In this episode of The Next Level, Andy Kushner and Valerie Gernhauser, CEO of Sapphire Events, discuss Meryl Snow’s second interview on the Wedding Biz. Valerie is a self-proclaimed, recovering attorney who has built a business out of design practices and principles as well as teaching others how to build their own business. She loves sharing the knowledge she has gained through trial and error in her years in the business. Listen to learn how Valerie and Andy feel about Meryl’s philosophies about training, pricing, and sales. They dive deep into how they train their teams, the importance of cold calling, and why Meryl’s thoughts on pricing had them re-evaluating their own pricing structures. There are so many great tidbits of thought and reflection in this episode. Don’t miss out on a word!   Show Highlights: [01:02] Welcome back to the show Valerie Gernhauser. [02:16] Valerie discusses the need for having sales strategies and processes in place. [03:35] Hear Valerie’s goals for both of her brands and how she came up with her numbers. [05:12] Valerie shares how her team is structured and who is on it.  [06:00] How does Valerie approach sales training for her team?  [08:08] Selling through storytelling, what are Valerie’s thoughts?  [11:09] Why is client retention so important in the event industry?  [14:00] Valerie shares her thoughts about Meryl’s comments on pricing. [19:09] Connect with Valerie and learn about her Pricing for Profit webinar. LINKS: The Wedding Biz Website The Wedding Biz Instagram The Wedding Biz Facebook @theweddingbiz Title Sponsor: PartySlate - the first website designed specifically for event professionals and venues! Meryl Snow Feastivities  OffShoots Decor Philadelphia’s Picnic Company Meryl’s Website: www.merylsnow.com Meryl on LinkedIn Meryl on Facebook   SnowStorm Solutions on Facebook            Meryl on Instagram Meryl on Twitter   Meryl on YouTube Meryl’s Interviews on the Wedding Biz:  MERYL SNOW: Maximizing Sales, Consulting, And Feastivities EventsMERYL SNOW: Part 2 Setting Yourself Apart In Life And Business. This Week’s Guest Co-Host, Valerie Gernhauser of Sapphire Events Sapphire Events Sapphire Events [Facebook] Sapphire Events [Instagram] Sapphire Events [Twitter] Sapphire Events [Pinterest] Ruby & Pearl Ruby & Pearl [Facebook] Ruby & Pearl [Instagram] Ruby & Pearl [Twitter] Ruby & Pearl [Pinterest] Pricing for Profit Valerie’s Episode on The Wedding Biz: https://theweddingbiz.com/valerie-gernhauser/ MENTIONED: Bryan Rafanelli’s Interview on The Wedding Biz: Telling Clients’ Stories Through Event Design Ceci Johnson’s Interview on The Wedding Biz:  Ceci Johnson: Designing Stationery, Lifestyle and Business Colin Cowie’s Interviews on The Wedding Biz: Creating Groundbreaking Luxury Experiences, Part 1 Creating Groundbreaking Luxury Experiences, Part 2 Lynn Easton’s Interviews on The Wedding Biz:  Lynn Easton: Destination Weddings with a Classic Touch, Part 1LYNN EASTON: PART 2 – Branding, Pricing & Choosing A Team