The Organized Creative: Time Management Solutions for Busy Creative Business Owners

117. Small Email Lists, Big Impact with Shannon Vondy

Email marketing—ever heard it's something you should incorporate into your business strategy, but are not sure where to start? The kinds of emails to send, the timing, the frequency, and how to avoid sounding like a used car salesman can be overwhelming. 
Brittnie sits down with email marketing expert Shannon to explore how email can transform your business, especially during challenging times. Shannon shares her inspiring journey into email marketing, which began during the 2020 pandemic when one email brought in $2,600 and helped save her 10-year-old business. Now, she's on a mission to teach others how to harness the power of email to grow their businesses.
What You'll Learn:
Why Email Marketing Works: Discover how email became Shannon's lifeline during a crisis and why it can be a game-changer for your business too.
Tips for Crafting Engaging Emails: Learn how to avoid sounding too salesy by keeping your tone conversational and authentic. Shannon shares why you should write to your email list as if you’re talking to friends.
Finding the Right Balance: Shannon's advice on email frequency, stressing the importance of sending valuable content rather than overwhelming your subscribers with too many emails.
Adding a Personal Touch: Why your emails should go beyond business. Including personal stories, tips, or even favorite recipes can make your messages more relatable and engaging.
Overcoming Challenges: Practical advice for family photographers and service providers who face economic hurdles. Shannon talks about keeping your business enjoyable and letting that energy reflect in your emails.
Building Authority Through Emails: Position yourself as an expert in your field by sharing success stories and how-tos.
The Power of a Small but Mighty List: Why a smaller, more engaged email list can be more impactful than a large, disengaged one.
Key Takeaways:
You don't need a massive list to see significant sales results; quality and connection matter more.
Consistent, valuable, and authentic emails can help you grow your business even during tough times.
Balancing fun and professionalism in your emails can create stronger relationships with your audience.
About Shannon
Shannon (aka Mrs. Vondy and often called The Email Queen) went from burnt out wedding photographer to email obsessed when she sent ONE email and earned $2600. After earning an additional 13k that year from email marketing alone, she created The Email Club. Now, through her Email Club Membership, she's helped hundreds of business owners discover that email is easy, fun and extremely profitable. 
When she isn't talking about email, or mentoring business owners, you can find her snuggled up on the sofa binging Netflix with her husband and their 2 rescue huskies. 💛
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrs.vondy/
Website: https://www.theemailclub.co/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mrsvondy
Grab your free mini eBox: https://www.theemailclub.co/podcast-b
Connect with Brittnie:WebsiteInstagramFree Content Planning PagesPurchase The Planner 
The Planner
2025 Planner Reveal:  Watch it here !
Grab The Capture The Chaos Planner. Use code CHAOS15 for 15% off your order
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116. Managing Overwhelming To-Do Lists and Prioritization

In this episode, we dive into the challenges of managing overwhelming to-do lists, especially for busy moms and neurodivergent individuals. We emphasize the importance of prioritizing tasks and offer practical strategies to help you focus on what truly matters.
I share my weekly planning process, which includes categorizing tasks based on urgency and importance using a matrix system. We chat about how to break down your to-do list and outsource or eliminate tasks that don’t contribute significantly to your goals.
Episode Highlights:
Managing Overwhelming To-Do Lists: We discuss the importance of recognizing that it's impossible to do everything and the necessity to prioritize tasks that matter most.
Weekly Planning Process: Learn how we clear our minds every week by jotting down all our tasks and appointments, and then using a matrix system (levels 1-4) to prioritize tasks that drive our business forward.
Task Prioritization for Neurodivergent Brains: For those who struggle with keeping tasks in their minds, we explain how writing things down can help prevent overwhelm and ensure important tasks don’t get lost.
Effective Task Management: We share our top three priorities strategy—focusing on the most critical tasks each day and leaving room for flexibility.
Outsourcing and Delegating: We also discuss the benefits of outsourcing tasks that are urgent but not important, such as bookkeeping or certain emails.
Additionally, we'll talk about insights into the upcoming launch of the 2025 Capture the Chaos Planner, highlighting new features and exclusive discounts.
Get your planners on October 8th when they are 20% off!
The first 20 shoppers will get free shipping.
The very first shopper will receive a $50 Amazon gift card. 
The first 5 shoppers will get a $25 Amazon gift card.
Shop  on launch day you’ll be invited to the virtual planner set-up party in November so I can show you all the best ways to take advantage of the planner!
Join the email list to get exclusive VIP perks
Connect with Brittnie:WebsiteInstagramFree Content Planning PagesPurchase The Planner 
Save the dates
2025 Planner Reveal: September 9th -- Watch it here !
2025 Planner Launch: October 8th
Listen to more episodes of the The Organized Creative Podcast!
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115. Managing Anxiety in New Motherhood with Kailyn Galloway

