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Reflecting on the past year has been a complicated task for many of us, because it’s incredibly difficult to differentiate 2021 from 2020. Even though 2021 brought us the vaccine and put an adult in charge of our country, this past year has continued to be a rollercoaster of joy, anger, happiness and frustration. Thank you to each and everyone who has been a part of Beyond the Venue Podcast, as a listener, as a guest or even as a producer! (Daniela is THE BEST!) We look forward to coming back at some point with Season 3, but in the meantime, enjoy ALL of the episodes of Beyond the Venue Podcast from Seasons 1 & 2 on your favorite podcast platform! About MG: MG Hodge (she/her) is Founder & CEO of MG the Venue Specialist, host of Beyond the Venue Podcast, and an adjunct professor at Temple University.  MG started her business because she recognized the difficulty people had in finding the right venue for their event. She’s able to use her strengths and talents to help people with orchestrating a major life event. She’s funny, passionate & dedicated and a big believer that life should be enjoyed and celebrated! Connect with MG on Instagram and Facebook. Follow BTV on Instagram and Facebook for all updates and releases. A byVesta Production.

This is the last full episode of Season 2 of Beyond the Venue Podcast! As we wrap up both the season and the year, I want to thank you for coming on this adventure with me. Speaking of adventures, our final guest of the season is my friend Olivia. Olivia made the decision to hike the Appalachian Trail this past year, and I was fortunate enough to have followed along with her journey via Slack. Through this app she was able to share with her friends and family the highs and lows, pictures from the trail, and even insights as to what she was going through both mentally and physically. It was as if she was writing in a journal that she gave all of us access to, and I thank her for her openness and vulnerability.  Topics Include: 🏕 Five Year Plans Don’t Always Happen the Way Your Goals Intended them To 🔥 It’s All About Your Support System 🗻The Past and Present Through Hiker Community  🌄 For the Love of Condiments 🏕 There are Two Mt. Washingtons and One is a Lot Harder to Climb  🔥 Cincinnati Chili  🗻The Power of Self Reflection and Processing the Discomfort on the Trail 🌄 Pushing Yourself to Your Limits Thanks for listening to Beyond the Venue Podcast, and enjoy the following episode The Beauty of Trail Magic & Tramilies: Hospitality on the Appalachian Trail with Olivia Lindstrom. About Olivia: Olivia Lindstrom (she/her ) is a Pennsylvania native, having spent most of her adult life living in Pittsburgh. Science has always been something she gravitated towards as a way to understand the world around her, making that the motivation for pursuing a degree in Biology at Pitt and for her ongoing curiosity with the interplay of science and hospitality. Her passion for food and beverage really blossomed as she educated herself in the world of wine and achieved certification as a Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers. As someone who finds inspiration and knowledge through experience she strived to participate in as many F&B related things as possible including: President of Pittsburgh's USBG chapter in 2019, 2019 Tales of the Cocktail CAP, and the 2020 Team Taco at SACC.  SACC eventually led to a friendship with Brandon Thrash which led to a move to Philadelphia! That move unfortunately coincided with COVID leaving Olivia unemployed. But as Matthew McConaughey wrote in his book Greenlights: "Stepping in shit is inevitable, so let’s either see it as good luck, or figure out how to do it less often." So she embraced the silver lining of a global pandemic, scrapped the shit off her boots and took off to the woods and a new adventure of hiking the Appalachian Trail. Connect with Olivia on Instagram and Facebook. Connect with MG on Instagram and Facebook, too! Follow BTV on Instagram and Facebook for all updates and releases. A byVesta Production.

