Real Connection Wins When Marketing Gets Noisy w/ LK Whitney

You can’t fake a great live experience, and you definitely can’t fake what people remember after they leave. We sit down with Laura Kate Whitney, founder and chief experience officer at Goodco, to talk about what it really takes to build experiences that feel personal, meaningful, and worth showing up for in Charleston and across the Southeast. 

Laura Kate shares the behind-the-scenes story of her long relationship with the Charleston Wine and Food Festival and how the festival’s mission has grown from filling hotel rooms to shining a spotlight on hospitality pros and reinvesting in the next generation. We also unpack how event planning and experiential marketing changed after the 2008 financial crisis, the rise of social media, and COVID, and why more brands now want smaller, deeper moments instead of pure scale. 

If you’re a marketer, founder, nonprofit leader, or anyone producing corporate events, you’ll love her framework for moving beyond impressions to create imprints, real touch points that leave a memory. She also gets practical about entrepreneurship: setting up a CRM, protecting cash flow when invoices run late, and using SCORE mentoring for accountability when you feel like quitting. 

Plus, there are two wild crisis stories involving flood water, lost venues, and last-minute pivots that somehow still end in a win. Subscribe for more conversations with the people shaping Charleston, share this with a friend who plans events, and leave us a review with your biggest event lesson.

South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) is a public, nonprofit organization that fuels South Carolina’s innovation economy by supporting technology-based startups, academic research, and industry partnerships. Through funding, coaching, and its investment arm SC Launch, SCRA helps early-stage companies grow, commercialize ideas, and scale within the state’s key innovation sectors.

King & Columbus is a full-service marketing and advertising agency based in South Carolina that helps brands grow through a mix of creative storytelling and data-driven strategy. They offer everything from branding and content creation to media planning, digital advertising, and PR—focused on delivering measurable results across digital, social, and traditional channels. https://kingandcolumbus.com

Transcript

Welcome And What We Explore

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to the Charleston Marketing Podcast, brought to you by the Charleston AMA and broadcasting from our friends at Charleston Media Solutions Studios. Thanks to our awesome sponsors at CMS, we get to chat with the cool folks making waves in Charleston, from business and art to hospitality and death. Movers and takers choose to call the low country hall. They live here, work here, and make a difference here. So what's their story? Let's find out together.

SPEAKER_02 0:27

Welcome everybody to the Charleston Marketing Podcast, powered by the Charleston AMA. We are here with our host, uh Charleston Media Solutions Studios with Sound Engineer Engineer Matthew. And um we have a special guest today, but before we get to her, I'll just tell you a little bit about myself. I'm Amanda Bunton Koman. Um I run the marketing agency Social ABCs, and I am a current AMA board member doing all the social media podcast fun stuff. And if you're not a member yet, please consider joining. And we have lovely guests on our podcast all the time, but I'm extremely excited and happy to have my dear friend on with us today, and she's gonna tell us all the fun things about event planning. And um Laura Kate.

SPEAKER_01 1:22

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 1:23

Can you introduce yourself?

SPEAKER_01 1:24

I would be delighted. Um, thank you, Amanda and Matthew, for having me today. I'm really excited to chat. Amanda, we've known each other for a really long time. We both have sons that just graduated high school and we were lunching back when they were little bitty baby. So we have a long history. But thank you for inviting me. My name is Laura Kate Whitney. I am the founder and chief experience officer at Goodco. We are a Southeast-based experience studio. We bring people together to tell stories through experiences because great things happen in good company. That's cool.

SPEAKER_02 1:58

That's it. And we worked

Laura Kate Whitney And Goodco

SPEAKER_02 2:00

together a long time ago.

SPEAKER_01 2:01

That's right.

SPEAKER_02 2:02

When we were young. But um you've always done events and all those cool things. Yep. And then I had the pleasure of kind of sort of working by your side a couple months ago when we did the Low Country Literacy Projects um premiere of their documentary.

SPEAKER_01 2:22

That's right. That was a fun run and a wonderful reunion. Yeah, my background has definitely been events, integrated marketing, um, but really uh uh telling stories, whether it's through marketing campaigns um and experiences that bring people together in real life, IRL.

SPEAKER_02 2:40

Yeah, IRL. I also remembered earlier today that you used to do weddings too.

SPEAKER_01 2:48

Oh yeah, I haven't done my last wedding was in October of 2010.

SPEAKER_02 2:53

What's that? Wait, when did Lindsay get married?

SPEAKER_01 2:55

October of 2010.

SPEAKER_02 2:56

That was her That was a great wedding. I was there and I loved it. It was so much fun. I for some reason I always remembered the song that they danced to as well because it was 311 Amber. Oh, and that just every time I hear that song now, I'm like, that was their wedding song.

SPEAKER_01 3:11

I can't believe it's uh at Charlestown Landing. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 3:13

At Founders when it was brand's brand new.

SPEAKER_01 3:16

It was beautiful. That was a beautiful wedding. I hope you have to fact check everything that I said, but I do believe that was October of 2010. But yes, living in Charleston, um, even gosh, that was 16 years ago. Um, you know, I feel like if you have touched events in any way, you have probably been involved in helping to produce uh a wedding. But I do not I do not do weddings anymore. I like working with other types of social clients and corporate clients. You've evolved. I I have evolved. I have evolved, yes. There are a lot of amazing wedding planners. Oh, yes.

