"Invest in yourself."
Carissa Kruse is a Wedding Business Strategist and serial entrepreneur who has been in the wedding industry for over 10 years and has built multiple businesses + founder of Weddings By Carue (a multi-state and multi-service wedding business). She has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs through launching and scaling their businesses with strategy and funnels.
In her first year alone, she went from zero to $130,000, without any contacts, experience or support! She is firmly anti-hustle and teaches her clients to build sustainable wedding businesses with a long-term vision that doesn’t rely on 24/7 posting or flash in the pan strategies.
When she’s not shooting a wedding or crafting her latest marketing funnel, you’ll find her chasing after her three Irish setters and eighteen chickens, tackling her next baking project, or watching Shark Tank or Hallmark Movie.
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Table of Contents
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.
Carissa Kruse: Thank you for having me! I’m a Wedding Business Strategist and serial entrepreneur who has been in the wedding industry for over 10 years. I have built multiple businesses + founder of Weddings By Carue (a multi-state and multi-service wedding business).
I have coached hundreds of entrepreneurs through launching and scaling their businesses with strategy and funnels. In my first year alone, my business went from zero to $130,000, without any contacts, experience, or support! I’m firmly anti-hustle and teach my clients to build sustainable wedding businesses with a long-term vision that doesn’t rely on 24/7 posting or flash in pan strategies.
2020 and 2021 threw a lot of curve balls into business on a global scale. Based on the experience gleaned in the past couple years, how can businesses thrive in 2022? What lessons have you learned?
Carissa Kruse: The Internet has made it necessary for companies to go global in order to survive and thrive. The problem that we are seeing is that a lot of these businesses don’t have a global presence and they are struggling to keep up. I think that businesses need to focus on going global and expanding their reach. This is the only way that they will be able to survive in the current environment.
Another thing that businesses need to do is focus on innovation. This is the only way that they will be able to stay ahead of the curve. They need to come up with new and innovative ways to do business and to reach their customers. This is the only way that they will be able to thrive in the current environment.
The pandemic seems to keep on disrupting the economy, what should businesses focus on in 2022? What advice would you share?
Carissa Kruse: Invest in yourself. This might seem strange in the middle of a pandemic, but hear me out! Your business is only as strong as you are. If you want to weather any storm, you need to ensure your business is built on a solid foundation. When you’re strong internally, you’re better able to weather any external storm.
Focus on your foundation. This is especially important in times of upheaval like we’re seeing now. Ensure that you’re focusing on what will help your business grow in the long term, not just in the short time. That might mean investing in marketing automation, hiring a better team, or expanding your product line. Whatever it is, make sure that you’re always looking ahead and planning for the future.
How has the pandemic changed your industry and how have you adapted?
Carissa Kruse: The wedding industry has been hit really hard. Many wedding pros went out of business or are struggling to get traction again for their business. I used this time as an opportunity to pivot my business and focus more on my business mentorship program. I also shifted my focus to helping wedding pros with their business strategy and funnels. It’s been a difficult time for many people, but I believe those willing to adapt, and pivot will be successful in the long run.
What advice do you wish you received when the pandemic started and what do you intend on improving in 2022?
Carissa Kruse: Enjoy the downtime. This one is hard, especially when struggling, but it’s so important! When things are crazy, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the stress and forget to enjoy the good moments. Make sure that you’re taking some time to relax and recharge, even when things are tough. That way, you’ll be able to stay positive and focused when things get back to normal.
In 2022, I plan on continuing to help wedding pros succeed with their businesses. I also want to focus on helping them to create sustainable businesses that don’t rely on hustling all the time. Finally, I want to continue to help entrepreneurs build their businesses with a focus on the long term.
Online business surged higher than ever, B2B, B2C, online shopping, virtual meetings, remote work, Zoom medical consultations, what are your expectations for 2022?
Carissa Kruse: The online business landscape is changing rapidly, and it’s only going to continue to grow in the coming years. I believe that we’ll see a surge in virtual meetings, remote work, and Zoom medical consultations. These platforms make it easier for people to connect and do business online. This is excellent news for entrepreneurs and small businesses, who now have more opportunities to grow their businesses.
