the all in a row blog

Searching for the right business coach is like looking for the golden egg on an Easter egg hunt. For the partnership, you have to have a strong connection, mutual respect, a desire to learn, and a willingness to trust.  After several unsuccessful attempts on my end to find a right fit, I was delighted and surprised to find Laurie Grace. She was speaking at a class I was taking and I was instantly hooked.  She was, and is, engaging, collaborative, and genuine.

She pushes when you need to be pushed, she encourages when you need encouragement, and her ideas and collaborative techniques are creative and practical. She has helped me gain clarity in my business and in my life.  See her answers below to our organizing/life balancing questions!

What inspired you to start your business?

Waking up one day and being 100% clear that I was not firing on all cylinders — ugh!  Instinctively, I just knew that I was created to make a difference, and I wasn’t doing it.  That was a true turning point for me.  It was like a splash of cold water in my face, and at that point, I was motivated to take action.  I knew that I could be a catalyst for the change I wanted to make, and so I put a new stake in the ground that day.  That was 5 years ago!

Biggest challenge you face as a woman owned business?

Hmm, I honestly don’t see that I’ve faced challenges that were/are unique to my being a woman owning my business. I see how it’s been an advantage much more so than a challenge.

Best piece of advice you ever received? From who?

The best of the best do more of what they’re already best at doing!  The StrengthsFinder gurus up at Gallup, Inc. unveiled that science-based nugget for me. That advice has changed the way I do everything and is now an integral part of the work I deliver to my clients.

What’s your morning routine?

I’m an early riser – always have been.  I’m up by 5:45am and spend about 1 ½ – 2 hours in the morning ritual I’ve had for about 7 years now:  writing, reading my bible, praying, and enjoying a nice pot of hot tea (my current favorite is Buttered Rum – a flavored black tea).  Everything about this ritual is special to me because it provides me with freedom, solitude, creativity and inspiration. I need all of those things fresh each day to make the difference I’m committed to making in this world.

Calendar: paper or electronic?

In the last couple of weeks I realized how much I missed seeing my calendar on paper as I had been managing everything electronically for years.  So, now I’ve got a nice blend of my electronic calendar plus an easy month-at-glance paper copy.  The paper copy has given me a much better birds-eye view which is helping me managing commitments smarter.

How do you find work/life balance?

Ha!  The short answer is that I don’t ever “find” it;  I have to create it.  Recently, I realized I was doing a pretty poor job in this department.  I’m a big believer in getting to the root cause of things, so once I started looking at what was going on, I realized that my electronic calendar wasn’t working for me.  Because it wasn’t giving me the broad view of all I had going on, I was either over-committing or not allowing myself the time I needed/wanted to do things how I like to do them. Now that I’ve started using a paper calendar, too, I’m experiencing greater awareness that’s leading to smarter planning (and better balance).

How do you tame your email inbox?

Oh my gosh, I don’t.  This is a struggle for me.  I just checked, and today I have 1,296 messages in my inbox. This isn’t good, I know.  Beginning next week things will be looking up as I’ve hired an assistant, and she’s going to help me “tame the box”!

Favorite organizing tool/trick for business?

Two philosophies come to mind that drive my actions and decisions: (1) more no & less yes,   and   (2) less is typically more.  This helps me manage my calendar, it equips me to deliver the best &  most valuable work to my clients, and it supports me in staying focused on being the superhero I already am – and doing even more of that!

Words you live by?

I am a Christian, and everything I live, breathe and do is sourced from God and His word.  It impacts who I am, how I am and what I produce, create, innovate and deliver.  Because of this, my work and my impact are amplified, and I’m living with more joy and satisfaction than ever before. I’m grateful and blessed beyond measure.