Uncluttered Office with Catherine Avery

Linda Holt is one the most brilliant people I know. She’s an interior designer and a photographer. She has combined these two loves into teaching interior designers how to photograph their spaces with an iPhone.  We start by talking about how we met and then why to invest in a really great smartphone. When I considered how much a camera cost, add up the cost of film back in the day, and realized that my iPhone could now replace my big heavy DSLR, it became a no brainer.   Fact is if you’re a small business owner, not just designers you need to take great photos. But you also need to be productive about how you get your work out on to social media, so have a system. We also discuss watermarks, copyright, and lighting.  We even foray into Swedish death decluttering. If that doesn’t make you want to tune in, what will?  About  Linda Holt is a Boston based certified color and interior decorating consultant who guides homeowners to decorate their own homes and a former professional photographer who 

Jennifer Sherwood and I delve deep into how to live life intentionally even, or maybe especially, in the midst of a pandemic. We’ll tell you why New Year’s Intentions fail and how to choose a word of the year.  Jennifer shares her story of celebrating her 50th birthday in a fun way that was nothing at all like she expected. We can still celebrate even if it’s different.  We also focus on what it means to live from appreciation instead of gratitude. And how maybe appreciation is a little easier than feeling grateful when the world is super crazy right now.  We wrap it all up in a bow with the ShiFtshow. I’m still figuring out what that means myself, but tune in because it’s a super cool divine download moment.  About  Jennifer Sherwood works with women who are overwhelmed, feel pulled between work and home, rarely make time for themselves and worry that this is as good as it gets. She helps them move themselves up on the priority list so can build a life they LOVE, not just tolerate. Jen has a m

This year is my five year cancer free anniversary. When I was diagnosed, we realized that the holidays were going to be very different for us. And in that were many gifts.  In this episode, I explain the great lie of December and how we chose to set intentions for the holiday season that best support us as a family.  I’ll take you through my simple KYSS process – keep your sanity silly. I love the dichotomy of sanity and silly, but they all work together I promise!  To learn more about your host, Catherine Avery:   Productivity by Design   Facebook Page and   LinkedIn  To connect with Catherine: Schedule a Call   *We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites at no cost to you.  We’ve been fed a lie.  What I call the great lie of December or Ghost of Christmas Past  Hallmark movies,   Keep your sanity silly  Keep   In order

Today’s guest, Dave Pelland, and I talk not only about creating content, but also setting a goal, creating a plan, and then executing all of the back end pieces to put your content out there.   Dave and I dissect some of my favorite productivity aspects of his book “How to Plan a Content Marketing Project”, including recycling your content.  We wrap it all up with the most overused business buzzword out there: authenticity. To write really well, it’s important to be yourself. Write in your voice and junk the jargon.  About  Dave Pelland works with services firms to help them build relationships by publishing content that supports their business goals.  His latest book, How to Plan a Content Marketing Project, outlines a basic framework for publishing content efficiently.   Dave Pelland  To learn more about your host, Catherine Avery:   Productivity by Design   Facebook Page and   LinkedIn    To connect with Catherine: Schedule a Call   *We are a participant in the Amazon Serv

Lou is so amazing that I just had to bring him back to share his latest and greatest in the world of video marketing. In this episode, we talk all about getting back to the basics in marketing, including the red velvet rope policy which just might be the most important of all.  Lou gets real about the struggle of taking time away from his business and by time away, I mean in a cabin in the woods with, gasp, no technology. I call this being intentionally unproductive. And to really succeed as small business owners we need to completely unplug.  In that time off, magic happened for Lou. He was open to possibilities and seeing his business through fresh eyes, which is how he teamed up with Dawn Doherty to create Digibrand. Tune in for video and marketing gems galore.  Links:   Book Yourself Solid by Michael Port  Marketing Made Simple by Donald Miller  Getaway   About Lou Lou is the video godfather. We're not exactly sure why. And frankly, we're a little afraid to ask. What we do know is

