We recently connected with Kim Schwarz and have shared our conversation below.
Kim, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. The first dollar your business earns is always special and we’d love to hear how your brand made its first dollar of revenue.
I started my organizing business, Live Love Organize, in 2002. After getting comfortable working with friends and family members, I posted my organizing services on Craigs List. I received my first client and despite some apprehension from my family for moving forward with a client that discovered my services on Craigs List, he ended up being a loyal and wonderful first client. To grow my clientele and to further share my business, I donated gift certificates for auctions at local schools, advertised my services on Mommy email lists (the way people shared opportunities pre-social media). On a professional level, my work calendar grew, but I continued to engage and give back to the community, by donating my organizing services to non-profit organizations,
Kim, 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?
As a child, I was well known for my love of organizing. I would spend my play time cleaning up and organizing anything and everything not only in my home, but really everywhere I went, I was always seeking ways to put things in order. Needless to say, I was well appreciated by my older brothers, whose rooms were always in check, thanks to me. I also loved organizing my friends rooms, making me a well sought after playdate. My goal is to provide my clients with real life support and guidance to meet their organizing needs. Whether it is packing for or unpacking from a move, transitioning from one stage of life to another, thoughtfully keeping, donating or disposing of items, I approach each clients needs with compassion, respect and care. I am most proud that I started my business in 2002, pre-social media, pre-TV shows about organizing and pre-organizing books and resources flooded the shelves. I also understand that what you see in print and on social media, isn’t everyday life for most people. Everyday people who seek a more organized life, seek the hands on tools and advice to not only organize their home or office space, but to set-up a system that works long term. Purchasing fancy bins and containers, is not the solution for everyone, most clients that I have worked with, have already gone the route of buying bins and containers, but yet they still do not feel organized. I offer the guidance and an open mindset to clients that are at a crossroads and are seeking organizing support that goes beyond appearances.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Becoming a Mom was indeed always a sought after role and very much an appreciated highlight in my life when it came to fruition in 2006, when our first daughter was born. While in the newborn stage, I continued to maintain my organizing clientele, with my daughter in tow, I would go to clients, and enjoyed the interactions and organizing opportunities. 16 months after she was born, we welcomed our son and within the next 3 years, we welcomed two more babies to our family. As a Mom of four kids, under the age of five, our life was very full and I cherished and relished in focusing my time on “Mommyhood” applying my innate organizing skills into getting through each day as a full time Mom! Friends and family members would comment on my attention to detail and scheduling, how was it that I got my babies to sleep through the night and how was it that toys were kept to one room of our home. I relished in the opportunity to provide guidance and support to my friends who would seek parenting and organizing advice. Putting my professional organizing services on hold, my focus was maintaining our home and raising our four kids. While my kids were growing up, I sought out meaningful community service volunteer opportunities for us to engage in as a family, these opportunities also led to lay leadership opportunities for me. In addition, I got involved in volunteer opportunities at my kids school, further leading to personal growth and leadership positions. When I decided to start re-engaging my organizing business, and with major technological advances since starting my business in 2022, no more Craigs List posts, Daily Candy emails and magazine shout outs, I wasn’t prepared to launch into a full blown social media campaign, so I reconnected with some of my previous clients and shared the exciting news that I was seeking clients again. I was grateful that some of my previous clients were elated to hear the news, and they quickly booked sessions and spread the word that I was back for hire! As a sensitive and respectful supporter to my clients needs, I picked up where I left off, setting-up organizing systems and teaching clients how to let go of things carefully and introspectively and to set-up real life processes and systems that work for everyday people.
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
Word of mouth has definetly been the best source of new clients for me. People appreciate hearing firsthand from others the benefits of working with me and the care and support that I provide to each of my clients. For more information about my services, please contact me at [email protected] or at 310.666.2878.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.liveloveorganize.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-schwarz-50344
