Do you have your own business?

allwildgirl

allwildgirl

Cathlete
What do you do? Is it successful? Was it difficult to get started?

I'm trying to find a way out of what I'm doing, but I'm a single parent with a mortgage. I have a good idea of what I'd like to do, but it's quite terrifying. Any input would be appreciated.
 
Yes, I have a home staging business and I love it! We're in our 3rd year and so far, we've grown every year. Now, profits are another story. It wasn't particularly difficult to get started because I used to be a realtor and so had a lot of contacts.

What is your idea that you'd like to do? If it's something you sincerely love, you can be successful. It is terrifying to step out of your comfort zone but if you have a great support system (even if it's just yourself!) and lots of positive self-talk, you can work yourself through almost anything.

Terri
 
I want to start a personal organizing business. It's what I do best and what I love doing. I'd love to be able to into people's homes and make order out of chaos. I'm trying to think of other things I can tie into it to make myself more versatile and marketable. I would have to start part-time until I got to the point where I could manage without my full-time job.
 
Ooooh, I would hire you in a second!

As a suggestion, I think you would be most successful if you could also offer installation of whatever is needed for the organization to be successful (i.e., some interior design type work). I would pay a lot of money for someone to creatively redo my closets with those organizational thingies (you know, with all of the shelves and such). I keep looking, looking, looking at these and just for the life of me can't figure out how to make it work.

Good luck!! I think it's an awesome idea!

Marie
 
Have you thought about organizing businesses as well or just homes? Have you ever been self-employed before? Any sales jobs? What is your current job? Have you researched starting your own business? Have you watched Mission Organization on HGTV? Search for other professional organizers and check out their websites. Do they have specific training for organizers? Any affliations? Classes you can take?

The reason I ask those questions is because staging wasn't my first attempt at a home-based business. It sort of evolved. And from each venture, I learned alot about not only myself, but how to handle rejection, time management, stepping out of my comfort zone, etc.

HTH,
Terri
 
Do you want to come over to my house/office Shelley? I need a personal organizer and I am actually looking for someone right now, while I am sitting in my mess, trying to file and organize, talking to myself and using some choice words! I just emailed my husband that I need a personal organizer. Why don't you come over for a vacation to Arizona :) Don't know if I can afford you though }( and I'd be a very tough first client, one of those that makes you think twice about being a personal organizer, can you spell DISORGANIZED -that would be me!!!

I run my own business, I had my own marketing consulting firm back in Germany for many years, after I moved to the US, I got my real estate license and have been a real estate consultant for almost 10 years now. I think it is always tough to start your own business because you need to have at least 6 months of reserves to pay your bills while you are establishing your business. Ahem, mine took a little longer, at least with the real estate business. I love being my own boss and don't have anyone telling me what how to run my business, which is a curse and a blessing.

You seem to be very passionate about helping people to get organized and I think life is too short to waste your time working in a job that you are not passionate about. I say GO FOR IT!!!

From my experience in starting a business, I would say, you need to be prepared. I would start by writing a business plan

1. Assess your situation
write down your strength and weaknesses, research the market/ your competition, acknowledge your competitor's strengths and assess what you have to offer, what is is your unique business proposition/mission statement

2. Define your business focus
who is your target group, how will you attract them and what services will you offer that set you apart from your competition.

3. Decide on the end results you want
put your goals down, be very specific as to what you want and within what timelines

4. Decide wha you will do and how you will do it to attain those results

5. Put together a working budget (a personal budget and a business budget) and stick to it!!!

There are quite a few books out for business planning, or if you want, feel free to email me directly, I can send you over the worksheets I have been using.

Home staging is pretty popular nowadays, so if you could combine the organizing and home staging, I think you may have a larger target area, just my two cents.

Good luck and the offer to come to AZ stands, if you can handle my mess, without running out screaming, you'll definitely be a successful Personal Organizer :+

Carola
 
Huh? In what way? Sorry, if I am a little slow, still sitting here trying to go through this mess.

Funny this post came about personal organizers came up today, just in time}(

Carola
 
"Have you thought about organizing businesses as well or just homes? Have you ever been self-employed before? Any sales jobs? What is your current job? Have you researched starting your own business? Have you watched Mission Organization on HGTV? Search for other professional organizers and check out their websites. Do they have specific training for organizers? Any affliations? Classes you can take?"

Yes, I did think of that too. I did have my own business a while back and yes, I've done sales and was good at it. Right now I'm a Senior Administrator for a property developer, which means basically that I organize things all day long. I haven't seen that particular show but I have seen a few home organization shows on HGTV (I dont' actually have TV but I watch them at my sister's:p). I've started doing some research on other businesses and checked out a few websites and there is a professional organizers association here that I would definitely become a member of should I decide to pursue this.

I have a friend whose house is a complete and utter disaster. You literally have to wade through paper in his home office and I don't think he's ever hung up a piece of clothing in his life. He's agreed that I can use his house as a guinea pig and for "before and after" shots for a portfolio, so I guess that's a good first step.

I am going to put together a business plan and figure out all the financial pieces over the next few weeks. I know I'll have to start off part-time and if it works out, I can leave my current job and do it full-time. It's very exciting and scary.

Thank you all so much for your input.:)
 
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