Mixing & Mingling
In September, I had the pleasure of attending the HT:Summit; one of the largest (and most fabulously hot pink and orange) Professional Home Organizers conference in Austin, Texas. It was truly the who’s who of Home Organizers. Women (and a handful of gentlemen) from across the country, (and from a few other countries) descended on the Lone Star state for a weekend of learning, connection, adventures, and the most Instagram-able three days I have ever seen.
Upon arrival at the airport, I quickly reunited with my “organizing bestie” from Orlando. She and I had met years before in a business coaching group and have always kept each other on track and motivated throughout the years. Together, we navigated through the airport, picked up our rental car, and made our way to a “boujie” area of town where the conference hotels are in The Domain; an upscale walking district with shops, restaurants, hotels, and all kinds of sights and sounds.
A few hours later, our organizer friends from Palm Springs arrived and we were able to meet them in person for the first time after months of zoom calls and texts. As the hours passed, groups of organizing friends reunited in the hotel lobby and later at the meet-and-greet cocktail party. Women who had met at previous conferences, women who only knew each other online, and some who were there all by their lonesome, bravely introducing themselves. If you have ever attended a professional conference, you know that it can be a challenge to approach a group of people and join the conversation, especially when the conversation is so loud that it is hard to hear anything at all.
Right then and there, I was in the room with some of the biggest names in Home Organization. Women who run multi-million dollar organizing teams up and down the California coast; women with tv shows and product lines, women who have organized for a slew of celebrities; women whose businesses I have looked up to and admired while building and growing my own business jumped off the phone screen and into real life in a sea of hot pink dresses and orange business casual pant suits. What can I say, we’re an on-theme dressed group. When I say that I was a little intimidated and overwhelmed, that would be an understatement.
When we were leaving the cocktail party with our swag bags, we ran into a few gals outside. One who asked me, “Are you Organized Jill?”. I answered, “You know me?! Oh my goodness.” I was absolutely shocked that anyone besides my small group of organizer friends knew who I was. When she told me her name, I remembered that we had connected online years ago, and it was such a delight to meet her in person. There are definitely times when I have a little bit of face blindness and it can take me a minute to connect faces to names.
Getting Down to Business
The next morning, we jumped right into business with presentations from our hosts (Home + Sort based in California), a presentation from the CEO of Erin Condren (planners, stationery products, and all things organization), and a presentation about implementing technology and systems. The more I listened and absorbed, I could feel the imposter syndrome that I had long since parted ways with try to creep in. In the back of my mind, intrusive thoughts whispered, “What was I thinking quitting my job (4 years ago…)? What business did I have being here? I’ve made a huge mistake thinking I can run a business.”
I had to quickly brush away those thoughts to remember that I had worked non-stop for the last four years to build my business and have had the privilege to help hundreds of people transform their homes. I had to remember the actual blood, sweat, tears, and sleepless nights that went into growing my business. After a few moments of uncertainty, I regrouped and refocused while taking all sorts of notes for two straight days.
By mid-day, we were ushered to outside tables to get a little fresh air and have time to make new connections. I spoke with dozens of women, small business owners all with a spark and dream. Organizers from all over the country, running all different businesses. Everyone from luxury home organizers, to organizers who focus on neurodivergent clients, senior downsizing specialists, corporate relocation directors, organizers who are also interior designers, photo organization specialists, paper organization lovers, and everyone in between. People who are solo- organizers, ones who have small teams in their cities, and ones who orchestrate large teams in multiple cities and states.
And as I listened to women from New Jersey, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, Florida, California, Kansas, and beyond speak, I realized that even though we all started our businesses for the love of Home Organization, that our personalities, beliefs, methodologies, results, business goals and sizes, were all SO different.
My Why for My Clients
It made me think about my clients and their personalities and what had made us a good fit, why they had been drawn to me. Was it because in a room full of Type A’s that I am a Type B? Did that message come across on my website? Did my passion for color-coded closets and happy pantries resonate with my audience? Did my delightful small team look like nice people who they’d want in their homes folding their underwear drawers? Did my clients know that they could feel safe with me in their most vulnerable states? Did my clients feel reassured that I personally would be there in their homes, at every organizing session, right by their side to help them through the decision-making process? What message did I want to continue to spread or change, what connections did I want to seek out upon my return to North Carolina.
One of the most important pieces of all the information that I absorbed over the weekend was that there is no one “right” way to run an organizing business. There were 400 people in the room all running 400 vastly different businesses. What was most important is that I stay true to who I am, be myself, focus on my own business, and help my clients achieve their home organization goals.
I realized that I just need to continue to focus on providing services that make my heart sing, the things I was put on this earth to do (organizing closets, kitchens, pantries, playrooms, and garages…. with the occasional custom closet design & installation so I can use my power tools and feel super empowered) and not worry about what other folks are doing.
Running a small business is not for the faint-of-heart or thin skinned. I am celebrating all the fears that I have overcome to get where I am today. I am in the homestretch of the end of year 4 in my business and I am looking at year 5 with a rejuvenated spirit and a happy heart. And I am wishing a final farewell to any residual imposter syndrome, kicking doubt to the curb, and going to keep on going.
If you need a hand decluttering & organizing your home, we’re here to help!
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