Lessons Learned from Feasts and Famines

In late January and early February, I gave four presentations in nine days. The presentations were on four different topics to four different groups, three in person and one virtual. It was a LOT of work to develop and to deliver this many presentations, and having them in such a short period of time was a challenge. Since writing about my experiences helps me process and learn from them, I decided to take a few minutes to glean some useful takeaways and to share them.  

To be clear, four presentations in nine days isn’t the norm for me. I titled this blog “Lessons Learned from Feasts and Famines” for a reason. It’s not unusual for me to have several months in a row of presentation famine with nothing scheduled and no promising leads. After a time of famine, when event planners approach me with speaking opportunities, I’m tempted to say “yes” to any prospect without proper discernment. In fact, saying “yes” without discretion was one of the factors that led to the recent feast. 

If you’re a speaker, you’ll be able to relate to the specifics of my recent circumstances. If not, my hope is that you’ll still find value in what I share. We can all relate to having busy seasons, to the nuances of working with a group on a project, and to choosing wisely (or not) about what to say “yes” to and what to decline. 

Following are a few lessons I learned from an inordinately busy presentation season: 

For any activity you’re considering saying “yes” to, clearly define what you hope to gain from it. In my first few years as a business owner and speaker, my goal in delivering presentations was gaining new residential and business organizing clients. Once I shifted to a primary focus on writing and speaking and I was no longer working in homes and businesses, my focus understandably changed. 

Now I’m concentrating more on my message. After spending years working with clients and seeing how their clutter negatively affects them (as well as recognizing my own invisible clutter), I’m on a mission to help people eliminate the clutter that distracts them from their priorities. I’ve loved this shift, and it’s enabled me to enjoy my time with an audience even more. I thrill in seeing people engaged in the discussion, making insightful comments and asking questions that show they understand the value of the teaching. When attendees really “get it” and report back to me that they’ve made changes in their habits that have improved their lives, I know that this is the best possible reward for my time. If I’ve made a difference to one person in a crowd, no matter its size, it’s worth every minute I spent preparing. 

There is immense value in knowing what you can handle and what puts you over the limit. In my situation, I realized that just because I could do four presentations in nine days didn’t mean I should. In addition to understanding what “too much” feels like, defining your “sweet spot,” or the appropriate amount of activity where you can function at your best, is extremely helpful. 

Having experienced a range of speaking activity, I believe that one to two presentations a month is my sweet spot, my “just right” amount where I’ve got work to do but I don’t feel overloaded. Now that I’m clear on that standard, when potential opportunities come my way, I can make a better decision. Better decisions mean not only better self-care, but better quality work and better outcomes for my audience, a true win-win.

For one of my recent presentations, I had asked questions and visited the venue to make sure I knew what the meeting space looked like, what was provided for me and what I needed to bring, how much time would be needed to set up, and all of the other specifics. I was confident I had prepared sufficiently. 

There was one detail that caused me some concern. The meeting room was extremely bright and had three windows without curtains. Since I would be using slides, I told the employee showing me around that I was concerned about the level of brightness in the room. I was afraid the audience wouldn’t be able to see the slides, which were essential for this particular topic. The employee reassured me that she would set aside some materials to cover up the windows and would have those ready for that morning. However, when I asked the employees who were there on the morning of my presentation, they weren’t aware of this and had no idea whether anything had been set aside. 

A last minute call to the house manager revealed a mix-up in communication, and apparently that detail was my responsibility. After a frustrating ten minutes of frantic searching and a solution that partially worked, I was able to project my slides and go on with the presentation. By that time, I had lost 10 minutes of my presentation time, and the success of the presentation was only possible because I had a patient and understanding audience. I will be much more thorough in the future about making sure every detail is finalized. 

In my first few years as a business owner and speaker, I routinely gave presentations without any expectation of monetary compensation. The opportunity to speak to a group about my business, to make connections, and to possibly gain new clients was enough for me. But after several years as a speaker, I began to feel differently about compensation because I understood the value of my time and expertise as a professional organizer, author, and speaker. Now I make no apologies for establishing a minimum compensation. For me, the absolute minimum compensation is that I’ll either be able to sell my books or that I’ll receive a speaker fee (ideally both). I make no apologies for this now, even if I have to turn down an opportunity because a group can’t meet this requirement. 

For most presentations, promotion is a combination of the efforts of several different people or groups, which may include an event planner, a sponsor, the venue itself, and of course, the speaker. It’s tempting to assume that with so many individuals or groups working on promotion, an event will be marketed well and that attendance will be good. But I’ve learned the hard way that the level, quality, quantity, and timing of promotion varies drastically from group to group. In short, I can’t count on anyone’s efforts besides my own. If I work as if all of the marketing is up to me, then anything else is just a welcome surprise.

This last lesson is a slightly embarrassing one. As a professional organizer, I hate having to admit that I’m notorious for leaving things behind wherever I go, including presentations. Now I know that I need to make a list of what I bring with me and to look around thoroughly before I leave. A forgotten HDMI cable and an adaptor created an unnecessary errand for me during this busy time. 

Conclusion:

These "feast and famine" experiences are common for many professionals. My hope is that sharing these lessons learned will help you navigate your own busy seasons with greater clarity and intention. Whether you're a speaker, a project manager, or simply someone trying to balance multiple commitments, remember the importance of defining your goals, knowing your limits, and advocating for your needs. By implementing these strategies, you can create a more sustainable and fulfilling work life, one that allows you to thrive without sacrificing your well-being.