148 - Laryssa and Liz Chat With Tracy Carswell About Getting Organized With Google Tools

Summary

Success With Jewelry – Episode 148: Laryssa and Liz Chat With Tracy Carswell About Getting Organized With Google Tools

Date: October 27, 2025
Hosts: Laryssa Wirstiuk & Liz Kantner
Guest: Tracy Carswell, founder of Powerful in Pink and co-founder of Queer Metalsmiths

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Overview

In this engaging episode, hosts Laryssa and Liz are joined by Tracy Carswell, a multi-faceted coach, curator, and advocate for creative equity, for an in-depth conversation on how jewelry business owners and creatives can harness Google tools to organize and streamline their work. The episode covers Tracy’s journey supporting creative entrepreneurs, the importance of community, and practical, actionable tips for using Google Drive, Calendar, Sheets, and beyond to regain control of business tasks and foster creativity.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Tracy’s Creative and Coaching Journey

• Background: Tracy shares their background as a lifelong artist from a family of educators, walking through both their creative and identity journeys, including coming out and embracing non-binary identity.
  • “What’s been wonderful is as I’ve gotten confidence in my own self and what I have to offer, it’s allowed me to be of service to others in a huge way.” (03:09, Tracy)
• Powerful in Pink: The story behind Tracy's personal brand and organization rooted in visibility and self-expression through the color pink.
  • “I bought a pink miniskirt, and from there the pink just started. And now, for 20 years, I’ve worn pink every day.” (04:42, Tracy)
  • “I’d really rather be Powerful in Pink, because it’s been so interesting... showing up as pink, there’s been a lot of conversations around that color and gender and power.” (05:00, Tracy)
• On Coaching and Community: Tracy details their work as a business coach, the importance of collaboration over competition, and supporting marginalized creatives.
  • “Chances are there’s someone doing what you want to do... two of you together are going to have a lot more to offer than if you’re fighting as competition.” (08:01, Tracy)

Building Meaningful Communities

• Queer Metalsmiths: Tracy traces the origins of Queer Metalsmiths during 2020’s pandemic lockdown, their desire for a space that centers queer makers, and notable milestones including partnerships and exhibitions.
  • “I wrote down ‘queer metalsmiths’... went on Instagram and grabbed the handle... but I didn’t want to do this alone.” (15:05, Tracy)
  • On expanding the project: “I want this to be something that’s not about me... as a leo, that’s very hard, it’s a little bit about me, that’s OK.” (17:40, Tracy)
  • On legacy and support: “If we get money, y'all get money. If we have opportunities, you have opportunities. This is not being done to make money… this is being done as a service.” (18:24, Tracy)

The Challenges and Value of Organization for Creatives

• Why Creatives Struggle with Organization: Tracy candidly discusses neurodivergence, creative distraction, and why organizing isn’t always a maker’s priority.
  • “As a neurodivergent creative who gets distracted by shiny things... sometimes we leave things in the dust or sitting around.” (20:29, Tracy)
• How Organization Supports Creativity: Emphasizing that systems and structure actually free up space for genuine creativity.
  • “That structure tells my brain what I need to be doing so I don’t have to worry about it. It allows my brain to have space to do other things.” (21:25, Tracy)
  • “If you do the heavy lifting in the front end, you can use that time to do what you love.” (22:38, Tracy)

Google Tools: Practical Tips and Favorites

• Top Google Tools:
  • Google Calendar: Use the taskbar to break down tasks, set reminders, and allot time for business and self-care.
    • “I need those [reminders]. I have to capture my thoughts somewhere and put them in a structure.” (24:10, Tracy)
  • Google Sheets: Tracy loves customizing Sheets with colors and formats that work for their creative mind; great for sharing, organizing, and protecting information.
    • “I make things pink... so it looks a way that I want it to look because I am a creative, and I don’t like looking at just blocks.” (25:03, Tracy)
  • Drive, Docs, Slides, and More: All integrated, easy to use, and free — ideal for collaboration and delegation.
    • “You can make a tab for someone else, lock tabs so nobody can mess with them... It is also a nice tool for that.” (25:28, Tracy)
• Setting Up Sustainable Systems:
  • “Figure out what’s going to support you, what looks good to you, what makes sense to your brain.” (27:05, Tracy)
  • For some, many subfolders are helpful; for others, just a few big categories suffice.
  • Adapting systems to your own neurotype and workflow is crucial.