In this insightful episode, Brittnie and Kailyn, a licensed primary care physician with expertise in various modalities including botanical medicine, acupuncture, nutrition, and environmental medicine, delve into the often-overlooked topic of managing anxiety in new motherhood. They discuss the non-verbal communication between mother and infant and how a mother’s anxiety can affect her child’s development. Brittnie shares her personal journey with anxiety during the first year of her second child’s life, emphasizing the need for greater awareness and support for mothers navigating these challenges.
Key Topics Discussed:
New Motherhood and Mental Health Challenges:
Kailyn explains how anxiety and depression in new mothers can be difficult to recognize and distinguish from normal postpartum emotions. She highlights common symptoms such as intrusive thoughts, constant worry, and feelings of being judged. Brittnie shares her own experiences and regrets over missed moments with her children due to anxiety, underscoring the importance of awareness and support.
Challenges in Accessing Mental Health Care:
The conversation touches on the difficulties of accessing mental health care in the U.S. Kailyn discusses the limitations of finding an in-person therapist due to long waitlists, while Brittnie shares her experiences with online healthcare services. They emphasize the importance of building a trusting relationship with a therapist and the need for patience in finding the right fit.
Empathy and Mental Health Experiences:
Brittnie and Kailyn share their personal journeys with mental health, aiming to reduce the stigma around these issues. They stress the importance of empathy, self-awareness, and validation for those suffering from anxiety and depression.
ADHD, Postpartum Experiences, and Normalization:
Brittnie discusses her experiences managing ADHD and how it intersects with postpartum challenges. Kailyn explains the hormonal changes, such as drops in dopamine and the role of oxytocin, that can mimic ADHD symptoms during the postpartum period. They advocate for normalizing these experiences as more common than many realize.
Balancing Motherhood and Entrepreneurship Strategies:
Kailyn shares practical tips for balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship, including the importance of structured routines, intentional time management, and prioritizing self-care. They discuss replacing traditional to-do lists with daily routines to manage household tasks more effectively.
Motherhood Experiences and Upcoming Projects:
Brittnie and Kailyn reflect on their experiences as mothers of young children, discussing the challenges and joys of the first two years of motherhood. Kailyn invites Brittnie to share her story on her podcast, while Brittnie announces her plans to pivot to a new photography-based podcast launching in early September.
Key Takeaways:
Anxiety in new motherhood is common but often underrecognized. Awareness and support are crucial.
Accessing mental health care can be challenging, but building a trusting relationship with a therapist is essential.
Empathy, self-awareness, and validation are important in managing mental health struggles.
Balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship requires structured routines and intentional time management.
Normalizing postpartum challenges and ADHD is key to reducing stigma and supporting new mothers.
Connect with Kailyn
Dr. Kailyn Galloway is dedicated to helping new moms navigate the anxiety of the postpartum period through reducing shame, providing evidence-based information, and fostering mindset shifts. With a deep understanding of the unique challenges new mothers face, Dr. Galloway equips her clients with the tools they need to embrace this transformative season. Her expertise in postpartum mental health, including anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and postpartum depression, offers invaluable support to those working with new mothers. Dr. Galloway is passionate about sharing her knowledge and empowering mothers and practitioners alike to manage anxious moments and provide compassionate care. She is honored to contribute evidence-based wisdom and insights to those supporting new moms in this critical stage of life.
The New Mom Naturopath Podcast
Connect with Brittnie:WebsiteInstagramFree Content Planning PagesPurchase The Planner 
Save the dates
2025 Planner Reveal: September 9th -- Watch it here !
2025 Planner Launch: October 8th
Listen to more episodes of the The Organized Creative Podcast!
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114. Balancing Business & Personal Life Through Planning

