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Interview With . . . Jennifer Towns Order Restored Covington, GA 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 Jennifer Towns of Order Restored. I live in Covington, GA and have been in business for 2 years. 2. Is this your primary business, or a part-time business? Primary. I love being able to stay home with my kids during the day. 3. Are you a member of NAPO? (Please indicate if you're an officer.) Not yet. I plan to join the national and local chapters as soon as funds are available. 4. Why did you become a professional organizer? I 'officially retired' from teaching after one year because I found that I really didn't enjoy it like I thought I would. After I had my first child in 2000, I became a stay-at-home mom. It didn't take long for me to get cabin fever and realize that I had too many ideas running through my head to stay at home. So, I began to think about what jobs I could have without having to go back to school or put my kids in daycare. After falling in love with the organizing shows on TLC and HGTV I knew what I was meant to do. ORGANIZE! It was a light bulb moment for me. I thought, you know - I have always done that for myself and friends and family - so why not get paid! 5. What type of organizing do you specialize in (home, office, etc.)? Homes mainly. I also offer what I call a household organizational plan where we go through the whole house and plan a 'job' for every space and make the house work for the client. 6. Do you sell products, services, or seminars? Please describe. Services. I don't want to bother with inventory and all the shipping and packaging. Besides my favorite part of organizing is helping someone dig themselves out of their mess. Sometimes literally! 7. Have you written a book(s)? If so, what is the title(s)? No books yet, but I have written a little five-page booklet titled '15 Ways to Restore Order to Your Life' as well as 'Checklists for Traveling' that I give out with my information packet to prospects. And I am working on a couple more, possibly 'Rooms that Work' and 'Got Kids? Got Clutter!' 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, no newsletter at this time. 9. Do you have a web site? If so, what is the address? Yes, it's www.orderrestored.net 10. Is travel a big part of your business? I would love to, but the farthest I have gone to date is about 42 miles or 1.5 hrs from home. 11. Who is your primary target audience? People who feel their life is out of order and want to feel peaceful when they come home. 12. Describe your typical workday. Get up, get the kids ready, take my daughter to preschool, hang out at home with my son and maybe run some errands. After lunch the little ones have rest time and I cram as much work as I can into 2-3 hrs. I do have people who can keep the kids if I need to go meet a client or work on a project before my husband comes home, so I am not completely bound by nap schedules. 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 money. How much depends on what you put into it, and how much you put out (advertising, supplies, etc). 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)? Web Site, word of mouth, flyers at local businesses especially Christian Bookstores, I had lettering put on my Explorer's cargo windows as advertising (only $60!), partnering with other businesses owned by friends (we promote each other). 15. Which one marketing technique have you found works the best for you? Please describe. My web site! All my clients so far have found my site first and contacted me through e-mail. 16. Describe a successful, creative marketing technique that you use, or that you've used in the past. Not sure how successful it is yet, because I've only had it a week, but I had a catchy slogan put on my truck windows along with my phone number and web address to attract potential clients. It was cheap ($60) and I get free advertising every time I go somewhere. 17. Do you feel that networking plays a big role in growing your business? Yes, I do. Every person you meet has the ability to tell at least 100 other people about you and your business. If you don't talk yourself up, no one will. 18. What do you do to generate referrals? Do a good job! I think I might try offering a 10% off next job for a referral, but I haven't decided yet. 19. What do you find to be the most exciting part of your business? Seeing the light bulb come on for a client when they realize how much their stuff has been holding them down! After that moment, my job is a breeze, and I know I have helped bring them to a new place where they will no longer let material possessions have control over their lives and happiness. 20. What do you find to be the most frustrating part of your business? When a client keeps changing their minds about how the room layout should be or what kind of furniture, fabric, etc. we should use. I want to make them happy, but I also think they should just trust the pros. 21. Describe your greatest success in this field. My first job. I was helping a friend organize her closet. It was so full that a shelf had pulled out of the wall and you could no longer see the floor. When we were done, she used her closet as her own personal sanctuary to get away from her kids and spend time in prayer. 22. As a professional organizer, do you have a funny story to share? I couldn't stop laughing when my friend told me that she came home from work and went and laid in the floor of her closet because she just wanted to be in the 'organized room.' 23. As an organizer, what professional organizing information or tools are you always on the lookout for? Any ideas or tips or solutions that I haven't thought of yet! And I'm sure that's a lot! I also like to check out new systems for organizing things. So, surfing the web is the easiest way I've found to 'shop.' 24. Looking ahead, what do you see as your greatest challenge? Juggling work with my kids activities and church functions. God and my family come first. 25. What is your best tip for people interested in becoming professional organizers? Pray! Then read everything you can get your hands on about organizing, and being an organizer. 
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