The Practical Planner features a 13 month academic calendar, laminated covers and a functional lay-flat design. Photo by Kat Bell

When UM students hear the name Julia Davis, they are likely to think of Julia Davis the Delta Gamma or the Montevallo Maven; however, what people might not think of is Julia Davis, the self-made entrepreneur.  

While pursuing a bachelor’s degree in communication studies, Davis created The Practical Planner as a tool to help her manage her time more efficiently as a college student. Considering the many roles she juggles both on-campus and off, effective time management is more than a luxury: it’s an absolute necessity for Davis.   

When the success of her DIY-project became apparent, others began to show interest in purchasing her personalized planner for themselves. This attention pushed Davis into dedicating the summer of 2018 to designing and launching The Practical Planner for others to acquire. Davis described her business as “a tool to keep all of your thoughts and doings on track.” 

Davis sat down with “The Alabamian” to talk about the process of her business journey. Davis wanted her planner to stand out among the many others on the market, which she accomplishes through the product’s dedication to detail. Each daily page features a time slot from 7 a.m. to 12 a.m., so that users have a wide spread to plan out their entire day.  

“My days typically run all the way through the very end of the day, so I needed my planner to do the same,” said Davis.  

Being able to plan out long days is important to Davis as not only has she launched her own product, but she is an event coordinator having planned one wedding already, with three more to plan this year.  

“I didn’t expect to like wedding planning, because the work week schedule is not ideal, but I loved it,” said Davis. 

Another unique aspect the Practical Planner boasts is its one-of-a-kind design. Every bubble, list, blank and box was strategically placed for a user-friendly and customizable layout.   

The artwork in the Practical Planner was designed by Emmie Alfano, Davis’s Delta Gamma sister. Alfano is a local artist and UM alumna, and her work is featured all throughout the book. Davis wanted to incorporate bright colors in The Practical Planner, which Alfano delivered through an aesthetically-pleasing combination of watercolors and pastel pieces to tie the theme together. The design also allows for easy color-coding of events, for the more Type-A consumer.  

“The Practical Planner is more than just a planner,” Davis said. “It is an idea that is budding and has a lot of room to grow.”  

Davis hopes to expand her business to include more products, such as wall calendars and stationary. Those interested in purchasing The Practical Planner can do so for $45 through the website:  https://practicalplanner.selz.com.