In this episode, Brittnie sits down with Alysha, a photographer and mom of a toddler who manages multiple businesses, including a rental studio. They discuss their personal and professional experiences, touching on everything from ADHD struggles to managing multiple ventures with the help of the Capture Chaos Planner. Together, they explore practical tips for staying organized, planning content, and balancing life’s demands.
Key Takeaways:
Before and After Using the Capture Chaos PlannerAlysha describes her shift from using basic planners from Marshalls to adopting the Capture Chaos Planner. She highlights how having everything—tasks, notes, and schedules—in one place has been a game-changer for her productivity and focus.
Planner Challenges & SolutionsAlysha shares the challenges she faced with time-blocking and how she’s adapted by incorporating theme days to stay organized. Brittnie empathizes with her struggles and offers encouragement, acknowledging that time-blocking can be difficult, especially as a mom.
Managing Multiple Businesses & ProjectsThey discuss the challenge of juggling multiple business ventures. Alysha shares how Brittnie’s suggestion to use the monthly content grid for each project has helped streamline her workflow. They also explore strategies for managing multiple social media channels for different businesses.
Prioritizing Daily TasksBoth Brittnie and Alysha emphasize the importance of setting top priorities each day. Alysha explains how this helps her maintain balance and feel accomplished by the end of the week, while Brittnie highlights how focusing on fewer tasks can reduce stress, especially during busy or difficult seasons.
Content Planning & Marketing FocusAlysha discusses how the planner helps her stay accountable with her content planning and marketing strategy. They both stress the importance of having a clear marketing focus while also being flexible enough to manage the present and immediate future.
The Planner as a Tool for BalanceAlysha reflects on how the planner has supported her through personal challenges, including the passing of her father. Brittnie and Alysha agree that the planner not only helps them stay organized but also serves as a tool for managing life’s ups and downs without letting business take over.
Self-Care and Weekly PlanningThe importance of taking things week by week, prioritizing self-care, and how planners can help manage both personal and professional tasks. Alysha opens up about navigating grief, and Brittnie reminds listeners of the importance of connecting and sharing their experiences.
Connect with Alysha
Alysha is multi-passionate mompreneur, living life with inattentive ADHD. She runs a photography business, creative studio rental business and is working to relaunch her mompreneur focused podcast/brand to encourage and serve other mamas who find themselves in the thick of those messy, early years. She does it all mostly from home while raising her busy toddler and trying to keep up with all things life.
Messy Momprenuer Podcast
Instagram
Connect with Brittnie:WebsiteInstagramFree Content Planning PagesPurchase The Planner 
Save the dates
2025 Planner Reveal: September 9th -- Watch it here !
2025 Planner Launch: October 8th
Listen to more episodes of the The Organized Creative Podcast!
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113. Creating Flexible Routines When You Don’t Like Routines

Let's explore the benefits of establishing regular routines, especially for moms and kids, and how they can help create a sense of balance and organization in daily life. I'll share my own experience of initially being hesitant about routines but eventually recognizing their value, particularly during difficult times. We will discuss the advantages of having clear goals, making routines enjoyable, and the importance of incorporating flexibility to prevent burnout. Using the Capture the Chaos planner, I will explain how to develop sustainable, adaptable routines, with special emphasis on creating morning routines that can positively impact the rest of the day.
Key Takeaways:
The Benefits of Routines in Daily LifeBrittnie discusses how routines, especially for children, can help manage behavior and establish stability. She reflects on a challenging summer when she implemented structured routines for her kids, leading to improved behavior and a more harmonious family life. Contrary to common beliefs, routines can be natural, enjoyable, and customized to individual needs.
Brittnie’s Struggles With Routine MaintenanceBrittnie opens up about her personal challenges in maintaining consistent routines, highlighting issues such as a lack of motivation and conflicting goals. She stresses the significance of aligning routines with specific objectives and making sure they stay enjoyable to prevent feeling overwhelmed or bored.
Preventing Burnout with Daily RoutinesRoutines can reduce stress, improve work-life balance, and promote better physical and mental health. Brittnie highlights how including relaxation time in your schedule is crucial for preventing burnout, which is easier to prevent than recover from.
Fostering Positive Habits with Flexible RoutinesRoutines don't have to be rigid. Brittnie encourages listeners to embrace flexibility, allowing room for unexpected changes or shifts in priorities. She reminds us to give ourselves grace in the process and understand that routines are meant to evolve over time.
Creating Sustainable Morning RoutinesBrittnie breaks down her method for developing a sustainable morning routine, starting small and gradually building habits. She stresses the need to make routines enjoyable and aligned with personal preferences. The Capture the Chaos planner is a helpful tool for tracking progress and staying on course. Flexibility is key—routines should adapt when necessary to keep them effective.
Connect with Brittnie:WebsiteInstagramFree Content Planning PagesPurchase The Planner 
Save the dates
2025 Planner Reveal: September 9th -- Watch it here !
2025 Planner Launch: October 8th
Listen to more episodes of the The Organized Creative Podcast!
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112. Balancing ADHD, Motherhood, and Business: How This Planner Makes It Possible

