hilarious. Not that therapy is hilarious, because I'm a big proponent. I'm a big proponent.
Kevin Dennis [:I'll tell about all the times you picked on me as my older sister, and I still am scarred. We'll work through it all. So, anyway. All right, well, what else you got for me? Before we let you go, who's your dream guest? It would probably be you. I'd be honest with you. So that's kind of funny enough. No, I'm serious. You are.
Kevin Dennis [:I mean, you are my dream guests, so probably. Cindy Novotny.
Megan [:You've peaked earlier. You peaked way earlier again.
Kevin Dennis [:People I'm comfortable with. And someone like Cindy Novotny would probably be. Cindy I would love.
Megan [:Would be great.
Kevin Dennis [:You know, I worked with her through WIPA. We actually hired her as a consultant. And I mean, there. When it comes to wedding education, I don't think there's any much people, but. Or hospitality education, because she's.
Megan [:Yeah, I loved her at engage. I mean, I literally. I remember I was assigned her breakout room, and it wasn't Cindy. I'm like, no, I got to go to hers because I heard her as a keynote, and she was fabulous. So she's wonderful.
Kevin Dennis [:Well, okay, I'll tell you, you know, when I was whipper president, I would go to a lot of chapter meetings, and so anytime Cindy would speak, I would offer to pick her up. And so I would go pick her up from the hotel, bring her to the event, take her to. Back to the hotel, or back to the. I've dropped her off at the airport. We've had breakfast together. She and I really have enjoyed that, you know, because she got. At that point, we've already. I already did my work with her as a consultant, and so she got to know us, and it was.
Kevin Dennis [:It was. It was valuable time, and she still. She has a podcast. I still listen to her podcasts because she's so. Brings it to a different level, and she's gone on now where she's doing more than just hospitality stuff. And she's. She's pretty smart. So she would probably be one of my dream guests.
Megan [:I would say, we're going to put it into the universe and say, sydney devotny, we look forward to having you.
Kevin Dennis [:But there's a lot of great, like, people in the wedding industry, and that's what the best part is. There's so many of us that do so much good things, and. And I think it's about. They're about the community and about sharing, you know? And it's not about that. They don't have a lot to hide. And, you know, and I'm a big believer that the more we share, the bigger, stronger our industry is, the better it is. Yeah.
Megan [:Oh, absolutely. I'll tell anyone anything. I mean, there's never been a question I haven't answered about any of this, you know, putting it together, small businesses, things like that, and being just very open and honest about the industry and where it's going and stuff, you know?
Kevin Dennis [:Yeah. And the biggest thing, too, is, like, what works for me doesn't work for you. Just like, I use acuity and you use calendly, you know, that's the biggest, you know, yet.
Megan [:We still are friends. No, it's true. I don't know why I did a calendly instead of a cutie. Maybe. I thought, honestly, I probably thought you were on calendly, and that's why I did it. And then it was too flippin late by the. I was like, oh, shit. Okay.
Megan [:You're an acute, even. I mean, I probably assumed you're on calendly. Yeah. You are app loyal.
Kevin Dennis [:You're a loyal dude.
Megan [:In general.
Kevin Dennis [:I am very, well, very loyal with a lot of my app, but a very, like, brand loyal. As you know, I'm very apple. Yeah, you are pro apple. I buy everything and anything apple. I'm surprised I didn't do this for my goggles today. I should have should.
Megan [:I was going to say you dragged me the Apple store. We're in Vegas. What are we buying? We're just looking things out. You would.
Kevin Dennis [:You never know.
Megan [:If you had one question you haven't asked me about before, what would it be?
Kevin Dennis [:I think I know you know a lot. I think I know it. Okay. No, no, no. I got it. I got it. Who's your favorite client? Who's your favorite client?
Megan [:Of all time Emily Sullivan. I know. That's it. Okay, well, it will end on that. So. So, you know, here's the thing. I love all my clients in different ways. And back in the day when I was, when I didn't, when I didn't have a membership yet.
