I've tried so many other planning approaches...SO many! But they were all too hard to stick with. Some didn't give enough direction. Some just asked a lot of random questions. Some added to my overwhelm. And some had me make plans that looked reasonable, but were impossible to execute.

But after significant tinkering, I cracked the code. I've done quarterly planning for years now, and taught it to dozens of others. I carefully designed this system end to end to avoid each of those pitfalls, so you not only actually get it done this time, but you come out feeling energized and in control. It'll save you years of trial and error.

Every detail of the workshop—from the pricing to the questions on the signup form to the overall structure—is specifically designed to help you actually follow through.

🔑 Accountability. Done in small groups, I'll notice if you don't follow through. I see you and I'm rooting for you!

🔑 Deadlines. Let's face it: "I'll have time to plan later" is a seductive lie. The perfect time will never arrive, so why not start now?

🔑 Streamlined process to maximize your time. I've ruthlessly cut the fluff, ONLY the good stuff is left.

🔑 Connecting to your big picture suddenly reveals what actually matters in your overwhelming to do list

🔑 Working WITH your brain to build your momentum. "I'll try harder" is not a viable tactic!

If it falls to you to define priorities and execute, this approach is for you. It's a huge competitive advantage for:

• founders, entrepreneurs, and executive directors
• business owners
• anyone with a side hustle
• professional creatives
• trailblazers building something new

And yes, this will be helpful...

• no matter how busy, unusual, or chaotic your next quarter will be
• no matter how much or how little you got done last quarter
• no matter your organization style
• no matter how much you're juggling
• no matter your industry
• no matter what "season" of life you’re in, even if your priority is to rest. It's designed to be flexible and grow with you

It takes several rounds of practice to internalize these skills—but the sooner you start, the sooner you get clarity and peace of mind.

That's fair! At a certain altitude, it does become a genuinely useful unit of time. Soon you'll find yourself saying things like "we'll get to that in Q2" with a straight face, and become the sort of person who has opinions about Gantt charts and specific airport terminals...but I digress.

But the point here isn't aligning to the quarters on the calendar. The point is that a quarter is the perfect length of time. It's long enough that you can make substantial progress. But it's not so long that you feel like you have all the time in the world. It's only twelve weeks—better get started!

• Supportive yet firm accountability, so planning actually happens!
• A carefully crafted workbook, honed and streamlined, that you can take with you and use forever
• Facilitated small-group discussions to learn from and connect to your community
• Advanced mindset tips and tricks to go from overwhelm to forward movement—even on things you've been stuck on for ages.

I've worked ruthlessly to streamline this workshop—no fluff, only the good stuff is left. Each exercise question has been tested dozens of times. It's exactly as long as it needs to be, and no longer.

It's the perfect balance of guidance and independent work time, so you don't just take notes—you practice these skills right away to get on-the-spot feedback.

The workshop has four sections:

1. Reflection. It's really hard to sit down and just...start planning. That's why you're reading this. Instead, warm up with specific prompts that help you celebrate your progress to date.
2. Prioritizing. The meat of the workshop! The exact steps to finally decide what few things matter most for you right now, and, crucially, tips on how to be OK with putting everything else down for a bit 😮‍💨
3. Planning. Define the specific actions that will bring your priorities to life and get crystal clear on what success looks like (a crucial leadership skill!). It's easy to make plans, but really hard to make plans that actually happen, so you'll learn advanced techniques—ones I've never seen written down anywhere else—to increase those chances.
4. Design your weekly planning routine. This is the shortest part, but it's essential connective tissue. Without it, your plans stay trapped on the page. Spoiler: there are only two crucial steps. Look at your week's calendar, and put something from your quarterly plan into your week plan. That's it. Rinse and repeat.

Sounds simple, right?

It is. But running a marathon is also simple. All you have to do is run for 26.2 miles.

But if you just slap on some shoes and start the race right now, you're going to have a bad time. From what you eat beforehand to how to you tie your laces to how you hold your arms, there's a lot of hidden things that are the difference between bailing and crossing the finish line with a smile on your face.