Natalie and Brittnie share their struggles with traditional planning methods, particularly in the context of managing family life with ADHD. They explain how the "Capture the Chaos" planner has revolutionized their routines, helping them stay organized and increase productivity. They also emphasize the important role of community support in staying consistent with the planner, the advantages of scheduling and time blocking, and how these strategies have positively affected their lives. Looking ahead to the 2025 planner, they share their experiences with ADHD and motherhood, providing listeners with insight into the planner’s transformative impact.
Key Topics:
Organization and Time Management with ADHD:
Natalie and Brittnie discuss their struggles with conventional planners, which often failed to capture the complexity of their lives, especially with ADHD in the mix.
They share their journey from sticky notes and multiple notebooks to finding a system that works for them.
Discovering the Capture the Chaos Planner:
Natalie recounts how she discovered Brittnie’s planner through a podcast, followed her journey on social media, and was drawn in by an effective email marketing campaign.
Planner Usage and Accountability:
Both women share their ups and downs with maintaining a planner routine, especially during chaotic times, and the importance of community support for accountability.
Scheduling, Time Blocking, and Productivity:
They delve into the benefits of scheduling and time blocking, emphasizing how these techniques have helped them create a balance between family and work life.
Impact of the Planner and Upcoming 2025 Version:
The conversation shifts to the positive impact of the planner on their daily lives, their excitement for the 2025 version, and the new features that will be included.
ADHD, Motherhood, and the Planner’s Role:
Natalie and Brittnie reflect on how the planner has not only helped them manage their businesses but also brought structure and calm into their family lives.
If you're a mom or a creative business owner struggling with ADHD and looking for a planning system that truly understands your needs, the Capture the Chaos planner might be your answer. Stay tuned for the release of the 2025 planner and consider joining our community to start your journey toward better organization and productivity!
Connect with Brittnie:WebsiteInstagramFree Content Planning PagesPurchase The Planner 
Connect with Natalie: 
Facebook
Instagram    
Youtube
Save the dates
2025 Planner Reveal: September 9th
2025 Planner Launch: October 8th
Listen to more episodes of the The Organized Creative Podcast!
Listen on: Apple | Spotify | Google 

111. Content Planning Tools for Busy Moms and Creative Entrepreneurs

Go behind the scenes of Brittnie's content planning process, sharing the tools, strategies, and systems she uses to stay organized and ahead of the game. Whether you're a creative entrepreneur or a busy mom managing a small business, you'll find valuable insights in her approach to content creation and planning.
Key Highlights:
Brittnie's Content Planning Toolkit:
Brittnie shares her go-to tools for content planning, including her phone calendar, Capture the Chaos planner, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Canva, Flow Desk, Pinterest, and Google for research.
She discusses her exploration of online task management systems like Meiser Task, Notable, Airtable, Trello, and Asana, noting that she's still on the hunt for the perfect long-term solution.
Strategizing for Sales and Promotions:
Planning content with sales, promotions, and events in mind is crucial. Brittnie explains how she aligns her content calendar with key dates, such as promoting mini sessions during the fall and timing her planner launches.
Content Strategy for Special Events:
Using her upcoming "reveal day" as an example, Brittnie outlines her multi-platform approach to event-driven content, including email, social media, and YouTube. She emphasizes the need to start planning content well in advance and shares her focus on promoting her email list and the 2025 planner, rather than blogging specifically about the reveal day.
Content Creation and Niching:
Brittnie dives into her content creation process, from managing ideas in a Google sheet to organizing them into categories like podcasts, YouTube, blogs, and freebies. She stresses the importance of having a clear purpose and call to action for each piece of content.
The episode also touches on the power of niching in marketing and messaging, which Brittnie plans to explore further in a future episode.
Repurposing Content Across Platforms:
Brittnie discusses her plans to repurpose podcast content for email, YouTube, and potentially her blog. She shares her thoughts on whether YouTube is the right platform for her and how routines fit into her content strategy as one of her key pillars.
Content Organization and Planning Strategy:
Using Google Sheets and Pinterest for keyword research, along with her Capture the Chaos planner, Brittnie breaks down her content planning process. She organizes her planner into four columns—Inspire, Educate, Behind the Scenes, and Promote—and details how she applies this system across various platforms like podcasts, email, and social media.
Listeners are encouraged to take advantage of Brittnie's free printable content planning pages and mini-course on using the planner to maximize their content strategy.
Instagram Content Planning:
Brittnie shares her content planning approach for Instagram, emphasizing the importance of preparation, organization, and consistency. She offers insights into her upcoming email series on content planning and invites listeners to sign up for her email list to access additional resources.
Whether you're just starting out or looking to refine your content strategy, this process provides a roadmap for success in managing content across multiple platforms.
 
