We were lucky to catch up with Sheila Segnalini recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sheila, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

In early 2019, I was between jobs. Not in a rush to find the next one, but determined to do something I really enjoyed and loved.

I spent days and weeks reflecting and brainstorming ideas trying to figure out what my next great business would be. I went from wanting to be the next JK Rowling to wanting to be the female version of Jeff Bezos. However, little by little my ideas became less grandiose and more down to earth.

Only two things were very clear very soon: I wanted to be an entrepreneur and I wanted to help other women. Everything else, I still had to figure out.

After completing an exhaustive list of my strength and weakness, I came to the conclusion that there was one thing I was really good at; organizing time and spaces. So, I started researching my options and did my best to approach this research with a genuine beginner’s mind.

I started looking around me and listening to other women’s stories, I realized that the one thing they all needed more of was TIME -regardless of their status or work/family dynamics, they all wished for more hours in their day. Lack of time was a common cause of stress and frustration -and one thing I could always manage effortlessly.

So, that was it. I set to become a time management consultant focused on helping women reclaim control of their time and design a life with time for themselves and their dream projects.

With a clear purpose, I took a comprehensive course, read and studied dozens of books on time management, and familiarized myself with the industry and its players. I became a member of the National Association of Professional Organizing to further my knowledge and understanding of the business, and the industry.

I also hired a business coach to help me navigate the basics of starting a consulting business -including an induction into the vast world of social media! I offered several free sessions for friends and friends of friends to figure out how my new business was going to look like. I drew inspiration from their stories and created a brand that was synonym with productivity for a purpose.

I officially launched Organizing Concepts in July 2020 -amid a pandemic. However, the pandemic opened the possibility for something unexpected: virtual sessions became the new normal, which meant I could expand my business to Latin America and Spain.

It has been a journey full of ups and downs. Constantly going from “I’m not good at this” to “WOW! I just helped 137 women make better use of their time with my Masterclass!” What they say it’s true: the life of an entrepreneur is a roller coaster. But it’s wonderful, too, and I’m proud of what I have accomplished in just under 2 years. So far, my work has positively impacted over 350 women and that makes me extremely happy.

Sheila, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a Venezuelan professional translator who emigrated to the United States over 20 years ago with my husband and a 3 year-old. Being a professional translator proved to be a blessing since it allowed me to start my own translation business and work from home while taking care of my son (now 25) and my house.

For years, I planned my schedule to a tee, so I could be a translator and also take my son to baseball tournaments and taekwondo competitions without ever missing a deadline or even being a day late. I also volunteered for 7 years as the COO of the Wellness for Growth Foundation and as a KEYS mentor for Katy ISD. As a side hustle, I represented a Venezuelan brand of jewelry here in Houston for close to 10 years.

As my time management business grew, I made the conscious decision to simplify my schedule by parting ways with the foundation and the jewelry brand, so I could focus on providing the best possible service to my clients. I’m still a mentor for Katy ISD.

After juggling so many aspects of my life always feeling in control of my time, I knew I could teach other women to do the same, and that drove me to take action and start Organizing Concepts.

As a time management consultant and certified life coach, I work one on one with female clients to help them improve their relationship with time. I guide and support them through a process of change that ultimately results in more time for themselves and their personal projects.

My clients are Spanish-speaking women who want to start their own businesses, yet cannot find the time to get organized and plan for it. So, I help them efficiently integrate their personal, home, and business schedules, design a timeline to start their business and also create a functional space in their homes that’s conducive to productive work.

I accomplish this not only through 1:1 consulting and coaching, but also through my online course “Productividad con Propósito,” my online workshop “Organiza tu día y reduce tu estrés,” live courses, and masterclasses.

I feel really proud every time a client tells me that her income has increased because now she is more productive all while taking better care of herself. Knowing that I have helped so many women make better use of their time and feel good about themselves is the ultimate reward.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Being resilient is a must for every business owner. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that one day you feel on top and the next you feel way at the bottom. And that is ok.

Once, I spent months working really hard to launch an online course. In my mind, it was going to be a big deal and it was going to sell like hot cakes. My expectations were very high because I had worked so hard on it and spent a good deal of money to make it happen. I sold one.

My first reaction was to think that my product was no good. That I had wasted time and money. That I had failed. But after a while, I realized that it was just part of the process. A learning experience. Most people don’t make it big on their first try and I wasn’t the exception.

At the end, I was grateful because that experience showed me that I needed to improve my product to make it successful. And I understood that worthy goals take time and perseverance to turn into accomplishments.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

In college, I was trained to thrive in a corporate environment. I was taught to communicate very respectfully and formally with customers. Working for two multinational corporations reinforced the business-like way of interacting with customers. And later on, as a professional translator, I kept the same business-focused mentality.

When I started Organizing Concepts none of that business-like attitude was acceptable any more. On the contrary, I was expected to connect with people on a more personal level. I had to learn to be more relatable and show more of my personality, mostly on social media. It was a huge shift for me.

It has been a long process, and there is still work to do, but I’m making progress and becoming more comfortable talking about myself and showing myself on camera. It hasn’t been easy, but there has been progress and I’ll keep finding new and better ways to connect with my wonderful community.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.organizingconceptstx.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/organizing.concepts
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/organizingconceptstx

Image Credits
Photographer: Helena Vincenti