Megan [:Right. And so it was retainer clients, people who were on retainer. Everyone was on retainer. So it was a smaller group, you know, different than a membership. Right. That's scalable. And I remember we were out in, well, here's the thing. I am historically the, as you know, but I'm sharing with your audience, like I'm the one who goes to bed at 09:00 p.m.
Megan [:like, can we go to dinner at five? Like I am. I want to go to bed.
Kevin Dennis [:You're in the room, you're practicing over and over. Yeah.
Megan [:Especially if I'm speaking. I'm very particular about that. I don't want to be out late. I am very. I need sleep. I just do. And so I probably said no a hundred times to you and Lindsay. I mean, just like, no, I can't.
Megan [:No, I can't. So we were in New Orleans for, I believe it was catersource and it was also the opening of with, okay, no, this was the first one. We're going to talk about the first time you and I have had two evenings in New Orleans. This is the first one. And it was the Wipa, New Orleans town hall. You had done a great presentation and we had all hung out. I had done, all my speaking was done and my obligation to Wipa was done. So everything was done at this point.
Megan [:And you had gone off gallivanting at this point. So I remember turning to Emily Sullivan, who is lovely, and I turned to Emily, who is also a client, and I said, okay, I'm, I'm going. Have a good night. And she said, and I quote, I am a single mom with a babysitter. You are not going to bed. And I was like, ma'am, yes, ma'am. And so at this point, to be fair, I had no speaking obligations, checked all the boxes. So I said, okay, I'll go out.
Megan [:And so she hands me what's called the pims. And the thing about pims are they don't taste like alcohol. And that is no good story has ever come from that. And I had like four or five, and that was just like to start. And so we're having a good time responsibly. And we were like, let's go find Kevin and Lindsey, because we thought that was a great idea. And we went to, what, the French Quarter? Right? That's where we. What? We walked over to.
Megan [:We stumbled over to. And we thought you guys would be so happy to see us.
Kevin Dennis [:I was pissed.
Megan [:Now, Lindsey was happy to see us, but you were pissed. You were like. You were like, why are you out with her? She's your favorite client. And so that's a not where that story ends. So, like, then skip ahead. Whatever. And so you and I go to a lot of conferences a year together. Like, we're always.
Megan [:I mean, there are some years we see each other almost every month, right. And so we would go. We were at something together. And you started introducing yourself to people before the sister thing, and you said, I am Megan's number three client.
Kevin Dennis [:Yeah, third favorite.
Megan [:And so. Yeah, Megan's number three client. And I was like, what? And I realized he said Emily was number one. But to this day, I don't think any of us know who number two is. But that was kind of the funny part of it. But people who don't know your humor or mine, they were kind of put off by that because they're like, whoa, what's the vibe here? And so I. You know, I. If I was hospitable, I would have been like, oh, no, his feelings are hurt, blah, blah, blah.
Kevin Dennis [:But no, no, you double down. You double down.
Megan [:Double down. I double down. And I got you a trophy, and I spent an extra, like, buck on the. On the glitter ball, and it said, 2017, number three client. You know, Kevin Dennis. And I sent that to you, and I was like, here you go, jerk. And I think it's still in your office. I think you still have it.
Megan [:And you.
Kevin Dennis [:It actually is. So I.
Megan [:You posted it.
Kevin Dennis [:You.
Megan [:Well, because they thought it was real.
Kevin Dennis [:And I. Congratulations.
Megan [:And that is the end of my surprise and delight story that I tell on stage. And it kills every time, because I, like, put up a picture of the trophy, which is, like.
Kevin Dennis [:Of the trophy.
Megan [:I mean, it was, like, the best money. $10 could buy, because that was, like, the most expensive trophy they had.
Kevin Dennis [:Well, that. And you tell the story now all the time, and, you know. Yeah.
Megan [:So that's our story.
Kevin Dennis [:That's.
Megan [:That's your question? No, I've told you. No, I don't. I'm not here to play favorites. But you're in the top.
Kevin Dennis [:Like, who's the most pain in your ass client that I can ask?
