Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Maija Diethelm. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Maija, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
I come from the hospitality industry where one of my roles was bartender, which is the ultimate way to learn about people dynamics and gain an understanding of how an individual ticks. During those years I learned so much about myself, about human connection, and about what drives us to be better and to have a better way of life. One of the many concepts that stood out was being at peace with ourselves and our surroundings. One of the best ways to accomplish this zen – centering feeling is to have a clutter-free space. Your home is your sanctuary. So decluttering is a positive, motivational, and destressing way to make your space a happy, energetic, loving, calming place to nurture yourself and our loved ones.
From a personal experience with her parents who needed help with organizing their home, word spread about Maija’s organizational skills, and The Maija Method began. “I love this work because I’m helping others,” Maija explained. “I’m particularly interested in working with people who are older, who are transitioning through life – downsizing or moving. With the Baby Boomer generation aging, there’s a huge population of people who will need assistance now and in the future.”
Maija, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
The Maija Method – The Right Balance Between Motivation and Consideration!
As I mentioned earlier, I come from the hospitality industry where I use to own and operate a wine bar called Boozefish Wine Bar for over a decade. During that time, my parents needed my help because my dad fell ill, my mom worked, and dad took care of the home affairs.
All of a sudden mom was going to have to be in charge and it was very overwhelming for her to manage. I’d go home every few months to go through each room to downsize, organize, and set up systems to help the two of them function.
When I came home and back to the wine bar, my regulars and friends wondered what I had been doing. When they found, I ended up helping them with small projects. That was the beginning The Maija Method. The journey started in 2010 and in 2018 I went full-time.
Each project, I always take into consideration the individual I am working with at the time. How they tick, what their ultimate goal is, what their time frame is, how much they can handle in each session. I really want to make sure they trust me, they know I respect them and their space, and that ultimately I am here to make their life better.
I dedicate my energy to making my client’s life less stressful. I help them know they can move forward with their goals and have positive results with each project we work on. I push, I nudge, I add insight, I listen, I gain trust, and ultimately I help the person be in a better situation then when they started.
The main purpose for me to offer my skill set to others is to allow them to breathe, get a new lease on their surroundings and life, and to help them create their sanctuary (their happy place). This is what sets me apart – I not only help with the physical aspect of decluttering, organizing, and downsizing – I also appreciate and understand the emotional side to all of it and will be there for them through it all.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
Since this job is so personal, my business grows by referral. I do have social media presence, but really the majority of my clientele is by someone they knew who used my services. Or by my friends or colleagues that know me and my work ethic.
Conversations about M&A are often focused on multibillion dollar transactions – but M&A can be an important part of a small or medium business owner’s journey. We’d love to hear about your experience with selling businesses.
I owned and operated Boozefish Wine Bar for 14 years and the whole experience (through the thick and thin) will always have my heart and be a huge part of my identity. I made a decision in 2014 that it was time to sell the wine bar and start a new chapter in my life. I was always determined to leave while I was still happy even though it was the hardest decision of my professional career. I was giving up everything I knew that defined me professionally and defined my 20s and 30s. It was one of the hardest physical and emotional years of my life. The process took a full year and it was a ‘throat punch of a year’. The ups and downs of each day weighs heavy on your shoulders and heart. You show the space to several interested parties. You give your story over and over. You get told over and over again that you are asking too much. You go through negotiations, signed contracts, people dropping out, and repeat, until finally a deal is met. It is down right grueling and is why I think not much is talked about when a business sells. It is too hard. Now that I am away from the situation and time has passed, I can hopefully give others an outlet and insight of the process that could happen. During that time, I luckily found hot yoga, and it honestly kept me sane and able to breathe. I would lay in Shavasana at the end of class and think ‘YES, I CAN SWEAT OUT THE SHIT SHOW’ and have 90 minutes of being able to breathe before I’d have to embrace the reality that I was on the vicious cycle of another day of ‘will this sell?’ I also had mentors I could turn to who had been through the process years before and were always great listeners and advice givers.
Please reach out! Please find a healthy outlet! Please don’t do it alone! Please know it will pass – it just takes a lot of deep breaths and patience! Please know there is always another adventure! Mine turned into The Maija Method, and I still have a lot more adventures to come from it.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.maijamethod.com
- Instagram: @TheMaijaMethod
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheMaijaMethod
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/maijamethod
Image Credits
Professional Photo taken by: Coco Videla
Project Photos taken by Maija Diethelm