The same goes for planning. All you have to do is write down what you'll do this quarter, right? But there are so many hidden obstacles! Where to start? How do you pick between all the possible projects you could do? How do you narrow it down to only three things? And how do you make progress on squishy, fuzzy goals? And if something's not getting done, how to debug it?

This workshop uncovers and handles those hidden obstacles, and more.

It works nicely for both! You're welcome to focus on whatever blend of personal and professional makes sense for you right now.

Important: this workshop is for planning your quarter. It’s NOT designed for planning a team's roadmap, as it won't produce a complete schedule of tasks and dependencies across many teams. It uses a more nimble approach that's more realistic for individuals.

That being said, the prioritization portion is absolutely helpful to groups. And teams report that doing the workshop together as individuals is great team bonding where they learn new things about their colleagues.

With a clear, focused plan in hand you'll be less frazzled. You can show up as a calmer presence, for not just your team, but also your friends and family.

You'll also practice critical skills. Painting a vivid picture of how you want the world to change—also known as vision setting—is crucial for hiring and delegating. Growing your team without this skill frustrates you and them, because they're not clear on where they should be going. It doesn't set them up to succeed. But when you can effectively set vision, everyone can work independently toward a shared goal.

The time commitment will depend on what format your host arranges. It'll probably be one of these two formats:

• either a four-hour, in-person workshop with 20 minutes of pre-work
• or split into two shorter sessions in consecutive weeks, with pre-work for each session

All formats will have individual work, either during the workshop or as pre-work so you can get practice and feedback right away.

Let's team up! Often these workshops happen because a motivated individual (like yourself) was the spark. Know a company or space that could host it? Got a community that might want to join you, or even just some like-minded friends? I can walk you through pitching them on hosting a tailored version of the workshop that your whole group can enjoy.

I also offer this as a private 1:1 workshop, scheduled as two live coaching sessions in consecutive weeks with pre-work.

Either way, get in touch, and we'll figure it out together :)

• co-working spaces
• startup and non-profit accelerators
• small business accountability groups
• masterminds
• professional meetup groups
• conferences
• company teams (employers have offered it as an employee perk)

The ideal size for whole-group discussion is five to ten people.

For groups bigger than ten people, both in-person and virtual, we'll use breakout groups instead, but the material is otherwise the same.

I've tried both formats, and people like both of them.

The ideal space is reasonably quiet space where everyone can easily hear the presenter for the informational parts of the workshop.

For groups of five to ten people, we'll need a table or other setup where we can have a whole-group discussion. For groups bigger than ten, we'll instead need space for breakout group discussions. In both cases, it's also helpful to have space for attendees to fan out for their quiet individual work.

Offices work great, but aren't necessary. One workshop was held at a brewery on a Saturday morning before it opened to the public. We had a table for the whole group to come together, and for the independent work, folks fanned out to the picnic tables inside and outside the space. And participants reported the venue was a nice way to get out of their usual headspace and get perspective!

There are at least two options:

1. You can sponsor the workshop and distribute the tickets to the group as you see fit (works well for offering it to your employees as a benefit, as part of a conference, running a giveaway, etc)
2. You can set up the workshop and then have attendees purchase their own tickets (headcount minimums apply)

In both cases, making proactive outreach and timely reminders to your group are essential. I have templates, schedules, and ticket platforms ready for you to use.

One counterintuitive thing to consider: I don't recommend you make tickets completely free for attendees, for two reasons. Asking for an investment attracts those who are motivated, raising the quality of the discussion. And people take workshops (and books, advice, etc etc) more seriously when they have invested in them.

Reach out and we'll have a chat, and design your dream workshop together! ✨

We'll discuss things like:

• your community and their needs, so I can tailor the materials and format to their unique situation
• pitching it to venues and/or attendees
• options for venue, format, and timing
• we'll figure something out that works with your budget, and how to structure tickets for attendees. Special pricing for non-profits, solopreneurs, climate and social impact groups, etc, is available.

☎️ Ready? Reach out and let's find a time to talk.