My guest this week is the Ginge on a Binge, Connor Michalchuk. We originally met at Temple University but our paths were destined to cross again. I’ve seen Connor perform several times over the years through his body positivity show, formerly Bearlesque, now called CaBEARet, taking place every First Friday of the Month at Tabu in the Gayborhood of Philadelphia. The second I ran into Connor in Center City a few months ago, I squealed “omg can I hug you” yes, ok second question “will you be on my podcast”? Topics Include: 🎵 Recognizing How to be More Inclusive for the BIPOC, Trans and Non-Binary Communities ✨ It All Started with a Coincidence & a Lack of Talent 🎤 Comedic Strip Tease IS a Talent ✨ It’s Ok to Say Fat If That is How a Person Feels Comfortable Identifying 🎵 A Trip to Palm Springs in February 2020 Brought Covid to Philly ✨ The Creativity of the Philly Drag Mafia - Performing in the Streets (and a Bus Parking Lot) 🎤 How to Tip Your Performers ✨ The Power of Permission - Asking First Before Unloading On Your Friends Thanks so much for listening and enjoy the following episode “Body Positivity with a Smile, a Shimmy & a Shake with Connor Michalchuk”.  About Connor: Connor Michalchuk (he/him) is the host and creator of CaBEARet, (formally Bearlesque), a body positive variety show. His style encompasses the camp of vaudeville with the tact and social grace of Rush Limbaugh. Connor began his journey in nightlife in 2012 after losing a male beauty pageant. If he couldn’t be beautiful, he was going to be a stripper.  Over the last 9 years, he’s traveled the country with his troupe, spreading body positivity with a shimmy and a shake. In his free time, Connor enjoys drinking Rose Kennedys and dating men with a lot of money and heart conditions. His advice - “Kindness, acceptance and positivity will get you everywhere in life. Nice guys no longer finish last. And keep your socials clean.” You can find him at Tabu Philly either hosting Trivia every Wednesday at 7:00 and CaBEARet every 1st Friday or check out his regular appearances with the Philly Drag Mafia. Connect with Connor on Instagram and Facebook.  Connect with MG on Instagram and Facebook, too! Follow BTV on Instagram and Facebook for all updates and releases. A byVesta Production.

This week we’re jumping back into the hospitality industry with my friend Will, yet another former bar manager I sold beer to back in the day but kept a friendship with over the years. Will left bartending in mid-February 2020 with the intentions of traveling over the following months. While that clearly didn’t happen, Will shares in this episode how he’s kept afloat over these last two years, and opens up about how he personally deals with anxiety. Topics Include: 🍽 The Impact Covid Has Had on Anxiety Levels, Especially as a Bartender 🍸 Be Honest in Your Exit Interview 🎮 How Will’s Circle of Friends Relocated from Orlando to Philly 🚲 Dating Continues to be Rough, but Now’s the Time for Fully Vaccinated Fun 🍽  Hire for Attitude, Train for Success 🍸 We Miss Destination Dogs 🎮 Willdabeast - Best Nickname EVER Thanks so much for listening, and enjoy the following episode, The Secret Ingredients to Service: Hustle & Communication with Will Monroe. About Will Will Monroe (he/him) has been living in Philly for the last 8 years. He works at Emmy Squared as their lead server and occasionally bartends. He’s a self-professed “geek who loves video games, anime & superhero films”, and he's also a great cook. His mission is to cultivate a positive work environment through training at Emmy Squared. Connect with Will on Instagram. Connect with MG on Instagram and Facebook, too! Follow BTV on Instagram and Facebook for all updates and releases. A byVesta Production.

