By Matt Heinz, President of Heinz Marketing
“How I Work” is one of my favorite recurring features in Inc Magazine as well as via Lifehacker’s This Is How I Work Series and for the past few years we’ve done our own version here at Heinz Marketing.
On Thursdays we feature B2B sales, marketing or business leaders. You can catch up on everyone we’ve featured thus far in the “How I Work” series here.
This week I’m excited to feature Bethany Fagan, content marketing manager for PandaDoc. We are a fairly new PandaDoc customer and love not just their product, but their overall approach to marketing and customer success. Bethany herself has had a wide variety of professional experience in sales, customer service and marketing roles.
That and she has two French bulldogs named Tater Tot and Pork Chop, so nuff sed.
Here, in her own words, is how she gets stuff done.
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Number of unread emails right now? 3! Which is very unusual as my unread inbox is usually well over 20 at this point in the week (Thursday).
First app checked in the morning? Ugh, hate to admit this but Slack. A good portion of our marketing team here at PandaDoc is based in our Minsk, Belarus office and have already worked half of their day by the time I wake up so I like to get back to them before their day ends.
First thing you do when you come into work? Well, I am remote so after I’ve freshened up and walked my two Frenchies, Tater Tot and Pork Chop, I sit and check my email and calendar for the day’s activities.
What is your email management strategy? This is actually something I want to work on in 2019. I don’t have an email management strategy honestly. I tend to start work on a project, get distracted, and then next thing I know I’m rapid-firing emails off and have lost focus on what I was working on. So if you have tips please send them my way!
Most essential app when traveling? Apple Wallet (I hate paper boarding passes because I work for a paperless company) and Expensify so I don’t have to keep every receipt.
How do you keep yourself calm and/or focused? As I mentioned I work remote so I have to make sure I plan ahead to get out of the house. Last August I discovered Orangetheory (HIIT workout) and go at least three times a week to get some extra energy out and to stay focused.
What’s your perspective or approach to work/life balance? It takes a conscious effort to practice but you have to ensure you have a good work/life balance especially when working remote. I’m lucky that PandaDoc supports this too. I get my work done when I need to get it done at any time of the day and feel confident in knowing that if I need to take a little time for myself or my family I have the freedom to do so without the pressure of responding to emails and Slack messages right away.
Are there any work rituals critical to your success? Stay organized. Write things down so you don’t forget. These two things keep me less stressed overall and help me focus on my priorities.
What apps/software/tools can’t you live without? Evernote, Trello, Slack, Gmail, Shared iCloud Photo Albums, Any food delivery app, Uber, Lyft, Juno
What’s your workspace like? I live in a tiny 400 square foot apartment so no workspace for me. Most of the time you can find me working on the couch, my bar-top table or a local coffee shop.
What’s your best time-saving shortcut or lifehack? Since I live in NYC, I love having the Good Reads app on my phone it helps pass the time when I’m on the bus or on the train.
What are you currently reading? Becoming by Michelle Obama. I’ve set a goal to read 30 books in 2019 and when I’m done hers will mark the fifth one I’ve read so far this year.
Last thing you do before leaving work? Check Slack, my calendar to get an expectation of tomorrow’s work, and answer any last minute emails.
Who are some mentors or influencers you wish to thank or acknowledge? My family, mainly my Mom and Dad. They never went to college but have been ridiculously successful in each of their careers and have pushed me to do the same. They’ve also supported each of my 5 moves in the last 10 years.
Name some supportive people who help make it possible to do what you do best? My husband Rich and my marketing and sales teammates at PandaDoc.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Never assume anything. Even if it seems annoying, make sure you ask all the questions or gather all the information so you have a clear understanding before completing a task, sharing a thought, etc.
Name a guilty pleasure TV show Anything on Bravo. Almost every Housewives franchise, Vanderpump Rules, Below Deck, Million Dollar Listing… basically every show on the network.
Anything else you want to add? I saw this quote recently and want to keep it in mind: “Failure is not the opposite of success. It is part of success.” -Unknown
Fill in the Blank: I’d love to see BLANK answer these questions. I’d love to see my favorite housewife and successful businesswoman Bethenny Frankel answer these questions.
