What does it really take to build a creative business, raise kids, and protect your marriage—all at the same time?

In this deeply honest and insightful episode of Friendors, host Shawn Miller sits down with returning guest Erica Miller, photographer and co-owner of Young Hip & Married, to unpack over 15 years in the wedding industry, entrepreneurship through parenthood, and the realities of building a life-first business.

This conversation explores what happens behind the scenes of running a successful wedding brand while navigating marriage, childcare, burnout, financial uncertainty, big dreams, and constant pivots. From starting a business while raising young kids to learning how to work with your spouse instead of against them, this episode is packed with wisdom for creatives at every stage.

Whether you're a wedding photographer, planner, creative entrepreneur, small business owner, or parent building a business, this episode will help you feel seen—and better equipped.

• How to balance marriage, parenting, and entrepreneurship
• What it's really like to raise kids while running a wedding business
• The importance of defining your "why" as a business owner
• How Erica built a thriving photography brand alongside motherhood
• Lessons from working with your spouse in the same industry
• Why flexibility, flow, and communication matter more than perfection
• How long-term vision helps you survive hard seasons in business
• Why entrepreneurship can be a powerful legacy for your kids

✔️ Wedding photographers & wedding vendors
✔️ Creative entrepreneurs & freelancers
✔️ Parents building a business
✔️ Couples working together
✔️ Small business owners in the events industry
✔️ Anyone chasing freedom, flexibility & family-first success

Erica Miller is a photographer, entrepreneur, and co-owner of Young Hip & Married, one of Canada's leading wedding brands. With over a decade of experience balancing business growth, marriage, and parenting, Erica brings real-world insight into building a sustainable creative career.

Friendors features real conversations with wedding professionals, creatives, and entrepreneurs building meaningful businesses without sacrificing their lives.
📍 Available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts & Spotify

In this episode of Friendors, host Shawn Miller sits down with Esther Moerman to unpack how mindset, energy, and genuine human connection can shape a wildly successful wedding photography brand.

Esther shares her journey from shooting weddings for free and learning through "YouTube University" to becoming a sought-after destination wedding photographer. She opens up about building confidence, showing up authentically online, and why making people feel something matters more than chasing perfection behind the camera.

This conversation is great for photographers, wedding vendors, creatives, and entrepreneurs who want to stand out, attract aligned clients, and build a business rooted in passion and purpose.

• How Esther built her photography brand through energy and connection
• The role of mindset in creative business growth
• Why client experience drives referrals and longevity
• How social media and authenticity fuel brand visibility
• Lessons from scaling a wedding photography career
• Advice for photographers starting (or restarting) their business

Esther Moerman is a Canadian and destination wedding photographer known for her high-energy presence, emotional storytelling, and people-first approach to photography.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@esthermoermanphoto

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/esthermoermanphoto

Website: https://esthermoermanphoto.ca

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@esthermoermanphoto_

Follow Friendors for real conversations with wedding pros, creatives, and entrepreneurs building meaningful businesses.
Available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts & Spotify

In this high-energy episode of Friendors, host Shawn Miller sits down with Rob Hamilton, the mastermind behind Side One Entertainment, to explore what it really takes to turn a passion for music into a multi-city wedding and events entertainment company.

From starting as a working musician and jazz guitarist to leading a 150+ performer roster and managing 250+ gigs per year, Rob shares hard-won insights into scaling a creative business, building elite teams, navigating the events industry, and delivering unforgettable live experiences for weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations.

This episode is a must-watch for musicians, DJs, wedding vendors, event pros, and creative entrepreneurs looking to turn talent into a thriving, sustainable business.

• How Rob built Side One Entertainment into a multi-city brand
• The business side of weddings, live bands, and event entertainment
• How to manage talent, systems, and growth at scale
• The challenges of scaling a creative company
• Why flexibility is key in the modern event industry
• Lessons for musicians who want to become entrepreneurs

Side One Entertainment is one of Canada's premier wedding and event entertainment companies, supplying top-tier bands, DJs, and musicians for luxury weddings and large-scale events across multiple cities.

Instagram: @sideoneband
Website: http://sideone.ca/

Follow Friendors for in-depth conversations with the creators, vendors, and entrepreneurs powering the wedding & events industry.
📍 Available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts & Spotify

In this inspiring episode of Friendors, host Shawn Miller sits down with industry icon Genève McNally of DreamGroup Weddings & Events to explore the essential role of vendor relationships in creating extraordinary wedding experiences. With over two decades of leadership in Vancouver's wedding community, Genève shares powerful insights on teamwork, trust, communication, and the magic that happens when great vendors come together.

Genève opens up about the origins of DreamGroup, her philosophy on collaboration, and why the best weddings are built on respect, professionalism, and genuine connection. From her early days at Brock House to becoming a mentor and advocate for wedding pros across the city, she reflects on what it means to build a career rooted in service and community.

Whether you're a wedding planner, photographer, florist, venue manager, or any event professional, this conversation is filled with wisdom to help elevate your craft and strengthen your vendor relationships.

• How DreamGroup became one of Vancouver's most trusted planning teams

• Why great vendor partnerships are the foundation of unforgettable weddings

• Genève's philosophy on leadership, mentorship, and longevity

• The importance of clear communication and shared values

• How community-driven professionals elevate the entire industry

• Tips for building strong, lasting vendor relationships

DreamGroup Weddings & Events is a celebrated planning collective known for its polished process, calming presence, and exceptional client experience. For more than 20 years, they've helped couples bring meaningful, personal celebrations to life throughout Vancouver and beyond.

