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Interview With . . . Stacey Agin Murray Organized Artistry, LLC Fairlawn, NJ 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 Stacey Agin Murray and I am the owner of Organized Artistry, LLC located in Fair Lawn, NJ. This spring I will have been in business for one year. 2. Is this your primary business, or a part-time business? Organized Artistry is my primary business. 3. Are you a member of NAPO? (Please indicate if you're an officer.) Yes, I am a member of NAPO National and NAPO-Greater NY area. 4. Why did you become a professional organizer? I always had the 'entrepreneurial spirit' and decided to combine that with a skill that came naturally to me. 5. What type of organizing do you specialize in (home, office, etc.)? I specialize in home organization, time and paper management. Because of my art background, I also keep an eye on aesthetics while I'm organizing. 6. Do you sell products, services, or seminars? Please describe. I do not offer seminars but I will be creating some organizing products in the future. 7. Have you written a book(s)? If so, what is the title(s)? I have written a booklet called, 7 Steps to an Organized Wedding Thank You Note. It is a guide for keeping brides and grooms organized while writing dozens and even hundreds of nuptial-related thank you notes. 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 e-tip sheet on my website called 'Top Ten Tips for Organized Living.' 9. Do you have a web site? If so, what is the address? My website is: www.organizedartistry.com 10. Is travel a big part of your business? At the time I am only traveling within Northern New Jersey and Manhattan. 11. Who is your primary target audience? Everyone! New moms, people with home offices, anyone who is overwhelmed by their clutter. Young or old, male or female--anyone who wants to get organized is a potential client. 12. Describe your typical workday. There is no such thing! Every day is different. One day I may be meeting with a prospective client in the morning and working on my website in the afternoon. Another day, I'll organize for 4-5 hours and come back to my home office and do administrative work. I greatly enjoy the flexibility and luxury of setting my own hours. Nothing beats that except checking e-mail in my robe and slippers. 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? Like most new businesses, it won't pay the rent the first year. But, I feel that if you are professional and strongly believe in yourself and your business concept, the money will follow. 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 a website and I write articles for two New Jersey-related websites. I am listed on two online directories for professional organizers and in the Spring I will be joining NJAWBO, (NJ Assoc. of Women's Business Owners) a networking group for women. The only vehicle that has not worked for me was an ad in a local parent's paper. 15. Which one marketing technique have you found works the best for you? Please describe. My website. I've been told it's very organized. 16. Describe a successful, creative marketing technique that you use, or that you've used in the past. Not very creative, but very successful: Being listed on two online professional organizer directories (including Get Organized Now!™) has helped many people find me and my information-packed website. 17. Do you feel that networking plays a big role in growing your business? At this time, I network at NAPO and NJAWBO meetings. I haven't gotten any clients out of it but I have acquired valuable information and contacts to help grow my business. I think, as I spend more time networking, it will help me grow my business. 18. What do you do to generate referrals? I do my best to help a client achieve their organizing goals. Then the rest is word of mouth. 19. What do you find to be the most exciting part of your business? Hearing the phone ring. The anticipation of what my next project will be gets my brain in motion. Will it be a home office? A kid's bedroom? A kitchen? It's very exciting to me. 20. What do you find to be the most frustrating part of your business? When clients say they're ready to get organized but they're not willing to part with what is making them disorganized. 21. Describe your greatest success in this field. My greatest success has been creating a profitable business with no business background. I took classes, read anything I could get my hands on and spoke with anyone who would stand still long enough to listen to my questions about starting a small business. 22. As a professional organizer, do you have a funny story to share? I once helped a woman organize the closets in her bedroom. We worked for about two hours when she told me she was tired and asked if I would mind if she were to lie down for a few minutes. Ten minutes later she was sound asleep and didn't wake up for an hour even though I was organizing ten feet away from her the whole time! 23. As an organizer, what professional organizing information or tools are you always on the lookout for? Anything and everything that can possibly be related to organizing. I get a phone call or something in the mail at least once a month from a friend or family member who has spotted something that might be of use/interest to me. I also have an extensive catalog collection. 24. Looking ahead, what do you see as your greatest challenge? I think my greatest challenges will be attracting new clients, acquiring referrals, and maintaining a healthy work/life balance. 25. What is your best tip for people interested in becoming professional organizers? Do it! If you are blessed with the gift of being organized and have the talent for teaching and helping others, there are people in the world who need you. Read some books and take some classes on starting a small business and don't look back. 
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