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On Tuesday, June 4th, Xcelerate Women hosted an inspiring happy hour and panel discussion at Bar Carlo, a local eatery in the vibrant Foster/Powell neighborhood, owned by Melinda Archuleta, a participant of Xcelerate’s Peer Mentorship Group program. This gathering brought together community members from Portland and beyond to engage in meaningful conversations about productivity and balance.

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The panel discussion, themed “Rethinking Productivity: Less Burnout, More Balance,” featured Xcelerate coaches and local business owners who shared their wisdom and experiences with refreshing honesty and vulnerability. Our panelists included Dr. Montserrat Andreys, founder of Hey Doc Clinic; Gloria Coleman, founder of Exit Bliss; Lozelle Mathai, founder of Health Bodies of Finance; and our insightful moderator, Veronica Yanhs, CEO and founder of Business Laid Bare. They were dedicated to not gatekeeping their knowledge, making the evening rich with practical insights and heartfelt stories.

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Key Takeaways:‍

• Reframe Work/Life Balance to Life/Work Balance: The discussion highlighted the importance of building businesses that prioritize our lives first. By focusing on what truly matters, the rest can naturally fall into place.
• Define Your Own Success: Success isn’t one-size-fits-all. It might mean spending quality time with your kids, enjoying healthy meals, or having a job that contributes positively to your community. Understanding what success looks like for you personally is crucial.
• Prioritize Effectively: With the wisdom that "when everything is a priority, nothing is a priority," the panelists emphasized the need to identify tasks that genuinely move the needle. Regularly reanalyze and adjust your priorities to stay aligned with your evolving life and goals.
• Set Clear Expectations: Defining clear goals and objectives with your team and clients can streamline your business operations, bringing more ease and less stress to your daily activities.
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Veronica Yanhs encapsulated the evening's spirit with her powerful quote: 

‍“If it doesn't feel good to you, your brain, how you work, don’t settle for anything less. Find what works for you because the more pleasure and joy you get from your productivity and your processes the longer you can sustain it, therefore creating more positive change in a legacy-filled way.”

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The evening was a testament to the power of community, knowledge sharing, and the collective drive to build businesses that not only thrive but also enrich the lives of those who run them. We left feeling empowered, inspired, and ready to tackle our entrepreneurial journeys with a renewed sense of balance and purpose.

Thank you to everyone who attended, our wonderful panelists, Bar Carlo for hosting us, and our sponsor, OnPoint Community Credit Union , for your continued support. Here’s to creating more spaces where we can learn, grow, and celebrate together.

‍Visit our Facebook Album to see all the gallery of photos from the evening.