Nashville October Meeting Recap
Forget the haunted inbox and spooky to-do list—this month we traded Sunday Scaries for Monday confidence. Over craft cocktails and sushi, our Nashville chapter dove into a fast-moving, highly actionable workshop on weekly planning, calendar control, and tech tools that actually reduce mental load (no broomstick required).
Anna-Vija brought a practical, no-fluff playbook for running your week like a pro: start by building an ideal calendar on a fresh Google or Outlook sub-calendar and time-block your mornings, admin, focus work, and meeting windows—then adjust those blocks seasonally so your schedule fits real life. Protect short daily admin sprints so email and project tools don’t swallow your afternoon. When scheduling, offer specific options—two times and one location—instead of open-ended back-and-forth, so decisions happen in two emails, not twelve. Use a booking app like HubSpot Meetings or Calendly tied to your actual availability, with buffers and required form fields (agenda, goal) to filter non-urgent chats. And finally, remember that clear is kind: create a simple team communication plan so interruptions drop and projects keep moving.
6 Highly Actionable Takeaways
1. Make an “Ideal Week” calendar (clean slate). Create a brand-new sub-calendar just for the model. Block personal time, focus blocks, admin, and specific meeting windows. Start scheduling to it for the next 3–4 weeks.
2. Protect short, daily admin blocks. Two 20–30 minute windows beat one giant email slog. Unstructured time = unproductive time.
3. Offer choices, not chores. When following up after networking: “I’m free Tue @ 10 or Thu @ 2 at Panera (100 Oaks). Which works?” Decisions get easier—and faster.
4. Start with 15-minute intros. Most coffee meetings can begin as a short call. Graduate to Zoom or in-person after you confirm fit.
5. Let tech do the heavy lifting. Use a booking link with built-in buffers, drive time, and a required “agenda” field. Auto-send the calendar invite and reminders. 6. Have a ‘meeting about meetings’ every quarter. As a team, define:
● What’s urgent vs. important
● When texting is allowed (true urgency only)
● Expected email response times
● Standing cadences (weekly, monthly, quarterly)
● “Do not disturb” focus windows
Attendees also helped stuff Halloween and Thanksgiving goody bags for (Enter information here). For more information on “the organization” and having your group volunteer time, go to: Holiday Heroes.
Thank you to our sponsors, Blueprint Underground Cocktail Club for the fantastic space, yummy drinks + sushi provided by Sunda, and Diana Marie Photography for capturing the fun!
Join Us Next Time
Heels & Handshakes is where warm intros meet real-world upskilling. Bring a friend, make a connection, and leave with something you can use on Monday.
Nashville | Annual Heels & Habits Luncheon
Presented by Studio Bank
Thursday, November 13, 2025
11:00 AM 1:00 PM
Hilton Nashville Green Hills
3801 Cleghorn Avenue
Nashville, TN, 37215 (map)
Register here.