Today we’d like to introduce you to Caroline Guntur

Hi Caroline, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?

My career path has been long and circular, and I’m sure it still will be for some time. I started out as a music lover, wanting to get into the entertainment industry, and I went to school for that and got two degrees. Employment wasn’t for me, but it’s also a tough industry to enter as a solopreneur, so when it came time to start my business, I went with something more practical: professional organizing. I was good at that and saw the need. I worked as a residential organizer for some time, helping clients get their kitchens, closets, and basements in order. Eventually, I pivoted to remote digital organizing only because of my travel needs.

After many years as a successful photo and digital organizing pro, I decided to only offer online courses and coaching rather than private projects. That’s still what I do, but the topics have evolved according to what my clients’ needs have been. Though I’m still an organizing and productivity pro, I run more of a personality business as a content creator. My digital nomad lifestyle takes me around the world, and that flexibility suits me well.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

Entrepreneurship is always a bumpy road, but that also makes it interesting and fun. The biggest struggle for me has been pinpointing the right type of audience for my offers. Because everyone wants to become more organized and be more productive, creating a following is not difficult. Creating the right following is. A lot of the people who need my services do not know or understand that they need it. They proudly rebel against structure, and don’t feel that it’s for them. That leaves me with a lot of explaining to do, and it’s a heavy learning curve for them to “get” ready.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?

I’ve always been into art – all kinds of creative expressions, from music to painting to writing and more. In my mind, creativity is what makes the world go round, and we need more of it. What’s really nice about creativity is that it displays the personality of the artist, so everything is unique. There’s no one painting that’s the same as another. No photograph is ever seen from the same vantage point twice, and I love that. It’s what makes it so much fun. Because of that, I always wanted to support artists in any way I can, and my why is based on the idea of getting rid the starving artist syndrome.

I feel strongly that artists should be taken as seriously as other professionals, and that all artists should be able to make a decent living off what they love to do. That’s why my passion is to help creative entrepreneurs get their ducks in a row, run a profitable business, and have plenty of work-life balance.

Entrepreneurs often wear a lot of hats and aren’t always as organized as they need to be because they’ve spent a lifetime trying to work outside of the system. While I have strong respect for that spirit, there is also value in having systems and operations set up for your business. You can’t do everything yourself (as much as you’d like to try), and there comes a point when you need help. In other to delegate, you need to help your team help you. That can be extremely intimidating for those who are used to doing things on their own. It’s hard to let go, yet maintain control. I show small business owners exactly how to do that, so that they can continue to work their magic without burning out.

What makes me unique is that I am a creative myself who has learned how to be organized and productive. I’ve learnt exactly how to work within the system enough to make things run smoothly, yet not be afraid to break rules. I’m a right-brained rebel myself, and I like to do things differently. I can visualize the big picture yet also zoom in to the details and break down exactly what step to take next. It’s a rare combination of talent and skill that positions me well within the productivity industry.

Besides private coaching, I run several successful online courses:

”The Organizing Formula” is my free primer course on how professional organizers approach their work. It teaches a step-by-step process that works on practically anything, and lets you understand what to consider when tackling any project.

“The Bookend Approach to Productivity” is my mini-course on how to turn your side-hustle into a real business and make sales all while up-leveling your daily productivity. Getting things done is a foundational skill for all entrepreneurs and selling yourself can be hard, but it needs to happen. When you create a consistent open and close routine for your business, you will see dramatically different results.

“Creative Systems Architect” is my systems and operations course for those business owners who are making a good living, but don’t have any way to grow or scale beyond their current level. In other words, they are caught in the entrepreneurial catch-22; they need help because they have no documentation, but because they have no documentation, they cannot hire help. This course shows them how to start putting systems in a place, so they can delegate, automate, and streamline their digital universe.

“DPO PRO: The Ultimate Photo Organizing Masterclass” is my course on organizing digital photos and other assets, so that they can be used and repurposed in a simpler way. It’s suitable for those who are working with business files, but also for those who are working on their personal collections. We also educate future professional digital organizers through this course, so many of our students have come out of it with a new career.

“Mindful Monday Mapping” is my course for higher-level CEOs and leaders. It shows them how to create a shorter work week for themselves while still maintaining full creative control of their business. Work-life balance isn’t easy for entrepreneurs, but in this program, we tackle all of the obstacles and remove them one by one. The majority of our clients are able to create a much more spacious schedule for themselves within 3-6 months of enrolling.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?

There are so many apps, books, and resources I find useful, but I always give a shoutout to Notion (notion.so). I run my entire life and business in Notion, so it’s a fantastic tool when leveraged correctly. I love how customizable and visual it is, and that suits me perfectly as a creative.

Pricing:

• Private Coaching: Starts at $3200
• The Bookend Approach to Productivity: $47
• DPO PRO: $697 – $2497, depending on support tier
• Creative Systems Architect: $1500
• Mindful Monday Mapping: $6000

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.theswedishorganizer.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolineguntur/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caroline.guntur/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarolineGuntur
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarolineGuntur
• Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tsorganizer/

Image Credits

Copyright for all photos owned by Caroline Guntur