SPEAKER_02 3:49

And even crazier how far booked and advanced things are happening in Charleston with weddings. But indeed. We don't need to talk about weddings anymore. That's right. Um, we are gonna talk about more fun things with Laura Kate, LK. Um, she's like she said, spent over two decades orchestrating major events and campaigns. Um one of them major ones was Charleston Wine and Food Festival. Chat about that a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 4:15

I'd love to. That is an organization and an experience that's near and dear to my heart. Charleston Wine and Food in 2026, just this past March, celebrated their 20th anniversary, which is so rad. Um, you know, the the festival started. Um, I remember seeing um Angel speaking at, I think it was a Czech luncheon or maybe it was a CVB gathering anyway, saying a couple of people we want to come together, you know, chefs and some culinary enthusiasts. Um,

Charleston Wine And Food Origins

SPEAKER_01 4:44

we want to come together to celebrate the the the world-class culinary scene that we have here in Charleston and also to fill up hotels on an otherwise sleepy weekend. Um, the f it always falls the first weekend of March or the first weekend of March. Um, we know now, 20 years later, um, that is no longer the goal. Um the hotels in Charleston are filled up year-round, but um, it was really fun. As soon as I heard uh Angel talking about that and describing, she was the founding executive director.

SPEAKER_02 5:14

Um side note, she was also a guest on this podcast a couple months ago. So if anyone wants to dig back into her episode, look it up.

SPEAKER_01 5:21

Angel Holmes, yes. Um, and uh wow, I hope she's sneezing right now. And clearly, clearly we are we keep ourselves in good company. Um anyway, hearing her, I was like, I had just moved to Charleston um and was looking for ways to get involved. And I was uh a volunteer for the first two years helping. It was back when they let committees plan the event.

SPEAKER_02 5:44

So it was all volunteer.

SPEAKER_01 5:45

It was well, there were event producers, um, but there was definitely it was definitely a big volunteer effort. Um and so in the third year, Angel invited me to join as a contract um role. Um I ran guest services and box office ticketing. Um, and I did that for 10 years and moved away from Charleston during that time and would always travel back for the festival. Um, and then around the 10th year, the festival changed leadership and hit Charleston at the time too, but the festival really hit a major chapter of growth. And so I was really excited to be invited to come back and join the staff full-time as marketing communications director. So moved back to Charleston.

SPEAKER_02 6:26

And that was under Alyssa's leadership.

SPEAKER_01 6:28

That was under Gillian's leadership.

SPEAKER_02 6:29

Oh, Gillian, I forgot about Gillian.

SPEAKER_01 6:31

Gillian Zettler. Um, so yeah, it was uh just uh profound growth during that time. It was so much fun. Um and actually Alyssa and I met uh over coffee and she's she said Gillian Zettler was totally on last the last podcast episode.

SPEAKER_02 6:48

Well, you are you have you followed around with the good people or they're following you or something.

SPEAKER_01 6:54

Clearly, no, you've invited you've got all the good company here. Um but yeah, so anyway, Alyssa and I met um who is now the current executive director. Um she and I had coffee and she was like, You need help, and I want to help. And so um we started working together, and now um I'm so proud to say that she is um leading the organization as the third executive director and is killing it. She's done incredible work. Um, so I ended up coming back, uh left the festival for a little bit, ended up coming back full-time for another two years. I was director of experience. Um, and then um my company, Goodco, has had the great honor and opportunity to support Charleston Wine and Food in a different capacity, helping them to execute um during their 20th anniversary. And hopefully we'll I can't stay away. I love what that organization has done for the city. Um, under Alyssa's tenure, it has really transitioned from becoming, you know, a big marketing promotion and get people to come here and visit to really shining a spotlight on the incredible hospitality industry that's here in Charleston that people from all over the world come to experience. Um, but the organization now um works to not only shine a spotlight on those individuals, the chefs, the the bartenders, the wine pros, the the hostesses, the stewards, everybody, um, but also is reinvesting in that community to make sure that the next generation of culinary and hospitality talent here in the city of Charleston can only grow, be supported, have great quality of life. Um, so anyway.

SPEAKER_02 8:27

And that's a good way to keep the momentum going to be invested in the community. That's right. Um, not to mention all the great alcohol, food, drink.

SPEAKER_01 8:36

Oh, it's a damn good time. The festival is five days. Um, so it's always the first full weekend in March, chswf.org. You can go ahead and mark your calendar. They usually put tickets on sale um in the fall. They sell out. They sell out of a lot of experiences. So I always like to say Trust and Wine and Food has something for every palate. Um, there's something for everyone. If you want a really exquisite, intimate, seated dinner, or if you just want to go and hang out and celebrate by drinking and eating as much as you can and tasting it all. So um, yeah, Charles Wine and Food has been a big part of my professional career and something that I'm very fond of and um have always been so proud to be a part of it, and I'm always so honored. They have an incredible team that works so hard and all the other people in the industry that have through blood, sweat, and tears, carried that organization for 20 years. So big shout-out to Charles Mind and Faith.

SPEAKER_02 9:32

Well deserved. How did you transition from or how did you grow your company Goodco in betwe I'm assuming it's been kind of in between that and along the way. So how did that happen?

SPEAKER_01 9:43

Yeah, well, I had a creative studio. I lived in Birmingham, Alabama. Um, I've actually been ping-ponging a bit between over the last 15 years. Um, but in 2013, I started a small creative studio there. Um, we really, while I was in Birmingham, um, obviously the industry that I had come from in Charleston, it's a lot different in Birmingham. So not quite as many events, although Birmingham don't sleep on it. I think it's the South's best kept secret, and it's not a secret anymore, but it's an incredible place.

SPEAKER_02 10:13

You heard it here first.

SPEAKER_01 10:14

That's right. Um, and I will probably say it again. But um I opened a small creative studio at the time. I realized there were a lot of really great big ad and marketing agencies, and there wasn't a lot for those small to mid-sized businesses, startups, and nonprofits. Um, so I had a small creative studio. Um, it's a a team of young women. Um, I was young at the time too. Um had a great time doing that right around that time is when Jillian called and said, Hey, we've got this position open of marketing director. Would you like to come back and work for Charles Wine and Food? And it was a big hell yeah. Um so around 2024, after having been back on the full-time staff for a few years, um, I uh started to get that itch a little bit and the opportunity presented itself.

Growing Goodco By Hiring Herself

SPEAKER_01 10:57

So Goodcoat actually just turned two years old on June 3rd.

