We’re starting the year off right with the first-ever Babes interview with our founder, Jennifer Chavez. Jennifer is a Renaissance woman who founded Babes In Business, works with the ever-growing list of Babes chapters in New Jersey and beyond, helps plan and curate the Asbury Park Bazaar, and lends her creativity and talent to companies as they perfect their branding with her company, The Helpful Rabbit.
Jenn told us that people always ask her how she gets it all done and stays organized. And today we’re getting down to business so she can share her go-to strategies with us.
So, if you’re ready to make 2020 your best year yet, read on for all the details you’ll need to get and stay organized. Then go crush your 2020 goals just like Jennifer.
Be honest, was little/younger Jennifer really this freaking organized?
This is making me laugh because it’s making me think of a story my mom told me. She said she found me cleaning my room and hanging clothes on hangers that were the same color.
Red shirt? Red hanger!
So yes, I guess I was always a neat freak.
OMG, I think I still do that! But with black and white hangers now...
You work with other business owners to bring events like Babes in Business and Asbury Park Bazaar to life. And you work with companies on their brand strategy, website design, and social media content creation with Helpful Rabbit.
How do you help other babes you work with get organized?
It can be stressful to run an event, your business, handle your social media and manage a team. The more organized you are the easier all these things get.
I help them by introducing them to platforms I think will make their lives easier. Each business has a slightly different solution.
How do you structure your teams so you can scale and grow your business or help other babes do the same?
I have learned this the hard way: Sometimes you want to hire your friends or family, this is not what you should be doing.
You need to hire people who have the right qualifications for the job.
The ones who will help you take your company to the next level.
Time is your most precious commodity.
So, start hiring and organize the things in your life that will give you more time. Whether you are having someone deliver your groceries while you’re getting work done or hiring someone to run your social media while you concentrate on your company’s second location.
You need to spend your time wisely and where it makes the most sense.
And don’t be afraid to start hiring people so you can be doing the thing you’re best at: Running your empire!
What are your go-to strategies for staying organized at work? In life? Are there any apps you use religiously to stay on track?
When it comes to my work, I preschedule most things. And social media I preschedule two weeks at a time.
With the events, I have the dates laid out for the whole year.
And in daily life, Marie Kondo! I watched the Netflix special on Marie Kondo and loved it. I highly recommend it. Where you call home and relax is an important space and you need to honor that space.
Right now, I plan all the events I run out for the year, so it’s easy to stay on top of things. Then I stay super organized using Google docs. My goal using Google docs is to have it so organized that anyone I hire can pop into it and easily find things I need them to.
The apps that I can’t live without right now are the Google Drive app, Mojo, Ellevest, and Over.
Speaking of apps, a lot of babes are using Google Docs. But it can feel like a jungle in there if it’s not organized.
What’s your Google Docs approach?
FOLDERS, folders, folders.
When a client adds me to their google docs and I see no folders, I cringe a little inside. Do yourself a favor, take a Saturday on the couch, put on your favorite show in the background and then get to work.
Organize every little thing you have in there. Make a folder for everything and put everything in its place.
Once you have a system, it will be easy to continue to use it.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given about getting or staying organized? I think I get being so organized also in part from my 13 years of bartending and years of working in the service industry. When the kitchen and bar start to get busy, if you don’t have everything prepped and ready to go, you’re going to get your ass handed you.
Well, it’s the same in business.
Any advice for the babes who are juggling multiple roles as well?
Make sure you schedule some time for yourself.
Staying organized and doing ALL the things is great, but you will surely get burned out if you don’t schedule in some me-time.
I love to work out and I keep that time for me!
No texts or phone calls when I’m at the gym or in a class.
I also love being out in nature, my favorite place is Sedona and I go there once a year to unplug. The views are out of this world!
What’s next for you as you start 2020?
I am starting new chapters of Babes In Business in Long Island, Cape May, Hawaii, and Hoboken. And we’re looking for more partners too!
This February Babes In Business is partnering with Langosta Lounge for Brides, Babes & Beer.
My company, The Helpful Rabbit, is looking to expand the team and The Asbury Park Bazaar will also be expanding to two new locations this year!
I am excited and looking forward to all the new collaborations of 2020 and I am beyond grateful that I get to work with so many talented individuals!
Honestly, We Know You’re Going To Make 2020 Your Year!
And If you’re ready to start 2020 off right, you can connect with Jenn and the entire Babes In Business Community by heading over to our Membership page here and signing up right now. We can’t wait to see you there!