Staying Consistent & Creating Habits

• Consistency Is Key: Tracy advocates for recurring calendar events to regularly clean up files, emails, and systems.
  • “Create a calendar event that repeats... in the notes, here are the steps I take on this day for this task.” (29:02, Tracy)
• Self-Assignment: Solopreneurs must learn to direct themselves and practice self-discipline; reminders and scheduled habits help.
  • “As a solopreneur... I have had to learn how to break that up, but it’s consistency, creating a structure that works for you.” (30:13, Tracy)
• Personalizing Reminders: The number and type of reminders or calendar alerts are extremely individual — do what works for you.
  • “I like abundance... one is good, five is better, even if I don’t need it.” (32:24, Tracy)
  • Laryssa’s adage: “The best system is the one you’ll use.” (31:48, Liz attributing to Laryssa)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If you have more to give, you give a little bit more. If you need more, you ask for it.” (11:52, Tracy)
• “When someone allows you to support them, it’s actually a gift for you, you know?” (12:33, Tracy)
• “Community over competition... that’s been my experience especially within the jewelry industry.” (10:51, Tracy)
• “Use that task list, because that is one way to start building out a structure and seeing how you like interacting with the tools.” (33:52, Tracy)
• “Put your stuff in Google Drive. I’m not a fan of Google, but as someone who runs a small business and does not want to spend a lot of money, they have a robust set of tools that are free and work together really well.” (34:44, Tracy)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-------------|-------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:09–04:20 | Tracy’s creative/life journey and embracing service | | 04:42–07:18 | Origins and ethos of Powerful in Pink | | 08:01–09:54 | Coaching philosophy; supporting marginalized creatives | | 12:53–19:54 | Founding and evolution of Queer Metalsmiths | | 20:29–23:20 | Why creatives struggle with organization; benefits of systems| | 24:10–26:57 | Google tools: Calendar, Sheets, custom reminders etc. | | 27:05–28:55 | Setting up Google systems: adapting for your brain | | 29:02–30:56 | Consistency, self-assignment, and creating habits | | 33:52–36:21 | Quick wins & essential tools: where to start |

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Actionable Takeaways

• Start with Google Calendar: Block tasks, appointments, and even self-care. Use reminders that suit your style.
• Gradually build your Google Drive: Centralize business assets; use folders and subfolders as it makes sense to you.
• Customize Google Sheets: Make them visually appealing to boost ease of use for creative minds; leverage collaborative features.
• Form consistent organizational habits: Schedule recurring “cleanups” or admin blocks in your calendar.
• Adopt systems that feel natural: As Laryssa and Tracy emphasize, the “best system is the one you’ll use,” regardless of what it looks like.

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Where to Find Tracy

• Website: tracycarswell.com
• Queer Metalsmiths: queermetalsmiths.com
• Instagram: @queermetalsmiths, @queermetalsmithsAVL, @queermetalsmithsATL
• Powerful in Pink: @powerfulinpinkbytlc

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Closing Thoughts

This episode is packed with warmth, empathy, and hands-on organization tips for creative business owners. Tracy’s perspective is particularly helpful for neurodivergent or easily distracted creatives, and their emphasis on building community, choosing collaboration over competition, and making systems work for you is immediately actionable for jewelers and other entrepreneurs alike.

Transcript

[A]

Welcome to the Success With Jewelry podcast. Your go to source for real conversations about business marketing and what it actually takes to succeed as a jewelry brand.

[B]

Today I'm Larissa, the strategist, systems queen and the one who finds joy in turning big marketing challenges into step by step plans that actually work. Email marketing and generating revenue through it is the specialty of my agency, Joy Joya.

[A]

And I'm Liz, your creative compass and advocate for designers doing things differently. I live for brilliant brand storytelling, beautiful visuals and helping designers confidently show up and shine. I founded the Stagold Collective to create community and support for independent jewelry brands.

[B]

Together, we bring in nearly two decades of jewelry marketing experience. And on this podcast, we're pulling back the curtain on everything we've learned. Whether you're just starting out or scaling to your next big milestone, you'll get honest insights, helpful tips, and maybe a few giggles along the way.

