Productivity and event consultant Angela Proffitt maps out tactics entrepreneurs can use to maximize time and energy. From blocking a weekly hour for biz-dev to tapping into ecosystem resources for education and support, her strategy helps her “sell perfection.”
Nashville-based productivity and event consultant Angela Proffitt has built her business on a passion for helping clients overcome their biggest hurdles and make good on their ambitions, from streamlining communication to pulling off the perfect luxury wedding.
“I sell perfection,” she said. “That’s why our clients hire us, on the events side and the productivity side.”
In this episode of Disrupt the Continuum, Proffitt dives into the productivity hacks, workflow strategies, and key resources she’s found on her journey as an entrepreneur. For founders like her, she says, the opportunities for growth offered by local organizations like LaunchTN can make all the difference.
Working on vs. working in your business
For Proffitt, the Catalyst program at EO Nashville represented a turning point in her life as a small business owner. There, she explained, she learned “how to run my business and work in it versus on it, and knowing that you have to have a little bit of time for both.”
It comes down to dedicating time to learning how to develop and improve your business, not just to keeping it afloat day-to-day. Though finding that time can be challenging, it’s essential for growth.
“Something I’ve taught myself is to timeblock on my schedule once a week to spend at least two hours on forums to work on the business, not in it,” she said. “All the distractions go away, and that’s time for me to learn about a new app, or whatever it is.”
An entrepreneur’s education
Entrepreneurs of all stages can find a wealth of opportunities for education and growth in Tennessee. “Nashville has done a great job with all the leadership and the schools here,” said Proffitt.
She is a member of the global Entrepreneurs’ Organization’s local chapter, EO Nashville, which connects to an international ecosystem of innovators.
“I believe we have about 13,000 members of some of the smartest people in the whole world,” she said. “I talk to people all over the world about what’s working, what’s not working. And so the tools and the value I have gotten from EO — it’s a give-get.”
She emphasized the interconnectivity among organizations dedicated to equipping entrepreneurs for success.
“There’s just a lot of synergy between [EO and] what the Nashville Entrepreneur Center does,” she said, citing PreFlight as an example of the latter’s programming. Profitt likened the experience to graduating through a comprehensive education system.
“You learn [the PreFlight] mindset, and you can go on up to Catalyst, and then you learn that mindset, and then you can go up to EO.”
Subscribe to Disrupt the Continuum wherever you get your podcasts. This season of Disrupt the Continuum is powered by Pinnacle Financial Partners. To learn more about LaunchTN programming, resources, and events, visit launchtn.org.
