How I did it: Juggling my time
To save my business -- and my sanity -- I needed a system to budget my time.
(Money Magazine) -- NAME: Michele Harris
AGE: 39
BUSINESS: SMARTI SOLUTIONS, a New York City firm that matches businesses with advertising and marketing agencies
STARTED: 2001
START-UP COSTS: $70,000, financed on credit cards
ANNUAL REVENUE: $325,000
HOW I GOT THE IDEA: I was climbing the corporate ladder at a big ad agency -- after a 10-year career, I had reached v.p. -- when I got laid off. Suddenly I had to think, "What could I do to support myself that wouldn't leave me at the whims of a company?" I had a Rolodex of industry contacts. So I started leveraging that, doing freelance business development. That grew into my helping mid-size companies find ad and marketing agencies that meet their criteria.
WHAT DIDN'T WORK: For the first few years I was going after any customer I could. Soon I was spread thin. I knew I needed to spend part of every day looking for new business. But I didn't have time to do that, manage the clients I had, send bills and buy supplies. I was a marketer with no time to market myself.
WHAT DID WORK: I figured out a way to prioritize my time. I use a calendar on Microsoft Outlook that I can color-code (any calendar will work): Blue is new business, orange is marketing, yellow is financial stuff. I use shades too: Light blue is a conference call, dark blue is a meeting. Sometimes it looks like a rainbow. I spend half an hour a day setting up the next day's calendar. Believe it or not, it's the entire key to my sanity.
MY ADVICE: Be prepared for all the juggling you have to do, and find a way to make sure you're not falling behind. All I need is a glance at my calendar to see how I'm doing.
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