Notes from Chris

Episode 1669

When Dale and Lydia Wilson were planning their wedding in 2016, they ran into a familiar problem: not everybody they wanted to invite was able to attend. Some people lived far away, including older relatives with health issues who just couldn’t make the trip. Dale and Lydia wanted a way for everyone to feel part of their special day, no matter their location.

This led them to explore the option of live streaming: having someone with a camera broadcast their wedding through social media so their friends and family could just log on and tune in. But the only affordable way to live stream was through a mobile phone and the thought of having people watch on a fuzzy screen was less than appealing. Ultimately, they abandoned the idea … but a short while later, Dale and Lydia found themselves on the other side of the problem.

Unable to attend a relative’s wedding, they watched through a Facebook live stream. It was fun, but they couldn’t help wishing that the quality was better. It was hard to see and hear what was going on from the back row through a smartphone camera. This got them thinking: “Is there a service that provides high-quality live streams for weddings?”. The answer, after much Googling, was a resounding no. That’s how they found their idea for what they called Married Livestream.

The result of their hard work was … more than a little disheartening. They were only able to book a few weddings for the coming season and it seemed like the optimistic response from their friends and family hadn’t translated into live streaming demand. Dale had to venture back into his old career to supplement their income, and Lydia took extra hours as a nanny to make ends meet. It felt like Married Livestream had been a resounding failure. And, then, COVID-19 struck.

Dale and Lydia had hoped it would be the turning point for their business. It was the problem they’d faced at their own wedding but on a global scale. Almost nobody could travel anywhere. But, despite the rest of the world turning to online video for entertainment and connection, they somehow ended up with fewer bookings. There were cancellations and re-schedulings and it seemed like all hope was lost.

But, as the lockdown restrictions eased in the summer, the bookings started to flood in. Suddenly, they found themselves with forty weddings booked for the next few months. Their income skyrocketed in the space of a few weeks, and they were able to leave the work they’d taken on to make ends meet behind.

Dale and Lydia are now on track to earn over $100,000 in income from their business this year. They’ve already surpassed what they made last year in the first half of 2021.

Looking to the future, Dale and Lydia are focused on expansion. They’d like to go into online teaching by creating courses that will help others learn how to live stream weddings and events. They’re also looking to hire someone to do the live streaming for them, so they can focus on sales and marketing, all while spending more time with their daughter.

 

---

  MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Learn more about Dale and Lydia’s service at their website, MarriedLivestream.com.

SEE ALSO:

• Government Employee Becomes Flash Mob Marriage Proposal Consultant: After receiving a “lame” marriage proposal, this former contractor sets up shop helping others create memorable proposal stories. Last year, she made a lot of people happy… and she also made $450,000.
• Atlanta Duo Gets Paid to Help Engaged Couples Elope: Feeling disappointed with the wedding industrial complex, where the average ceremony costs $35,000, this unconventional couple creates an alternative option.
• Social Media Fan Ties the Knot with Wedding Marketing: When a longtime social media fan (hello, AOL!) looks to add creativity into her life, she combines her passion for weddings and her skills in online communication.

Inspiration is good; inspiration combined with action is better. Now get back to work!

Yours in the revolution,

---

Download Episodes By Months:

Season 8 (2024): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC |

Season 7 (2023): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC |

Season 6 (2022): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC |

Season 5 (2021): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC |

Season 4 (2020): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC |

Season 3 (2019): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC |

Season 2 (2018): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC |

Season 1 (2017): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC |