We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alan Berg, CSP. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alan below.

Alan, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

When I published my first book I was coached by author friends that if I was self-publishing, I shouldn’t use my name as the publisher. They suggested that I create a publishing company. My wife and I mulled it over and she suggested “Left of Center Publishing”. When I asked her why that name, she said “because we’re not quite right!”.

We still use that for publishing our books, but we changed the business name to “Wedding Business Solutions” as that better represents what we do. I also had some people inferring a political statement to our original name (Left of Center – therefore liberal), which is not at all how we came to it.

Alan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I fell into my industry 30 years ago when my best friend bought a wedding magazine franchise. I was in a job that paid very well, but I hated it. I left that security (good pay, company car, paid benefits) to enter a new industry, in a commission-only sales position. My wife was pregnant with our younger son, our older son was turning 3 and I was the only one working. It makes no sense looking back, but it was the right move as it got us where we are today. After selling wedding magazine advertising for 5 years, we bought the two magazine franchises. After publishing them for 5 years, the franchisor wanted me to come work for them as a Regional Sales Director. So, we sold back the franchises. Four months later that company was purchased by The Knot, which had the busiest wedding website in the world and wedding magazines. During my 11 years there, most as VP of Sales, Sales Operations and The Knot Market Intelligence, I was the main speaker at events, on the business of weddings and events. I was caught in a major downsizing and that’s when I started my business, doing speaking, consulting and sales training for wedding and event pros, around the world.

Along the way I joined The National Speakers Association (the largest association of professional speakers in the world), where I obtained my Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) in 2014. There are only about 800 CSPs in the world. I’ve been fortunate to have been invited to speak and do sales training in 14 countries, and was able to get my Global Speaking Fellow from the Global Speakers Federation. There are currently only 39 Global Speaking Fellows in the world, something I’m very proud of.

When I wrote my first book, it was a proud moment, but I didn’t feel like a real author, yet. I’ve now written and published 6 books, 3 in their second editions. I do my own audio book narrating and all of my books are also in 3-book, and todos mis libros disponible en español! (all of my books are available in Spanish).

Something else I’m proud of is that I started learning Spanish in 2013, just to be respectful to people when I visit their country. I had presented in Mexico a few times and I thought it was odd that we always expect people to speak to us in English, no matter where we go in the world. In 2016, after studying Spanish by myself, I presented at conferences in Panama, Uruguay and Mexico, in Spanish. That was not my original intention, but that’s the fun of it. I’ve since presented in Spanish in Cartagena, Colombia and Guatemala. My audiences and hosts are so appreciative that I make that effort. I’ve more recently started learning French (I was supposed to go to Paris in 2020, but the pandemic changed that). I did a virtual presentation in French for a group in Quebec, Canada, this past January. I’m now trying to learn ASL (American Sign Language) as I’ve had deaf audience members. I don’t expect to present in ASL, just have a conversation.

What I’m most proud of in my professional life is the impact that I can have on the small businesses who come to hear me speak, read my books and have me do consulting and sales training. Helping these businesses profit more makes a real impact on them and their families. One person messaged me that she and her family were packing to go on vacation, paid for with the additional profit they’re making, due to my help. That’s heartwarming, for sure.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I was downsized after 11 years with the company. I had risen from Regional Sales Director to Vice President of Sales, created the sales training and education platforms. I was being paid well, decent benefits, but I had lost my seat at the table when major decisions were being made. So, when I went to the main office for a meeting, and instead found out I no longer had a job there, it was a small shock and big relief. I stepped outside the office and called my wife and told her what just happened. I said “If I can’t look in the mirror, and tell that person how to start and run a successful business, no one should hire me to help with their business.”
My mother-in-law told me to collect unemployment. I told her that I wouldn’t, because that was for people who weren’t working. She said “You’re not working.” I said “I’m not working for someone else, but I’m working. I’m not going to spend any time filling out forms, to get paid for not working, when I can spend that time on building our new business. And besides, I’ll be making too much, too soon, to even qualify for benefits.” Within 2 months I was bringing in enough that I wouldn’t have qualified. Sometimes you need to work without a net, to get the best outcomes.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

When I was younger, it felt like we were always striving for making more money. That would lead to a bigger house, better car, etc. Maybe it was The American Dream we were seeking. We seemed to always want more ‘stuff’. I’m sure a little of it was keeping up with the Joneses. I’m sure, in the beginning, when we weren’t earning that much, more money was making a big difference for us. At a certain point we had everything we really needed. Everything else was a want, not a need. Yet, we were still acquiring more ‘stuff’, along with lots of credit card debt. We paid the price, literally, for all that acquiring. I don’t remember exactly when that changed, but we realized that there’s always someone who will have more, no matter how much you have. There’s a big gap between our net worth and Jef Bezos or Bill Gates. I also realized that it’s OK that we’ll never get there. I see way too many people with way too much money, and they do stupid things with it.
I’ve also had some serious health scares, and a good friend once told me “when you’re healthy, you have 100 problems, and when you’re not, you have only 1.” My priorities changed from making more money being number 1 to way down the list. Now it’s health, family, friends and then everything else. Without your health, you’re no good to your family, friends or clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.alanberg.com
• Instagram: @alanberg
• Facebook: @alanberg1 @alanbergspeaker
• Linkedin: @alanberg
• Twitter: @alanberg
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/WeddingBusinessSolutionsPodcast
• Other: podcast.alanberg.com the Wedding Business Solutions Podcast on Apple and all channels.