[A]

This is episode 148. Today we're joined by Tracy Carswell, a queen, queer and trans, non binary coach, curator, educator, speaker and artist whose work focuses on promoting equity for creatives and entrepreneurs. Tracy is the founder of Powerful and Pink, a platform that offers coaching, business support, curation and community for artists and entrepreneurs, and the co founder of Queer Metalsmiths, a space that celebrates and uplifts two SLGQIA plus jewelers, metalsmiths and makers. In this conversation, we're diving into something every creative business owner can benefit from. How to use Google tools to get organized. From streamlining your processes and keeping track of projects to simplifying collaboration, Tracy shares practical tips for making Google Drive, docs, sheets and other tools work for you so you can spend more time on the creative work that you love. And if you're an insider, Tracy is walking us through how to set up simple Google based systems to manage your jewelry business. From production to marketing. Let's get into it. Hey, Tracy.

[C]

Hey, y'. All.

[B]

Hey, Tracy.

[C]

Thanks for having me.

[A]

Thanks for being here.

[C]

This is awesome.

[A]

Thanks for being here.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

When did you move to Asheville?

[C]

I moved to Asheville at the end of 22.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

Coming up on three years.

[A]

It was fun because I feel like we. We talked about connecting at one point, maybe closer to when you moved here, but we didn't actually connect till after Hurricane Helene or right around Hurricane Helene, which I feel like is when I connect it with a lot of Asheville creatives.

[C]

Yeah. I mean, it kind of forced us to get out of our studios and out of our comfort spots because we had to go do things differently. Yeah.

[A]

And just a quick plug for crafter commerce here. We're both creative coaches, so if you're in western North Carolina and you're looking for support, feel free to reach out. We're glad to help, but let's get into the actual topic here. Can you start by sharing a little bit about your background and what led you to working to support creatives and entrepreneurs?

[C]

Sure. It all started in the 1900s. I mean, it did. Oh, wow.

[A]

Right?

[C]

I've been. I've always been an artist, and my mom was a teacher. My grandfather was a teacher. My dad was in education. So I've always had a joy of taking care of people, and I've always had a lot of love for creative. So I went through my own journey of studying art, going in and out, and in that journey, I got sober. I came out as gay, lesbian. Wait, no, bisexual. I went through the. I've gone through. I've been bisexual, lesbian, gay, and, you know, we overlap that trans, queer questioning. I've been an ally, so I'm trying to cover as much of the Alphabet mafia as I can. But throughout that journey, I've. What's been wonderful is as I've gotten confidence in my own self and what I have to offer, it's allowed me to be of service to others in a huge way. And that's just. I can't help but be a service. That's just my nature.

[B]

That's so powerful, what you're saying. Like, I feel like the people who have gone through some of the most intense personal journeys are the ones that are so much better able to, like, help other people in whatever. Whatever field, you know, you want to. So I like that. Yeah, I like that a lot.

[A]

Yeah. And tell us more about powerful and pink.

[C]

So it all started with a pink mini skirt in 2004, actually. So it's. I mean, it's interesting because as like, a teenager and young adult, like, I wore black, black and white, and, like, denim. You know, I did not wear color. I was like. And then I. I got a job where I was actually making money, so I was able to start buying myself clothes that I liked and that I wanted to. And so I bought a pink miniskirt, and from there the pink just started. And I start. It started becoming my thing, and people started associating pink with me. And, you know, I grew up in the 80s. So we have Pretty in Pink, you know, the movie and just the phrase. Right. And I'm like. I mean, no, no doubt. I'm pretty in pink. Okay. I'LL take that. But I'd really rather be Powerful in Pink because it's. It's been so interesting because I started. I mean, it's been 20 years that I've been wearing pink. And in 2008, I one day just realized that I would wear pink every day. I was like, I'm just gonna wear pink every day. And I have. So showing up as pink, as someone who's identified as femme, as someone who's identified as non binary, being in different spaces. There have been a lot of conversations around that color and gender and power and that, you know, it just became natural that that powerful and pink would be the organization that the company that I started. And it really is just a house to hold the different ways that I can serve people. You know, I'm not as active with actually being a maker as much as I used to be anymore, but my background in making has allowed me to. To take care of other artists because they, you know, because I know, you know, I've applied for grants, I've applied for, you know, I've been there. Um, and now I feel like I have a little bit more wisdom that, that I get to share. So Powerful in Pink is. Is Tracy, is tlc. And it just allows me to be of service to individuals and organizations and companies who want to do business with purpose, you know.

