Resume of Josh Withers

Professional Summary

I am an entrepreneurial business operator, skilled communicator, and in love with the process. I've worked in trusted teams in broadcast and events for decades and built original wedding businesses from scratch.

My life's work sits at the intersection of creativity, logistics, law, and human connection.

I've led teams of independent creative professionals to deliver emotionally significant weddings and elopements in over twenty countries for over a thousand couples. I've consulted and educated a national population of marriage celebrants for over a decade. I've spoken to audiences of thousands, and worked with the Australian federal government on marriage policy and legislation. Most recently, I've focused on how small businesses—especially those in the wedding industry—can adapt their websites, content, and systems to remain relevant in a world shaped by artificial intelligence and large language models.

What I bring is not just experience, but ownership. I take responsibility for projects from idea to outcome, ensuring they're honest, meaningful, and effective. I'm weirdly passionate about being effective.

Core Competencies

Team leadership and contractor management
Strategic business development and operational execution
Public speaking, event hosting, and media/podcast presentation
Stakeholder engagement and government interfacing
Legal compliance, policy advocacy, and industry representation in marriage and wedding industry
Business systems design, automation, and client experience workflows
Content strategy for search engine optimisation and AI/LLM discoverability
Static (Jamstack) website development, platform architecture, and custom integrations

Professional Experience

Celebrant – Married By Josh

2009 – Present | Australia and International

Built a globally recognised wedding brand that has delivered over 1,000 ceremonies in more than twenty countries.

Designed and delivered legally compliant, emotionally engaging, personalised wedding ceremonies
Created planning frameworks, legal process automation, and client workflows now adopted across the celebrant industry
Featured on national television and media including Married at First Sight, Sunrise, Today Show, The New York Times, and ABC Radio
Consulted on brand strategy, voice, and delivery for other wedding professionals
Actively redesigned web presence and content strategy to align with how artificial intelligence and natural language systems interpret websites
Changed the whole game. Marriage celebrancy globally is different today because of my efforts.

Co-Founder – The Elopement Collective

2015 – Present | Global

Full-service elopement planning business offering destination weddings for couples who want meaningful, intimate experiences without overwhelm.

Team Leadership:

Led teams of creative contractors including photographers, videographers, florists, stylists, and musicians to deliver elopement packages around the world
Curated high-performing teams for each elopement and managed them from booking through delivery
Owned every elopement from start to finish: logistics, budgeting, creative briefing, travel, budgeting, vendor coordination, and final client delivery
Developed consistent execution systems despite rotating teams, international logistics, and high-pressure environments
Built a single-contact client experience where all operations are managed invisibly, but meticulously, behind the scenes

Original Co-Founder – Celebrant Institute

2018 – Present | Australia

Professional development, legal education, and advocacy for civil marriage celebrants.

Policy & Government Relations:

Regularly engage with federal and state government departments, including the Attorney-General's Department and state registries
Advocate for improved systems, legislative changes, and more professional industry standards
Contributed to national policy development including the legalisation of remote witnessing of marriage paperwork
Act as a voice for working celebrants in media, public discourse, and industry reform
Meet with federal and state government stakeholders regularly to update on policy initiatives

Education & Systems:

Built and maintain a knowledge base and educational membership platform for celebrants
Deliver training, coaching, and content that connects celebrants to legal frameworks and business realities
Spearhead all SEO and AI-aligned optimisation efforts for long-tail discoverability of training content and Certificate IV sales

Unpopular – Consultant and Creative Systems Builder

1998 onwards | Project-based

Strategy, content, automation, and marketing systems for wedding professionals, creatives, and niche local businesses.

Design custom client workflows for onboarding, education, and delivery using Notion, Zapier, Airtable, and Make
Build fast, human-friendly and algorithmically (SEO and AI) optimised static websites using Astro, Webflow, and GitHub-hosted frameworks
Create and manage SEO content systems that align with how artificial intelligence interprets and recommends service providers
Consult on voice-of-brand, sales language, and customer journey clarity for solo operators and service-based teams

Technology Editor & Breaking News Online Producer – Nine Radio Network

2012 – 2013 | Brisbane

Created and delivered real-time news, talkback, and feature content across technology and current affairs
Wrote, edited, and presented for both live radio and digital platforms
Interviewed guests and managed segment production under daily deadlines
Hosted and produced popular podcasts for the brand and off-brand.

Breakfast Radio Host + Broadcast Engineer – Southern Cross Austereo

2003 – 2012 | Regional Australia

Hosted market-leading breakfast shows across regional Australia in Queensland, New South Wales, and Western Australia
Managed and maintained technical infrastructure for broadcast, satellite, and studio environments on a national basis for the regional radio network
Learned how to create high-quality content under pressure, with minimal resources and team, and lead production teams on-air and off-air

Speaking and Hosting

Master of Ceremonies for hundreds of conferences, weddings, and music festivals, addressing crowds of thousands through to intimate gatherings of family
Regular keynote speaker and trainer at wedding and event industry events, workshops, and conferences across Australia, USA, Europe, and New Zealand
Known for warm, grounded delivery, clear messaging, and the ability to hold space for any room—whether a wedding, a conference, or a stadium

Education and Licences

Certificate IV in Ministry and Leadership, 2009
Certificate III in Radio Broadcasting, 2009
Commonwealth Authorised Civil Marriage Celebrant, since 2009

Media Features

Married At First Sight and The Today Show(Nine Network) plus Sunrise (Seven Network)
ABC Radio Local and National, Hit Network Network, Triple J, KIIS, Nine Radio Network
Pedestrian TV, Mamamia, The Guardian, Daily Mail, The New York Times, Courier Mail, Gold Coast Bulletin

Personal Note

I live in Tasmania's Huon Valley with my wife Britt and our two daughters, Luna and Goldie. I'm motivated by doing important work, creating change in the world, delivering value for others, not noise. I work hard, speak honestly, and stay focused on what matters.

References

References are available upon request.