Sometimes the career you build looks nothing like the one you originally planned.

In this episode of The Aisle Experts, host Deanna Nash sits down with Meghan Ely, founder of OFD Consulting, wedding publicist, writer, and industry educator, to explore the unexpected turns that shaped her career.

After years working in hospitality and luxury venues, Meghan found herself walking away from a prestigious position during the 2009 recession, with a new home, an upcoming wedding, and no clear plan for what came next. What followed was the beginning of OFD Consulting, a business she would spend the next 17 years building, refining, and reinventing.

Meghan shares the realities of taking a leap into entrepreneurship, the importance of recognizing when something isn't right, and why building a sustainable business sometimes means rethinking everything about how it operates.

Together, Deanna and Meghan discuss the value of industry education, the evolution of wedding publicity, the importance of professional relationships, and what it means to build a career with intention.

It's a conversation about trusting yourself, embracing unexpected opportunities, and recognizing that success isn't simply about how much you accomplish, but about creating a business and a life that work together.

In this episode:

• The unexpected circumstances that led Meghan to launch OFD Consulting
• Building a business while working another job
• Recognizing when it's time to change direction
• Evolving a business model to support long-term growth
• The role of education, speaking, and professional relationships in building a career
• Looking ahead and making intentional decisions about what comes next

About The Aisle Experts

Hosted by Deanna Nash, The Aisle Experts features conversations with the women shaping the wedding industry, exploring their career paths, unexpected turns, challenges, successes, and the lessons learned along the way.

Visit OFD consulting on Instagram @OFDconsulting

Visit The Aisle Experts on Instagram @theaisleexperts