SPEAKER_02 11:00

So young.

SPEAKER_01 11:01

And a Q the confetti. Yes, she's we are still a baby. Um, but I've felt just I feel so, so lucky. Um, and and really, I know I keep saying this over and over again. I sound like a broken record of being honored, but um I've been able to build a really stellar network over the last two decades and and just delighted every time that somebody says yes to letting me be a part of their team to help them execute whatever story they're looking to tell and whatever community they're looking to bring together. So um I still look back at myself in 2024 and I'm like, what was I thinking? I would funny story, my brother, my big brother told me I should not tell anybody. So of course I'm telling everybody, um, and sharing it with the internet. Um but around that time I, you know, knew that I kind of had that pull. I really wanted to do it. I'm a single mom. I've got two teenage boys, really wanted the opportunity to work with folks um and work on projects that I'm passionate about. Um, and kind of to be able to call the shots a little bit, um, but for my life and and for my professional career. So anyway, um, I wrote a letter to mom boss, or do you hate that? Um, I'll take it. It's fine, it's fine. Um, I like to just say baddie, just baddie. Um, but I sat down and I wrote a job description and I packaged it, put it in an email, and scheduled to send it to myself on my birthday two years ago. And um I won't there's a lot more to the story that maybe we can talk about at Charleston Wine and Food next year. Um, but I um I offered myself a job and I know this is kind of silly, but there's something different about seeing it. Obviously, I read read through that every six months and just make sure that I'm still I'm, you know, am I still committed to it? Is this still the right role for me? Um obviously the as any good entrepreneur knows, you know, you write the script, or actually this is true for event planning as well, or event production. You write the script, you write the run of show, and then as soon as the door is open, you kind of throw it out of the window.

SPEAKER_02 13:11

Um you never know what's gonna happen.

SPEAKER_01 13:13

You never know. Um, so anyway, yeah, two years. Read read through that and was like, I think I'll take this. And I I made myself silly, I made myself wait a week. I took a week to respond to myself. But I did follow up and emailed myself and accepted the role. And here we are. Well, how nice of you. You hired yourself. I hired myself.

SPEAKER_02 13:35

So do you give yourself a quarterly review or an annual review?

SPEAKER_01 13:40

I probably should. I probably should. I will say, um, on that on June 3rd of 2024, I emailed 25 people that were in my network that I have a lot of respect for, um, and just said, will you meet with me? This is what I'm thinking. I gave myself a 90-day runway um to see if I could conjure up the business. And um, the first person, um, thankfully, all 25 people said yes, they would talk to me. Wow. I asked for 20 minutes. So the first couple of weeks, it was just a lot of phone calls. I like cleared out the mud room in my home. Um, I quickly moved out of the mud room because I'm no good at working from home. But um, the very first phone call that I had was with Melanie Robinson, who's the founder of Sprout House, uh a fantastic PR agency. They do all kinds of good stuff now, but they represent some of our favorite hospitality brands up and down the city.

SPEAKER_02 14:29

You're gonna be a guest too.

SPEAKER_01 14:30

Of course. Um, but anyway, Melanie gave me three pieces of advice and they were great. She was like, number one, you need a CRM. And I was like, do I really 1000% yes? Now, two years in, um, being able to track, you know, who I've pitched to, who I've been in business with, 10 of 10 advice. She said, number two, make it hurt when they don't pay you on time. And that took me a little while to understand the depth of that advice, but SAGE wisdom, 10 of 10. And the last thing she said was get a score mentor.

SPEAKER_02 15:03

Um, so score score's totally underrated. Tell people about it.

SPEAKER_01 15:07

I don't know what the acronym stands for.

SPEAKER_02 15:09

I'll look it up right now.

SPEAKER_01 15:10

Okay. It is a, it is uh, uh, I don't know if they're all retired, but it is a group of volunteer entrepreneurs that have had success throughout their career and their life. Um, and they mentor small business owners and entrepreneurs. So I went on that day and I kind of I was like, I don't need any help. I know what I'm doing. I went on, I applied to for to get a mentor. I was paired within 24 hours. And um, so anyway, kudos to Melanie for giving me great advice. Um, but I don't give myself quarterly reviews, but Jim Chicarello, big shout out to Jim, uh, who is based in Charlotte. We've never met in person, but he is my score mentor. And at first we met every couple of weeks. Now we meet about every six weeks, but he has consistently held me accountable, has been there when I'm laying in a puddle and fetal position. Like, I don't know if I can do this anymore. Um, there have been moments where, you know, he's had to have hard conversations with me. Um, or just, you know, like he's asked me hard questions that I've really um he's just he has definitely been a huge, huge resource and anchor. And my favorite thing in the whole wide world. I have so many favorite things, but this one is great. Is when we finish a call, they're very efficient, they're 45 minutes long. Jim does not mess around. He's got a lot of wisdom to share with the world. But at the end of our calls, he says, Well, Laura Kate, would you like to schedule another call? And to me, that is the greatest affirmation that he feels like we're making progress. So anyway, they recommend that enough. Score.

SPEAKER_02 16:46

They're all they're all over the country. And I'm on their website and it doesn't explain what their acronym is, but I know it's of retired executives. Okay. The ORE is of retired executives.

SPEAKER_01 16:58

Super cool organization of retired executives. Yeah, sure.

SPEAKER_02 17:02

That's what scores will go with that. That's funny.

SPEAKER_01 17:05

Anyways, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:07

So I you mentioned Alabama versus Charleston, the event scene. That was one of my questions. Um actually, where is it? Well, I'll go with this one. You know, you've been doing events in Charleston for over 20 years. What is the biggest shift you've noticed in what audience expect now today versus when you first started out?

