The Livable Forest®

Teacher turned organizer, still teaching others in a different way

Posted on April 11, 2023

Name

Beth Venable

Email

Introduce yourself

Hi, I’m Beth. Wife. Mom. Entrepreneur. I’m busy, just like many of you. I love helping others and working with people. I’m an extrovert so I get lots of positive energy from others.

Let’s talk about your journey to where you are today. What were some of the biggest obstacles you faced and how did you overcome them?

My biggest challenge has been learning how to run a business. I’ve been an organized person my entire life. I can look at a space and instantly see what I can do to make it function better and what products might help to make the space flow better. But my bachelors and masters degrees in education didn’t teach me how to create a website, how to manage social media platforms, how to market myself, etc. There’s so much to learn and so much to do behind the scenes.

I’m a big believer in work-life balance. How do you manage to stay grounded and connected to your personal life while pursuing your professional goals?

The personal-professional balance is a hard one that I focus on a lot. I do my organizing sessions from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. which allows me to get my kids on the bus and be home when they get out of school. Unfortunately, I struggle with the tasks outside of my organizing jobs. I’m learning to pick and choose when to take calls, what to do later, etc. As a matter of fact, I’ve hired assistants to help me so that I can focus more on my family and myself.

We often hear about the importance of work-life balance, but it can be hard to achieve in practice. How do you make time for the things that matter most to you outside of work?

Reflection is a big part of my every day life. If I notice that I’m wearing myself down, then I try to make adjustments to my schedule or day to day practices. I try to get a massage once or twice a month, I set aside quiet time for myself which is important, and I’ really focused on my kids when they’re not in school. There’s no magic formula so I work really hard to pay close attention to the things that matter most to me, my health and my family.

It’s always interesting to hear about the people who have influenced and inspired us. Who are some of the most important role models in your life?

Wow, I have so many role models. To be honest, I’m motivated by anyone who has successfully run a business. I love to watch documentaries on businesses because I find it fascinating. My parents are pretty influential as they were both incredibly successful in their careers. They taught me so much about my values, hard work and dedication.

Let’s talk about your values. What are some of the core beliefs that guide your decision-making and actions?

As a business owner, I really try to think about what is right and what I would want from a business. It’s so important for me to have respect for my clients and to be non-judge mental. My ideal client is a busy mom or family who just needs someone to come in and help them. Confidentiality is also really important to me. I organize entire homes which means that I touch, more and sort almost everything in a house. I really get to know my clients, and I have a clause in my contract about confidentiality because I want my clients to feel comfortable and safe. Honesty is really important as well, and I try to be really up front with my clients.

We all have hobbies and passions that bring us joy and fulfillment outside of work. What are some of yours, and how have they enriched your life?

Being a mom of two tweens, I love doing anything that my kids enjoy doing with me. We like to play cards, go to our lake house, and watch movies. My time with them brings me so much joy so I’m not picky about what we are doing. My husband and I love so outside so we enjoy biking trails, kayaking, or drinking coffee on the patio. I truly value experiences over things so I hold memories pretty dear to my hearts. Pictures, oh how I love pictures too.

Let’s talk about self-care. What are some of the practices or routines you have in place to prioritize your own well-being?

I am a person of faith so my relationship with God is a priority. I pray daily, go to church and prioritize my spirituality. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve TrueType learned the value in a good nights rest. For so many reasons, I work hard to ensure that I am getting enough sleep at night. I am a huge creature of habit so that helps me take care of myself as needed. I could always use more exercise which is constantly a work in progress.

The world can be a challenging place, and sometimes it’s hard to stay positive and focused on our goals. How do you stay motivated and resilient in the face of adversity?

I’m probably my biggest cheerleader and critic. Each year, I’ve done a word of the year, and I wear bracelets with my words on them. I’ve focused on positivity, gratitude, patience and kindness over the past few years. With kindness, I really worked on being kind to others but also to myself. I also try to practice what I preach to my children. I try my best each and every day. Naturally we tend tj be really good at giving advice. I try to slow down and listen to myself advising others and often times I can hear messages that I need for myself as well.

Let’s talk about your upbringing. What were some of the most important values or lessons you learned from your family or community growing up?

