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Interview With . . . Gina Goldenberg Mess Management Toronto, Ontario, Canada by Maria Gracia 1. How long have you been in business? A little over 2 years. 2. Is this your primary business, or a part-time business? I presently do professional organizing on a part-time basis, however because of my success this past year I am planning on making this my primary business. 3. Are you a member of NAPO? (Please indicate if you're an officer.) No. I am a member of the Professional Organizers Webring. 4. Why did you become a professional organizer? I believe that being organized plays a vital role in truly being able to live a more relaxed and fulfilling life. I have always been an organized person in every aspect of my life, and many times I've been asked by friends and family to help them get back on top of tasks they've fallen behind on or to declutter their space. Helping them get organized so they could have more time to enjoy things in life gave me a sense of personal accomplishment. It's a win-win situation. 5. What type of organizing do you specialize in (home, office, etc.)? I specialize in both home and office organization including: financial and paper management (including filing systems), chronically disorganized, ADD/ADHD, LD, and automobile purchasing consulting. 6. Do you sell products, services, or seminars? Please describe. I currently sell information guides and organization & filing systems. 7. Have you written a book(s)? If so, what is the title(s)? I have written 'Put Off Procrastination' the Mess Management Guide to Stop Procrastinating. 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? Presently I publish a free bi-weekly e-zine filled with organizational tips, articles, and strategies to organize and simplify your life. 9. Do you have a web site? If so, what is the address? Yes, my web site address is www.messmanagement.com 10. Is travel a big part of your business? I will travel up to half an hour free of charge, or up to an hour for a small fee. 11. Who is your primary target audience? The primary target audience for Mess Management is people of all genders and ages. Not only do we specialize in home and office organization but we also support students and their parents in their quest for organization. 12. Describe your typical workday. I will do organizing jobs 2-3 times during the week (including weekends) and I spend about 3 hours per week marketing. 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 believe that if you have the drive and passion to help people succeed coupled with the willingness to work hard and learn there is definitely money to be made. 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 used a variety of marketing vehicles including website, e-zine, and direct mail. Some have been successful and some have not. 15. Which one marketing technique have you found works the best for you? Please describe. I have found my website to be a very useful tool for marketing my business. The site gives people useful information on my business and on organization. 16. Describe a successful, creative marketing technique that you use, or that you've used in the past. I sent out holiday cards to my clients with rebates and referral incentives. 17. Do you feel that networking plays a big role in growing your business? Networking plays a huge role in growing your business. The more people who know you and can vouch for you the better. 18. What do you do to generate referrals? I ensure that they are happy with my services. I also provide rebates and coupons to people who have sent me referrals. 19. What do you find to be the most exciting part of your business? The most exciting parts of my business are meeting new clients and learning about their organizational needs. Equally as exciting are the reactions from my clients once they are organized and we have put systems in place. 20. What do you find to be the most frustrating part of your business? I find cancellations to be a frustrating part of my business. 21. Describe your greatest success in this field. One of my greatest successes in this field would have to be the first organizing job I ever did. The owner of a small business had just moved from his home office to a rental space. He had piles of financial documents for the last three years shoved into boxes and he was meeting with his accountant to get his taxes prepared in two weeks. I was so nervous because I had never done a paid job before and now I had a time restraint. Thank goodness I have a background in business (and accounting) so the documents were fairly easy for me to understand and arrange. The client was so pleasant and ready to work with me. We got everything prepared for his accountant on time and his taxes were sent in accordingly. A month later I received an email from the client stating how impressed he was with the whole experience and that he wanted me to organize his documents every tax season. This was a huge confidence builder for me and was a great way to start my career. 22. As a professional organizer, do you have a funny story to share? I was helping a newlywed couple organize their apartment and while I was pulling out the overflowing, overstuffed drawers to their dresser I came across a plastic ziplock bag that had fallen behind the drawers. Inside the bag was the womens wedding ring. The couple became hysterical! It turns out that they had been looking for the ring for over a month and had just ordered a duplicate ring from the jewelers the previous day. The client could not remember when or why she put her ring in the drawers or the bag! 23. As an organizer, what professional organizing information or tools are you always on the lookout for? I am always looking for new and creative organizing products. 24. Looking ahead, what do you see as your greatest challenge? My greatest challenge is marketing and growing my business. 25. What is your best tip for people interested in becoming professional organizers? Learn about the industry and go for it! 
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