Megan [:Well, that's.
Kevin Dennis [:Yeah.
Megan [:No, no, no. I mean, as a client. Absolutely. You're. You have always understood the importance of press, and you respond if you're able to. Like, that's never been a problem with you. Like, back in the day during the pandemic when you were WIPA president, and it was like we were getting. Remember we used to get hit with all of that, like, national press.
Megan [:You would just jump in. You were like, in Bloomberg and all these things, because it was like you just knew that it was a vehicle to help educate and so sincerely, like, no, no. I mean, you are our longest running retainer client.
Kevin Dennis [:After all these years, I'm proud to say I've made. I've accomplished something.
Megan [:If that's it, let it be it.
Kevin Dennis [:That should be. That should get me a trophy someday, too.
Megan [:I should get a ten years. Well, I'm gonna go work on it. I'm gonna go look at when you sign the contract, and we'll work on that. Well, hand it to a wedding mba in a few months, so. Or like a t shirt or something. I don't know.
Kevin Dennis [:I like the t shirt. I'll support the t shirt.
Megan [:Exactly.
Kevin Dennis [:Oh, so I'm gonna. Now that you say that, I'm gonna get something about a t shirt about you being my older sister, now that you say something.
Megan [:So I know at some point I didn't get any card from you on, like, sibling appreciation date. Like, that was a missed opportunity.
Kevin Dennis [:I know it's been crazy around here.
Megan [:I was gonna say, you're not as committed as you think you are to that.
Kevin Dennis [:I am committed, but it's. We also have a business to run.
Megan [:And we were really committed. You'd hack, like, myheritage.com or 23 andme or something. So really? All right.
Kevin Dennis [:I'm not gonna mean I got socks and I got funny stories, and I think that's an off.
Megan [:I was gonna say, we have done some crazy stuff to Lindsay over the years where we've doctored stuff to send it to her. We made her think she was a speaker at the special event, and I actually made a fake email and sent it to her.
Kevin Dennis [:That's right.
Megan [:And I doctored it up so it looked exactly like I made it. I think I told them I did that so they knew I was, like, spoofing them, and I was like, congratulations, you're. You're a speaker.
Kevin Dennis [:And she's like, yeah, she lost her shit. She was not happy. Yeah, she was not. Or what about the time I fired your employees? But it was a fake.
Megan [:Yeah, that was another one, too. We. That. The best part of that one was you were inviting them to come out to California for 2017 with us. It was Amanda and Audrey, and I, like, dropped little things in their lap all week, saying, I don't know, is Kevin acting weird to you? It's kind of. He wants us meeting at the end of the week, and so I just. But I would do it so short because I couldn't get through, like, without laughing, so I would like, oh, I know. It's kind of weird.
Megan [:Then I'd run off and, like, die, and I probably text you about it. And then you sat us down, and you just did such a good job. I sat behind them because I could not.
Kevin Dennis [:They couldn't see your face. Was. I was having a hard time being. Keeping a straight face looking at you.
Megan [:Ridiculous, because you're just like, well, you know, it's been a really good run, and da da. And, like, literally, I thought they were gonna vomit. And the best part was that the Wi fi flickered for a second, so as you were about to invite them to California and so generously fly them, I froze. It flickered and froze. And I think they literally almost both died. Like, and I'm just. I think I had to calm them down, and then it's like, you're coming. And they were so excited.
Megan [:That was so sweet. So that was a good trip. That was good. The only thing is, the Golden Gate bridge was covered in fog, so there's this picture of the two of them of, like, arms around each other, and it's, like, all fog by the only thing that fell through.
Kevin Dennis [:Lindsey took him on a good. Yeah, Lindsey took him on a good tour of the city and got him in an in n out burger. There's not much. I mean, they.
Megan [:You've taken me my first in and out. Finally, after all those years before, it's updating me. You got it. You got it in early.
Kevin Dennis [:Well, you could still get a good. My daughter. My daughter's crazy. Ava is a rare steak is what she orders when we go out to dinner. A rare filet. And the waiter or waitress always looks at me, and I'm like, shake my head yes. And then I have a vegetarian, so I could not have kids. More polar opposite.
