Inspired by SCORE's American Small Business Championship and SCORE Awards, this blog post, combined with my contest entry, takes you inside my company to learn what exactly it is that my services do for the local community and its residents.
When I had the idea and embarked on my dream to become a Professional Organizer in 2013, I was so excited for what the future would bring, and I had no idea where the path was taking me! I did everything on my own, with the loving (and patient!) support of my husband, from spending every waking hour on research and planning, to building my website, and marketing my new business.
I was a new Mom who just left her 13 year long career in banking (with an over 2 hour a day commute!), living in an 880 square foot house with way too much stuff and not enough storage. I had my own clutter problem, and for my wellbeing, knew I had to do something about it. So I did. It was revitalizing! I could breathe again (and walk without tripping over something!). Then I did it for people of all ages all over Central Florida, gaining valuable experience one home or office at a time.
I was always organized. Really, I had a lot of experience before jumping into this. My credit union crew made fun of how I was always organizing. I valued a clutter free work environment and always wanted my team and our members to be able to find what they needed, when they needed it. Being able to do the same for my clients gives me great satisfaction.
The people who I help are usually organized people. Have you ever heard the phrase, “Life Happens”? Well, boy does it! Over, and over, and over again! Everyone goes through phases in life. From childhood to teenage years, moving out on your own to marriage and having children of your own, and then the empty nester years and downsizing. These different phases in life each come with their own challenges, challenges that make it difficult to remain organized. I truly love helping people through these times in their lives, making their homes both beautiful and functional again.
My business has grown to be unique in so many ways. First, my team serves any age from the early years to late years of life. While most of my clients were from the baby boomer generation, I organized for younger men, women, and children as well. When I was approached by a national senior transitions company at the end of 2015, looking for someone who could serve seniors and retirement communities in the Central Florida area, I knew that the opportunity was going to be very rewarding, but I didn’t know just how rewarding!
In January 2016, my small sole proprietorship became an employer! A local retirement community needed a Professional Organizer who they could refer to their incoming residents to help them through the daunting process of decluttering, downsizing, preparing their home for sale, and moving. I could no longer do this alone. Remember that husband that was so patient in the beginning? This was his opportunity to join my team, providing not only physical support, but great emotional support for our clients. I never dreamed how perfect he would be for the position! With him, and my other Organizer, Dee, we have the capability to do almost anything in a home to make it not only beautiful, but also functional.
By mid-April, we had successfully completed 6 senior move management projects. It was then that I decided to officially become a Senior Move Manager®, joining the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM). NASMM is the leading membership organization for Senior Move Managers®, providing innovative programs and expertise related to Senior Move Management, transition, and relocation issues affecting older adults. I also joined the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO). As The Organizing Authority®, NAPO is the leading source of education for organizing and productivity professionals. Now, after successfully completing 52 senior move management projects, my team and I are becoming Certified Senior Move Managers®! In fact, we just completed all of our advanced training in Aging in Place, Getting a Handle on Hoarding, Communication Matters, Dementia and Cognitive Disorders, and Memory and Forgettery. I have always valued in investing in my education. You can never learn too much! I am lucky enough to even be connected with colleagues all over the world who provide support and experiences that we all use to learn and grow.
Starting this business on my own almost four years ago, I was afraid of no longer being a part of a team; a team that serves to reach a common goal; one that provides you with the tools and support you need to succeed; one that encourages positivity, strength, and determination. I am so proud to have found that team. Retirement communities, senior service advocates, health service providers, moving companies, estate sales companies, real estate agents, families, and so many others are among my team. Every team member strives to create a positive experience for the client we are serving. This was my dream. Now it’s my reality!
Thank you for reading! I sincerely thank you also, if you took the time to vote for my contest entry with SCORE's American Small Business Championship! Public support has a 15% weight on the judging criteria, and we received 624 votes in 8 days! Although my main goal in entering this contest was to bring more exposure to my industry, winning the grand prize of $25000 would help me expand my business, providing my downsizing clients additional opportunities to clear their homes of their contents... the BIGGEST challenge in downsizing!