Instagram: @dreamgroup
Website: dreamgroup.ca

Stay tuned for more conversations with the creatives, makers, and professionals shaping the wedding and events industry.
Available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

In this dynamic episode of the Friendors Podcast, Shawn Miller sits down with Reuben Major, one of Vancouver's most influential voices in hospitality and venue design. From transforming industrial spaces into immersive experiences to building cultural landmarks like Vancouver Urban Winery, Havana, and The Flamingo Room, Reuben shares how he blends design, storytelling, and community to create venues people never forget.

He opens up about his unexpected path into hospitality, the lessons learned from managing iconic nightlife spaces, and why atmosphere is more than décor — it's energy, intention, and human connection.

Whether you're a wedding vendor, creative entrepreneur, event planner, designer, or hospitality professional, this conversation delivers powerful insight on creativity, business growth, and building spaces that bring people together.

• How Reuben Major built some of Vancouver's most recognizable venues

• The creative philosophy behind atmosphere and experiential design

• What makes a space feel alive — and what kills the vibe

• The importance of community, culture, and storytelling in hospitality

• Lessons from running bars, wineries, and nightlife spaces

• How to stay inspired and evolve in a changing creative industry

Reuben Major is a Vancouver-based designer, creator, and operator known for shaping iconic spaces that blend art, culture, and social experience. His projects include Vancouver Urban Winery, The Distillery Bar, Havana Vancouver, The Flamingo Room, and other beloved community hubs.

Instagram: @reubenmajor
Venues: Vancouver Urban Winery | Havana Vancouver | The Flamingo Room

Join host Shawn Miller for conversations with the creatives, makers, and cultural leaders shaping the wedding, events, and hospitality communities.
Available on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

In this heartfelt episode of Friendors, host Shawn Miller sits down with Lauren Kirkey of Young Hip & Married to explore what it truly means to create inclusive, meaningful, and deeply personal wedding ceremonies.

Lauren opens up about her journey as a queer officiant, the importance of representation, and why there are truly no wasted experiences when it comes to building a career centered on connection and storytelling. From officiating Vancouver's unforgettable 150-wedding mass celebration in Robson Square to guiding couples through intimate elopements, Lauren shares how purpose, identity, and lived experience all shape the way she holds space for love.

Whether you're a wedding vendor, officiant, planner, or creative entrepreneur, this conversation offers inspiring insight into authenticity, allyship, and elevating the wedding experience for every couple.

• How Lauren Kirkey found her calling as a professional wedding officiant

• Why inclusive language and representation matter in modern weddings

• Behind-the-scenes stories from Vancouver's 150-wedding mass ceremony

• How to bring purpose and identity into your creative work

• What Young Hip & Married is doing to make weddings more accessible and authentic

Young Hip & Married is a Vancouver-born collective of professional officiants creating personalized wedding ceremonies with heart, humor, inclusivity, and intention.

Instagram: @younghipandmarried
Website: younghipandmarried.com

🔔 Subscribe to Friendors for more conversations with the creatives and wedding pros who bring the magic to life.

In this episode of Friendors, host Shawn Miller sits down with Jeff Chang, the creative force behind The Apartment Photography, to explore how nearly two decades of experience in the photography world have shaped his artistry, teaching, and philosophy on creative work.

Jeff opens up about his journey from self-taught photographer to respected educator, reflecting on how the industry has evolved, what keeps him inspired, and how he's learned to balance growth, humility, and curiosity behind the lens.

This is an honest, insightful conversation for photographers, creatives, and wedding pros who want to build a sustainable, fulfilling career rooted in passion — not perfection.

💡 In this episode, you'll learn:

• How experience refines your creative voice

• The evolution of The Apartment Photography

• Lessons from 18 years in the photography business

• What Jeff has learned from teaching and mentoring others

• Why creativity thrives when you stay curious

📲 Connect with Jeff Chang:
Instagram: @theapartmentphoto
Website: www.theapartmentphotography.com

🔔 Subscribe to Friendors for more authentic conversations with the creatives and entrepreneurs behind the wedding and events industry.

In this episode of Friendors, host Shawn Miller sits down with Erin Bishop, founder of the award-winning Filosophi Events, to talk about creativity, connection, and what it takes to build a meaningful brand in the modern wedding industry.

Erin shares the story behind her company's original tagline — "A Cure for the Common Wedding" — and how that philosophy has guided her through more than a decade of designing celebrations that truly reflect her clients' personalities. From her unexpected start in the music industry to leading one of Vancouver's most respected event planning companies, Erin opens up about growth, leadership, team culture, and the evolution of weddings over the years.

Whether you're a wedding planner, creative entrepreneur, or vendor looking for inspiration and real talk about the business of love, this conversation is packed with wisdom, humor, and heart.

💡 In this episode, you'll learn:

• How Filosophi Events became one of Vancouver's top planning companies

• Why creativity and empathy are key to client experience

• The difference between growth and alignment in business

• How to lead a team with trust and authenticity

• The changing landscape of weddings post-pandemic

🎉 About Filosophi Events:
Based in Vancouver, Filosophi Events creates authentic, one-of-a-kind weddings and events for clients who want something beyond the ordinary.

📲 Connect with Filosophi Events & Erin Bishop:
Instagram: @filosophievents
Website: www.filosophievents.com

🔔 Subscribe to Friendors for more candid conversations with the creatives, makers, and wedding pros behind the magic.