I continue ti learn and grow from my parents as I did when I was younger. They’re so wise, and I admire them immensely. My dad ran an oil business and he was so focused on ethical decisions. Whatever rules that he had in place for his company, you better believe that he followed them too. He made making the right choice seem so effortless, and I knew in my mind and heart that I always wanted to be that way. My mom taught me so much about the value in family and relationships. My parents unconditional love has guided me throughout my childhood and adult life.

As someone who has accomplished a lot in your life, what advice would you give to someone just starting out on their own journey?

My biggest piece of advice is to try to enjoy the journey. It’s a process, and we’re never really done. When you believe in yourself, others will believe in you too.

As someone who has experienced success in multiple areas of your life, how do you define success for yourself?

When I accomplish something, I consider it success whether it’s a big or small thing. If I cross something off of my to do list, hey that’s success. When I am able to help others through my job or just in life, I see that as success. When I see myself learn and grow as a person, I feel successful. When I did the Clifton Strengths Finder Assessment, my top five strengths were learner, achiever, strategic, focus, and responsibility. I see myself as successful when I know that I am accomplishing something.

I’m a big believer in the power of gratitude. What are some of the things you’re most grateful for in your life right now?

Wow, this was my word of the year two years ago. I have a note in my phone with a huge list of things that I’m grateful for. Each day, I wake up and reflect on the little things and big things that I appreciate. The big things are having love, health, and family. I’ve been through amazing times and hard times, and I’m grateful for perspective. I have learned to appreciate the food in my life and to grow from the bad. It’s not always easy but having gratitude brings a level of peace to my life.

We all have moments where we feel like we’re in a rut or not making progress. How do you break out of those patterns and stay focused on your goals?

Recently, I had a slow week. There was a brief moment where I wanted to feel sorry for myself, but I immediately changed my thinking. I told my husband that I truly think that this was God’s way of helping me slow down for a bit.

Let’s talk about mentorship. Have you had any mentors or advisors who have had a significant impact on your life or career?

Yes. My mentor was my first principal that I worked with as a classroom teacher. Her name is Ann Sledge, and she was an incredible woman. I always admired her poise, her strength, and her professionalism. She helped me become an instructional coordinator and an assistant principal. What I loved about her most was her ability to push me to grow. Her influences also caused me to push myself to become better and better. I always loved our conversations. I felt her respect for me, and I learned so much from her.

Let’s talk about the importance of community. How has your network of friends, family, or colleagues helped support you in your personal and professional growth?

I love to network; I love people. Relationships are so important both personally and professionally. When I lost everything in Hurricane Harvey, it was so hard. I often find myself telling people that I really learned si much from that experience. My value of people heightened as a result of that experience. I always appreciated the people in my life. I also valued things, maybe more than I should have. Of course, it’s nice to have things. But, the flood really out things into perspective for me. I can live without a lot. But I could not live without the incredible people that I have in my life.

As someone who has achieved a lot in your career, how do you handle criticism or setbacks? Can you share an example of a time when you faced a major challenge and how you overcame it?

I love a challenge and the feeling of tackling them. That’s the learner in me. But I’m also human. Hardships are just that, they’re hard. When times are tough, I lean on my faith and those close to me to get through them.

As someone who has achieved a lot in your career, how do you handle criticism or setbacks? Can you share an example of a time when you faced a major challenge and how you overcame it? (copy)

Answered above 🙂

What are some of your future goals and aspirations, both personally and professionally? What legacy do you hope to leave behind?

I live my life setting goals. My biggest goal in life is to continue to raise two amazing human beings. Each day, my goal is to be the best version of myself. I always strive to be a good person, wife and mother. Professionally, I’d love to continue to grow my business so that I can help more and more people. The idea of hiring an organizer is becoming more and more acceptable. I love that I am able to help others and that I have been able to make it a career.

Lastly, let’s talk about the future. What are some of the biggest challenges or opportunities you see on the horizon, and how do you plan to navigate them?

My biggest challenge is and probably will always be finding balance in all aspects of my life. I’m an “all or nothing” kind of person and I have to work hard not to burn myself out on something but I dive in head first.