Cheat Sheets Make You Organized & Successful

Remember when you were in school and cheat sheets were a bad thing? Well not anymore — now cheat sheets can help you make a more informed decision, save you time and allow you to be less stressed!

As you may know — I’ve teamed up with SkinnyScoop.com as one of their “Tastemakers” and I post lists on their site from time to time. The idea is to give you the “skinny” on all sorts of topics to make your life easier. Their co-founder and CEO is a serious list maker herself and it’s helped her to be the success she is today.  I’m happy to introduce you to Eden Godsoe and her list-making ways!

Q: Why do you call yourself a compulsive list producer?

A: I have always been someone who is hyper organized (my husband would say I am OCD…) and making lists has been part of that organization. It was only when I left my job to launch SkinnyScoop that I realized I was a compulsive list producer. I went from creating lists in my personal life to building a company that enabled others to create and share their passions and finds in a list format.

Q: What do you make lists about?

A: I create lists about anything though the majority of my lists tend to fall into one of a handful of categories – parenting, organization, or party and gift ideas.

Q: How often do you make lists?

A: I make at least 1-2 new lists every week. And then of course I am always updating or enhancing my existing lists that I consider “evergreen” by adding more tips or product recommendations to them. I find that everywhere I look or go inspires me to do another list. It’s all I can do to not create 1-2 lists per day!

Q:  What type of list do you make the most?

A: I make a variety of lists including straight product recommendation lists, lists of tips and advice, a roundup of good articles or blog posts on a topic, you name it. Sometimes I make lists where I am collecting information that will help me make a better decision or more confident choice while other times I am trying to share my experience or expertise with others who will find it helpful. The common thread in my lists is that I try to keep them pithy and actionable. My blog is called “My Life in Bullet Points” after all…

Q:  How do you make lists?

A: I used to use Excel or Word documents to create my lists, which I would then share via email with friends. That was until I co-founded SkinnyScoop! SkinnyScoop was born out of my love of lists as well as the problems women face when we collect and share information. There is such information overload when making a decision or purchase, the process of collecting and sharing information is tedious and time consuming, and there is no way for female tastemakers and mavens to be recognized or rewarded for all their great information and advice. So we created a platform that harnesses the collective wisdom of women and makes decision-making fun and rewarding. As we like to say…SkinnyScoop is a women’s cheat sheet for everything.

Q:  How have you found lists help you succeed?

A: This question reminds me that I need to make a list of all the reasons I love lists and how they have helped me succeed! First and foremost, lists help me be efficient and organized. I don’t have to keep digging through piles of paper or search email archives – the information is all in one place for me to use. Second, lists enable me to share my expertise and passions with other people. I like to promote business, products or people that I believe in. Lists have also helped me discover other people who share my interests – including The List Producer!

Q: Specifically what was the last thing you wrote a list about?

A: Two of my most recent lists were Best of San Francisco: Eden’s Cheat Sheet of Go To People and Places and Best iPhone Apps for Moms. My friends and colleagues were always asking me who my go to vendors were so rather than continually send their contact info in emails I thought I would post them all (from plumbers to eyebrow pluckers, from dry cleaners to doctors) all in one place. The second list is a collaborative list that I started and where other women can add great iPhone apps they have discovered.

An accomplished creative leader with deep experience in sales, marketing and finance, Eden Godsoe is Co-Founder and CEO of SkinnyScoop. SkinnyScoop is an information sharing platform for women. Women make 85% of all purchase decisions largely influenced by their friends or other women similar to them. SkinnyScoop makes decision-making fun and rewarding. Through powerful polling tools and user-generated lists, SkinnyScoop harnesses the collective wisdom of women and connects women at key decision points so that they can make confident, informed choices.