SPEAKER_01 17:32

Well, to be fair, um, I moved to Charleston for the first time 21 years ago and have, again, I've kind of I haven't lived here fully consecutively during that time, but have been able to come back, which has been great. I have had the opportunity to produce in other cities and other markets. Um when I first started my career, I was actually living in Atlanta, Georgia, and I was working for a production and experiential design company based in San Francisco. This was pre-2008. Budgets were huge. The corporate flex was so big. Um, and it was a lot of fun. That's when I cut my teeth. It's when I I remember going to my first show um in Dallas, Texas, and it was a major corporate event for 3,000 managers. Um so there was education, a lot of parties, a big expo. Um, and the ragtag group of people that produced this experience, it's kind of like

How Events Changed After Social Media

SPEAKER_01 18:31

they're kind of like carnies, you know, like um, or it having worked in hospitality, you know, it's a small group that makes the impossible happen. You all like rally together, it's very stressful, you trauma bond, it's amazing. And then you move on to the next show. But anyway, that was a really fun era um to cut my teeth and to see those. Then moving to Charleston where everything is so charming and very social. Um, that was certainly a fun time. But I moved to Charleston and then quickly thereafter, I think the financial crisis of 2008 made people in many professions think differently about the resources. Scaling back. Exactly. So there was definitely a pivot then. Um I I I think there was a uh obviously a lot of fun that with the as you know better than anyone, kind of this advent of social media. Social media has definitely changed experiences. Um, I think for good and bad. It's a lot of fun to see content. It's a whole new marketing strategy, a whole new way of telling stories. Um, and also, you know, I will continue to prioritize the real connection and the real experience in person.

SPEAKER_02 19:46

I was gonna say social media sometimes makes you feel like you can be there, you're almost there and you can experience it. But you're not getting the full experience because it's not IRL.

SPEAKER_01 19:55

I could not have said it better. Um, so social media 2020 COVID really changed everything. Um, and I feel like between where kind of events are now, um everything is changing so fast and so often, especially with digital and social and again how we're connecting and how we're telling stories. Um and I don't even know if I'm answering your question, but I I'll I'll made me think of this. The big hypothesis that I had when I started Good Co. two years ago was that in this age of hyper connectedness and hype like we're all so digitized that for the consumer, for the individual, for the brand, for the company, that uh coming together and connecting in real life and making real true connections will become even more valuable. Right. Um, and I I'm happy to say that I am really seeing that. Um one interesting uh piece is I think you know, five, well, ten years ago, even five, ten years ago, brands and companies wanted to get as much bang for their buck. Um, you know, and in the for beverage brands, I always think of like liquid to lips. It's like how much liquid can we get to lips? How many people can we kind of move through? That's definitely shifting again because I think brands are looking to make um a deeper imprint. Uh so uh experiences, we still have these really big, wonderful festivals and and gatherings that bring tens of thousands of people together, but I am seeing a lot of um brands and uh and companies looking to create something that's even more meaningful and more micro. And one more thing, and then I'll stop rambling. I'll never stop rambling. Um something that I do like to say is we are in an era where so many marketing firms and uh we we speak through impressions. That's kind of like the metric. Um but good co we we are not so concerned about impressions, we're more interested in creating imprints. So real, true touch points that leave a mark on someone that leave a memory.

SPEAKER_02 22:11

And they remember how they feel in that moment. That's right. Um what some of what you said made me think of um we had Marcus Heyman from the Black Food Truck Festival on two. And he talked about the change in the younger generation, how they're not drinking as much. Yeah. The alcohol, the the consumption of of that product and how that affects events and festivals and what's your take on it?

SPEAKER_01 22:39

That's absolutely true. Um I mean we've got youngsters uh well yeah that are not quite of drinking age drinking I'm not sure why they're 18 so they are like many adults. Yeah they are many adults. Um I Marcus is definitely spot on. That is definitely um consumer needs are definitely changing. I think it's also interesting 10 years ago um people wanted every Instagramable moment possible. But also Instagram was like the wild wild west you know like you could still see when something was posted. You know what I mean? In like in the time in a feed. Yeah yeah but now there's so many even on one platform there's so many different ways that you can kind of experience something. So I feel like back then everybody wanted their moment. It is interesting to see that a growing number of people not only want to they don't want to get hammered um but they also want to put the phones away and actually have a real experience. So I think it's interesting to figure out you know it's different based on any client's needs but I have a lot of fun figuring out how do we create those imprints without the device um but also in a way that is going to share s have some sort of return um in being able to share content down the road. So anyway Mark interest on it's true.

SPEAKER_02 24:02

Um like you mentioned you split your time between Alabama and Charleston for a while and now you're and you're still doing that.

SPEAKER_01 24:08

I live here in Charleston I spend a lot of time in Alabama. But also um in the last two years we have activated um across the Southeast last year I kind of went through my calendar at the end of last year um we went to eight states so um that's a lot it is a lot but definitely a lot of a lot of time in in Sweet home Alabama.

SPEAKER_02 24:27

So how has that experience reshaped how you view community building and how you approach your work back here in Charleston?

SPEAKER_01 24:36

I love this question. I think I appreciate both communities well really anywhere um obviously very different. I one thing that uh is a non-negotiable for good co um is that when we're working with a client on a particular project um good we I'm not an event planner. I mean technically I am and I've worn that title before um but again I like to really drill down I'm uh I'm an experienced architect um and some people are like what does that even mean? I'm like I build experience a lot of people are like you're an architect I'm like let me tell you more um but the non-negotiable is uh I know how valuable and how meaningful human connection is I love as a storyteller um and as someone who's had the great opportunity to see all kinds of different environments where people are coming together to share stories or to celebrate a milestone or to drive some sort of cause good co we always approach it we want to build a community asset. We are not coming in to like produce a one and done thing like we're gonna come in, you know, produce that run of show pack everything up and get out of there. We really want to work with clients who understand our approach to we're gonna find every possible way

Building Community Assets Through Experiences

SPEAKER_01 26:00

to integrate and engage the local community local retailers, businesses, food purveyors we also want to understand who are community partners for that company or that organization because if they are making that investment obviously their partners should be a part of it and should feel some of the value and some of the momentum so um that is really the approach the the the event is fun um the storytelling is fun but we really approach every project to say how can we create a community asset that is going to go beyond just you know this four hour gathering.