This week I’m talking with another fellow Drexel Dragon, my friend James Varughese. Even though he doesn’t work in the hospitality industry, he is passionate about people and their experiences. He works with small business owners to understand their experiences both with his company’s products and services as well as learning about what we as small business owners go through. While he's had different roles across analyst, client services, product, and sales, his current focus on Customer Experience utilizes many of the technical skills that he's acquired over the last 20 years in professional environments. What's different about this current role is how critical empathy is in his day to day work. Listening & connecting with small business owners, utilizing Intuit's own Design for Delight method for innovation, and working with teams that James has been in at one time or another in his own career has solidified his desire to create a future as a CX leader. Topics Include: 💻 For the Love of Spreadsheets ✨ The First Step/Jump/Leap is the Hardest 🌎 Breaking Goals Into Manageable Pieces 💻 How Zoom Helps with Active Listening ✨ Mutual Emphasis on Empathy 🌎 A Venue Isn’t Always Just a Place - It’s the People & Experience 💻 Continuing the Chain of Mentorship ✨ Darkness is Not the Opposite of Light, It’s the Absence of It Thanks for listening and enjoy the following episode “Leading with Empathy & Understanding the Customer Experience: Small Business Edition with James Varughese”. About James: James Varughese (he/him) has built a successful career in both advertising and financial technology industries since moving to California from New York in 2011.  As part of the Fintech Customer Experience team at Intuit, one of his most important responsibilities is to understand VoC, or Voice of Customer, across multiple products and channels such as self-help, in-product feedback, app store, and when customers speak or chat with Intuit support experts. Outside of work James loves to spend time with his wife and two young children, start (and most times finish) DIY projects, watch and annoyingly quote movies & television shows, and is excited to start travelling to see friends and family again soon. Connect with James on Instagram, LinkedIn and https://jamesvarughese.com/ Connect with MG on Instagram and Facebook, too! Follow BTV on Instagram and Facebook for all updates and releases. A byVesta Production.

In this episode you'll hear two perspectives - one from Grace, a student in Drexel’s Food and Hospitality Management Department and a freshman in the Spring of 2020 when the lockdown began, and one from Paul, one of Grace’s professors in the dept. and a long time friend and colleague of mine.   They both share their experiences of taking the classroom virtual in a hospitality program. How does a professor virtually teach Fine Dining or a Wine Tasting class? Like everyone else, they found a way to make it work! With the announcement of the new variant, I asked Paul about the current plans for the Philly Chef’s Conference, scheduled for late February 2022.  He said “As of now the conference sits on the island of misfit plans hoping for the best case scenario. We are still on and will be making an announcement soon, but nothing formal at this time.”  Sounds like the proper summary of how to approach 2022.  Additional Topics Include: 🍷 Lab-Based Classes Turned Virtual 🍽 Making the Decision to NOT host a Virtual Version of the Philly Chef’s Conference 🍺 Resources for Dealing with Mental Health and Toxicity in the Hospitality Industry 🍷 Seeing the Best & the Worst in People over the last few years 🍽 The Toilet Paper Shortage and Carole Baskin - Remember March 2020? About Paul:  Paul O’Neill (he/him) is an Assistant Clinical Professor at Drexel University in the Food and Hospitality Management Department. After 25 years in the restaurant industry,  Paul was able to acquire the proper degrees and certifications and joined the Department of Food and Hospitality Management full time in 2014.  He has been vice-chair of the Philly Chef Conference since its inception and serves as a board member for the Philly Wine Cru.  Connect with Philly Chef’s Conference on Instagram.  Connect with Drexel Food & Hospitality Management Program:on Instagram. About Grace: Grace Schuler (she/her): Grace Schuler is a pre-junior in Drexel University’s Hospitality Management program.  Grace has been working toward her goal of opening her own event planning company after graduating from college. In addition to attending classes, Grace enjoys being a part of school clubs, doing volunteer work, singing/listening to music, spending time with her family and friends, and adventuring around Philly to find the best foods! Connect with Grace on Instagram and LinkedIn.  Connect with the Drexel Hospitality Society on Instagram. Connect with MG on Instagram and Facebook, too!  Follow BTV on Instagram and Facebook for all updates and releases.  A byVesta Production.