In 2022, I expect to see even more growth in the online business space. I’m excited to see where the online business space will go in the next few years, and I believe it has a lot of growth potential.
How many hours a day do you spend in front of a screen?
Carissa Kruse: I believe in automation! I spend about 2-3 hours a day in front of a screen. I like to use that time to focus on my work, relax and recharge. I believe if you are spending too much time in front of a screen, you are not using your time efficiently. I would instead focus my time on things that will help me grow my business.
The majority of executives use stories to persuade and communicate in the workplace. Can you share with our readers examples of how you implement that in your business to communicate effectively with your team?
Carissa Kruse: I often use stories to communicate with my team and my students. I find that it’s a great way to get my point across and help them understand what I’m trying to say. I also think that it’s important to be able to listen to stories. This allows me to understand the other person’s perspective and see things from their point of view. Stories are a great way to build bridges and to create a connection with the other person. I also think that it’s important to relate to your team on a personal level. This helps create a stronger bond and makes them more likely to listen to what you have to say.
Business is all about overcoming obstacles and creating opportunities for growth. What do you see as the real challenge right now?
Carissa Kruse: 2020 and 2021 completely transformed the way businesses operate on a global scale, so in order to thrive in 2022, it’s important for companies to focus on going global and expanding their reach. Additionally, innovation is key to staying ahead of the curve, so businesses need to come up with new and innovative ways to do business and reach their customers. Finally, businesses need to focus on relationships in order to build trust and connect with their target audience. These three strategies will be essential for businesses to thrive in 2022.
In 2022, what are you most interested in learning about? Crypto, NFTs, online marketing, or any other skill sets? Please share your motivations.
Carissa Kruse: I’m most interested in learning about online marketing. I think that this is a great way to reach more people and to grow my business. I also think that it’s important to stay ahead of the curve and to learn new skills. This is the only way that I will be able to stay competitive in the current environment. Crypto and NFTs have become the new buzzword in the business world but I have planned to focus on online marketing. I believe that this is the best way to reach my target audience and to grow my business.
A record 4.4 million Americans left their jobs in September in 2021, accelerating a trend that has become known as the Great Resignation. 47% of people plan to leave their job during 2022. Most are leaving because of their boss or their company culture. 82% of people feel unheard, undervalued and misunderstood in the workplace. Do you think leaders see the data and think “that’s not me – I’m not that boss they don’t want to work for? What changes do you think need to happen?
Carissa Kruse: I think that leaders need to take a closer look at the data and see how they can improve their company culture. Too many people leave their jobs because they don’t feel valued or heard. This is a huge problem, and it’s only going to get worse if leaders don’t take action. I think that leaders need to make a concerted effort to listen to their employees and make sure that they feel valued. Only then will we see a change in the number of people who are leaving their jobs.
On a lighter note, if you had the ability to pick any business superpower, what would it be and how would you put it into practice?
Carissa Kruse: I would choose the superpower to be able to work for 24 hours a day. This would allow me to get more done and help me to grow my business. I would also use this superpower to help more wedding pros to succeed in their business. I believe that it’s important to work hard and put in the time and effort to achieve your goals. With this superpower, I would be able to help more people achieve their dreams.
What does “success” in 2022 mean to you? It could be on a personal or business level, please share your vision.
Carissa Kruse: Success is about more than just making money. It’s about feeling happy and fulfilled with what you’re doing. For me, success means being able to do work that I love and helping others to achieve their goals. I also believe that it’s important to take time for yourself and enjoy the little things. I want more and more wedding pros to feel this joy and success in their business as we move more into the digital age.
Jed Morley, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Carissa Kruse for taking the time to do this interview and share her knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Carissa Kruse or her company, you can do it through her – Linkedin Page
Disclaimer: The ValiantCEO Community welcomes voices from many spheres on our open platform. We publish pieces as written by outside contributors with a wide range of opinions, which don’t necessarily reflect our own. Community stories are not commissioned by our editorial team and must meet our guidelines prior to being published.
