We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Naeemah Ford Goldson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Naeemah, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Parents can play a significant role in affecting how our lives and careers turn out – and so we think it’s important to look back and have conversations about what our parents did that affected us positive (or negatively) so that we can learn from the billions of experiences in each generation. What’s something you feel your parents did right that impacted you positively.

I come from a big family. I’m the fifth of eight children, and to say our home was chaotic growing up is an understatement! The thing my parents taught us as children that has resonated with me my entire life is to know I can do anything, and I can be whatever I wanted to be. They instilled a level of confidence in me that could be difficult to find as an adult. Whenever I had ideas I wanted to execute, they’ve supported me wholeheartedly and sometimes even offer advice on how to make the idea even better. Because of this confidence, I go into everything without the fear of failure. Even if I do fail at things, which all of us do, I have enough belief in myself to get back up and try again… if that doesn’t work, I find another route to get to where I want to be.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I decided to start my professional organizing business in 2012, after hiring a professional organizer to help my mother. I realized I was my mom’s personal organizer whenever I went to visit her in Nebraska, so why not turn it into a business? In 2013, I launched Restore Order Professional Organizing, and I’ve had so many great opportunities since.

I make appearances on national television as an Organizing & Design Expert, and I’ve contributed to numerous articles in several magazines: Parents, Martha Stewart Living, and Good Housekeeping to name a few. I host the Organize Me! Radio podcast, where I interview industry professionals on various organizing topics. I am also the author of Tidy Tessa, a children’s book that teaches kids how to become organized.

I specialize in transforming spaces through design for my clients. I have designed countless closets, pantries, home offices, garages, media centers, mudrooms, playrooms, and other spaces around the home. I am known for my simple, clean, and beautifully organized spaces.

I am most proud of being the founder of the National Association of Black Professional Organizers. Through this organization, we support BIPOC professional organizers through education and mentorship. It is important to have a safe space in whatever industry you decide to enter. I’m thankful that myself and the other founders were able to create this space for BIPOC organizers and we now have organizers all over the country.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Every business has its challenges, and I think many of us were hit hard with the pandemic. As a Certified Professional Organizer® and Designer, I work inside my client’s homes, and because we were in quarantine, I had to pivot. It served as a good time for me to reevaluate what I like and dislike about my business. It caused me to really focus on what is important to me, which is helping people beyond the Atlanta Metro area become organized.

I started the Organize Me! Radio podcast a few months before the pandemic, but it gave me the insight to change how I was executing my podcast and I decided I would interview organizing professionals nationally and internationally. Through my podcast, I chat with other professionals on various topics surrounding organization. You can listen to my podcast on Spotify, Apple, iHeartRadio, or any other podcast platform. You can also watch the video version of my podcast on my YouTube channel: Restore Order with Naeemah.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I believe authenticity wins every time! If you start your journey with the correct mindset, people will see that and want to work with you. In the professional organizing industry, you have to approach your clients without judgment, and you must have empathy for what they might be going through. There are so many unique situations for why people might be holding on to clutter, or why they are having a mental block and can’t seem to get their space organized. The benefit of me growing up in a big family and being the middle child is that I can relate to so many people, and I also have the ability to bring those people together.

I also think my expertise in the field helps boost my reputation. I am a Certified Professional Organizer® which means I am continually educating myself in an industry that is rapidly growing. I have certificates of study in Chronic Disorganization, ADD/ADHD, and Time Management & Productivity. I am also currently working with the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals as a subject matter expert to develop classes to train other professional organizers.

I also contribute to articles and television segments as an expert, which has helped to build my reputation in this industry.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://restoreordernow.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/restore_order_now/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RestoreOrderNow/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/RestoreOrderNow
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/restoreordernow/