Today my guest, Jeannie Spiro, and I focus on shifting when your business model is entirely in person and the world is hit with a pandemic. Jeannie’s model for attracting clients has always been in person speaking. I’ve heard her speak several times and attended her 3 day event. Rather than pull the covers over her head, Jeannie used her usual laser focus to determine the next best way, that is in alignment with who she is, to market her business. Jeannie is on a mission to teach midlife women entrepreneurs how to have a lifestyle business. Too often, myself included, we jump into entrepreneurship thinking that it will be so much easier. Then we get so busy servicing our clients, we forget that flexibility and free time was our entrepreneurial goal. We wrap up with a discussion about being deliberate with how you invest your money and your time so that you can have the business and life you deserve. Links: The Midlife CEO podcast Artful Agenda About Jeannie Spiro: Jeannie Spiro is a Business Strategi

In this special Thanksgiving episode, Catherine shares her thoughts about gratitude in a time of pandemic. How can we dig deep to find the moments of joy and grace even when everything around us is going crazy. We are in charge of our feelings. We can choose to be miserable or we can choose to make the best of a difficult situation. We can build habits of gratitude that allow us to better weather tough times. Tune in to hear how the Lincoln Memorial has anything at all to do with this Thanksgiving. And how you can still have a good enough holiday season, if you just share your gifts. Links: James Clear’s Atomic Habits President Barack Obama’s A Promised Land To learn more about your host, Catherine Avery:  Productivity by Design  Facebook Page and  LinkedIn  To connect with Catherine: Schedule a Call    *We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites at

My guest Tin and I discuss marketing from a “does it work” viewpoint. She explains how working with multinational companies means ensuring that the marketing appeals on a global level.   We discuss communications and how small businesses jump straight to the end. But there are actually 6 things to think about first, so that you choose your platform effectively. We wrap up with our take on working from home as introverted entrepreneurs. And how setting goals, including self care, is more important than ever.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest, Theresa, shares her journey of how she went from giving massages in corporate America to shifting in this pandemic to sharing a message of authenticity and spirituality.    Theresa and I talk about the importance of connection in the workplace and how we create that even when working from home. Her solution is virtual self-awareness and ritual sessions with mindfulness, stretching, and massage.    We also talk about the power of pausing and the breath. When you’re stressed, focus on your breathing. We wrap up with some of my favorite parts of Theresa’s new book “From Stressed to Blessed”.    To learn more about Theresa Crisci:    Theresa Crisci is an entrepreneur, speaker, teacher, wellness professional and now an author.    She has had her own Corporate Wellness Business since 1993, helping people reduce stress and live happier, more fulfilling lives.     Her passion is to help people change the way they look at things so the things they look at will change.     This process then grows into a way e

It was summer and I was burned out, something I had to give. And it wasn’t going to be me. So I took a pause from this podcast. I re-evaluated the processes. Were there inefficiencies I could fix to make the admin part of the podcast less stressful while continuing the joy of hosting? Yes! In this episode, I take you through what worked and what didn’t. I also lay out the strategies I’m using to now host an even better podcast! At the end I share a bit about my why. Hint – it has to do with the power of the pause and setting up systems in your business. To learn more about your host, Catherine Avery:  Productivity by Design  Facebook Page and  LinkedIn  To connect with Catherine: Schedule a Call    *We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites at no cost to you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lynn Trotta and Catherine meander down the nature path. They discuss the importance of cultural repair, being in nature and connecting with others, the earth, and ourselves.   Even a 5-10 minute practice of being present simply sitting outside and engaging all of your senses can restore your calm and re-center you.   We aren’t robots. We aren’t designed for constant doing. Taking time to BE ensured you’re more productive throughout your day.   About Lynn Trotta -   Lynn Trotta is a certified life-coach and nature-based mentor. Her mission is to guide empathic lightworkers, out of the overwhelm and into peace and connection, by building a meaningful relationship with nature, ceremonies, and advocacy.    After getting a degree in Biology, she dove headfirst into studying mentoring and cultural repair with a variety of teachers and elders. Lynn said good-bye to the usual career path and co-founded the Sagefire Institute with her husband, in 2005. She is now a Nature-Based Life Coach and leads transformational ex