[A]

Yeah. And that's really important to. As a creative, as a maker, as a designer, to understand that purpose. Because otherwise I feel like a lot of people are like, kind of. And I feel this, in being a solopreneur too, is I'm not. If I'm not clear on what I want to achieve. Everything. You start saying yes to all kinds of things, and then you're like, what am I even doing here? But what kind of services do you offer?

[C]

So I do, as you mentioned, I'm a business coach for Mountain bizworks Craft your Commerce. And I. And I actually, I love. I love business coaching. I love personal and business coaching. And I've been doing that for over a decade. Just really, I mean, what can I.

[B]

Do to help people?

[C]

This is basically just a way for me to be able to, like, help people as a job while also learning my own boundaries, you know, which is part of it. So I do coaching. I love doing community work. I've, you know, built a lot of community spaces in person and virtually. And so I love bringing folks into that, like the methodology of collaborations and partnerships. Like, chances are there's someone doing what you want to do or doing something close to what you want to do. And so if you want to do something to amplify that, the two of you together are going to have a lot more to offer than if you're fighting as competition with each other because you have similar places you play. So that's a big one for me. Is that collaboration and just getting folks involved. And I also do speaking and podcasts. Hey.

[A]

You have been on quite a few podcasts.

[C]

You know, it's funny, because I never really listened to podcasts, and then it just started becoming, like, another platform, you know, And I love it. So just anywhere that I can make space for folks who don't have a seat at the table, whether that's queer and trans folks, whether that's folks of color, disabled folks, immigrants, you know, there's a lot of folks who are experiencing marginalization at an epic level right now. So being a white femme presenting, intelligent person with some education and access to resources, my job is to bring them into the room with me. And if I can't do that, then you build a room.

[B]

I love that.

[C]

Yeah. And just supporting business owners, there's a lot. I'm a little bit of a Swiss army knife. Yeah, I know y' all get that.

[B]

Yeah, for sure.

[A]

I mean, I love everything you just said, but in particular, what resonated was the. The comment about collaboration, because that's how Larissa and I started this podcast, because technically, that's what I was thinking.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah, we're a competition, but we. Like, I sent Larissa someone yesterday. Like, we're always, like, supporting each other, and that's how. I mean, like, a rising tide lifts all boats. Like, it's just so true, and especially.

[C]

Right now, because resources are not equitably, you know, shared. So there are times when it's like, well, I have lots of green, and I'm like, well, I have lots of blue. You know, let's. Let's come together and look at this turquoise we made. Like, everybody loves it. Yeah. I know my colors went to art.

[A]

School.

[C]

But, you know, like, I love that because. And I think it was. You know, I was part of the Women's Jewelry association for a long time, and I remember that one of the chapters was using the hashtag community over competition. And that's just stayed with me because that's been my experience when I. Especially within the jewelry industry, as we know, there's a lot of stuff and people and personalities, but there's also, like, what y' all have created some beautiful community that will just support each other, you know, and anytime you can find that, that's just lovely. And I love what y' all do because together, you. You amplify. You know, instead of having two separate paths kind of poking at each other, like, now you're reaching so much more and you're feeding off of each other. And that's. That's what this is all about. Like, we. We can't. Especially right now. We can't. We can't do this alone.

[A]

There's.

[C]

There's so many factors that are challenging for everybody that this is the time for us to, you know, lean on each other, support each other, whatever. You know, if you have more to give, you give a little bit more. You need more, you ask for it. I found that in my journeys with my health and different things, that. Where I've had to ask for help. And it's. It's humbling, but it's. You're actually giving a gift to the other person, you know? You know, when you. When you're of service, when someone allows you to support them, it's actually a gift for you, you know?

[A]

That's so true. Let's talk about Queer Metalsmiths, and then. And then we'll dive into something you're really good at, which is organization. And I know this because I went to one of your presentations, and it was really, really helpful. But first, tell us about Queer Metalsmith, which is one of the community spaces you've created or co created.

