Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Stevens.
So, before we jump into specific questions about what you do, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
The bulk of my work has been done at the corporate level as a Digital Guru; inclusive of content creation, product and project management. I’ve worked for some of the largest companies in Atlanta, including The Weather Channel (where I got my digital start), Delta Air Lines and The Home Depot. While learning my way through corporate, quickly rising and defining success for many people (myself included), I still felt somewhat empty and exhausted. I do love what I do, which is why I continue to do it; but after taking a step back at where I came from (English major in college, avid writer), to what I am today: A Business Technology professional–I realized I was a MESS! Not a bad mess, but literally a professional dabbler. There are so many things that I’m good at and actually enjoy doing–so I spent time wondering how to capture all of this in one big “Thing”. All I could come back to was “Kelly, you are a total mess”. Then, God kind of hit me over the head: you’re a messy planner; you plan to be successful but the in-between is messy. I knew I couldn’t be only one this way, so I decided that it may help others to keep track of their messes, in one place. Planners make everyone feel like they have it together. So, why not create a personalized, career-specific planner? Coaches, Teachers, Real-Estate Agents, IT Managers, everyone! The Messy Planner tracks all important aspects of people’s professional lives, and everything in between. For me, this brand brings it all together for me: I can use my design and user experience expertise to determine how things should be laid out for a specific individual while understanding the importance of tracking information and pushing the idea of professionalism and punctuality. The Messy Planner is my whole entire adulthood, exclusive of my daughter, in one place! Design, UX, Punctuality, Content Creation and Consulting.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not. I’ve started businesses and had them fail, which caused me to be discouraged out of every other aspect of my life. Businesses, that were new, but interesting to me. Forgetting what I loved pushed me down a rocky road.
However, in not 100% succeeding in those other things, I realized that God is saving something for me–things that were “home” for me. As a child, my big sister would always tell me to “Find what you love and share it with the world.” In repeating this to myself, I’ve realized that I was trying to keep my personal gifts (writing and design specifically) to myself. God gives us gifts to bear fruit; it’s okay to learn new things and be interested in new things along the way, but if we’re afraid to share what He’s already gifted with us–how can He trust us with a new gift?
While The Messy Planner is challenging; they’re mostly logistic challenges–I’m no longer forcing things into my heart, because these gifts are already present.
My advice to other young women is to hone in on your gifts, specialize in those gifts, love on those gifts and own those gifts. They’re yours and they’re free. God kept them from someone else so He could give them to you. Appreciate them and build on them.
Please tell us about The Messy Planner – what should we know?
My Messy Planner brand is new, but I’m proud to have something of my own that is true to me, and who I am, and what I stand for. I really hope to make a difference in the lives of people with this planner, in forcing my consumer base to reflect on their input vs output–without them realizing it. Sometimes, all we need is to “write the vision and make it plain on tablets.” When we hope, we begin to have faith in our ability to get things done.
The first planners are in production now, and you will be able to see picture and video samples on Instagram.
So much of the media coverage is focused on the challenges facing women today, but what about the opportunities? Do you feel there are any opportunities that women are particularly well-positioned for?
I do. I had no idea what Product Management was, even as a began as a Product Manager; no idea how it could open me up to Engineering and Design. As women, I think we need to do better about being a wealth of knowledge amongst each other.
As women, we are powerful just in the way we stand and how we think of ourselves. The truth is, the way we view ourselves is the way others do as well. We have to be willing to open our minds to step out of our comfort zones to be exposed to other opportunities.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: shebewriteontime
Image Credit:
DJD IG: @d.c.skywalker
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