Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny Layton.
Hi Jenny, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
That’s such an interesting question because my life, interests, and opportunities seemed so eclectic for a long time. But as I look back, I can see that every piece of the puzzle has fit together perfectly to be able to help women the way I do today.
Here are some of those random puzzle pieces that didn’t fit for a long time.:
I’ve always wanted to speak, teach, and help people, but I never knew what that would look like.
From a young age, I felt very drawn to self-help books.
I had grand dreams of traveling and building a successful career, but my life pivoted drastically at 21 when I felt strongly that I should get married and start a family instead.
Always a little unfulfilled in my stay-at-home role as a mom, I tried many different ways to fill that need of personal growth, achieving success, and helping others.
For example, I spent the first year of motherhood as a Pampered Chef direct sales consultant. I loved the opportunity of building my own successful business and managing a team and discovered that I had a love for public speaking. It was soon apparent, however, that I was not prepared for the whirlwind combination of managing my home, feeling present as a mom, running a successful business, and being a balanced human being. I felt deeply that there had to be a way to do it all, but I needed to simplify my schedule to do it. As hard as it was for me to leave the Pampered Chef, with all the opportunity and momentum I had created, I vowed to learn how to master the art of running a home and a family, so that when I tried to create a successful business again, I wouldn’t be sacrificing what was most important to me.
Those were some difficult years. I longed for the challenge and subsequent thrill of running a business that challenged me personally and made a difference in the world. At times the days felt long, but I immersed myself in learning how to run and organize a home efficiently, how to manage my own time, and how to build the foundation of a strong family. Little did I know that I would eventually create a business to teach other women to do these very things.
During that long 15-year stretch, I challenged myself in many ways. I joined Toastmasters to improve my public speaking. I certified as a professional organizer and built a small business as a personal organizing consultant. I hired countless coaches to help me organize my health, my behavior, and my mind. And in 2013, 11 years after leaving that Pampered Chef experience, I had loved so much, I realized I was ready to grow again.
But this time, my work was to help women find the same order, balance, and personal growth I had spent over a decade learning for myself.
Today I am a professional organizer, productivity expert, and mindset coach. I help women organize their lives so they can make space for what matters most. It is my purpose in my Life Organized Podcast, Life Organized membership, with any client I coach, and on any stage, I speak from, to help women believe that they can have it all – whatever that looks like for them.
Funny how all those puzzle pieces finally came together to match that puzzle box image I had been dreaming of from an early age. I am speaking and teaching and helping people. Only now, I do know what it looks like. And I love it!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Wow, I think I just described a lot of struggles in my last answer 🙂
Trusting that I would eventually get what I dreamt of, even though the path didn’t look anything like I thought it would.
Battling the classic “mom guilt” that showed up when I spent time on my business. My coaches helped me work through limiting beliefs and false paradigms, and I learned to embrace that for me, being the very best mom, I could be meant that I found a balance between work and motherhood.
Imagining that my husband resented the need I felt for personal growth and development. I told myself that he would probably prefer it if I could be satisfied being the kind of mom my own mom was. She didn’t spend time away from the family or have many personal interests. It took a lot of personal work, not to mention good communication with my husband, to believe that he truly supported me in my ambition and wanted me to be happy. Now I truly believe that I am a better wife and mother because of my business, and I am better in my business because of my family.
One of the biggest setbacks was when things didn’t go the way I hoped they would. When a program I developed didn’t sell like I’d hoped; when people attended my presentations but didn’t hire me or join my programs; when a marketing strategy didn’t produce more leads; when my numbers didn’t grow; when I had to scale back my business in a busy family season – all of these situations made me doubt myself and my purpose. It has taken so much self-reflection, coaching, and hard work to realize that all of these experiences are part of the learning curve. Each one has made me stronger and more committed. Most importantly, I can relate to my clients and students when they have moments of self-doubt because I recognize that stage of the cycle so well.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
If a professional organizer and a life coach had a baby, it would be me.
For women, being able to feel in control of their space and their family is a prerequisite for success in any other area of their lives. But it’s not just enough to learn the organizational skills; they must also master their mindset. They must learn to declutter their minds of limiting beliefs, organize their thoughts, and strengthen their resolve. And what I love about this work I do with women is that this process is the same no matter what we are working on – organizing their homes, their time, their families, themselves, or any other aspect of their lives. I hold their hand through the whole process, giving them that constant reassurance that what they are experiencing is normal and helping continually focus on what it is they most want.
I am known for my catchy mindset mantras.
I am known for my signature approach to getting organized. I call it The Happy Gal Way. It is that unique blend of professional organizer, productivity expert, and mindset coach.
The easiest way to work with me is through my Life Organized membership, where each month we focus on a different aspect of living an organized life, such as organizing a space, paper, time, routines, ourselves, and more.
I also offer personal coaching, which is a transformative experience.
People can learn more about what I do through my podcast, Life Organized by Jenny Layton, available on all your favorite podcast platforms.
I am really proud of the loyalty of my followers. They keep coming back because they are successful in ways they have never been before, and I love the continued improvements they make. They come to me to get organized, and leave a whole different person…confident, empowered, and eager to share this new way of life with others.
What do you think about happiness?
That’s a great question, considering my company is called The Happy Gal!
It makes me happy to have such a rich, full life.
I absolutely love the work I do with women. I love to see the way they come alive as we organize their lives. I love the opportunity I have to create a successful business, to manage a team, and to constantly challenge myself to do things I have never done before.
But I also have so much joy in my family. Nothing makes me happier than seeing them overcome their personal challenges, especially as they implement all of the coaching tools, I teach them. They are my favorite people to spend time with, and I am so grateful that I heeded the inspiration to build my family before I built a career.
I also am so happy doing all of the other things I love. I am a hopeless pickleball addict and it is the perfect source of stress relief for me. I also love daily exercise and being outdoors. All of these things are essential for my balance and happiness.
I am surrounded by such incredible friends who are loyal, inspiring, and so supportive of me.
I have a strong relationship with God and value the steady inspiration I receive.
I can’t pick any one of those over the others! As I said, such a rich life that brings me so much joy.
Pricing:
- The Get Organized Bootcamp – $29
- The Life Organized Membership – $39/month or $189/year
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thehappygal.com
- Instagram: jlthehappygal
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jlthehappygal
- Youtube: @jennylaytonthehappygal
- Other: lifeorganizedpodcast.com
Image Credits
Hazen photography
