We had the good fortune of connecting with Julie Soukup and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Julie, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
When I started working, I was young, single, and was known to have more energy than your average person. I flew weekly to different offices for consulting and training. Doing so, I learned how other doctors faced the same challenge in their practice. I also learne how they percieved their job, their teams, and their office operations. I took this time to learn, ask questions, network, and grow. I did anything asked with intention, energy, and passion. 70 hours was normal but inspired work. I loved it.
When I unexpectantly became a single fulll time mom to infant twins, quickly my perspective on work changed. It had to. I was physically and financially responsible for them 100% of the time. Then, I knew it was time to take all I had learned to start creating my professional brand. It was time to start owning my experience, my value and most importantly, my time. Therefore, I had to start scheduling my time better. Not just because childcare was incredibly expensive, but because this time with my daughters was important to me. I started to schedule aside times where I could work when babies were sleeping; easy for design, marketing, emails, and branding. I started to schedule nannies on the days I could make meetings and demos.
Because of them, I started looking at my schedule less as a 9-5. I looked at when and where I coud be the most effective in the different areas of my business in a week. Often this included nights and weekends to provide more time with my kids, and better balance for my family. In addition, I stopped thinking of myself as a salaried employee and started looking at how much I could make per hour. I started to own my brand, my experience, and what I had to offer.
I outsourced all activities I could, because paying for work automation, or oursourcing design. Ofthen this was cheaper than childcare per hour. I wanted that time with my girls.
In doing so, I started to manage my schedule and my mind much more effectively. Days where I had meetings or demo’s presented a different ‘Julie’ than the nights I worked on emails or marketing. Some days playing ‘art’ with my girls produced paintings, or crayola designs of a relaunch or marketing guides as they produced paintings of cows or flowers. I found fun areas and different creative mediums than my design software, and often this inspired a new perspective. More importantly, it allowed me time with my girls.
For me, balance isn’t just about managing time, it’s about finding pockets where you can be the best at what you are doing, and give yourself permission to. It’s about knowing what your hours are worth and maximizing what you’re doing at that time. Balance is about outsourcing monotony and focusing on your talents. Balance is about saving simple tasks for before bedtime, and creative times painting with your kids. Balance is about getting the most you can per hour, vs how much you can give per week. It’s about being flexible, with yourself and your mind. Balance is about recognizing times when you’re not maximizing capacity to stop, take the cuddle break and reset.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I was lucky to live in DC and New York after graduating from Colorado University. It opened my eyes to a world where you can be an accountant and an artist, or a lawyer and a comedian. You didn’t have to give up your passions, and you didn’t have to choose. I learned about professions I didn’t know existed. I learned about consultants. More importantly, I learned that you didn’t have to work 9-5 and 40 hours to do great work, or make a life.
The best lesson I learned was about passion. You don’t move to those cities by choice unless you have a true passion and conviction about what you’re doing. In addition, it’s incredibly competitive. So if you are going to do something, do it with intention, and be one of the best. Early in my career it became a matter of truly finding work I was passionate about, and what I was good at, vs just climbing a ladder. I started to learn about ‘building my brand’ as a company inside the work I was doing. That’s why I love working with start-ups. I love that I get the opportunity to build operational processes and be creative.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Start at Union Station, one of the most beautiful and iconic buildings of Denver. I love sitting outside at one of their many great restaurants, watching the girls play outside at the fountains. Then, be sure to bring a change of clothes to head up to Coors Field for a Rockies game. Finish the night at one of the many awesome speakeaies. Check out Green Russel or Cruise Room.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My dad is and has always been a tremendous inspiration to me. Especially now, as a mother, and looking back on how he was able to balance his business and his family with faith, strength, and grace. He built his large CPA firm with intention and persistence. He was fantastic about scheduling his time with work, and time with family. He ensured he honored his commitments to both. He wasn’t willing to negotiate with himself ‘oh, I’ll stay late’ or ‘oh, I’ll miss her game’ once he had made that commitment. His commitment was his bond, and people learned to trust and respect that. There was no question if my dad said he was going to show up, he would.
That trust was profound for me as a kid, and I’m sure as for his clients, many of which were starting up their business. He had a passion for his family, and especially his kids. He had a passion for his work, and he chose a profession that allowed him to work outside the traditional hours to manage the balance of both. He loved us, he loved his work, and he focused his intention, and passion on both. In addition, he gave extra. He saw the impact he could have on youth, and his community. He took the extra bit to ensure he was supporting local causes and donating his time. He felt it was important to lead by example, and we saw this as kids.
My kids today inspire me. If the work I’m doing doesn’t bring out the best in me as a mom, as a woman, then what’s the point. There are days that are stressful, days I’m stretched thin, but there is no better perspective about my vaues, and the person that I want to be, than them. I want them to see a mom that loves what she does, sees me challenged yet resiliant, passionate, and serving my community. If I don’t look at myself as an example for them, then I’m not doing great work.
Lastly, the founder of my company, Dr. Randall Porter inspires me. He saw a gap in his own experience in healthcare with his dad. Rather than complaining, he devoted himself to make it easier for families and patients. He does the right thing when no one is paying attention, and he is devoted to his patients. He invests his time and energy to inspire change, he values transparency.
His idea for Medical Memory, and he as a person, is what inspired me to join his company. The values we’ve built this mission on, the reasons behind it, and the true desire to help patients and their families, are what have made me stay.
Website: www.themedicalmemory.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julierecordingdoctors/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-soukup-011089105/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbBfVe7wybIaoYhow8Rty-A
Other: Podcast Website https://www.take1patientpodcast.com/ Book Website https://www.jadeandsky.com/