Thank you so much for your support!
Nicole Ramer
Professional Organizer & Senior Move Manager®
I was a new Mom who just left her 13 year long career in banking (with an over 2 hour a day commute!), living in an 880 square foot house with way too much stuff and not enough storage. I had my own clutter problem, and for my wellbeing, knew I had to do something about it. So I did. It was revitalizing! I could breathe again (and walk without tripping over something!). Then I did it for people of all ages all over Central Florida, gaining valuable experience one home or office at a time.
I was always organized. Really, I had a lot of experience before jumping into this. My credit union crew made fun of how I was always organizing. I valued a clutter free work environment and always wanted my team and our members to be able to find what they needed, when they needed it. Being able to do the same for my clients gives me great satisfaction.
The people who I help are usually organized people. Have you ever heard the phrase, “Life Happens”? Well, boy does it! Over, and over, and over again! Everyone goes through phases in life. From childhood to teenage years, moving out on your own to marriage and having children of your own, and then the empty nester years and downsizing. These different phases in life each come with their own challenges, challenges that make it difficult to remain organized. I truly love helping people through these times in their lives, making their homes both beautiful and functional again.
My business has grown to be unique in so many ways. First, my team serves any age from the early years to late years of life. While most of my clients were from the baby boomer generation, I organized for younger men, women, and children as well. When I was approached by a national senior transitions company at the end of 2015, looking for someone who could serve seniors and retirement communities in the Central Florida area, I knew that the opportunity was going to be very rewarding, but I didn’t know just how rewarding!
In January 2016, my small sole proprietorship became an employer! A local retirement community needed a Professional Organizer who they could refer to their incoming residents to help them through the daunting process of decluttering, downsizing, preparing their home for sale, and moving. I could no longer do this alone. Remember that husband that was so patient in the beginning? This was his opportunity to join my team, providing not only physical support, but great emotional support for our clients. I never dreamed how perfect he would be for the position! With him, and my other Organizer, Dee, we have the capability to do almost anything in a home to make it not only beautiful, but also functional.
By mid-April, we had successfully completed 6 senior move management projects. It was then that I decided to officially become a Senior Move Manager®, joining the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM). NASMM is the leading membership organization for Senior Move Managers®, providing innovative programs and expertise related to Senior Move Management, transition, and relocation issues affecting older adults. I also joined the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO). As The Organizing Authority®, NAPO is the leading source of education for organizing and productivity professionals. Now, after successfully completing 52 senior move management projects, my team and I are becoming Certified Senior Move Managers®! In fact, we just completed all of our advanced training in Aging in Place, Getting a Handle on Hoarding, Communication Matters, Dementia and Cognitive Disorders, and Memory and Forgettery. I have always valued in investing in my education. You can never learn too much! I am lucky enough to even be connected with colleagues all over the world who provide support and experiences that we all use to learn and grow.
Starting this business on my own almost four years ago, I was afraid of no longer being a part of a team; a team that serves to reach a common goal; one that provides you with the tools and support you need to succeed; one that encourages positivity, strength, and determination. I am so proud to have found that team. Retirement communities, senior service advocates, health service providers, moving companies, estate sales companies, real estate agents, families, and so many others are among my team. Every team member strives to create a positive experience for the client we are serving. This was my dream. Now it’s my reality!
Thank you for reading! I sincerely thank you also, if you took the time to vote for my contest entry with SCORE's American Small Business Championship! Public support has a 15% weight on the judging criteria, and we received 624 votes in 8 days! Although my main goal in entering this contest was to bring more exposure to my industry, winning the grand prize of $25000 would help me expand my business, providing my downsizing clients additional opportunities to clear their homes of their contents... the BIGGEST challenge in downsizing!
Thank you so much for your support!
Nicole Ramer
Professional Organizer & Senior Move Manager®
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