Sheila Hawkins: Successful Woman Entrepreneur

Sylvia: Hi Sheila.  Wow, you are one busy lady!  Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to interview with me.  Please tell us about yourself and your business?

Sheila: Thanks for interviewing me, Sylvia.  I am Sheila Hawkins, productivity expert and owner of Third Eye Group. Some people refer to me as The Do It In Time Diva TM because of my time management expertise. I help women solopreneurs get the most out of their time, increase their productivity and positively impact their bottom line by helping them create new time management habits and environments based upon their personalities that support them in a way that allows them to get things done and still have time left for the things that matter most. I am also the creator of Procrastination Annihilation™, a step by step program that teaches you how to get to the root cause of your procrastination and eliminate it.

In addition to transforming and personalizing environments and systems that I create for my clients, I help them resolve their productivity challenges such as creating a time management system, prioritizing and conquering that thief of time, procrastination.  All this takes place via hands-on organizing, coaching and consulting, virtual and live workshops, my products and programs. I am a contributing writer for The New Face of Leadership magazine, WomenMoneyPower.com i-Magazine, Own Your Power Communications, the Detroit Black Pages and I am currently writing my first book.

 

Sylvia: What does success mean to you?

Sheila: To me success means connecting with people and being able to use my talents and gifts to help them reach their goals. It means having the freedom to have time for myself, friends and family. It means having reached a point where my business allows me to do what I choose simply because I choose to do so and affords me the ability to do what I love from anywhere I the world.

 

Sylvia:  How do you create work-life balance?

Sheila: For me I don’t see balance when it comes to work and life.  Balance is stagnant—like looking at a scale or set of scales that is balanced.  There is no movement and that’s not what our lives resemble.  For me, there is harmony when it comes to work-life because work and life are constantly moving, not stagnant.  To create that harmony I make sure that my focus is on only the things related to my goals and the things that are important to me so I don’t have unimportant things taking up my time. I use systems, tools and people to help manage home and business to make things work.  I strive to have all the pieces of work and life come together like the instruments in a symphony to create harmony.

Sylvia:  What steps are necessary for a woman entrepreneur who wants to move her business to the next level?

Sheila: First it’s necessary to have a solid foundation with tools and systems that support you daily and a good team or virtual assistant. Then you have to know exactly where you’re going and what “next level” means for you and your business and have a solid, clear plan. You can’t wing it.  You have to know where you’re going, how you’re getting there as well as the resources you’ll need to get to that next level.

 

Sylvia:   It is important to give back.  In what way do you give back to your community?

Sheila: Giving back is a must.  Over the years I’ve volunteered my time and talent to various local and national non-profit organizations that support young girls and women to get them through hardship and educate and support them in their entrepreneurial endeavors. 

 

Sylvia: What challenges and opportunities do you see in the present economic environment?

Sheila: I have to say that although things in general may not look promising from the viewpoint of some people, all that I see is opportunity.  I have a “glass half full” mentality and I think that now is a great time for small business and with so many people losing jobs, that‘s where many of them seem to be headed. I also think that now is a great time for women to step up and take the reins.  Right now, technology makes so many things possible that weren’t possible in the past and it makes it much easier to communicate and to do business.  With so many things making it easier to operate truly, the only limits that exist are those that you place on yourself.  If you see limits, then you will experience limitations; if you see possibility, then you have a blank canvas on which to create your reality as you see it.  You are as limitless as your spirit is.

 

Sylvia: How do you promote/market your business?

Sheila: Much of my business comes to me via word of mouth, which is a great way to have business come to you.  As I made the move to take my business to the next level I started to use social media and other virtual avenues and from time to time some local print advertising.

 

Sylvia: What books and resources would you recommend to other women in business?

Sheila: Given the industry that I’m in I have to say that I recommend Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and The Four Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss. The greatest resources are those who have been where you are and understand the road that you’re on.  Tapping into their knowledge, wisdom and creativity is one of the savviest business moves you can make. 

 

Sylvia: What advice do you have for women who are just starting out?

Sheila: My advice would be to establish solid systems to support you and help keep your business running smoothly and to automate whatever you can.  If you have systems in place to manage your marketing, accounting, client and sales processes and the like, you won’t find yourself struggling on a regular basis to manage the bits and pieces here and there and you won’t have to reinvent the wheel.  Instead you’ll have a streamlined business that can run on what you’ve established while you focus on the income generating activities.  One thing I can never stress enough is that you’ve got to have a plan.  I’ve had so many clients come to me who are just winging it or don’t know how to create a plan, which is a bit scary to me. When we get their plan done and executed, it makes me feel much better to know that they have that clear direction. You may know where you’re going or what you want to accomplish, but it’s not real until it’s in writing along with all of the fine details. 

 

Sylvia: How do you stay connected in mind body and spirit?

Sheila: I work out daily, and stick to the practice of Kemetic yoga, meditation and prayer. This keeps me focused, grounded and aligned with the Divine.  

 

Sylvia: What is your favorite quote to live by?

Sheila: One of my absolute favorites is: “Everything comes to us that belongs to us if we create the capacity to receive it.”~ Tagore

Although this next one came from a fictional character, it rings true for me and I believe it whole-heartedly:  “Try not.  Do, or do not.  There is no try.” ~Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back

 

Sylvia:  Share with us two industry or general business related tips that could help other women business owners.

Sheila: I would have to say make sure you always do your homework.  Whether is something new that you’re interested in pursuing, a new tool or gadget; whatever it is, do your homework.  Secondly, never stop learning.  It’s easy to get lost in the day-today things, but you have to make a conscious effort to continue to learn and grow no matter what.

 

Sylvia:  You are amazing!  Thank you for sharing your time and expertise with our members and subscribers.  Please share your contact information.

Sheila: Thank you Sylvia for this opportunity, it’s been my pleasure!

 

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