The dynamic duo behind this “pandemic partnership” are my guests this week, Kerri & Lauren. They’ve been friends and colleagues for years, and it just made sense over these past two years to join forces. Their skill sets complement one another, and they are able to provide the best possible services for their clients by leaning into their strengths and relying on the other’s expertise depending on the task at hand. We learn in this episode that Lauren was working for DiBrunos in their catering department back in 2015, and Kerri and I both happened to use them as our wedding caterers that year.  Kerri and Lauren had already met at that point, but I wouldn’t have the pleasure of meeting Kerri until 2019. I reconnected with Lauren when I started MG the Venue Specialist, because I knew I needed to connect with wedding planners as a venue sourcing specialist. Additional Topics Include: 💗 Selfless Networking & Social Gardening 🌻 The Value of Systems and Processes 💍  You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know 💗 The Varying Levels of a DIY Wedding 🌻 The Importance of a Wedding Planner Because the Couple IS the Host of the Party 💍  Venue Booking Trends Have Changed 💗 The Extra Work that Goes into Covid Era Weddings Thanks so much for listening and enjoy the following episode “The Pandemic Partnership that Bloomed from Social Gardening with Kerri Sitrin & Lauren Westerman”. About Kerri: Kerri Sitrin (she/her): After 14 years in a Senior New Business Development role for Stephen Starr Restaurants Special Events Department, Kerri started her own company, Sitrin Consulting, when she noticed a need for marketing, events, and sales support for small businesses in Philadelphia with limited resources. Connect with Kerri on Instagram, Facebook & Linked In. Connect with Sitrin Consulting on Instagram & Facebook. About Lauren: Lauren Westerman, CWEP (she/her): Lauren is the CEO/Owner of Classic Events by Lauren & Lauren Westerman Consulting.  In addition to weddings and special event planning, Lauren has industry experience within hospitality and marketing departments. Through her many roles, she has had experience in planning events for Grammy, SXSW and Emmy; non-profit Galas such as the Garces Foundation event and Rittenhouse Soiree on the Square; and conferences for as many as 500 guests. Connect with Classic Events by Lauren on Instagram & Facebook. Connect with MG on Instagram and Facebook, too! Follow BTV on Instagram and Facebook for all updates and releases A byVesta Production.

CW - Language While I was getting my Masters in Tourism and Hospitality Management at Temple University, I had a graduate externship with Student Activities. These roles were offered as 20 hour a week paid positions for full time graduate students throughout the university. My role was to oversee all of the Student Organizations on campus. You’ll hear more about this later on this season when I interview a former student leader.   My second year of grad school I would share my office with the new Greek Life graduate extern, this week’s guest, Dr. Ben Torsney. This 24 year old kid showed up from Pittsburgh to get his Masters in Education. We joke, but in all seriousness, we probably wouldn’t have been friends had we not been paired together, but our friendship was meant to be. Even though I’m older than Ben, we both had a LOT of growing up to do that year, and I know we really helped each other achieve that goal.  Ben and I have remained friends over the years, and as you learned in his partner Lauryn’s episode, he, Lauryn and I spent almost every Saturday “virtually” together on the same quizzo team from March 2020 until the Spring of 2021. You’ll hear in this episode how Ben had reached out to me last summer about my graduate thesis. He thought I asked an interesting question about people’s motivation to attend beer festivals. He himself also studies motivation, so with a little work, Ben and his colleague co-authored my now published paper “Ticket to Intoxication: Exploring Attendees’ Motivations for Attending Craft Beer Events” in the Journal of Leisure Studies. Additional Topics Include: 👨‍🎓  Difficulty of Pandemic Professorship 🏀 Mutual Interest in the Study of Motivation 👨‍🎓  Using Rap & Hip Hop as a Tool to Discuss Class, Race, Homophobia, Masculinity & Femininity 🏀 Dissecting and Understanding the Concept of Resilience 👨‍🎓  Everyone Needs a Class in Interpersonal Communication 🏀 The Feeling that we Lost an Entire Year Thanks so much for listening, and enjoy the following episode, “Ticket to Motivation, Education & Intoxication with Ben Torsney”. About Ben: Dr. Ben Torsney (he/him) holds a PhD in Educational Psychology from Temple University and is an Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Policy, Organization, and Leadership Studies Department. Ben’s research is focused on college students’ engagement in schoolwork at various units of analysis; John Henryism, a form of high effort coping as a response to environmental stressors; college students’ willingness to take environmental action; and the motivation of pre-service teachers to enter the teaching field. This former “wannabe basketball player” is also a father to a great little girl and a partner to a wonderful lady.  Connect with Ben via email [email protected]. Connect with MG on Instagram and Facebook, too! Follow BTV on Instagram and Facebook for all updates and releases. A byVesta Production.