SPEAKER_02 26:38

I feel like you can be plopped down anywhere in any city and you could make an event fabulous so 1000% that is probably accurate. And I mean that just goes to show that you're you you are passionate about what you do and you love what you do. So I feel like you could do it anywhere.

SPEAKER_01 26:55

Well I appreciate that I will say one other uh piece obviously we um we have a lot of expertise and the experiences um but having worked in marketing and integrated marketing it is a lot of fun to pull on all those different levers from traditional I love print um to figuring out what are some social media strategies. I like to leave that to the pros. How are we leveraging technology to connect people, to market to them and then obviously diving into data to understand what did people like, who was there, what were the connections so um again it is a definitely an integrated strategy a lot of times if a company is producing an event it's coming out of their marketing budget.

SPEAKER_02 27:40

So we we really want to be able to pull all those marketing levers so when you mention data I like data too do you do that on your own or do you gather it from other like the companies that are hosting the event? Or is that something that you're you provide like a survey or whatever.

SPEAKER_01 28:00

Well we I always uh recommend a survey for sure so usually I'll work with a client we'll compile what are the what are the what are the metrics that are really important to them and to any of their sponsors or their partners um and then obviously on their behalf or they we'll figure out what is the right platform um and then bringing it being able to kind of mine through that data. But there I think there are other ways to capture data as well of just you know working with a a client year over year and being able to help them track growth to understand so a lot surveys are a big big yes and understanding um how the experience was perceived did the campaign work um but also um I wouldn't necessarily say as a service it's just I can't help myself I want to I want to track if you're have a a regular client that you work with every year you want to know what you're doing and what you can do better and what didn't work.

SPEAKER_02 28:57

Speaking of what didn't work I want to hear a story or a moment where everything went sideways behind the scenes. I know you have tons of those to share.

SPEAKER_01 29:07

I do well I appreciate spoiler Amanda sent me some of these questions so I got to review them in advance and I actually have two answers. Well good can I give both you can okay so um I think the way that you had shared it was like when was everything went sideways and no one noticed. So I have uh a story about when no one noticed sort of and then I have one when everyone noticed okay so the first one let's go back to 2018. Oh you remember the year I typically remember it was April 2018. Um I was working with a brand that's here in Charleston um they had a partnership with New Orleans who was celebrating their 300th anniversary of their tricentennial so we were doing a five city event series to bring New Orleans to life in these key markets. And so we were on our fourth stop uh in Atlanta Georgia and of course April New Orleans we do a crawfish boil right so at each of these stops we would bring a New Orleans chef a mixologist or bartender a band or a musician um so they could really really get a taste of the big easy so the weather had been great that week we picked out a great popular venue in Midtown with a beautiful outdoor courtyard um there was indoor space we had a rain backup indoor space

When Events Go Sideways

SPEAKER_01 30:29

little uh little bar area and a little dining room um but really you know leading up to the event we felt like the weather forecast was great we were in a great spot during the night a massive storm pulled through we didn't see it coming so when we got to the venue that morning the courtyard had about three inches of water in it um we were it was on a Sunday um so there was really we had no there was no opportunity for us to change venue at this point yeah um and it was a crawfish boil so we've got this incredible chef from New Orleans we're getting him set up it's still sprinkling a little bit and I'm like what are we gonna do? So I went down the road to Home Depot and I bought a shop back and I'm probably sure it's some people are like you know why did you do that? But I think you know anyone who's ever ha hosted anything understands that like when you have people coming you're gonna do whatever it takes no matter how crazy the idea is. So I wish that I remembered I think it was maybe Black Decker shout out to Blackendecker if that was right. It actually worked five hours five hours straight I had a colleague who had come with me. So between us and that darling chef who was boiling crawfish and and creating a wonderful culinary experience for our guest even pitched in a little bit we spent five hours I have footage I'll show you when we started drinking at Charleston Wine and Food. I applaud you for that did that take away from all the other stuff you had to do in prepping for the event of course absolutely absolutely but we're also the other well the other part of it is the storm came through and the temperature went from like mid-70s to what it had been all week to the mid-40s. So we had a massive drop in temperature we brought in heaters um we I want to say after five hours there is literally I think I posted something on the internet like so you want to be an event planner like this is what it entails within an hour of the first guest arriving that courtyard was pristine you would have never known um we were the the crawfish boil it smelled amazing we sent out um several pieces of communication to all of our guests to let them know um obviously the weather is taking a little bit of a turn there this is a predominantly outdoor event please dress accordingly these brothers and sisters showed up in golf shirts and shorts sleeveless dresses sleeveless blouses and loops of course they had their outfits planned probably for weeks I get that I get that um but no one was prepared unfortunately um everybody spent the entire event inside they crammed like sardines into that building there is a video um that one of the staff persons staff people um captured and sent to me at the end of the night uh my colleague and I were dancing to this band that was playing to no one but we were dancing and jubilant in the dry courtyard um so anyway people um did they know that that had flooded probably not um were they delighted I certainly hope so we figured out a way to get all the crawfish inside there was lots of great cocktails um but it was a pretty I was so exhausted at the end of the night oh I bet that came to mind okay my second one I'll try to be brief was the Trustwine and Food Festival in 2024. We had catastrophic rains um we lost our two core event venues one of which was a a total loss it's uh the culinary village is a three it's three days um over those three days we see minimum of 10 000 people coming through we got one day out and it rained I think again fact check everything I say but I feel like we got like nine inches of rain. It was a lot of rain that weekend that was when it was at Riverfront Park that's correct that is correct so we lost Riverfront Park it flooded um we got one day Friday out it was amazing um which now they are at uh Hagood Stadium at the Citadel and it's a it's a fantastic venue. Um but anyway we lost that we also had combined all of our really big signature events where we have you know 800 to 1200 people coming to one specific venue downtown at Brittlebank um that there were weather events that took down our tent um I think there might have been a little like one tent was like twisted and over here.

