New Blog Series Coming...
I am excited to introduce a new blog series that will highlight rockstar women across the globe. The first Friday of each month, starting in April, I will be introducing you to an inspiring Female Founder of a business that I admire. We’ll open with each woman’s bio and, then, dive into some Q&A to really learn about what makes each of them tick. These women are truly amazing, and I hope you will find their stories as uplifting as I do. Before the series goes live on April 2nd, I wanted to share my answers to the series questions with you so here we go. Enjoy!
Emily Parks is your partner for making every minute matter. As a productivity consultant and founder of Organize for Success®, Emily has helped hundreds of busy, multi-passionate business owners, executives and teams clarify their priorities and efficiently accomplish what matters most. She has spoken for thousands, contributed to media nationwide, written books on personalized productivity and become a leader in several organizations. Among her honors, she’s been recognized with the Triangle Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Leadership Award and serves as an Evernote Certified Consultant. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Wake Forest University and a certificate from the Institute for Professional Organizers™. A loving and supportive aunt, daughter and friend, Emily is possibly known best for being an extremely avid sports fan. Plus, with her love for catchy tunes, you’ll often hear Emily living her life in music lyrics. Emily’s also passionately committed to advancing survivorship and supporting those affected by lung cancer through research, education and access programs, actively volunteering with Lung Cancer Initiative to save lives.
Emily Parks, Founder of Organize for Success®
How would you describe your company and the products / services you offer?
Organize for Success® provides personalized productivity solutions to busy, multi-passionate business owners, executives and teams. We help you clarify your priorities and equip you with the best time management tools tailored to getting done what matters most in your life. For some, it’s in the form of a workshop or keynote. For others, it’s via self-paced online courses and books. For many, this comes via 1-on-1 or group consulting in packages or hourly options.
Why did you start your company?
During the holiday season of 2005, I read an article about how to have a stress-free holiday, and it was written by a professional organizer. I found myself intrigued. Throughout my life and career, I’d regularly been asked to help others organize their offices, get a better handle on their calendars and know where to find files when they’re needed. Learning about the professional organizing industry helped me realize that I could get paid to do what I’d been doing for years. Moreover, I grasped how much greater of an impact I could make by opening my own business.
What has been the most rewarding part of your journey in founding this company?
Seeing the lives changed of clients for whom I’ve provided tools, tactics, systems and best practices to help handle life’s hectivity, conflicting priorities and overwhelm
About what are you most proud?
I’m most proud of how well I can determine others’ strengths, nudge them out of their comfort zones and connect them to those with whom they can make the greatest positive impact.
Are you naturally organized, was it a skill you learned or is it something with which you regularly struggle, and what tips or tools do you use to stay your most organized?
All of the above! Growing up as the 6th of 7 siblings, I firmly believe that my innate skill for being organized helped me survive and thrive, making sure everything had a home and was in its home to easily find it later. However, as the world evolves and my needs change, my organizational systems have to advance so they continue meeting my needs, which means I’m continually learning new organizational skills needed for new circumstances. Plus, since time is our most limited resource and those of us who are enthusiastically pursuing multiple passions must constantly make decisions about how to invest that limited resource, putting time towards organization takes motivation, which can occasionally be a struggle when there are other areas that need my time more. Reminding myself of why I’m maintaining my organized systems and setting appointments with myself so the time is set aside for organizing both help with this goal.
Who’s the one person who changed your life and why?
I can’t possibly pick only one, but I will narrow it down to two… First, my high school English teacher, Rob Slater, taught me that it could be cool to be nerdy, burned into my brain the importance of learning something new each day, helped me fall in love with proper grammar, expanded the many different types of music I enjoy and reinforced how I belonged at Wake Forest University, even helping me get accepted with a fabulous reference letter. Second, the Head Coach for Wake Forest University’s men’s soccer team, Jay Vidovich, gave me my first employment outside of the automotive industry, encouraging my love of sports, pushing me outside my comfort zone to learn new things, enabling me to practice new skills and fine-tuning my organizational skills. Plus, working for Coach Vidovich (and his assistant, John Hackworth) allowed me to simultaneously work with Davis Whitfield in Athletic Operations, who helped me get a job at UNC-CH, enabling me to fall in love with the Triangle area of NC while discovering that I love sports too much to actually work in sports. Each instance had quite the domino effect for getting me to where I am now.
What words of wisdom would you have for someone who is overwhelmed with staying organized and / or productive?
Nothing about organization or productivity is “one size fits all” so focus on what works for you rather than what someone else is doing or what society suggest you should do. Accept that getting organized is the first step while real success comes from maintaining that organization. Finally, remember that simply because you’ve always done something in a certain way is not a reason to keep doing it that way; be open to evolving and tweaking all systems or tools.
Do you use technology to help stay productive or organized? If so, what’s your favorite program, app or tech tool?
Absolutely! Although there are a gazillion tech tools to help with various organization and productivity needs, the one I use most frequently is Evernote, which helps me capture all the things I need to remember from any device whether I’m at my desk or on-the-go. Evernote makes it easy to quickly find what I need later and encourages stress-free collaboration.
How do you feel about work / life efficiency or integration in your life, including any tips or challenges for managing the personal and professional commitments in your life?
