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Interview With . . . Crystal Sabalaske Cluttershrink Philadelphia, PA 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 Crystal Sabalaske and I own Cluttershrink. I'm located in the Philadelphia area and provide services in Southeastern PA, DE, and NJ. I've been in business 2 years. 2. Is this your primary business, or a part-time business? Right now this is a part-time business but will become a full-time business for me in the near future. 3. Are you a member of NAPO? (Please indicate if you're an officer.) Yes, I am a national member and also a member of Philadelphia's local chapter. 4. Why did you become a professional organizer? I became a professional organizer because I see how simplifying your life can improve daily living. I work with others to develop organizational skills that will help them simplify their lives so they can save time and money and have less stress. 5. What type of organizing do you specialize in (home, office, etc.)? I provide organizing services to residential and corporate clients. I also work with small business owners in their home offices. 6. Do you sell products, services, or seminars? Please describe. I do not sell any products at this time, but I do offer customized seminars to small groups on topics such as time management, closet organizing, general organizing, etc. 7. Have you written a book(s)? If so, what is the title(s)? I have not written any books yet, but I hope to someday. 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 do have a newsletter and I send it out quarterly. I intend to make it a monthly publication in early to mid-2005. It is free. 9. Do you have a web site? If so, what is the address? My website is www.cluttershrink.com 10. Is travel a big part of your business? Most of my clients are located within an hour from where I live, so I do not travel much. 11. Who is your primary target audience? My target audience . . . it's hard to say. There is potential for people to be disorganized regardless of where they live or work. I tend to focus on marketing to people who own small businesses or stay at home moms. 12. Describe your typical workday. Most organizing sessions with clients are 2-4 hours in length. I spend a lot of time reading articles, responding to e-mails, and developing my contact list. 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 that to be successful in professional organizing you have to have a strong level of commitment. Developing your business takes time, and you need to tell everyone. You need to feel confident about the services that you provide and exude that confidence during every project. I still think that the best source of new business is referral based. 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)? To date I have placed one advertisement in a local newspaper, have had one article written about me, and have been featured on a local news program. In June and July, I was on HGTV's Mission: Organization with 2 of my clients. However, all of my business has come through word of mouth or donations. 15. Which one marketing technique have you found works the best for you? Please describe. Referrals! Provide good service and new business will follow - eventually. 16. Describe a successful, creative marketing technique that you use, or that you've used in the past. I have gained several new clients after donating my services to a charitable auction/event. 17. Do you feel that networking plays a big role in growing your business? Absolutely. Tell everyone you know, but make sure that your message about who you are and what services you provide is concise. 18. What do you do to generate referrals? To generate referrals, I just provide quality service. 19. What do you find to be the most exciting part of your business? The most exciting part of my business is when I work with clients who realize the benefits of getting organized. I love hearing how it makes their lives so much more enjoyable. 20. What do you find to be the most frustrating part of your business? The most frustrating part of my business is dealing with clients who are indecisive. It is often difficult for them to commit to the process of getting organized, so there are multiple cancellations, reschedulings, and back and forth e-mails regarding when a project is going to begin. 21. Describe your greatest success in this field. My greatest success is that I actually motivated myself to start my business after talking about it for 5 years. 22. As a professional organizer, do you have a funny story to share? Well, there's always a funny story. It's great to work with people who find a long lost something or other. I had one client who never opened a wedding gift and found a $100 check sitting on her coffee table. 23. As an organizer, what professional organizing information or tools are you always on the lookout for? I'm always searching for new organizing products, especially those related to paper management. I welcome the opportunity to read articles on subjects related to organizing as well. 24. Looking ahead, what do you see as your greatest challenge? My greatest challenge is finding more creative ways to tap into the market to find new clients. 25. What is your best tip for people interested in becoming professional organizers? Do your research. Join NAPO. Volunteer your services to friends to get their feedback. Feel confident in your abilities. Go for it. 
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