Connect with Brittnie:WebsiteInstagramFree Content Planning PagesPurchase The Planner 
Save the dates
2025 Planner Reveal: September 9th
2025 Planner Launch: October 8th
Listen to more episodes of the The Organized Creative Podcast!
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110. Staying Organized as a creative business owner

In the latest episode of The Organized Creative, Brittnie opens up about her recent struggles with the economy and her business. She's shifting the focus of her podcast to help creative business owners and busy moms find balance through productivity tips, time management strategies, and emotional connections. Brittnie shares her personal challenges with anxiety, depression, and juggling motherhood with entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of routines and time management. She also discusses her ADHD and its impact on her creativity and productivity. Brittnie reveals plans for the 2025 Capture the Chaos Planner and encourages fellow business owners to prioritize well-being and seek balance in their lives.
Key Takeaways
Shifting Focus as a creative business owner:
Brittnie discusses her decision to change the direction of her podcast, focusing more on helping creative business owners and moms find balance in life through productivity and time management.
Managing ADHD, anxiety, and depression in entrepreneurship:
She opens up about her struggles with anxiety, depression, and balancing motherhood with entrepreneurship, highlighting the importance of self-care and mental health.
Balancing ADHD and Creativity:
Brittnie shares her discovery of having ADHD and how it influences her creativity and productivity, offering tips for managing it effectively.
2025 Planner Development:
Brittnie reveals her plans for the 2025 Capture the Chaos Planner, with key dates for the planner reveal on September 9th and the launch on October 8th
Prioritizing Well-being while being a business owner:
She emphasizes the importance of trimming unnecessary tasks and focusing on what brings joy, encouraging others to do the same.
Connect with Brittnie:WebsiteInstagramFree Content Planning PagesPurchase The Planner 
Save the dates
2025 Planner Reveal: September 9th
2025 Planner Launch: October 8th
Listen to more episodes of the The Organized Creative Podcast!
Listen on: Apple | Spotify | Google 
 

109. The Art of Styling Your Family Photography Clients with Whitney Ford

It's important to acknowledge that the outfits our photography clients wear can significantly impact a photo shoot. The clothes they wear and the colors of those clothes should ideally complement your style as a photographer, your location, and your editing style. Whitney Irene Ford assists photographers and their clients by providing styling services to ensure the best outcomes. Offering styling services to your clients and their families is essential for creating beautiful photographs that will help you stand out online.
Here’s where we dive in:
Start with the mom and work from there 
Consideration for kids with texture issues
Ask your clients where they shop
Whitney Ford is the Stylist behind Styled By W.I. - specializing in family photography styling, in addition to styling couples, newborn sessions and seniors. Mama of 3 little ones, who met her husband on a blind date and they reside in Mesa, Arizona. A California native who grew up in the photography industry since (before) birth, her parents were international models turned photographer & make-up artist, so it’s safe to say Whitney is no stranger to the photography world. 
Prior to styling families Whitney worked in the digital marketing space as a social media and brand manager for business across the country, from small cafés to Fortune 500 companies. Her first job out of college was what she would say a “dream job” working in the Brand Management department for a shoe designer in Los Angeles, which laid a lot of the groundwork for understanding the fashion world. 
Her passion for styling is rooted in the desire for people to prioritize having these special seasons of life documented, and loving the outcome, which starts with loving what you’re wearing. 
How to work with Whitney:
Styled by WI
Whitney on Instagram
Grab whitney's styling course: https://thechrysaliscourse.teachable.com/p/simplified-styling-by-whitney-ford Check out Whitney's Family Styling Catalog https://whitneyirene.com/family-photo-styling-catalog/
Connect with Brittnie:WebsiteInstagramFree Content Planning PagesPurchase The Planner 
Listen to more episodes of the Capture the Chaos podcast!
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108. 5 Time Management Tips For Work-Life Balance

Happy summer! I hope you've been enjoying our amazing summer series of podcast appearances and replays. I've been taking a much-needed break, and I hope you've also had a chance to relax this summer. Today, I'd like to discuss the balance we're always seeking between motherhood and business, and how we can achieve that balance using the Capture the Chaos Planner. You can find the planner here >> https://capturethechaos.com/
How to create order amidst the overwhelm:
Prioritize your tasks to the most important 3 per day.
Time blocking for efficiency to preserve your mental clarity. 
Goal setting. How to use short term goals to support your big goals.
Prioritize self care
Delegate to your family.
Connect with Brittnie:WebsiteInstagramFree Content Planning PagesPurchase The Planner ---- shop the warehouse sale! 40% off + free shipping
Listen to more episodes of the Capture the Chaos podcast!
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