We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ann Zanon a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Ann, thanks for joining us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

In 2011, was laid off from my restaurant sales job and for the first time in my life, I was collecting unemployment. I was looking for jobs but at the same time, in my heart, I wanted to return to entrepreneurship rather than working for someone else. But I didn’t just want to be a business owner. I wanted to work in a field where I could truly serve my clients.

One afternoon, my neighbor stopped by as I was re-organizing our pantry and she asked, “Can you help me get organized too?”

We worked together in her pantry and had a great time. She mentioned that she had seen a show on cable TV called “The Amandas” and asked if I had seen it. Later that day, I sat down and binge-watched several episodes and I was hooked. I got onto my computer and googled, “Can you make money organizing people’s pantries?” and discovered that professional organizing was actually a career!

I decided to start my business as a “cleaning organizer”. I executed a simple business plan, filled out the paperwork at the city offices, got an EIN for tax purposes, hired a subcontractor to help with the cleaning, and put an ad on CraigsList advertising “Home Cleaning & Organizing”. I went to the bank and opened a dedicated business checking account as well. Then, I designed a little website advertising my business, and “The Polished Home” was born! I got my first client call just a couple of days later so I canceled my unemployment claim and I was in business!

My subcontractor and I began working and were soon booked 4 days a week. We started getting super busy with organizing gigs, so I gifted my subcontractor the cleaning jobs and began to focus on what I loved– organizing!

I began to develop a niche working in homes that were extremely disorganized and hoarded. It didn’t take long to discover that I was going to need some additional training in order to help these clients become successful so I joined the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and the Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD). These two organizations provided a wealth of information and education for me.

One of my clients mentioned that she almost didn’t call me because my business name, “The Polished Home”, sounded intimidating to her. She had hoarding behaviors and knew that her home was far from “polished”.

I made the decision to rebrand. With my new education and experience, plus my initials, “The Polished Home” became A2Z Organizing Solutions, LLC in 2013.

Ann, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was practically born into this profession. My mother was, and at age 86, still is one of the most organized people I know. I am one of 5 children born within 6 years. Mom had to be organized and she counted on us to help. I have always loved organizing and it comes naturally to me.

As a natural-born organizer and an experienced Certified Professional Organizer®, I can come into a home with an eye for visualizing the space in a new and functional way. Most of us are not decorators but we have a keen ability to see beyond the mess and the stuff to visualize a functional and esthetically pleasing room, closet, or cabinet. As we are creating our plan, we gather information about not only the physical aspects of the rooms but also how our client will be using that space.

That is the true meaning of organization for me. Being able to find what you want or need when you want or need it.

This is where my skills are super sharp. I know the right questions to ask and can offer a client multiple options for creating a functional and beautiful space. Using my project management skills, I can guide the project efficiently and swiftly through the right steps to create the perfect space for each client whether working on-site or virtually guiding my team members. I have clients all over the US and Puerto Rico with whom I can work on-site, virtually, and often, guiding team members who work on-site with my clients.

I prefer that my team and I work with the client present. It would certainly be easier if we just went in and organized the space to our liking.

BUT, the next morning, what happens when the CLIENT can’t find the “black peep-toe shoes that she always wears with the dress she needs to wear” to work? When her CHILD can’t find his “favorite snuggly bear” that used to be in his bed (but is now in his toy box)? Function trumps form. Every. Single. Time!

While I don’t necessarily want you to do all of the work with the project, if you are not a part of it, you may not be able to locate your things when you need them. And more importantly, you may not know where to put things back. My goal is to work myself and my team out of a job. We want you to have space that you love esthetically, that makes sense to you so that you can instinctively find your things and then put them away.

I am dedicated to my profession and my craft. There is nothing more satisfying than knowing that my clients’ lives have been simplified because we put their possessions where they can always find them.

I am a local, national and international speaker, most recently having spoken about move management at our NAPO National Conference as well as teaching productivity hacks to two groups of software engineers in Delhi, India in 2020. I was also honored to be appointed as chair for our NAPO National Conference in Baltimore, MD in April 2022.

Additionally, I have taught many local classes about hoarding, organizing for twins, preparing for a move, organizing your bedroom for a sanctuary feel, incorporating feng shui in your organizing, the ABCs of photo organizing, how to organize your pantry, and even how to fold a fitted sheet!

In 2018, I founded the Houston Hoarding Task Force and the American Hoarding Alliance which are both internet resources for people who hoard and people who want to help others who are hoarding or affected by hoarding. In February 2020, I coordinated a local full-day educational conference on hoarding with Cory Chalmers (from the A&E show Hoarders) as our main speaker. We also had speakers from local volunteer organizations and the SPCA sharing their perspectives on hoarding. It is my hope that we will offer another conference in 2023.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

My reputation as an organizer and business owner is automatically elevated by my association with NAPO and ICD. Having the required experience and the education to become a Certified Professional Organizer® sets me apart from my peers. It shows my dedication to my craft and adherence to our NAPO Code of Ethics. Additionally, I have been in business full-time since February 2011.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

While I do work with almost any type of client, my reputation was built on my skills in working with clients who struggle with mental illness, hoarding and chronic disorganization. Many organizers are unable to work in these specialized and sometimes dangerous environments for myriad reasons. When I first started working with this clientele, it was because the jobs were readily available and I love helping the hopeless. The families and neighbors who are watching are amazed at what we do in hoarding situations. And while the people who hoard often are private about their clutter struggles, their families and neighbors are so happy about the changes that they practically shout it from the rooftops. Additionally, my volunteer work with the Houston Hoarding Task Force and American Hoarding Alliance as well as NAPO and ICD have put my name and business in front of my colleagues and they can readily see the passion and dedication I have for sharing my talents with those who need my help.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.a2zOrganizingSolutions.com
• Instagram: @a2zorganizing
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/a2zOrganizingSolutions/
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/ann-zanon-cpo®-895a53
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeCVPLd8zfpr-bvaWY8ZV-g
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/a2z-organizing-solutions-houston
• Other: TikTok @a2zorganizing