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Interview With . . . Sue DeRoos Organize U! Macomb, IL by Maria Gracia 1. What is the name of your company? Where are you located? How long have you been in business? Hi! My name is Sue DeRoos and I am the owner of Organize U! I'm located in West Central Illinois in the city of Macomb, Illinois. 2. Is this your primary business, or a part-time business? Organize U! is my primary business. 3. Are you a member of NAPO? (Please indicate if you're an officer.) Yes, I am a NAPO Member! 4. Why did you become a professional organizer? In 1992 I had my only child - a daughter. In 1995 I was thinking about the things I wanted to teach my daughter as she grew from a toddler to a little girl, and beyond. One of the things I wanted her to know is that she could be or do anything she really wanted to do. AND if she loved what she did in life she would never know a days work! At that point I decided that I better get busy practicing what I was about to preach...thus in 1997 I launched Organize U! 5. What type of organizing do you specialize in (home, office, etc.)? Residential, Office, Home office...the business pretty much runs the gamut! I do alot of redesign of space just working with the existing furniture, accessories, etc., better organization in finances, closet/space designs for new homes just to list a few. 6. Do you sell products, services, or seminars? Please describe. I recommend products - but have not developed any of my own (yet!) I do alot of seminars and workshops. I've done little seminars from 20-50 minutes and large workshops that last 3 hours. I've done workshops for Seniors 'How To Read Your Map - To Becoming Organized' and 'Take This Job and Love It!', for employees of Western Illiniois University. This is just a few. 7. Have you written a book(s)? If so, what is the title(s)? Not yet, but it's on my list of To Do's! 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, not at this time. 9. Do you have a web site? If so, what is the address? Yes, it's http://organizu@macomb.com/~organizu/ 10. Is travel a big part of your business? I do travel - from 1.5 hours to 3 hours - but as business grows I do it alot less as I'm so busy I don't have as much time to travel. 11. Who is your primary target audience? People -- Grandma's, teenagers, stay-at-home moms, working moms, business owners, new home builders...it has no boundaries as to who! I guess I'd just say that it's anyone who wants a better quality of life! 12. Describe your typical workday. No such thing!! I've worked from 8 a.m. til 1 a.m. and I've worked from 12-3 p.m. I get to make my own hours. But typical is not anything I'd say falls into the vocabulary of a full-time professional organizer! 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? Yes! If they are really good at it! It takes time - and won't pay the mortgage in the first year. But the sky is the limit! If you can answer ANY organizing question, and be familiar with ALL (or almost all) the products - then you're on your way to being a professional organizer! 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)? My clients are my best marketing tool. I leave them with such a better quality of life that they want to tell their whole world! I used to do free workshops - it was great publicity. I did Home Shows and joined my local Chamber of Commerce. 15. Which one marketing technique have you found works the best for you? Please describe. My work is guaranteed! If a client is not 100 percent satisfied with the services I have provided they don't have to pay. It takes the 'risk out of the fear of the unknown! 16. Describe a successful, creative marketing technique that you use, or that you've used in the past. Find out where the largest groups of people are that gather regularly: Kiwanis, Lions Club, Sorority Clubs, etc. and solicit them to be a speaker! The number of people you'll have in an audience will be amazing. 17. Do you feel that networking plays a big role in growing your business? As far as networking with others in my surrounding area - no. I don't have any other organizers within a 90 mile radius. However, the networking I do when I go to my NAPO conference is invaluable and I'd never miss a conference! 18. What do you do to generate referrals? One free hour for every new client booking more than 2 hours. 19. What do you find to be the most exciting part of your business? The feeling I get in making people's lives better. I run into clients I had 5 years ago and they say 'our lives are so much better since you helped us!' 20. What do you find to be the most frustrating part of your business? Living in a small community which means that alot of the resources I use have to be shipped in and can't be gotten 'same day service.' 21. Describe your greatest success in this field. Accomplishing a life long dream! I'm doing something I love and can be the role model to my daughter that I'd hoped and prayed for! I won't be 70 and say 'I always wanted to...' 22. As a professional organizer, do you have a funny story to share? The funniest is the client who after a 4 hour appointment called at 11 p.m. on a Friday night and wanted me to bring all their garbage back! I guess they just weren't ready! 23. As an organizer, what professional organizing information or tools are you always on the lookout for? Anything that can be used in organizing! I always try and think 'out of the box' when it comes to organizing. 24. Looking ahead, what do you see as your greatest challenge? Coming up with a book that won't be like all the other books about organizing I see on the shelves of my clients. 25. What is your best tip for people interested in becoming professional organizers? Start asking your friends and family to ask you organizing questions and present you with dilemas. When you don't get stumped anymore - think up a business name and get business cards! The rest will follow. 
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