Kevin Dennis [:So. But she does enjoy some in and out burgers because she gets the cheese fries, and she gets a grilled cheese, and she loves the grilled cheese.
Megan [:Well, there you go, then. It's perfect. So, my point in all this diatribe is that you could commit to this sister thing a little bit more. I'd like to see you try. So the gauntlet's been thrown.
Kevin Dennis [:All right, well, it'll be nice because next week I'll be in Denver without you and so I can. I won't have you come back. Yeah, I know.
Megan [:It's my first nice experience with that in eleven years. I've done eleven in a row. That's a long time. I did so.
Kevin Dennis [:Did you do one before Baltimore?
Megan [:I did so 2013. I did Chicago. I was actually not going to apply because I was pregnant at the time, like, of applying, and I was going to have a three month old. And then they sent one of those emails out and it was a form email, but it was like, enough that they did outreach because, not to brag, but before I was nae speaker of the year, I was rejected many times in my early, like, I just got turned down a hundred times from nace and that was many years before. And so I applied. I said, you know what? If they reached out, I'm going do it. And I got it. And I went, son of a nutcracker.
Megan [:Like, what am I supposed to do with a three month old? So I grabbed Travis, my husband, and I brought Oliver, who's three months and double Spanx. Never have I ever worn Spanx over Spanx. But I did for nice experience 2013. And I spoke in Chicago. Were you at that one?
Kevin Dennis [:No, I was not. So Baltimore was my very, very first.
Megan [:Was it really?
Kevin Dennis [:Yeah. Nice experience ever.
Megan [:So I didn't realize that was your first one ever.
Kevin Dennis [:Yeah.
Megan [:Yeah. Chicago was fun.
Kevin Dennis [:And I knew Britt, and so that's, and I just kept telling. And that's when I met Tim and Donald for the first time. And I said, really? Yeah. And I said, hi. I know Britt. And Britt told me, I need to know you, and, like, the rest is history with them. It's crazy.
Megan [:It was a very significant conference.
Kevin Dennis [:It really was. Isn't it?
Megan [:Tremendous friendship roi, if you think about it.
Kevin Dennis [:I remember, too, Lindsey and I were supposed to fly out of San Jose and then our flight got, like, full on canceled. We were freaking out. And then they, they put us in a taxi, which ended up being some guys, like, before Uber. This is before Uber. And some guys, like, Toyota car with our luggage and drove us up to SFO. And then we had to, like, go through Detroit. Detroit into Baltimore. It was like we spent the whole day driving and it was pouring rain.
Kevin Dennis [:Yeah, the weather wasn't that night, the opening party. Yeah, it was insane.
Megan [:Yeah. I was in and out for Baltimore because Oliver was a year. It was really hard that first, like, year balancing conferences with such a young kid. One of my best friends from college lived up there, so she's like, bring him and you can just keep going back and forth. And so I would speak and then run back to her house because I think I was still nursing. It was just wild. But yeah, Chicago is my first one, so this is my first missed one in eleven, so now, so I know.
Kevin Dennis [:I'm going to, but then that'll even us out because I've been to every single one since and this will be, you'll miss one. So next year when we go, it'll be, you know, because you're coming back. You'll be back next year. And I actually, oh, I actually know where the conference is next year and I can't tell you, so I can't.
Megan [:Believe you're doing that to me. No, I, it was one of these things when they were, they were, I remember the application came out, I had a potential conflict. Well, July is always a conflict because a bunch of birthdays and all this stuff, all the things and you get the July babies and so we, they were good kids. And so at the time I had a potential conflict and then, you know, it didn't work out. The trip we were going to maybe take to Delaware and I said, okay, well, maybe I'll look into, you know, we'll see. But once. And I love Denver. Like, it's, I had a great time in Colorado, but I was recently out there at the elevation.
Megan [:Made me very sick. So I'm kind of like, you know, I'm good, I'm good. I'm just going to set this one out. This go shout out to the mountains.
