About this episode
In this episode of Business Owners Tell All: What It Takes, Jamie Seeker sits down with Shay Wheat, Certified Event Producer™ and CEO of Grace & Ease Productions. Shay shares her powerful journey from managing apartments and doing network marketing to producing multi-million dollar events for powerhouse names like Dr. Oz and Lisa Nichols.We dive into how events became her ultimate business-building tool, how she pivoted to virtual when the world shut down, and what it really means to lead a business with grace and ease. Shay opens up about the backstage chaos that taught her the importance of building a team, as well as the strategies behind events that truly convert — not just inspire.If you’ve ever wondered how to scale your impact through live or virtual experiences, this episode is a goldmine.? Show Notes / Topics Covered:How Shay stumbled into event production — and landed her first gig through a chance conversationWorking on Dr. Oz’s nonprofit event and Maria Shriver’s Women’s ConferenceWhy the most successful events are reverse-engineered from the end goalThe pivotal moment she transitioned from “planner” to Certified Event Producer and strategistThe “authority illusion” — and how expertise alone isn’t enough to convertPivoting to virtual during COVID (including nearly 600 attendees cancelled days before)How to recreate emotional, sensory, and communal experiences virtuallyImportance of intention for both host and attendeesThe role of energetics, healing, and intuition in Shay’s businessHer breaking point — crawling on the floor in heels during a virtual event mishap — and the wake-up call to scale smarterWhy entrepreneurs shouldn’t white-knuckle their businesses? Memorable Quotes from Shay:“We’re not meant to do life alone, and we’re not meant to do business alone.”“Events are a bridge. They're the fastest way I know to build trust, connection, and transformation — if you do them with intention.”“I wasn’t going to keep building a busi