This week I’m chatting with my friend and fellow podcast host, Hillary Rea. We’ve only known each other for a few years, so most of our relationship has transpired during the pandemic. We’re neighbors who share similar values, and we even get our veggies from the same CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), Taproot Farm. In this episode, Hillary talks about her monthly virtual meet up called the Speak Up Session. It’s a free gathering for entrepreneurs, leaders & change makers craving a communication style that aligns who they are, what they do, and what they stand for. Check out her website or sign up for her newsletter to get the latest information regarding dates and time. Her November meet up was this past week, so make sure to join in December! Hillary wrapped up Season 3 of her podcast Roshomon over the summer. While Roshomon has come to its conclusion, Hillary is too passionate about podcasts to walk away from them. While we both agree podcasts are a lot of work, Hillary loves both the audio work as well as helping others find their podcast voice. Which is what she did for me, when I didn’t even know I would be hosting a podcast when we worked together. Topics Include: 🎧 Taking Chances and Saying Yes (and Knowing When to Say No) 📚 Walking Away from Social Media Actually Helped her Business Grow 🎤 The Power of Googleability  🎧 Becoming Your Own Tech Expert 📚 Life (and Venues) Coming Full Circle  🎤 Creating Your Own Opportunities  🎧 The Importance of Grounding Oneself and Meditation Thanks so much for listening, and enjoy the following episode “Have I Got Some Stories For You with Hillary Rea”. About Hillary: Hillary Rea (she/her) is the founder of Tell Me A Story, a communication consulting and coaching business that teaches multi-passionate entrepreneurs, mission-driven leaders, and committed change makers how to use the art of storytelling as a powerful communication tool.  She’s worked with leaders across industries — social justice nonprofits, women-owned small businesses, tech start-ups and Fortune 500 companies — to communicate an authentic narrative through her Crafting Your Narrative programs (now fully virtual). She is an award-winning storyteller (NYC Moth StorySLAM winner and 2019 Rad Award for Storyteller of the year), has been telling her own stories on stage for 12 years. In addition to running her own business, Hillary is the producer and host of Rashomon (pronounced Ra-SHO-MAHN) - a long form narrative storytelling podcast where one family tells every side of the same story. Season 3 is out now and you can listen to it anywhere you listen to podcasts. Connect with Hillary on Linked In or check out her website Tell Me a Story.  Connect with MG on Instagram and Facebook, too! Follow BTV on Instagram and Facebook for all updates and releases. A byVesta Production.

At the time of this recording, I had only known Nick for a few weeks. Nick was visiting his friend here in Philly for the first time, and his friend happens to also be friends with Brandon Thrash, my friend and guest from Season 1. Brandon brought Nick to my husband’s birthday celebrations, and I loved Nick’s friendly nature and positive attitude.  In this episode, we hear NIck’s story about his growing passion for crafting cocktails, and how his eagerness and desire to learn got him where he needed to go. Topics Include: 🍸 Mutual Love of Sitting at the Bar 🎵 Hire for Attitude, Train for Success 🍸 Opening a Bar/Restaurant in March 2020 🎵 Dance Like Nobody's Watching 🍸 Weekend Music Festival Experiences 🎵 When is Nick Moving to Philly? Thanks so much for listening, and enjoy the following episode, “Eagerness to Learn, With a Twist” with Nick Dietrich.  About Nick: Nick Dietrich (he/him) is a Bartender and Lover of Life. He’s a people person who loves traveling and trying out local food and drink. He wants to experience the world and the culture of imbibing that comes with it. He’s doing his best, and wants others to feel content with their version of being their best. His advice - “Do your best and don't let anyone discourage you.” Connect with Nick on Instagram and Facebook. Connect with MG on Instagram and Facebook, too! Follow BTV on Instagram and Facebook for all updates and releases. A byVesta Production.