Each of us has only 1,440 minutes in any given day. Within that finite amount of time, we have to eat, sleep, bathe, exercise… Oh, and solve all the world’s problems! Luckily, our goals for home, work, community and self-care often complement one another instead of simply competing with each other for our limited resource of time. Whether you have the flexibility of owning your calendar that comes from owning your business or you are part of a growing number of businesses that allow their employees to have schedule flexibility, it’s so much more productive to proactively invest time in what fuels desired outcomes, creating boundaries that enable what results you seek instead of boundaries that society suggests you “should” follow.
About what causes are you most passionate?
I’m passionate about raising awareness around lung cancer being the leading cancer-killer of American women as well as men, about banishing women’s self-doubt, about bettering our educational systems to empower future workforces, about more effective treatments for dementia, about providing community alongside good food for all regardless of means and about engaging diverse populations for cultivating even better decision-making.
What have you found to be the most effective way to relax after a long day or super long week?
Belting out songs from my Get Pumped Up or Energizing playlists
What is your favorite author / book?
I’ve loved Songs of America by Jon Meacham and Tim McGraw, Becoming by Michelle Obama, Untamed by Glennon Doyle and Atomic Habits by James Clear.
What is your favorite inspirational quote?
“Normal is nothing more than a cycle on a washing machine.” by Whoopi Goldberg
What is your go-to accessory?
The best way to finish an outfit is with a liquid leather biker jacket by Clara Sun Woo, available locally through StyleFinder Boutique. My favorites are in olive, peacock, plum and taupe. It’s easy to dress up or down and adds a certain (much needed) sassiness to any outfit.
What are the fundamentals of your beauty routine?
I’m a big fan of the Clear Pure Radiance Oil and any of the face masks from True Botanicals. Wearing sunscreen daily is a must, especially on cloudy days or when I won’t be in direct sunlight. Regular facials done by professionals provide the deep cleaning needed to keep my skin well. Plus, the best tool for adding color to my face is a little Rouge Dior Lipcolor.
What is your favorite food?
I’m a sucker for really good macaroni and cheese, especially the Macaroni Au Gratin from Poole’s Diner in Raleigh. If I have the willpower to make it last longer, this creation from Ashley Christensen is even better on days two and three. Another good option is the Shrimp Macaroni and Cheese from Kau Restaurant in Greensboro. Still, I must give an honorable mention to the Cashew Salmon from Winston’s Grille in Raleigh as well as just about any baked sweet potato.
Of the locally-owned and -operated establishments in the place you currently live, which are your top 3 favorites and why?
Jubala Coffee is my go-to for an incredible batched iced vanilla latte, the country’s best biscuits, Grown Up Grilled Cheese and a fantastic selection of hot teas. Having grown up in Raleigh, Andrew Cash created Jubala as a destination where the community can relax, connect and engage, making a positive impact on the local region as well as neighborhoods worldwide struggling in unnecessary ways.
The Flourish Market has an extensive selection of gifts for adults, teens, kids and babies alike in addition to contemporary, stylish and functional clothes, all of which have a bigger purpose in partnering with brands worldwide who provide dignified jobs, fair wages and renewed life for vulnerable communities. Plus, beyond the boutique, owner Em Grey has created a coworking space for female high achievers who embrace that same vision of having a bigger purpose in everyday life.
Beasley’s Chicken + Honey was founded by Ashley Christensen back in 2011. Like all her creations, Beasley’s makes Raleigh better, offering delicious friend chicken, pimento mac-n-cheese custard, mini waffles, chicken noodle soup, biscuits and banana pudding. At first, I went to Beasley’s to support Ashley as someone from my same small hometown, but it didn’t take more than a bite to fall in love with its food and atmosphere.
What is your favorite place that you have visited?
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Organize for Success back in 2017, I blogged a top ten list for each day in May, including my Top Ten Favorite Cities. Taking out the places I’ve lived, my favorite place to visit has not changed. Nashville, Tennessee, is the perfect mix of country music, sports, art and plenty of tasty treats. There’s nothing like crossing the Cumberland River to attend a Tennessee Titans football game in Nissan Stadium or flipping between the waterfront view and looking down on Broadway from the roof of Acme Feed & Seed in the downtown area.
What movie could you watch on endless loop?
Sweet Home Alabama, starring Reese Witherspoon, Josh Lucas and Patrick Dempsey, where the best lines in movie history are uttered as “Since when does it have to be one or the other? You can have roots and wings, Mel.”
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
I wish I could click my heels together three times and get to my desired destination immediately instead of having to wade through traffic to drive across town.
What advice would you give your 21-year-old self?
No problem can be resolved without confronting it, but pick the battles that can lead to progress and strategically approach those confrontations with courage.
If you could have lunch with anyone (living or deceased), who would it be and why?
I’d love to host a lunch gathering for Sara Blakely, Meghan Markle, Former President Barack Obama, Robin Roberts and Kerry Washington. I think this group would have such a lively, intelligent and engaging conversation about current events, bringing people together, addressing the many issues across the globe and, of course, sports. The lessons that link back to sports are endless. I know there’s so much I could learn from these remarkable minds!
Do you know an inspiring Female Founder that I should feature? I would love to hear who you would like to see featured in this series and look forward to sharing these superstars with you.
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