SPEAKER_02 35:06

Oh gosh.

SPEAKER_01 35:07

So um obviously everybody knew that was happening and we were um our team and and all of our partners were working so hard to pivot figure out where we were going to have things you know having to coordinate venue or vendors going to different places. Our finale event is typically on Sunday it is the most joyful event for the staff especially because we can all finally like take a breath um we were speaking of pumping out water um the only venue that we could salvage um also had seen rain I left that venue at 3 30 a.m on saturday so that would have been Sunday morning um met with the the uh the event producer who was managing that event we were getting a game plan met the pump truck at 6 a.m to suck out the water we put in plywood um so we got one event that morning we told all of our guests wear boots people had the best time they were so happy we were able you know I think they understood what we were up against there was great they were probably just happy to have an event to go to it's true in the middle of that jubilant event we found out that uh that venue that we were going to use um the the owner of that facility decided that we could not host our finale event there so we were without a venue several hours before we were uh bringing people in that was uh that was a such a wild time immediately every time I come up when I thought about that question that's what I thought about I definitely had a moment where I was like I'm never gonna do an event again um but um what was so incredible we ended up uh hosting it at a warehouse up in North Charleston North Charleston PD helped us vary a line of 900 people down a road it was the most incredible expression of every single person coming together to make a go and it ended up being a really really proud moment anyway that was a really long story but thank you for letting me know we need all those details that I asked the question I wanted to know that that's a fun story.

SPEAKER_02 37:10

Yeah not I mean fun the way it ended definitely it ended up so has that changed how Charleston Wine Food Fest has you know added addendums or whatever to or amendments to their planning for future events there's always a rain plan.

SPEAKER_01 37:26

Oh yes yes definitely always a backup sometimes you need a backup back up that's right um yes their their team is incredible and they've only continued to kind of refine that process but I think as we do with life you know you learn every single experience teaches you something else um and that we just learned something here as we started the what is it the slave we learned the we learned something today um but yes uh I think every as with any business and and any kind of project that you're working on you I always like to tell my sons the lesson is in the failure and so I will always welcome um the opportunity to fail um as an opportunity to learn also I don't want the universe to take that too literally so maybe not a ton of failure but failure can be good.

SPEAKER_02 38:14

There's gotta be another word that we can use not failure um a misstep or a mistake yeah or uh an oopsie an oopsie yeah yeah an oopsie um so between being a business owner raising two sons what does a perfect day off look like for you do they exist?

SPEAKER_01 38:36

Well no somebody asked me recently uh where do you want your business to be in 10 years and I was like what Oh that's a good question too I should have asked that it really shocked me because I didn't have an answer and I've honestly I've really been working to figure out what I want that to look like.

SPEAKER_02 38:50

Well because you email yourself you hired yourself you you speak to a score mentor on a regular basis and he hasn't asked you that question either.

SPEAKER_01 38:58

He has not but we have I when I got when that question was posed of course I went back to Jim as like Jim we got to talk um because I feel like I need to be able to answer that. I appreciate that this individual uh obviously asked me as an entrepreneur and then I said you know honestly the only thing that I can think about is I want to launch my two sons I want them to graduate and that's really my biggest goal and you know and he said well you know as a small business owner entrepreneur your life there is no true work-life balance it all blends together and that's one of the big reasons that I kind of took the leap and went out on my own um so I do I really enjoy working I get to be around really cool people I love uh being curious and asking questions so I I really do enjoy working but I think it was a perfect day um I would wake up open up the curtains see a beautiful dawn make my coffee I like to read and study every

Rest, Sleep, And Real Life Balance

SPEAKER_01 40:00

morning and write a little bit I would go for a nice long walk um and my day would include having conversations being able to workshop strategy on a really fun project um possibly a glass of bubbly or maybe some wine um I'm currently uh obsessed it's not a new it's not a secret but I've just moved to a new office and I I've become a more frequent visitor at Stems and Skins which is an incredible wine bar in North Charleston Park Circle. So maybe a little happy hour there definitely some cutie time with my sons where they actually want to hang out with me.

SPEAKER_02 40:40

We think that yeah I think that would be a nice day at least a good long walk um some reading some writing some really good conversations um and something fun to snack on yeah are you I have this problem I'm sure you do too um sometimes I have trouble sleeping at night um and I just stay awake my brain's like just thinking about work thinking about life and I can't go back to sleep so I just get up and do the things. Yeah are you like that too or do you are you smart and you just write things down on your nightstand and then close it and go back to bed.

SPEAKER_01 41:19

That would be great. I do have to say and I know we're and we're obviously talking about marketing and career but if I can pivot for a moment um you know we are women in the prime of our lives or in the primes of our lives we're in the prime of our life um I uh was waking up at 2 a.m religiously doing chess in my mind not necessarily dreaming up amazing things but more so like the to-do list the to-do list but also just I was stressing myself out um went and had all my labs done got prescribed progesterone because I am obviously moving into the season of life sorry Matthew not sorry talk about uh paramenopause and menopause I take that has completely changed I am sleeping like a baby I get eight hours of sleep and noticing how rest has it makes a huge difference in it's changed it has changed my life you probably don't have a dog that wakes you up at three o'clock in the morning too every night I don't um we do have a cat Mozart that belongs to my sons um and we call him Mosey doesn't wake me up at 3 a.m but as soon as dawn cracks on the horizon uh Mosey comes and sits right on top of me so I do have that little wake up call but um but yeah no I wish that even in those nights where I would be laying around I would still not get up. I wish that I could say that I did but I wasn't productive. I would just lay there in a panic think about all the things I had to do.

SPEAKER_02 42:52

Yeah I learned I just get up and do it and then I get to go back to bed and then I'm tired and then it's time to get up. So it's another sleepless night the worst but we'll have to talk behind the scenes about for sure all the all the hormones and stuff.

