We were lucky to catch up with Danielle Baily recently and have shared our conversation below.
Danielle, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What do you think it takes to be successful?
To me, success has three components: time management, preparation, and consistency. Effective time management reduces stress by providing a clear plan for necessary task management, preventing the disappointment of unmet expectations and missed deadlines. Preparation, allows for continued decrease of stress as preplanning your day and organizing what you need sets you up for daily success. Preparation also enhances productivity and can work to eliminate decision fatigue. Consistency in these practices can increase self-trust and diminishes negative self-talk, ultimately reducing the detrimental effects of continual decision fatigue. Additionally, consistently completing the right tasks will move you closer to your goals faster. By prioritizing these three things, individuals can navigate their days and weeks more easily. This allows individuals to feel more accomplished and actually enjoy a notable increase in productivity.
Danielle, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
As a child of entrepreneurs, I have been working at 6 years old. My days were spent working after school until it was time to go to bed. I know firsthand the havoc poor time management, lack of processes, zero prioritization and no plans have on a family, on relationships and on business. As if that was not bad enough, we had to do inventory on Saturdays, which I swear was every Saturday but my mom says was once a quarter. Inventory of what you may be asking… Tupperware. I was born into Tupperware and spent many a night at Tupperware parties before birth. And my parents wondered why I was a night owl. In addition to, working all the time, I grew up in a household that demanded high performance. My older brother was a genius, like an actual genius. The ones that are annoying and ruin school for the any sibling that follows. I had to work harder, study longer, and develop repeatable habits to even bring home an acceptable report card. What was in the way became the way. These experiences set the stage and became the foundation of my passion, that became my mission, that became my business.
Nine and a half years ago, after I rounded out my expensive paper wall. (wrapped up Completed all my degrees and certifications) I found myself unable to get a job. Lots of folks had been laid off in 2014 and I applied and applied for jobs. However, nothing panned out. One day while talking to someone who has literally known me my whole life, as she was in Tupperware with my mom before I was born, asked me a question. She asked me, “Have you considered starting your own business.” I said NO, I don’t want to work that hard. I remember all too well how entrepreneurship looked from the eyes of the child that started working at 6 years old. I remembered all too well how workaholism looked, felt, and was damaging. I did not want to do that, not to myself and not to anyone. SO… two weeks later, I launched an Efficiency and Implementation Consulting Business, to provide a place for others to elevate their performance by creating repeatable habits and implementing tactical plans in an effort to not become workaholics.
I work with busy, stressed out, and overwhelmed people to resolve the challenges that have been keeping them working long hours and taking them away from their families.
My mission is to inspire and empower others to reach their goals and create their ideal future.
An example of what I have achieved is an estimated cost savings of $4.5 million dollars and climbing for my clients as well as saving the jobs of 75 individuals.
As a cross industry consultant access to my expertise is customizable. As a result of my life experience, education and past work experience I have worked hard to create a consulting firm that meets people where they are, through: individual consulting, where we work together on your time management, process generation, prioritization, and implementation. An accountability group, where there is a 14 week structure of implementing 3 goals. Consistency Boot Camp, where each participate selects 2 tasks to be consistent on over a 66 day measurement program in order to learn how to build the habit of consistency. Focused Work Days, where we utilize productivity techniques and body doubling to move projects or tasks along more quickly. There are even two on demand courses. One about how to tame your email inbox and the other is a masterclass on Time Management. Recently, we have started a Knowledge Hub where relevant blogs are released twice a month. My YouTube channel has many videos full of knowledge and wisdom on various topics related to time management, process generation, prioritization, and implementation.
One of my favorite things is when a client looks at me and says, ‘I did it!’ When they reach that first goal we have been working on. It’s in that moment they realize they can do more, be more, and have more—just as they’ve always wanted. One of the keys to my success is a fierce commitment to people and results.
