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How She Got There: Elizabeth Grace Saunders, CEO & Founder Real Life E Time Coaching & Training

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Name: Elizabeth Grace Saunders

Job Title and Description: CEO & Founder Real Life E Time Coaching & Training.
My company empowers individuals around the world to accomplish more with peace and confidence through an exclusive Schedule Makeover process.

College/Major: Drake University, Major: Magazine Journalism; Concentration: Interior Architecture; Minor: Business

Website: www.RealLifeE.com
Twitter Handle:@RealLifeE
 
HC:What does your current job entail? Is there such a thing as a typical day?
Elizabeth Grace Saunders: I have a daily routine but what happens in that day varies tremendously. I try to set aside the first 1.5-2 hours of my day for processing (e-mail, VM, to-do lists, etc.) and planning. Then throughout the rest of my day, I could be doing any of the following: Doing calls with time coaching clients, writing blog posts, managing my assistant, thinking through business strategy, networking with other entrepreneurs or listening to training.
 
HC: What was your first entry-level job in your field and how did you get it?
ES: My first entry-level job in magazine journalism was working for the Better Homes and Gardens website as an intern. I got the job through knowing someone else in my university already working in the department.
 
HC: What is one thing you wish you knew about your industry when you first started out that you know now?
ES: I’ve moved from magazine journalism into time management coaching and training because many of my magazine clients went out of business. I don’t regret having started in journalism, but one thing I know now that I didn’t know then was that online communication skills would become as important as traditional print media.

HC: Who is one person who changed your professional life for the better?
ES: I have had so many people who have had a tremendous positive impact on my professional life. But if I had to pick just one, I would say it was my dad. He really taught my siblings and I to have confidence in our abilities and our worth. Also, I learned the basics of business through his conversations about his job around the family dinner table. 
 
HC: What words of wisdom do you find most valuable?
ES: I made up this phrase to help me when I started out in business and felt anxiety about not knowing how everything would turn out: “Do your best. Make it right. Learn for next time.” The “real-world” doesn’t have an instruction manual, and you need to learn as you go. 

HC: What is one mistake you made along the way and what did you learn from it?
ES: I’ve always appreciated the power of networking to put me in position for success. But there was a time when I didn’t like the answer I was getting about a potential opportunity so I tried to reach out to someone higher in the company to move things forward. I ended up getting really embarrassed when that person let me know that I was overstepping my boundaries. I apologized and received forgiveness and a healthy dose of humility. The lesson learned: Just because you could push for something, doesn’t mean you always should.
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HC: What is the best part of your job?
ES: Seeing the transformation in people’s lives from feeling stressed out, overwhelmed and frustrated about how they’re using their time to feeling peaceful and accomplished.
 
HC: How important is it that college students engage in philanthropic work?
ES: I believe that it’s important for everyone to give back and make time in my schedule to serve on a weekly basis. I would encourage students to pick one or two philanthropic causes they really care about and give back in those areas.
 
HC: What do you look for when hiring someone?  
ES: First and foremost, I look for someone who is trustworthy. If I can’t know that someone will take responsibility for what I ask him or her to do and get the job done, then I don’t want him or her on my team. If they have good character and are eager to serve, I’m willing to train them in almost everything else.

HC: What advice would you give to a 20-something with similar aspirations?
ES: If you’re looking at getting into coaching, first develop your skills in a particular area. Then coach people on how to excel in that area too.
 
Co-Founded by Natalie MacNeil and Scott Gerber, Y.E.C. Women is an initiative of the Young Entrepreneur Council (Y.E.C.), an invite-only nonprofit organization comprised of the country’s most promising young entrepreneurs. The Y.E.C promotes entrepreneurship as a solution to youth unemployment and underemployment and provides its members with access to tools, mentorship, and resources that support each stage of a business’s development and growth.

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Gennifer Delman
Gennifer is the Branded Content Specialist for Her Campus Media. In her role, she manages all sponsored content across platforms including editorial, social, and newsletters. As one of HC's first-ever writers, she previously wrote about career, college life, and more as a national writer during her time at Hofstra University. She also helped launch the How She Got There section, where she interviewed inspiring women in various industries. She lives in New York City.