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Interview With . . . Beth Larence Tidy Up! Organizing Washington DC by Maria Gracia How long have you been in business? I've been in business two years. 2. Is this your primary business, or a part-time business? This is my primary source of income. 3. Are you a member of NAPO? (Please indicate if you're an officer.) No, I'm not. 4. Why did you become a professional organizer? I became a professional organizer because I think having an uncluttered environment leads to an uncluttered, happier life. My no nonsense approach helps people achieve their goals while feeling positive about themselves and the lasting changes they are making in their lives. 5. What type of organizing do you specialize in (home, office, etc.)? I specialize in home organizing. 6. Do you sell products, services, or seminars? Please describe. Organizing services. 7. Have you written a book(s)? If so, what is the title(s)? No, I have not. 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? No, I do not. 9. Do you have a web site? If so, what is the address? Yes! It's www.tidy-up.com 10. Is travel a big part of your business? No. Not at all. 11. Who is your primary target audience? I work with urban singles, couples and small families in the DC area. 12. Describe your typical workday. My husband and I work together. We've created a company where I do home organinzing and he does carpentry. We often work together on different components of the same project. In addition, I follow-up on leads, do some of the carpentry estimates, and communicate with our clients. 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? I think, given the right niche, a person can make a living doing home organizing. The trick is to try several different approaches until the right opportunity presents itself and then take it where it goes. 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)? I have advertised in local newpapers, given free seminars and offered specials on my services. 15. Which one marketing technique have you found works the best for you? Please describe. Offering specials through clients has worked well for me. I've offered discounts to clients if they refer friends and I take the job. 16. Describe a successful, creative marketing technique that you use, or that you've used in the past. I advertised in Street Sense, a local newspaper designed to help the homeless earn some money in our area. With every job I took, I donated 10% of the profits back to Street Sense. 17. Do you feel that networking plays a big role in growing your business? Yes, networking does play an important role in growing ANY business. 18. What do you do to generate referrals? I mostly use word of mouth. I will also run an occasional print ad or special. 19. What do you find to be the most exciting part of your business? I really like to help people feel at home in their own spaces. After my clients' things have been sorted and disposed of, and we've put the space back together, I can see a real difference in them. 20. What do you find to be the most frustrating part of your business? There are sometimes lulls in business. 21. Describe your greatest success in this field. Each job is rewarding for different reasons. 22. As a professional organizer, do you have a funny story to share? One of my first jobs was for an old friend who had moved away. While cleaning out her closet, we found a check she had written to wish a friend Mazol Tov on the birth of a new baby, who at that time of the decluttering had just turned three. 23. As an organizer, what professional organizing information or tools are you always on the lookout for? I always like to hear about other people's ideas for how they organize things. 24. Looking ahead, what do you see as your greatest challenge? As my children get older, it will once again become difficult to juggle all aspects of my life. 25. What is your best tip for people interested in becoming professional organizers? Once you get a client or two, things will really start to develop. Stick with it and be confident about your skills. You are helping someone get a new lease on life. That's important. 
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