Today we would like to introduce you to our energetic friend and fellow entrepreneur Kellyann Schaefer! Kelly is this month’s participant in the Custom Built Life™ Interview Series.
A skilled, “multi-tasking” mother of four, Kellyann Schaefer is the owner of Task Complete, a personal assistance, errand and concierge service. Kelly made a career in nursing for many years as a Registered Nurse. During that time, she honed her organizational skills and became adept at balancing a busy household while administering compassionate care to her patients.
She began witnessing an epidemic of burn out amongst medical professionals and within her community due to people taking on too many responsibilities and leaving no time for themselves. Many of these people had no one to turn to for support or assistance. With this knowledge and a devotion to serving with compassion, Task Complete was born in 2010.
Kelly and her Task Complete team uphold her mission of giving families and busy professionals reliable and compassionate assistance so they can meet the demands of everyday life. This is accomplished through educational programs, seminars and “done for you” services. Kelly is an exceptional leader and resource in the Lifestyle Management industry. Clients of Task Complete are taken out of overwhelm and given the time and space to create a more empowered and thriving lifestyle.
Background:
What was a turning point or challenge in your life that made you decide it was time to take action and begin creating your Custom Built Life™?
Eek… what a loaded question!! To be 100% honest with you, there were multiple times in my life where I needed to assess where I was, where I was going, and how I was getting there.
When I was a teen mom I needed to decide to leave the abusive relationship I was in. Later again in my 20’s I found myself faced with the same traumatic decision. (You would have thought I learned the first time huh? But, that’s where I was at that point in time.)
Fast forward to 2011, I had been working in my nursing career for 15 years at that point and had worked in a hospital setting for 22 years!! More than half my lifetime!! For years the bureaucracy of the institution I worked in got worse and worse. I would come home from long, long days at work physically exhausted and mentally and spiritually depleted. Despite my best efforts to stay positive and give my patients good compassionate knowledgeable care I was losing faith in my career choice. How could a place take away my desire to care for people?
I would come home in tears, my soul feeling darker and sadder as days continued. I belonged to them… and they controlled how I worked because, in a setting like that, in order to stay “compliant” we are forced to work like drones… without original thought or desires. After MUCH deliberation and thought, it was time to go. This was NOT an easy decision for my family. At the time my income was counted in the monthly expenses and our benefits came through my job. With a little guy who required daily meds for his asthma and big guy who needed specialists for his Tourette’s, this was certainly a leap of faith.
Tell us about the “before and after” of your Custom Built Life.
Before I made the decision to leave my nursing career, I was held to the institutions schedule. I needed approval for vacations, was forced to rotate to night shift when the schedule needed it, worked in a hostile environment, and couldn’t always be there for my kids. (That’s just the “outside” stuff.)
As my career in nursing was winding down, I had actually had the concept of starting a concierge business. It was a way that I could use all my multi-tasking, household running, love of shopping, cooking and all things organized self and ball it up together and HELP people! On my terms!!
I wouldn’t be told how to act, how to operate and when and where to show up. I could be fully me – the funny me, outrageous me, clever and creative me!! I could USE all of me as I wanted. I could show up in the world the way I wanted to, not the way I was being forced to. AND!! I could continue to grow my business, make changes, and serve people in a bigger way without being told NO…
I no longer was forced to work long 16 hr shifts, taking minimal breaks and eating lunch out of my pocket while running up and down hallways taking care of patients and families. I didn’t have to work holidays or weekends, and this made my husband’s life actually MUCH easier! Not that I did it FOR him, I did it for me… but the benefits to owning your own business and being your own boss are too many to even mention!
Now I get to work within my zone of genius!! I get to be with people, teach people and encourage them to create a biz and life they love!! And nothing is better to me than supporting others to be the best versions of themselves!
What were some “rules” you used to follow, that you changed or released because they were not serving you well?
Eek, again… so many answers for this! I used to follow the rules that I needed to have a “job” to make money. I stopped believing that to “get ahead in life” I had to work myself into the ground.
What are two or three personal “rules” that now guide your Custom Built Life?
Now my new rules are based on what’s best for me, my family and my clients. When I am asked to participate in something I no longer live with the “guilt” of saying no. I have my own set goals for my family life and business and if it doesn’t serve that purpose, well… I don’t need to do it. I stopped “shoulding” all over myself.
Advice & Perspective
PAST: What is one piece of advice you would give to someone who has just started thinking about creating their Custom Built Life?
Quite frankly I believe our subconscious knows when we outgrow a situation. Listen to those little “whispers”. Don’t be afraid to try something new. Ask yourself simply… this place/situation I am in now, if I was still in this spot 5 years from now would I be happy? If the answer is No, then decide how you can slowly incorporate your new custom built life into your current situation.
PAST: What is the biggest thing you had to overcome to create the life you have today?
Trusting! It was what I wanted for years. I would come home and cry because my job was sucking my soul. But I believed I needed to be a “good girl” and tough it out! Finally, I had enough… and I had to trust in my gut and where I was being lead.
PRESENT: What are three things that people can do right now to start the process of creating their Custom Built Life?
Again, I would reiterate to ask yourself if you would be completely happy if you were still in this same place/situation you are in now 5 years from now.
Some of you won’t be honest with yourselves either though… It’s a guilt thing!! And I hold no judgment over you!! Hell, I stayed in abusive relationships waaaay too long. No judgment here. So to get around your “should”, ask “if this was my daughter’s or son’s situation” would I be cool with it? Many of us will ignore our own needs, but when you ask it in this way… you often get a much more raw honest answer.
Then, just begin to dream… allow those dreams to have a physical form in your mind, and watch what happens J
FUTURE: What lies ahead for your Custom Built Life? What are you currently working toward?
This year we are actually moving!! We are building our dream home!! And this is despite what some friends and family feel … It’s not their CBL, it’s ours J
I also have learned over the past 4 years of owning a business, I have a knack for teaching others! So I have started to teach and coach other entrepreneurs to create a biz and life that rocks and supports their goals!!
Favorites:
Who have the most influential people been in your life? Why did they influence you so much?
Don’t hate me for saying this… but to be honest, I had a hard road as a teen Mom and there was no one around at that point in my life to really look up to. I became my own influence. I wanted to create a better life for my daughter so she gave me the oomph I needed to keep going. Even when I wanted to give up.
What is your favorite personal development book?
Happy Pocketful of Money
What are your favorite tools or practices for staying motivated?
Leaning on my friends for support. That and self-bribery!! Dangle a spa day in front of me and I’ll do ANYTHING!
What is your favorite song for improving your mood?
Anything hip hop! Or hard rock. And of course dance music. Actually when I think about it, anything but classical or country!
What would people be surprised to learn about your Custom Built Life?
It changes!! We have the freedom of choice and to follow our desires. If we’re not growing, we’re dying!
What question do you wish we had asked you?
What my secret dream job was when I was 9!! And no I’m not gonna tell you!
Thank you so much Kelly for generously and honestly answering our questions!
If you would like to learn more about Kelly and Task Complete you can visit her online at http://www.taskcomplete.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/yourtaskcomplete