Nyota and I march our way through the military and how her experiences there inform her adaptability coaching. Adaptability is especially important during a crisis and we’re all living through one now.   We explored the dynamic between the masculine and the feminine, particularly as both of us spent many years primarily working with men, Nyota in the military and me in Wall Street in the nineties.  We wrapped up with discussing “The Unraveling of Captain Gordon”, Nyota’s book that she wrote in 3 weeks.  To learn more about Nyota Gordon:  Nyota Gordon is a United States Army retiree with over 22 years of active federal service that uses her leadership skills as your Adaptability Coach and Leadership Strategist at Transition365. She helps high performing veterans and everyday people to conquer their Transitions by using their hard-earned skills to find significance, meaning, and purpose and become adaptive in their personal and professional lives and create new money through part-time entrepreneursh

Michelle Mercier joins Catherine Avery today on the podcast to discuss how much we hate the term work-life balance. Michelle calls this integration, which makes much more sense when you think of the wheel of life pie chart (link below). It all starts with knowing your values and then living into them.  We bust the myth that being busy is being productive. Productivity comes from unplugging, from taking that quiet break for yourself away from the business. And how this is even more important in a time of a pandemic when we need to do all the things all the time.  We wrap up with a sneak peek into the beauty that is Michelle’s brand new podcast The Resilient Entrepreneur. You have to check it out!  To learn more about Michelle Mercier:  Michelle Mercier is a Business Strategy Coach, the host of The Resilient Entrepreneur Podcast as well as the founder of the Surviving Entrepreneurship Community.  She has 20+ years of corporate and professional experience.   Michelle has worked with a wide rang

My guest today, Dr Melissa Cioffi, has one of the best views on how we fuel our bodies. We discuss how there are no good or bad foods. It’s all about listening to your body to make the best decisions for you. Melissa gives us ideas about how we can get our exercise in with gyms closed and juggling daily life now that the kids are home. Tune in for a pep talk, a lot of body wisdom, and a little football from two raving Nittany Lion fans! About Melissa Cioffi  Melissa Cioffi is a physical therapist serving women in NY and CT; she specializes in pelvic floor dysfunction, orthopedics, and general fitness. She is passionate about giving women the tools they need to reclaim their lives and demand what they deserve. Links Your New Quest WTF is the Pelvic Floor? Mindfully Fit & Fearless Journal Prompts To learn more about your host, Catherine Avery: Productivity by Design Facebook Page and LinkedIn To connect with Catherine:  http://bit.ly/SchedCallPBD *We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates

Today’s guest Deb Krier is not only an expert on LinkedIn but also a well-known podcaster and all around great networker.  Deb and I discuss the importance of connection and authenticity in business. We’re not talking about letting it all hang out here nor are we advising smarmy in your face marketing. People do business with other people. They want to know a little something about you, something they can connect to.  Deb takes us on her podcasting journey with the Business Power Hour on C Suite Radio. It’s clear she loves to learn about people as much as I do! I think that’s a podcasting thing.  We wrap up with how our cancer journeys have shaped our response to the current pandemic. You won’t want to mis this fun twisting ride with my wonderful upbeat new friend. No doubt you’ll be inspired!  About Deb Krier Deb Krier (pronounced crear) is president of Wise Women Communications, a full-service marketing and PR firm, but she specializes in social media. One of Deb’s passions is working with C-le

