We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sandi D’Arezzo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sandi below.
Sandi, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Your ability to build a team is often a key determinant of your success as a business owner and so we’d love to get a conversation going with successful entrepreneurs like yourself around what your recruiting process was like -especially early on. How did you build your team?
I started my business in New Hampshire back in 2017 when I was still an elementary school music teacher. I was just on my own at first working with clients. Then I knew that I was going to be moving to North Carolina with my family and I didn’t want to just close the business and lose all of the hard work that I put into it. I decided to hire a couple organizers as subcontractors to work with me on jobs. It was great to have them there for things like kitchens and closets that took a long time with only one organizer. We could pull out and finish an entire kitchen in one day, instead of leaving the client with a mess until our next session. Since I hired subcontractors at first, I didn’t have as much control over how they organized and it didn’t feel quite as official or like we were all committed to the same vision together. I moved to North Carolina in 2019 and started a new team here as well, while still managing my team in New Hampshire. Eventually I switched to (part-time) employees, which cost more for the business, but was the best decision I could have made. I’m in a group of hundreds of organizers online and I was one of the first to switch to employees. It was scary, but I knew it was the right thing to do. I even met with an employment lawyer who helped me draft my employee contract and make sure I was compliant. I now have an extensive handbook, do zoom trainings, run payroll, have branded t-shirts, and we go out for team building lunches together. It just feels like a much more committed, inclusive team of organizers. I love that I can provide income and a fun career to other women in the community. Company culture and being a compassionate boss is really important to me. Two of my favorite questions to ask when interviewing a new potential organizer is; “how would your friends describe you?” and “what do you love about yourself?” It’s really hard for people, especially women, to talk about what they love about themselves. One of our business core values is self-love. These questions not only tell me more about them as a person, but it shows them, when interviewing, the character of our company.
I’m so grateful and kind of amazed with how everything turned out. When I started my business, I wasn’t ever planning on having a team. Moving to NC gave me the kickstart to hire a team in NH. Then I was pregnant with my first when COVID hit, so once she was born I tried having my team go to jobs without me. That transformed into having employees. Now I’m home with my second baby managing my two locations, while my organizers go to all consultations and jobs. I would love to work with clients on-site again some day, when my kids are in childcare full-time, but for now, I’m loving working from home while snuggling my baby boy and have my daughter home with us two work days per week as well.
It’s been tricky to give up control, but at the same time it’s so freeing and great practice for my perfectionist self! I can now make the schedule I want, spend time with my kids, and be a business owner! Even when days are hard, it’s truly a dream.
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’m a mom of two little ones. I love taking walks and exploring local cafes and restaurants. I started my organizing business in NH back in 2017 after decluttering and organizing my whole home. I grew up holding onto a lot of “stuff” and it was definitely a stressor and weight on me. After reading Marie Kondo’s The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, I got into living more minimally. I loved decluttering so much that when there was nothing left to declutter, I started my own organizing business to help others declutter! I started the business when I was a full-time elementary music teacher. After one year of doing both, I left teaching to organize full-time. Soon after, my husband and I moved to NC and I started our second location. Our business offers organizing services; we declutter and organize client’s spaces such as pantries, kitchens, closets, playrooms, offices, garages, and more. We can incorporate new organizing products or use what you already have. We create function in your home. It’s always function first, but we pay attention to aesthetics too and leave you with a beautiful new space that you can maintain. We also offer packing and unpacking services. You can move into a new home and we’ll come in and unpack and organize it all! Talk about making something (moving) that’s usually super stressful into something fun and exciting. Your home should be your haven but it’s often overwhelming to clients, especially those going through big life changes. Our specialty is working with our clients through moments of change, such as moving, downsizing, dealing with a loved one’s belongings, welcoming a new baby, parenting ever-changing children, or becoming an empty nester. Change doesn’t have to feel hopeless or overwhelming. We’ve got your back and it will be ok!
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
Google has been the best source of clients for us. We love when clients leave us google reviews, as this shows other consumers looking for an organizing company what others have loved about us. We can talk about our business as much as we want, but people like to hear from other clients the real truth! I always google companies and read their reviews before making a purchasing decision. We’ve worked hard on our SEO to make sure we’re discoverable online, then let client reviews speak for themself! From the beginning I knew the importance of asking for reviews. It can feel awkward to ask for one at first, but you build relationships with clients and they’re usually happy to share. The biggest obstacle to this is that some clients don’t want others to know they “needed” an organizer. But it’s nothing to be embarrassed about! Anyone COULD try to organize their home, but people often don’t have the time or motivation to. You work so hard and finally have a few hours free; you want to spend it with your family or relaxing, not organizing your home. We get it! I’m excited that organizing is getting more popular with Netflix shows and social media. Let’s get rid of that stigma. People aren’t embarrassed that they outsource house cleaning or lawn care. Be proud that you have an organizer and care about improving your home’s function.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I grew up as a perfectionist. I needed to get all A’s, feel like I was in control, and honestly had low self-esteem. I tied my self-worth into how productive I was. Being a business owner with employees (and being a mom of two!) I’ve had to let that perfectionism and need for control go. I manage two locations, one of which is many states away. I’ve had to let go of that control and trust the organizers I hired to do the right thing and organize without me. Letting go of that perfectionism can be so freeing. If I never wanted to let go in my business, I would only have one location, doing all the in-person organizing myself, be able to help way less clients, and my kids would both be in child-care full-time. That’s fine and necessary for some, but part of why I started my business in the first place was that I wanted the freedom and flexibility to make the schedule I wanted and spend time with my family. One difficult thing I’ve done to combat the urge for control and fear of uncertainty is behavioral experiments (a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy technique; look it up, very cool!). One example: I had a lot of anxiety around packing for trips; what if I forgot something important? I recruited my husband and had him secretly take out one item after I packed for a trip to visit his in-laws. It was so stressful, but guess what? Nothing bad happened! Ok, he only took my daughter’s book out; he went easy on me. But the experiment made me think: what would I do if he took the high chair out? What about the sound machine? And it made me realize, it would all be ok. Worst case, we go to the store and buy a new one. Or I adapt and use white noise on my phone. A lot of the barriers in life are created by ourselves in our heads. I’m still working on letting go of control, but have gotten SO much better. It’s best for me, best for my family, and best for my business. Just because I’m an organizer, it doesn’t mean I have to be perfect. I’m human, and that’s beautiful.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hello-simplified.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/hellosimplified/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/Hellosimplifiedorganizing/