Liz and I first met at a mutual friend’s party when we were both working in the beer industry. We had heard each other’s names for years but finally got the chance to meet and our friendship took off immediately. We’ve enjoyed various events, lunches and happy hours together over the years, and we start off this episode with how she began to mentor me as a small business owner. We have a mutual love of people and we know how imperative it is for both of our businesses to maintain relationships.  We also both prioritize not only our own mental health, but we also strive to normalize conversations surrounding mental health. Mental health IS health! Running her own company, Experience Threee, keeps Liz super busy and I’m really grateful for not only her friendship and guidance, but that she was able to join me for this recording. She shares a lot of helpful advice for our listeners and our conversation was quite entertaining.  Topics Include: 🌺 Growth Strategy is Survival Mode in a Pandemic 🍺 Unintended Consequences 🌺 Exciting Developments in the Beverage Industry 🍺 Being Mindful of the Why 🌺 Mentorship is a Two-Way Street 🍺 Pay It Forward 🌺 Therapy is Work Thanks for listening, and enjoy the following episode, Mental Health, Mentorship & Maintaining Relationships, The Important 3Ms with Liz Einhorn About Liz: Liz Einhorn (she/her) loves people. She loves talking to people, developing relationships with people, and helping people build better brands. She loves it so much, she started Experience Threee to do just that- help others realize their identity, put people first, and achieve success with a simple method – the Three E’s - explore, educate, engage. She is a hospitality professional and growth strategist with 15 years experience in business development, national sales, and brand management.  She spent a decade at The Boston Beer Company before starting Experience Threee in 2017. Since then, she has worked with brands & organizations such as Canteen Spirits, Workhorse Brewing, Vino Volo, The Mural Arts Foundation and Nerd Street Gamers and also created the Brewtop Social beer garden concept for the Seattle Airport. Connect with Liz on Instagram and Linked In. Follow Experience Threee on Instagram. Connect with MG on Instagram and Facebook, too! Follow BTV on Instagram and Facebook for all updates and releases. A byVesta Production.

This week I’m talking with my friend and one of my favorite bartenders, Sol Thomas. Although I’ve known Sol for quite some time and have enjoyed many of his cocktail creations, this interview was the first time I got to hear how he ended up in Philly as well as where he gets inspiration for his libations. In this episode, I learned about how methodical and intentional Sol is with both his cocktail ingredients as well as his relationships throughout the hospitality and beverage community. Topics Include: 🍸 The Importance of Building and Nurturing Relationships 🌶 From Farm to Glass - Using Fresh Produce for Cocktails 🍸 Opportunities and Education Through USBG - US Bartenders Guild 🌶 Cocktail Competitions & Frozen Aviations 🍸 Inherited Love of Food from Dad and Hospitality from Mom 🌶 Expansion of Spaces for Openly Discussing Mental Health in the Industry Thanks for listening, and enjoy the following episode, Cocktails & Community, Respecting Your Ingredients with Sol Thomas. About Sol: Sol Thomas (he/him) was born in Newark, New Jersey but lives and works in Philadelphia, PA. In 2009 he volunteered to help build a friend’s private catering business in Philadelphia while studying cell biology and neuroscience in New Jersey. He was hired by a restaurant called Destination Dogs on the strength of that volunteer work where he was able to work his way up from bouncing for bands on the weekends to managing. In 2016 he was given the opportunity to move to Philadelphia to be an opening manager of Destination Dogs new location. Sol seized that opportunity and has considerably grown his network through multiple professional hospitality education resources and cocktail competitions.  Sol believes in the power of connection. His mantra is “laughter is the shock absorber of life”. He believes in the importance of seeking out people and experiences that bring you joy so you are not mired by the muck of the world as you travel through your life. Believe in who you are, live and be present in the moment so you can recognize the chances for growth in your life and act accordingly. If you ask him about his favorite cocktail, it’s the one in his hand. Connect with Sol on Instagram and Facebook. Connect with MG on Instagram and Facebook, too! Follow BTV on Instagram and Facebook for all updates and releases. A byVesta Production.