Candice and I start with our childhood reflections on our earliest sense of our intuition. Candice accesses her intuition to create heavenly meditations and to help entrepreneurs like me to release blocks and get to the heart of our business.  Candice teaches us not only ways to meditate, but also how to set up your environment for your well-being. You won’t want to miss Candice lovely story around re-creating her home office.  We wrap up by discussing how abundance can come in many forms not just money. And how when we clear space for flow, life becomes magical.  About Candice Hozza  Candice Hozza is a Spiritual Strategist and Business Intuitive, Founder of CandiceHozza.com and The Intuitive Business Podcast.   Working with high performing heart-centered women business owners, she helps them align their mission to their money so they can develop a highly profitable soul-driven business.   Using her expertise in utilizing intuition and the Quantum energy field she’s able to help women busine

April Gregory is a marketing powerhouse. Her company isn’t called Wonder Woman for no reason! We open with a discussion of how we chose our company names to reflect our brands and how each discovered our life’s calling. Then April takes us through her personal branding process, You the Brand. We dive deep into how we can BE at a time when so many black indigenous people of color (BIPOC) need our voices. They key is to not ignore the elephant in the room. April teaches us not to be tone deaf to what’s happening in our world. For example, you can show people of color in your marketing materials. About April Gregory April Gregory is a Brand & Marketing Operations Strategist, Founder of Wonder Woman Marketing. Certified Digital Marketing Professional (CDMP), Certified High Impact Coach.  Named Adweek's Most Influential Attendee.  Loves God, Energy Medicine and family.  Wonder Woman Marketing exists to bring power and harmony to your marketing operations. Function. People.  Systems. Wonder Woman Marketing A

Then Hans goes into depth as to where colleges are going to need to meet the true customer – the person who holds the checkbook – because for the first time in years, parents have the ability to negotiate the cost of college. You won’t want to miss discussions from mindset to college negotiations. To learn more about Hans Hanson – Hans Hanson is a long-time National College Advisor, working with parents, students, and athletes from around the country for getting college right. This includes getting on the right colleges, meeting the right people, and asking the right questions for winning admissions, earning scholarships, and saving thousands on college costs.  College Clarity Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/collegeclarity/ College Logic: https://mycollegelogic.myshopify.com/ Links: The Inside Secrets to Playing College Sports To learn more about your host, Catherine Avery: Productivity by Design Facebook Page and LinkedIn To connect with Catherine: http://bit.ly/SchedCallPBD  

Diann and I take you on our personal journeys through our ADHD. She gives us the brain science behind our every day hilarious moments.   Learn why most females aren’t diagnosed with ADHD until they’re in menopause. It’s not that you’re 50 and suddenly going crazy. It’s that your tend and befriend hormone - estrogen - has left the building.   Join us as Diann explains how you can use your speedy brain with grace and humor to get through those distracted moments.   Diann Wingert is a life and business coach for creatives & entrepreneurs who identify with the strengths and struggles of ADHD/ADD traits, officially diagnosed or not. After her own mid-life diagnosis & learning everything she could about how ADHD/ ADD is expressed in women,  Diann is on a mission to help other gifted, creative & entrepreneurial women achieve their true potential through radical self-acceptance, leveraging their strengths & creating an ADHD friendly business and life.   Diann’s website is www.diannwingertcoaching.com and her brand n

Welcome new friend and my west coast doppelganger, Judy Dang, to a lively discussion about rewriting the rules on productivity.  We dance through office design, organization, functionality, and lots of fun.   Judy shares her unique buckets list and we talk about how a gratitude practice can boost your productivity. Most importantly, we explore what it means to be enough.  You won’t want to miss Judy’s favorite time management app and huddle time. Join us.  About Judy Dang  Judy is all about helping clients get through the messy middle so they reach the finish line. Instead of starting 57 ideas and never finishing them, clients learn to cut through the noise and focus on priorities that drive business forward.  Avid at Work  To learn more about your host, Catherine Avery:  Productivity by Design  Facebook Page and LinkedIn  To connect with Catherine: http://bit.ly/SchedCallPBD   *We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising progra