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Interview With . . . Beckie Bordenaro Perfectly Put Away McHenry, IL by Maria Gracia 1. What is the name of your company? Where are you located? How long have you been in business? My name is Beckie Bordenaro and my company is Perfectly Put Away. I'm located in McHenry, Illinois, which is northern Illinois. I have been organizing for a few years, but I started my own company in Fall, 2000. 2. Is this your primary business, or a part-time business? Right now, it is a part-time business. 3. Are you a member of NAPO? (Please indicate if you're an officer.) Yes, I joined in February, 2001. 4. Why did you become a professional organizer? It is something that I love to do. Every client has a different organizing issue which keeps it interesting and challenging. 5. What type of organizing do you specialize in (home, office, etc.)? Residential and home office organizing. 6. Do you sell products, services, or seminars? Please describe. At this time, I only offer my organizing services and a free e-newsletter. 7. Have you written a book(s)? If so, what is the title(s)? No, but I would like to in the future. 8. Do you publish a newsletter? If so, is it a print newsletter, or an e-zine? Is it free, or is there a charge? I offer a free newsletter which is available at my Web site. 9. Do you have a web site? If so, what is the address? My Web site is www.perfectlyputaway.bigstep.com 10. Is travel a big part of your business? As I grow my business I am sure I will be traveling more. At this time my longest drive has been about 3 hours, round-trip. 11. Who is your primary target audience? Anyone who needs help organizing their home or home office. I can offer as much or as little assistance as the client requires. 12. Describe your typical workday. I mostly do organizing on the weekends right now and my typical session runs about 3 or 4 hours. 13. Every person interested in entering the professional organizing field is wondering, "Can I make enough money doing this?" What is your outlook on this question? You can definitely make good money being a professional organizer. You will be working for the money though! It will also take time to build up a customer base and to have a steady income. 14. Which of the following marketing vehicles have you used to help you grow your business (direct mail, newspaper advertising, free workshops, radio, television, web site, e-zine, telemarketing, yellow pages, joint ventures with other professionals, publicity, other: please describe)? Direct mail, Web site, e-zine and business cards. I will also be placing a Yellow Pages ad this fall. 15. Which one marketing technique have you found works the best for you? Please describe. A mix of them all. Direct mail and my Web site have been really great. 16. Describe a successful, creative marketing technique that you use, or that you've used in the past. I put a sticker on the back of my business card that says 'Mention (client's name) and you will both receive $10 off your next session!' It works great because when a client refers you she will get $10 off and so will the person she is sending to you. Everyone benefits! 17. Do you feel that networking plays a big role in growing your business? Definitely. I am looking into becoming active in local groups and I will be an active member of NAPO. 18. What do you do to generate referrals? Doing a great job and going the extra mile for the customer. 19. What do you find to be the most exciting part of your business? Seeing a room go from being a source of stress and clutter to being organized and useful for the client and their family. 20. What do you find to be the most frustrating part of your business? Finding customers is tough at first. Testing new marketing techniques can also be frustrating. Things you think will work, won't. It's a matter of testing and re-testing and then changing your marketing strategies. 21. Describe your greatest success in this field. I do not really have a 'greatest' success. I feel that every organizing job I complete is a success. I wouldn't say the job is done until I can say it is a success! 22. As a professional organizer, do you have a funny story to share? I had one client call and say that she wanted help in her sewing room. She said it had gotten so bad that she actually had to remove her sewing machine from the room to sew! 23. As an organizer, what professional organizing information or tools are you always on the lookout for? Great new tips and ideas. There is a never-ending learning curve to being a professional organizer. Almost every day I come across something and think 'that's a great idea!.' 24. Looking ahead, what do you see as your greatest challenge? Being able to grow and build this into a full-time business. I will have to shift between my current full-time job status to being able to work for myself more. 25. What is your best tip for people interested in becoming professional organizers? If you really love to organize and you love to deal with people then read up on this field. It can be extremely rewarding if you are willing to work at it. 
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