Conversations with Megan Sumrell

Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Sumrell.

Hi Megan, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
After college, I landed a job as a software tester for Bell South. I spent the next 20 years working as a Quality Architect in the corporate IT space with various software companies ranging from small startups to large Fortune 500 companies. I worked with software teams to optimize their systems and processes. I like to call it “creating harmony out of chaos.” I also had the pleasure of working with a few tech startups here in the RTP area.

In 2010, my daughter was born, and at that time, I was working for an aviation company based in Virginia. I was heavy in the Agile and Lean Six Sigma communities and was at the forefront of software testing innovations. One afternoon, I was at the park with my 3-year-old daughter, and another mom there asked me what I did for fun. I was speechless because I didn’t have an answer. Fun? I honestly couldn’t remember the last time I did something “fun” just for me. I was in the thick of juggling a career and motherhood. I was exhausted and barely staying afloat. On the outside, looking in, I appeared to have it all together, but the reality was that I was doing it at a complete sacrifice to my mental and physical health. I had days where I felt like I didn’t even know who I was anymore outside of being an employee and mom.

That conversation at the park was such a pivotal moment, and it’s when I realized the system I was using to manage “all the things” wasn’t working. Sure, I was getting a lot done each day (aka “productive”), but my tasks often weren’t done efficiently, and I was building up resentment. I felt like a hamster running on that darn wheel every day, and at the end of the day, I would collapse into bed exhausted, only to do it all again the next day. I knew something needed to change, so I applied my background and expertise around process improvement and created a new system to help manage my calendar and life. As time passed, friends and family started noticing a change in me and asked what I was doing differently. No, I wasn’t at a new gym. I answered that I was planning and managing my time differently. That’s all. I started getting invitations to speak to local networking groups for women to share my tips and tricks, and my TOP System just took off. I knew I had found my passion and purpose in life, and 2016, I left the corporate world to focus completely on this business, and I haven’t looked back.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Every road has bumps along the way, no matter where it is. My first big hurdle as an entrepreneur was figuring out who I was in this new role. I knew who I was in my corporate life. I had over 2 decades there and knew exactly where I fit in, my role, and how to navigate different situations. Leaving that world to start my own business had me feeling a little “lost” at first. I wasn’t exactly sure what my day-to-day life needed to look like. Obstacles I had never faced popped up. I was now in complete control of my time and schedule. My home life and work life were no longer separate.

Honestly, it took me 4 years to fully settle into my new identity and role as a business owner. Some of the other large hurdles are one I believe every entrepreneur faces. The immense pressure and responsibility for everything in the business can feel daunting some days. I still remember the day FedEx dropped a copy of my new planner on my doorstep. I opened the front cover only to find a massive print issue with the entire production run. It felt like a punch to the gut. The whole run had to be scrapped. Every day, week, and month seems to be full of surprises, which makes it fun and exciting, too!

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am the founder and CEO of The Pink Bee, a company that offers online courses and products that teach women realistic systems and processes to plan, manage and organize their time. My customers call me “The Queen Bee” for time management and planning. What makes my approach to time management and planning completely different from other programs out there lies in two key elements. First, it is a bottom-up approach instead of a top-down approach. Second, it is the only time management framework incorporating the realities of work, home, and emotional roles and responsibilities into one planning system.

Let me explain:
Most time management systems being taught today are centered around goal setting. They guide users through a process to identify key goals, break them down, and implement an action plan. This is the top-down approach. But what is the point of setting goals and detailed plans to get there if you are so overwhelmed with day-to-day life that you can’t possibly find the time? I tackle it from the bottom up instead of the top down. The TOP Program (Time Management, Organization, and Productivity) starts with the here and now. I start with your daily reality. I start at the bottom of the planning cycle. I work with women to first teach them a repeatable process to get their day-to-day life back under control. I get them back in the driver’s seat of their life and calendar. I get them to a place where they wake up knowing what they are doing for the day and, more importantly, how they will make it happen. Once they are back in control of their calendar instead of their calendar controlling them, then we can bring those goals and projects into the plan. I work from the bottom up to ensure they know exactly how to combine their day-to-day life with their longer-term goals and dreams.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting?
Starting your own business is like riding on a long roller coaster. It is full of highs and lows; some days, it feels like you are crawling up a big hill, and other days you want to put your hands up and scream as you sprint toward the next milestone. Make sure your seat belt is tightly fastened! Most people only see the success and wins of entrepreneurship. We celebrate awards and milestones earned. However, we need to see the behind-the-scenes of what it takes. I don’t tell you this to scare you away. It is the best decision I have ever made, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. But you need thick skin, an unwavering purpose and desire, and a willingness to continue through the low days. It is a never-ending journey without a specific destination. Enjoy the trip!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.megansumrell.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megansumrell/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/megansumrell
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/msumrell/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/WorkLifeHarmonyPodcast
• Other: https://www.megansumrell.com/podcast

Image Credits
Revolution Studios Tara Lynn