[C]

Yes, yes. That's my baby. So in 2020, while we were locked down and doing all the virtual things, I was working at my bench. And then I hurt my back and I couldn't work at my bench. And so I was just really looking for, like, okay, well, where can I contribute? How can I be a part of things? And Kendria Thompson, who runs Metalsmiths for Change, which I think has. Has changed names now. But ultimately, what Kendria did was brought together artists and created auctions to raise money for different organizations. And because I have the experience with Google Sheets and Google Drive, I was like, how can I help you get organized? You know, like, what can I do to help you? Because I have the space right now, and I can't make jewelry because my. My back's messed up. So I was helping Kendria. I was in a bunch of group chats, and there was one for black and trans folks. And just watching all the allies in that group chat come together and, like, support my community and the black community. And just, like, the love in that space really had me and I had, you know, I've been kind of low key looking for queer because as I mentioned, I was part of wja, and while I love the community that we built, my experience of being a woman has always been a little, you know, and while I was in that, I really got clear that, you know, non binary is the. Is the sweater that really feels the most comfortable when I put it on, you know, so even just being there was. It wasn't 100% fit. And I love. I love my people that I. That I have met and built community with there. And I was like, I need a place for my people. And so I started kind of looking around, and I was on one of the many Zoom webinars, and we were talking about in 2020. Oh, my God.

[A]

I know.

[C]

I'm like, so many, you know, and.

[A]

The live videos, people were going live all the time.

[C]

Oh, my gosh. I know. I did my first live, and I was like. And we were talking about passion and purpose, and I was like, you know, really looking. I'm like, well, where is it? Okay, I know it's metalsmiths, and I know it's queer people. And I was like, queer metalsmiths. I remember writing this down because I feel like it was like a moment, you know, and I wrote it down and I went online and found career. Com and I went on Instagram and I grabbed the Queer medalsmith handle. And then I was like.

[A]

Okay, I.

[C]

Don'T want to do this alone. Like, I know what it is to be the leader. I know what it is to be the boss. I know what it is to be the manager. I know what it is to, you know, be the one. But I was like, I don't want to be the only one because I want this to. To come from other perspectives. So I just started having conversations and I started just gathering queer artists as I found them. And I got introduced to. To from another Zoom call. You know, someone else introduced me to Sol Diaz, and we became fast friends, and they're still like, they're my bestie. I talk to them every day. And they. I think the two of us, it gave us a space to talk about some of the stuff that we didn't really get to talk about in other spaces because it just wasn't prominent. Rebecca leaves in Miami with me, and we knew each other from jewelry classes, and they were also, you know, like, they joined a conversation, and then Sula B jumped in at 21. So that's the. That's the beginning of Queer Miles mess. And since Then we have done, I think this is our 22, 23, 24, 25. So this is our fourth year doing New York City Jewelry Week. It's our second year in person. We've done several other exhibitions in person. We've worked with Society of North American Goldsmiths. We did an exhibition at the ECU symposium. And we've been able to do some collaborations and partnerships with virtual and in person programming. And we've got folks from all over the world. You know, one point we had someone from South Korea who applied, which was really, really cool. It's just been a blessing. And we, you know, like, the group expands and different folks come in and different folks go out. But ultimately it's something that, while I'm the kind of the captain of the ship right now, I am asking for others to help take the wheel and help guide where we want to go. Because this is something that I think I want. This is, I want to leave it as a legacy. I want this to be something that's not about me, you know, and as a leo, that's very hard. It's a little bit about me. That's okay. But you know what I mean? Ultimately, like, I do, I want, I want to leave. This is something that others can use. And as we're watching what's happening politically and we're watching the attacks on trans people and watching attacks on immigrants and just in general, like, there's, there's a lot, there's a lot going on. There's a lot of fear. This is the time for us to come together. This is the time for us to utilize the strength that we have in numbers and in each other and sharing resources. And so we're going to be launching. I'm actually putting it out later today, but I'm going to be putting an ask out for folks to join the Queer Metalsmiths Advisory FAM qmaf, baby. So I didn't plan it, it just came out like that. And give them an opportunity to grow and develop their leadership while helping the organization grow. Because I'm like, if we get money, y' all get money. If we get resources, y' all get resources. If we have opportunities, you have opportunities. Like, this isn't. Is not being done to make money. This is being done as a service to, you know, like, what's needed. For me, it's like, this is what's needed. Like, I'm always looking at, like, well, what do you need? What is, what's missing? Like, what would make a difference? And this community has been really huge. And the feedback we've gotten from people in the little notes and the emails and like, you know, this feels like an aligned passion and purpose.

[A]

Yeah, that's amazing. Community is so important. Incredible that you're doing that. And yeah, okay, let's get into organization. Let's get into the, the topic here because we could chit chat all day, I think.

[C]

Don't, don't get me started.