SPEAKER_01 43:09

I would love stat wellness in North Charleston I that's my other shout out blog we'll talk.

SPEAKER_02 43:17

Um what is one piece of advice that you could offer to young professionals looking to break into the event and marketing industry in the Charleston Mount Pleasant area. Don't do it.

SPEAKER_01 43:30

I'm just kidding I'm kidding um oh gosh um you know I I your network is your biggest asset find the opportunity to be exposed to and to meet as many people as you can obviously you know I think probably years went by when I didn't have the great opportunity to see you. Um and then obviously it's so you were missed. It it was oh well and I had FOMO for sure. I think it's really it's something that I think About a lot at this age, at this young age, it's so cool to see my colleagues that I have met through different chapters of my life, how they have like risen into their leadership and various. So it is a it is definitely an investment that certainly begins to really bear fruit. Uh uh you just as if you continue to make sure, you know, don't burn any bridges, meet as many people as you can, keep touch points and let people know when someone has impacted your life. Um, you know, make sure that they know it. Um, because it again,

Career Advice On Network And Brand

SPEAKER_01 44:41

as you continue to grow in your career, you never know when your paths are going to cross again, you're gonna end up on a project together, um, or you're gonna need some expertise or some help. So I that's the biggest, your network is your biggest asset. And I will say I do see this with young people that I speak with, you know, even our sons were in school during COVID in virtual learning. And so, you know, a lot of young professionals and and and early career professionals now probably attended some college or maybe even graduated from college on Zoom. Um, and I hope that that um that exercise, I I I feel like that in in some conversations that I've had doesn't come as easily because they they're digital natives and they've they're finding their ways to to connect online. Um, but I think there is so much power in seeking out experiences and opportunities that will get you in front of as many people as possible. And here in Charleston, there's so many great free things like Creative Mornings, which is a global uh gathering, but there's a great, robust, strong um chapter here in Charleston. It's free. They meet once a month. Um, uh a lot of different creatives. I know that you could probably you of anyone could rattle off all of the great things.

SPEAKER_02 45:58

One one I'll just mention is one million cups. I'm sure you've heard they meet once a week. On Wednesdays? On Wednesdays at nine o'clock, it's just an hour and it's free. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 46:07

So any I feel there's so many opportunities to get out and 80 people that come every time. That's incredible.

SPEAKER_02 46:14

I know.

SPEAKER_01 46:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 46:15

I go once a month. I try to.

SPEAKER_01 46:17

Well, I would say I'll add, may I do one more? I actually I still haven't been and I would like to go, so I will see you there. I will see you there soon. I think network is your biggest asset. And I also um I don't know, some people may disagree with me, but I think especially for young people, there is something to be said about cultivating your personal brand more than just on LinkedIn or more than just like what a screen shows, but really thinking about and I I still don't think I have it figured out. You know, I I look back at myself at 25 years old. Yeah, there's I have reinvented myself a number of times. Um, but that is if I could go back and tell my younger self anything, you know, it's really being careful about what that personal brand, what what stuff you're putting out online. Um and again, at the end of the day, it's it's you and your Rolodex, if any young people even know what that is, but I would say personal brand and builder network.

SPEAKER_02 47:16

Good advice. Um, I had another question about um something fun. Where's it? Oh you love nachos.

SPEAKER_01 47:31

The best favorite.

SPEAKER_02 47:32

We have to know. Matthew and I want to know who has the absolute best plate of nachos in Charleston or in the Southeast, because you've you've been all over.

SPEAKER_01 47:43

I have had nachos everywhere. Um, if it's on the menu, I'll order the nachos. And I can eat nachos for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is the perfect meal because you just need a vessel. It could be chips, it could be uh tater tots, it could be vegetables, potatoes. Yeah. It could be anything. Um, and then you can throw whatever stuff you want on top of it. Um, I make the best nachos, so you're invited. You're invited. I think here locally in Charleston, um, level Juanita Greenbergs, nachos. The and you pro tip, get the half order, it will be two meals. They're really good. They're everything you want in nachos, crunchy, creamy, cheesy, good meat, like freshness from Pico. My favorite dish though, and my all-time, especially when I've gone away from Charleston, I come back, is going to Juanita Greenberg's and getting the chicken nachos royale. To be clear, that is not a nacho dish, even though you would think it was. But I love the chicken nachos royale. It's more like a Mexican pizza, but Juanita Greenberg's uh nachos, they're a great deal

The Best Nachos In Charleston

SPEAKER_01 48:48

and they're delicious. Um, salty cowboys on salted cowboys? Salt water. Salt water, thank you. Saltwater cowboys on Shem Creek has like the trash can nachos.

SPEAKER_02 48:57

Those are amazing.

SPEAKER_01 48:58

Talk about experience. There is nothing more delightful than like dumping a can and they're all oozy.

SPEAKER_02 49:04

Right in front of you.

SPEAKER_01 49:06

Vibe. If I need a place that checks all the boxes, Home Team, which is celebrating their 20th anniversary soon. Um, Home Team is a great local restaurant with several locations, and their nachos are amazing. You can brisket on them or whatever you want, and they're really great. Um, my favorite Alabama nachos are it's actually Taco Mama. Um, I'm not a big fan of tacos. I know that's unpopular.

SPEAKER_02 49:29

It's the same thing, it's just split in different ways.

SPEAKER_01 49:32

Yeah, but at Taco Mama, you can you get your you choose like your meat, and then I have you can choose like all the toppings that you want on it. And uh I'll be in Alabama next week, and you damn better bet that I'm going straight to Taco Mama, but my nachos are like this high, and they just stick a fork in the top. That's so cool. It's beautiful. Thank you for asking me a question. I will talk forever about nachos.

SPEAKER_02 49:55

Well, uh the Food Network just started this um show called The Top Ten. And so they've done burger, pizza, and barbecue. And so I was thinking of like that would be a good episode to have the top ten nachos.

