Grow Your Business with Live and Virtual Events – Shay Wheat on What It Takes
If you’re looking for how to grow your business with live and virtual events, this episode of What It Takes: Business Owners Tell All is packed with insights. Host Jamie Seeker sits down with Shay Wheat, Certified Event Producer™ and CEO of Grace & Ease Productions, who has helped clients generate over $34 million in revenue through transformational events.
From managing apartments and doing network marketing to producing events for celebrities like Dr. Oz and Lisa Nichols, Shay’s story is one of grit, vision, and creating scalable impact through experiential design.
💼 Who Is Shay Wheat and How Does She Grow Businesses with Events?
Based near Nashville, Tennessee, Shay Wheat runs Grace & Ease Productions, helping entrepreneurs and thought leaders design, produce, and scale live and virtual events that truly convert. She created The Powerful Event Process and The Ultimate Event Planner Certification to train others in her proven methods.
Want more behind-the-scenes business stories? 👉 Check out more What It Takes podcast episodes.
💡 How to Grow Your Business with Live and Virtual Events
Shay breaks down exactly why events are the most effective and fastest way to grow your business:
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They build instant trust and connection
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They shorten the sales and transformation cycle
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They allow you to take your audience on a curated journey that ends in action
“Events are a bridge. They’re the fastest way I know to create connection and transformation — if you do them with intention.”
🔄 How Shay Pivoted to Virtual Events and Stayed Profitable
When in-person events shut down, Shay’s 600-attendee event was canceled days before it began. But she quickly adapted:
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Created Zoom “hallways” to mimic real networking
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Included interactive swag kits to awaken the senses
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Used breakout rooms and layered learning to keep audiences locked in
“Virtual events are like movies. They need a story, an experience, and a journey that keeps people engaged.”
🛠️ Tips for Hosting Profitable Events That Scale
✅ Reverse Engineer Your Outcome
Start by defining your end goal (offer, program, next step) and build the event experience around it.
✅ Prioritize Engagement and Sensory Design
Think beyond presentations. Add games, scents, music, and movement to keep attention.
✅ Stop Doing Everything Yourself
After one tech-failure-filled event, Shay knew she needed to scale with support, not hustle alone.
🎯 What It Takes to Be a Business Owner – Shay’s Perspective
“You can be the most respected voice in the room and still watch your business bleed out. It takes strategy, support, and community. We’re not meant to do this alone.”
This powerful answer came in response to What It Takes‘ signature question about entrepreneurship. Her message? Scale smart, lead with grace, and bring people along for the journey.
🎧 Ready to Grow Your Business with Events?
If you’re ready to explore how to grow your business with live and virtual events, tune in and learn from someone who’s done it at the highest level.
🎙️ Listen now: Lights, Camera, Revenue: How Events Became a Growth Engine
🌐 Explore Shay’s work: https://graceandeaseproductions.com
🎁 Download her free event planning playbook: https://eventfreegift.com