[B]

I'm selfishly so, so excited about this topic because I want to know what else I could be doing with Google. I use it all the time. Like the Google workspace.

[A]

Yeah. So first let's answer this question of like, and many creative businesses struggle with organization. Why do you think that is?

[C]

Well, as a neurodivergent creative who gets distracted by shiny things, I would say that, that, you know, that's one thing is that as people who like to create, we're always kind of looking for what's next, what can we build. And that means that sometimes we leave things in the dust or sitting around. And I think that we just have so much to give that we don't always know how to manage it and handle it. So it's just, you know, we all have our versions of like, put it in the closet, put it in the gold, put it on your desktop, you know, have it on a hard drive somewhere that you hope you remember where it is. And I think again, like, that's not our priority. Like, that's not why we're here. So it's my thought, and how can.

[A]

Being more organized actually support creativity?

[C]

So I'll talk about one of the things that, that I've journeyed with, and that's the calendar. Because I used to hate using a calendar. I used to, I used a paper calendar for a long time and then I started doing some group things. So I would get calendar invites in my Gmail and I was kind of forced into, you know, utilizing those resources. But that structure tells my brain what I need to be doing so I don't have to worry about it. And it allows my brain to have space to do other things. So if I know that from, you know, 10 to 12 I am working on project one, then, you know, at 12 o' clock I, I know that I have space like, oh, I have something that says take a break. I literally have things that remind me to eat and stuff like that because I, I am a squirrel. And I do get distracted very easily by shiny things and people and social media and such. But having structure in place and also being able to Find things. You know, you're like, I know I have a picture of this piece. I took the picture of the piece, I edit it, and I saved it somewhere. But then you're like, where is it? And so the time you spend trying to find things, trying to work through things, you know, trying to figure out when you're going to do it, you could be using that time to do what you love, whether that's making art, whether that's, you know, being out in the community, networking or reading or writing or whatever it is. So if you do the kind of a little bit more heavy lifting in the front end of like, okay, let me sit down and make time for myself to actually see what I'm dealing with. Because then when you see something, you can deal with it.

[B]

You know, for delegation, too, I think also, like, if you're at a point in your business where you want to hire someone or you want to work with a partner or an agency, probably one of the most common things I see is I thought of this because you mentioned photos, like photo folders. We always need them from our clients, and nine times out of ten, the client's like, oh, sorry, only I can make sense of them this. But even they can't, like, find anything. And that's just not an efficient way to work. And it holds you back from being able to grow and free up more time for yourself. Like, you're exactly what you're saying.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, completely.

[A]

So in terms of Google, specifically, what are some of your favorite tools for managing a creative business?

[C]

Well, you know, as I said, Calendar. But one of the things I've also really enjoyed in using Calendar also is the task bar. Because then you can break down specific tasks and you can actually put them in the calendar. So you can be like, hey, Tuesday, I want to do this task. Or you can say, Tuesday at 2pm I want to do this task, and you'll get your little reminder. And that for me, is really helpful because I need those. I have to capture my thoughts somewhere and then put them in a structure to actually fulfill that. Um, those are. Those are two of my favorites. And then, I mean, I'm a. I love Google sheets. I can't believe it. When I first started it, I hated them. I was like, ugh, spreadsheets. Oh, God, I have to fill out another spreadsheet. And then at some point, as I started to get used to the tools and I started to use it in different places, I realized that for my brain at least, it's a great. An easy Way for me to arrange information and sort information. And I also realized you can make it yours. Like, I add pink to it. I make things pink. I make letters pink. I use gray. I just. I make it so it looks a way that I want it to look because I am a creative, and I don't like looking at just blocks, you know, so that. That is one of mine favorite tools. And it's, you know, as you were saying, Larissa, it's also great if you need to share information, you can make a tab for someone else. Like when we're going through the applications for New York City Jewelry Week for Queerphoria, you know, I have two jurors, so I have my tab. You can also lock tabs so nobody can mess with it. You know, so we have a lock tab that no one can mess with, so that has all the information. Then I have my tab with my notes. Each of the jurors has their own tab, so if they want to move it around, they want to mess it around. They have their space to do that. So it is also a nice tool for that.