SPEAKER_01 50:10

Nachos, I would watch it. Nachos are they're good. I love them.

SPEAKER_02 50:14

I love them too. Well, um, what else do you have coming up? Anything major that you want to plug or going on?

SPEAKER_01 50:23

Um goodness. Well, I don't know when this will air, but one thing we are really working hard towards. We air in a couple weeks. Okay. Well, what I'll probably be in the thick of it. Um, and an experience and a team that I love getting to work with um is SlosTech. It is the South's hottest tech conference. It always happens the last week of June in Birmingham, Alabama. Okay. Um it's three days. It's it's uh for the the founder, the funder, the developer, the creative, the tech enthusiast, um, and really uh entrepreneurs across the board. Um it's a really great gathering. Tech Birmingham hosts it. It's presented by Innovate Alabama. That's a lot of fun. I can't wait. Um, we are in the thick of it. Um I also I should probably give a plug. Um I have been given the great opportunity to serve as editor at large of Good Grit Magazine, which is a um uh uh um uh we publish a beautiful print piece four times a year.

SPEAKER_03 51:25

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 51:25

We celebrate um all the great stories about southern travel and southern lifestyle. Um it's really about experiencing the good south. That has been so much fun. Um the magazine is turning 11 this year. Um started

What She Is Working On Next

SPEAKER_01 51:40

has its roots in Alabama, but we really talk about the South. And as a storyteller, there's I am having so much fun. I might we might have to talk about nachos in the South, but um, that is a lot of fun. So everybody that is listening, goodgritmag.com, get a subscription, join the community, more to come on that. Digital and print. Digital and print, yes. And you can also subscribe and get your magazine digitally. But I there is something very special. I'll make sure you get a magazine before we leave. Um, our cover is so beautiful. The material, it's like actually gritty. Um so all kinds of good things, good hospitality, good bites, good sounds, good reads, um, good travel. So much. It's like your perfect travel companion for those who love or are curious about the South. Um, and then one other thing I will share is um I had the great um um luck and fortune of meeting three incredible women um about seven or eight years ago who started a women's wellness festival in Philadelphia called the Good Fest. And uh Good Co will be bringing back good the Good Fest um had to go dormant for a little while during um COVID. Um, but the Good Fest will be coming back in 2027, which is very exciting. It's gonna be here before we know it. It's gonna be here before we know it, but sorry, Matthew, you can come if you want, but it is really for women um an opportunity for them to feel loved and nurtured, to connect, to um do a little movement, do a little shopping, hear from inspiring speakers, um, be fed in every single way. So goodfest.com, you can sign up uh for the newsletter. Um, and as more details emerge about that, um you can be the first to know.

SPEAKER_02 53:27

What about the tech event? How do you think Sloss dot tech? Okay. And have you been to Dig South before, right? Yes, it's happening this week.

SPEAKER_01 53:37

It's happening right now. Wow, yes.

SPEAKER_02 53:39

Um, so I'm gonna do that.

SPEAKER_01 53:40

As part of Charleston Tech Week. Yes, yes, yes. I it is uh uh uh several projects that we get to work on, and we work with tech, with media, with film, um, real estate. We've been doing a lot of really fun projects. Um, but it is so much fun to get to be a part of these communities and ecosystems where uh people are innovating and failing and refining and pivoting um and getting to be a part of that excitement. And I know there's a really rich culture of that here in Charleston. Um, and it's fun to see it in different places. Um, actually, during Slost Tech, there is a pitch competition. This will be our second year. The grand prize is $100,000. It's powered by the Regions Foundation. Um, there are 16 finalists from across the Southeast that get to vie for the grand prize, and it was really cool. Last year, there was a company from Charleston, um, Query, that came and pitched on stage. So it's really it's so cool to see all these things kind of intersecting.

SPEAKER_02 54:39

That is cool.

unknown 54:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 54:40

Now, how would people find you or find out more about you if they want to follow you, possibly hire you, work with you?

SPEAKER_01 54:47

Call Amanda. Just kidding. Um Hey Goodco is our website, heygoodco.com. Um, I'm on Instagram at LK underscore Whitney. Um uh I am a good co. We are on the internet as well on Instagram, Hey Goodco. Um, but probably the best way is I know this sounds I'm on LinkedIn as well, obviously, Laura Kate Whitney. So building your connections and network. That's right.

SPEAKER_02 55:14

One more question. If someone wanted to hire you, how far in advance in planning their event should they contact you?

SPEAKER_01 55:22

The more in advance wise. Um we do book up to we usually eight months to a year out. Um, I would say we are pretty um we are starting to look ahead to um spring and summer for 2027. So yeah, definitely more in advance. Get on the calendar.

SPEAKER_02 55:43

Yeah. Well, this has been so much fun talking with you and chatting with you and catching up a little bit. I have loved it.

SPEAKER_01 55:49

I'm excited because we're gonna meet for nachos.

SPEAKER_02 55:51

Yes. No, does um T-bones have nachos?

SPEAKER_01 55:55

I don't know. I think T-Bones is our spot.

SPEAKER_02 55:57

They definitely have loaded potatoes. That'll work. Yeah, we can do that.

SPEAKER_01 56:02

That'll work.

SPEAKER_02 56:03

Um, thank you so

How To Find And Book Goodco

SPEAKER_02 56:04

much for joining me, and it's it's been a fun day. I enjoyed our chat. And um I want to thank all of our listeners. I want to thank Matthew and Charleston Media Solutions, and follow Charleston AMA on all the social media as well. Tune in to our podcast. We drop every other week, sometimes once a week, it just depends. And uh we look forward to next time.

SPEAKER_01 56:28

I have one more, uh, two more. Well, everybody goes everybody's gotta give a round of applause for Amanda. Oh, thank you. Yep, yep. And I like to um always end a conversation by asking my conversation partner to raise their right hand. Great. Hey. That's it. Thank you.