Kevin Dennis [:And I just, yeah, and I just talked to Gigi yesterday and I like, told her your story and I said, girl, you need to drink lots of water. You need to take it easy. Yeah. And I had no idea I was hosting hikes.
Megan [:I literally said to get, let's all go hiking every morning. And then I literally had to like peel myself and go present. I was so sick. I was like, what happened? So anyways, I'll be fine for this year, but we actually. Nice. Evolve. I've had the pleasure. The one in January, February.
Megan [:For those who don't know, I've done the last three of those in. The most recent one was in Richmond, so I, yeah, I've been with you guys for a while now, so, so.
Kevin Dennis [:That'S the coldest weather I've been in since I've been in New York.
Megan [:That, oh, I was gonna say before that it would have been wedding world DC. Because you complained so much about that.
Kevin Dennis [:Oh, okay. Okay.
Megan [:That. You said that was the coldest it had ever been.
Kevin Dennis [:Yeah. Because it was negative seven. Okay. That. That. That was the coldest New York. When I went to go do the. The sops for New York, Wipa, that one year, it was like eight degrees.
Kevin Dennis [:And then I feel like when we were in Richmond, it was in the teens the whole time. I just. It was. It was freaking cold. As California people don't do cold, so we just don't. It's not. None. Not in her blood.
Kevin Dennis [:It just, you know, that's why we have, you know, convertibles and all that.
Megan [:And then we drive around.
Kevin Dennis [:That's what we do here in California. So anyway. All right, so we'll wrap this up. Thank you.
Megan [:Thank you. I'm honored. No, no, thank you.
Kevin Dennis [:No, and you're. No, thank you.
Megan [:I'll be back. Because this is. We barely scratched the surgery.
Kevin Dennis [:I can say we. Yeah. And. Well, maybe we'll just do our next therapy session or our first therapy session live with. We'll have to figure who our therapist is and bring him or her on to be our therapist to work us through. I have some. I have some ideas in mind. So we'll have fun there.
Megan [:Can you imagine?
Kevin Dennis [:I have ideas, actually. I think Alexis would be a good therapist for us. There's lots of people, but yeah, Lindsey would be.
Megan [:I don't think she'd want that job. I don't think either of those two want that gift.
Kevin Dennis [:I think Morgan Montgomery might be.
Megan [:I think that would be really good.
Kevin Dennis [:Yeah, she would. Really. Because she would give it to both of us. She wouldn't take it. She wouldn't take either of our shit. She would call. Call us out. Spade a spade.
Kevin Dennis [:It would be funny. So, Miss Ely, how will people connect with you?
Megan [:You can find me over at ofd consulting. That's the best way to find me. I'm over at oft consulting on Instagram. I am often hanging out next to you at conferences is what I was going to say. I'm usually, like, standing right next to you at conferences. So if you need to find me physically, that's where you can find me.
Kevin Dennis [:Okay. That'll work. And then I'll be the one where. And I'm Megan's brother.
Megan [:Yeah. Something. We're going to figure it out.
Kevin Dennis [:I know I'm going to. It's going to say, ask me about Megan is what it's going to say. That's going to be. If that's going to be what I'm wearing a wedding to be.
Megan [:I'll know how to find you.
Kevin Dennis [:I'll let you pick the color.
Megan [:Okay, perfect.
Kevin Dennis [:All right. All right. Thank you, darling.
Megan [:Thank you.
Kevin Dennis [:To our listeners. Thank you for tuning in to another episode of mind your wedding business podcast, brought to you by weddingiq. I hope you've enjoyed listening to this episode. Please get in touch with me. If you have a topic you would like for me to cover, or if you are in the area of your business you would like you're struggling with, let us know. We'll be happy to help. I encourage you to check out our other episodes on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you're a fan, we'd love to hear from you, and we'd love for you to subscribe to our podcast and leave a review.
Kevin Dennis [:It helps others find our podcast so they can learn from our guests, too. Thanks again for listening.