[A]

I didn't realize you could take a tap, because I feel like I have my task list. I'm really good at doing a task list, but then, like, reminding myself to do the things. I'm always, like, blocking off time in my calendar. I didn't realize you could take a task list and, like, set little alarms.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, you can go in, you know, in that little taskbar. And the. The cool thing, too, is you can also say, like, hey, I have a task of, like, I need to do this post. Okay, well, underneath that task, first I have to get the images, you know, and then I have to get the copy, and then I have to contact so and so about the thing. And so you can also do it that way and help break down tasks for yourself even more if that's supports you. And. And all of those can go in.

[A]

So for someone who's new to Google Drive or Google Workspace, what's the best way for actually setting up systems that will stick?

[C]

Well, I think the. The first thing is, you know, familiarizing yourself with the tools and playing around, just looking at stuff and then figuring out, like, I know that I have a very neurotypical and unique brain, right. And most creatives, we are, you know, have some neurotypical something, and we have things that we like to do, and we have things that we like. So figuring out, like, what's gonna support you, what. What looks good to you, what makes sense to your Brain. You know, for me I'm like, I like to do a folder and then that folder more folders and then that folder even more folders. Because for my brain, it helps other people. They're like, that's too much. Like, I need three folders, you know, business, personal and my dog. You know, that's all I need. What else do we all need really? So you know, it's, it's like what do you want the tools to do for you for Google Drive? It's. Yeah, it's a place to house everything for your business. It's a structure, it's a system, you know, but it also maybe you have, you know, I have a client who uses Notion and that's a platform for them because they like to do more writing. So there's places where they can save things there and they can have files there. But Google is the other place where different files can be. So it's, you know, like, what do you want to do with it? Figuring out that part. And then you look at the different tools and say, okay, Google Drive, Google Sheets, Google Docs, slides, Keynote, you know, all of those things keep. There's so many. It's a rabbit hole. It's a rabbit hole.

[A]

Once you have a system that you're kind of like working with or using. Any tips for staying consistent?

[C]

I think the, the big thing is, is like to create a, a way of doing things. Hey, once a month I'm going to sit down and give myself an hour and in that hour I'm going to go on my desktop and I'm going to move everything into Google Drive that needs to go in there. I'm going to delete all the stuff that I no longer need. Right. I'm going to go on my Google Drive. Oh, the, all those extra files floating around. Right. I'm going to go in my emails. But just creating a system and a pathway which sometimes may look like creating a calendar event that repeats. And in that event you put in the notes. Here are the steps that I take on this day for this task, for getting this, you know, keeping yourself. It's consistency is the, the answer I think is to having a consistent structure for yourself and, and just.

[A]

Yeah. And like self assigning. I think that's really hard for solopreneurs. It's like you have to learn how to direct yourself and that's. I, I remember when I first started my working for myself, I, it took me practice. It took practice. It wasn't something that just struggle with.

[C]

You know, because my, my Nature is to put other people before myself. And as a. As a solopreneur and, you know, someone who works on multiple projects, it's. I have had to learn how to break that up, you know, but it's. It's consistency. It's creating a structure that works for you, you know? Do you like a lot of. Like, I have reminders at 30 minutes, 15 minutes, 5 minutes for everything, you know, because half an hour before, it's like, hey, this is coming. 15 minutes. Like, hey, we're almost there. Five minutes. Girl, you better get your. Okay.

[A]

Sometimes I like.

[C]

Sometimes I'm like, you know, I'm like, oh, it's nine. But, you know.

[A]

I sometimes get the 10 minute reminder, and then I like. I'm like, oh, yeah, ten minutes. Okay, I'll call them then. But then I, like, get into something, and then I'm like, okay, it's five past when I need to call.

[C]

That before is a helpful one, because that's the. Like, all right, let's go.

[A]

Yeah, that, that. I. I want to switch it. I like that.

[C]

And you can set that automatically to your calendar so that every time you create an event, you have set notifications. So it'll just do it automatically. You don't have to do it every time. Yeah.

[A]

Larissa has this great saying that. She always says, oh, really?

[C]

Which one?

[A]

The bunny. She has many. The best system is the one you'll use.

[C]

That's it. That's the truth.

[B]

I don't know if that's my saying, but I do believe very strongly in that.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And you've said it many times.

[C]

So we're going to give it to you, Larissa. You can have it. And it's you.

[A]

It's a very Larissa saying.

[B]

But then it's funny, like, hearing you talk about the reminders, because, like, for me, that would make me nuts.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I could not deal with, like, three reminders. I'd be like, I don't want to.

[C]

Do this for you.