When I am not working, I am learning. I love absorbing knowledge and collecting little known facts.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Throughout my life, I’ve encountered various challenges that have tested me. Most notably the incident that occurred on April 29, 2023 during a vacation in North Carolina. I was walking on a second-story deck talking on the phone, when suddenly I stepped down and the board beneath my left leg broke, resulting in a significant injury. Despite the shock in the moment, my instincts kicked in and I yelled for help. The huge laceration of my left shin necessitated urgent medical attention. After being transported to South Carolina, I underwent orthopedic surgery and spent two days in the hospital. However, the physical trauma was only the beginning of a challenging journey ahead.
Upon returning home, I quickly realized that I could not navigate this recovery journey alone. With my mobility limited and my need for ongoing care evident, I reluctantly made the difficult decision to temporarily move in with my parents for support. Historically, asking for help has been an ongoing challenge for me. It was a humbling experience, requiring me to let go and accept help.
Over the following two months, I underwent two additional surgeries to address complications with the wound on my leg. Each surgery brought its own set of physical and emotional challenges. Every day was different and unpredictable. I was living 7 days at a time between wound care visits. Regardless, I was determined to provide for my clients and meet my professional commitments.
One of the most significant tests of my resilience learning to harmonize my personal recovery journey with professional responsibilities. As a business owner, I had a responsibility to my clients to ensure that their needs were met, despite the unforeseen circumstances. I had an emergency plan that was created years prior to this injury. I never wanted to have to test if the plan was going to work or not. However, when I needed it, the plan was there and it worked. My emergency plan allowed all client meetings to proceed with minimal schedule disruption, invoices were processed seamlessly, all the personal and professional bills were paid on time throughout my medical ordeal. Without having this plan in place, I do not want to imagine what would have happened.
Looking back on this journey that is not even over yet, I am struck by the resilience I exhibited in the face of overwhelming challenges. Despite the physical pain, emotional toll, and disruptions to my daily life, I remained steadfast in my commitment to my clients, colleagues and family. This experience has reinforced my belief in the power of time management, preparation and consistency.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
In the beginning of my career, I prided myself on my ability to excel in time management. I was meticulous in ensuring that my calendar was organized, accommodating the needs of everyone. However, this commitment to accommodating others’ schedules came at a cost. It compromised my ability to prioritize my own activities and focus on the strategic, long-term goals of my business. The lesson I had to unlearn was my perception of time management solely as a means of scheduling to do’s and accommodating the needs of others. While I thought this approach initially served me well, it became increasingly clear that it was hindering my ability to effectively reach my goals and create my ideal future. Managing my time this way also created an overwhelming number of meetings and unnecessary things on my calendar.
I realized that my time management practices needed to evolve to align with my goals of building a successful business that inspires and empowers others to reach their goals and create their ideal future. I began a journey of unlearning and relearning, challenging my existing beliefs and adopting a more strategic approach to time management.
Rather than simply reacting to others’ demands and filling my calendar with constant appointments, I shifted my focus towards proactively allocating time for tasks that aligned with my long-term goals. This involved setting aside dedicated blocks of time for activities like strategic planning, productivity, interruptions, and personal growth.
Relearning how to make my schedule work for me, rather than being dictated by external demands, was a transformative experience. It empowered me to reclaim control over my time, prioritize activities that would contribute to the growth, and success of my business. This revised way of scheduling also allows me to be accommodating and responsive to my clients, colleagues, and family.
Today, I approach time management as a tool for building my future and helping others build theirs. By unlearning outdated perceptions and embracing a more strategic mindset, I have discovered new levels of productivity and fulfillment in both my professional and personal life. This realignment of my time helps me to assist my clients in reevaluating their time to make their calendar work for them. As a life long learner, I am diligently reading and watching for new techniques and innovative ways to create the ultimate win-win-win, especially when it comes to time management.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://daniellebaily.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedaniellebaily/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedaniellebaily
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thedaniellebaily
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/danibaily
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedaniellebaily
- Other: Program Site: https://learn.daniellebaily.com/ Stay connected through our Knowledge Hub: http://eepurl.com/icVX1v [email protected]