From the beginning, Aisle Planner has kept a fierce focus on its leadership in both innovation and advocacy for the weddings and special events industry. The creativity and grit of our professional community continues to inspire us. And, we remain driven to build a platform so powerful to be a part of every wedding, every day, everywhere. With this determination and purpose, we're excited to announce the addition of Scott Key as the initial member of our Advisory Board and special guest appearance at The Aisle Planner Experience at Sahara Las Vegas on October 14, and at Wedding MBA October 15-16 in Las Vegas.
Scott Key is the former CEO of David’s Bridal, the leading bridal retailer with 30% market share and 300+ locations. Previously, Scott spent 26 years at Gap Inc. During his tenure, he was recognized as one of the most influential leaders in company history for founding two highly successful operating divisions. Scott’s unique management skillset reflects his experience working with companies at different growth stages, and across multiple brands, channels, and geographies. Therefore, his expertise and proven success will be invaluable as the executive team positions Aisle Planner for long-term growth. "We're absolutely thrilled to have Scott join our Board of Advisors," CEO Rob Farrow stated. "As we continue to build our ecosystem for the thriving and expanding events community, having someone with his experience and roll-the-sleeves-up approach will be huge for our customers, our community, and our company." Rob continued, "From the very first conversations we had, we quickly found ourselves aligned on the vision for this business. He showed an openness to push our collective thinking forward. Each dialog strengthened our ideas and strategic direction. This proves he'll not only be a great fit, but will also provide the right amount of healthy strategic tension to drive change and lead our market." We caught up with Scott to talk about this new role and the bright future he sees for Aisle Planner:
What excites you about the future of the wedding industry?
"Full of emotional extremes, the process of getting married is unlike any I've seen in my career. It's a mixture of high expectations, social pressures, economic realities, and family dynamics. All of this converging with complicated logistics make it difficult for couples to realize their vision of the day. Change driven by technology designed to create more enjoyment and less complication for couples—that's what excites me about the future."
What role do you see technology play in this future?
"Despite the radical changes in how customers are discovering and engaging with brands, the wedding category has remained very traditional. I see technology disrupting the space by bridging the gap between customer expectations and the wedding industry in unique ways. The more critical question, however, asks which operating models (e.g. advertising, general retail, services) will encourage the develop new ecosystems to meet the demands of wedding professionals, vendors, and customers alike."
Where do you see Aisle Planner contributing to this future?
“Aisle Planner is the leading SaaS solution for wedding professionals. Their ability to thrive among a community of experienced professionals validates their understanding of the category. Therefore, this positions them to be a positive disruptor in the industry. This is the primary reason why I joined AP’s Board of Advisors.”