[B]

Like, snooze at all. But for other people, it works.

[C]

Like, I like abundance, you know, Like, I like. Let's. One is good, five is better, even if I don't need it. And, like, I like to have a full schedule. I like to have a full calendar. Other people look at my calendar and they're like, what? What is going on?

[A]

I feel like I've seen your calendar before.

[C]

Yeah, you've seen it. And it's because it's multiple calendars. But for me, it gives me peace of mind. I don't Know why? I don't know if I'm just used to, like, holding a lot, but some of it's stuff like, remember to eat lunch and nourish your body. You know, like, I have a breakfast, lunch, and dinner reminder. I also have little reminders, you know, every day to be like, hey, hey, why don't you, like, take a moment and breathe? Because that's really important.

[B]

And not to be like, woo, woo, woo about it, but that's a really good way to, like, build confidence in yourself, too, because, you know, like, you've got your back.

[C]

You know what I mean? I love that. Yeah. Yeah, that's. I mean, that's. That is at the source of it, right, Is learning to trust yourself and learning to know when there are things you can handle and then also knowing when you need to ask for support.

[A]

All right, I have two more questions, and then we're going to go chat to our insiders. But first is, what is one quick win? Like a small system or habit that somebody could try to feel more in control of their business tasks?

[C]

I mean, I would say take a look at the calendar. I think that's a great place to start. Use that task list, because that is one way to start building out a structure and seeing how you like interacting with the tools and seeing what makes sense and what doesn't. But that, that is because you can. You can even chunk it out, you know, like, all right, I want to do a task list that is specific to my marketing. I want to do a task list that is specific to production and one that's specific to, you know, taking care of all the business stuff and then prioritizing those things. And that's a great way.

[A]

That's great. And this might be the same answer, but what's one tool or system you think every jewelry artist or creative entrepreneur should start using today?

[C]

I mean, put your stuff in Google Drive. Put it in Google Drive. I'm just. It's like, I mean, disclaimer. I am not a fan of Google. I'm not a fan of a lot of the things they do and a lot of places they put their money. That being said, as someone who runs a small business and does not want to spend a lot of money, they have a robust set of tools that are free and that work together really well and that you can collaborate really well with. So that being said, I think if you're gonna use it, like, put your stuff together in one place, you know, that that's a great place to start. I think once you have it's great. We're gonna start with calendar again.

[A]

But start with calendar.

[C]

Start with calendar.

[A]

I agree with the calendar because that.

[C]

That'S gonna give you the structure. Cause you're, you're like training yourself in a lot of ways of like what works for you. Do you wanna have a 30 minute task? I mean, I have, there was a time when I had so much going on that on Sundays I would sit down and I would figure out my week in 30 minute increments. But I had to, I have to put in drive, take a shower, do stuff like that on certain days when I just have so much going on because I need something to tell me what to do. Because my brain is just, you know.

[A]

And it allows you the space to be creative because you have something reminding you to do.

[C]

I don't have to think about it. Once I, like someone will tell me something, I go put it in the calendar with reminders and then I forget it because I know I have something in place that will remind me. I have, I have put the structures in place that will remind me, you know, and I look at my calendar every morning I do it. I do a text with my friend and have for years. You know, this is what I said I do yesterday. This is what I did or didn't do. And this is what I'm saying I'll do today. So every morning I look at my calendar and it gives me a chance to get grounded in it. And I think that's part of the practice that's important is developing a practice like use this tool, have it work for you so you can go do your thing that's not in front of the computer.

[A]

Okay. Where can listeners find you, learn more about you, connect with you?

[C]

Yes, you can Visit me at tracycarswell.com T R A E Y C A R S W-E-L-L.com queermetalsmiths.com you can find us on Instagram @quermetalsmiths. We also have at queermetalsmiths AVL, we're building an Asheville chapter. And we have at queermetalsmiths ATL, we're building an Atlanta chapter. I am Powerful in Pink by tlc by T L C. Because those are my initials. Thanks, mom and dad. You got that one right. Yeah, those are, those are both places to, to find me in the, the work that I do with folks.

[A]

Thanks so much for being here.

[C]

My pleasure. Thank you for having me. This is an honor.

[A]

So are you looking for tools to stay organized? Let us know visit successwithjewelry.com and if you love the podcast, we'd love to hear from you. Send us a message or leave us a review. Thanks for being a part of our community.